(LINCOLN Neb. April 11, 2003) - EducationQuest Foundation has selected four Nebraska high school guidance counselors to receive its 2003 Guidance Counselor Enrichment Scholarship. They are Kathleen Cruise from St. Edward Public School; Cliff Jorgensen from Alma Public School; William Roundey from Lincoln Lutheran Junior/Senior High School; and Susan Thomas from Dorchester Public School.

The scholarship will fund attendance for the counselors at regional and national college counseling conferences, and will provide a $1,000 grant for the purchase of career or college planning materials for their schools' guidance department. Roundey and Thomas will attend the Great Plains Association for College Admission Counseling Conference May 4-6 in Overland Park, Kan.; Cruise and Jorgensen will attend the National Association for College Admission Counseling Conference October 2-4 in Long Beach, Calif.

EducationQuest, which donates over $1 million each year in need-based scholarship funds for Nebraska students, developed the Guidance Counselor Enrichment Scholarship to help Nebraska high school guidance counselors provide college and career planning information to students. The program is open to all Nebraska high school guidance counselors.

"Nebraska high school guidance counselors play a vital role in helping students transition from high school to college - often with little funding," said Tammy Stevenson, Director of Scholarships for EducationQuest. "We're pleased to support their efforts by providing professional development opportunities and much-needed resources through this scholarship."

EducationQuest Foundation is a private, nonprofit organization with a mission to improve access to higher education in Nebraska. Through a permanent endowment, EducationQuest provides free college planning services at its locations in Kearney, Lincoln and Omaha; funds need-based scholarship programs; and supports community organizations that enhance college access. For more information, call EducationQuest Foundation, headquartered in Lincoln, at 800-303-3745 or visit www.EducationQuest.org.