Nissan North America, Inc. Launches New Scholarship Program for American Indian Students

GARDENA, Calif.--Aug. 2, 20038, 2003--

Nissan Doubles its Support to the American Indian College Fund and Names 1st Scholarship Recipients

Automaker Nissan North America, Inc., headquartered in Gardena, Calif., has launched a new and unique scholarship program for American Indian college students that will be administered by the American Indian College Fund, headquartered in Denver. The new scholarship program, which doubles Nissan's annual support to the Fund, was created in observance of Nissan's 10 years of generously supporting Native students at the nation's 34 tribally controlled colleges and universities.

The new Nissan North America, Inc./Tribal College Transfer Program is unique in that funds are used to encourage graduating students at tribal colleges -- most of which are two-year, associate degree-granting schools -- to transfer to four-year institutions (including four-year tribal schools) to seek a bachelor's degree. Also unique is the "Helping Hands" aspect of the Nissan program, through which the Fund provides communications, advice, guidance, support and other assistance to the transferring students in order to make the transition as seamless as possible.

The program provides 20 scholarships of $2,000 per student during the recipient's sophomore year, or second year, at a tribal college or university, and continues the annual $2,000 stipend for two more years as the student successfully transfers and completes a bachelor's degree program at a four-year institution. Students may major in any discipline, but they must maintain acceptable levels of academic performance.

"Nissan North America is honored to support the educational goals of many deserving students through the new scholarship program," said Jim Morton, senior vice president of finance and administration for Nissan. "When people are empowered through education, communities can prosper. This is why Nissan continues to expand our long-standing relationships with invaluable organizations such as the American Indian College Fund."

"The generous support that Nissan has given to American Indian college students over the past decade has proven to be a tremendous boost not only to the hundreds of individual scholars they have reached, but to the pride and well-being of their families and to the betterment of their Native communities, as well, " said Richard B. Williams, president and CEO of the Fund. "With this new program, Nissan is doubling its support to the Fund and providing a very strong incentive for tribal college students to continue beyond the associate degree level and obtain a bachelor's degree."

The first class of Nissan Scholarship students selected for the 2003-2004 academic year is:

1.   Barbara Abrams (Seneca) from United Tribes Technical College, 
     Bismarck, N.D.
2.   Jeffrey Barwick (Menominee) from College of Menominee Nation, 
     Keshena, Wis.
3.   Kristy Dempsey (Navajo) from Dine College, Tsaile, N.M.
4.   Lisa Drum (Omaha) from Nebraska Indian Community College, 
     Macy, Neb.
5.   Brian DuMontier (Confederated Salish and Kootenai) from Salish 
     Kootenai College in Pablo, Mont.
6.   Rae Flansburg (Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa) from Turtle 
     Mountain Community College, Belcourt, N.D.
7.   Eileen Henderson (Blackfeet) from Blackfeet Community College, 
     Browning, Mont.
8.   Rachel Karrer (Lower Elwha Klallam) from Northwest Indian 
     College, Bellingham, Wash.
9.   Lissa LaFrance (Crow) from Little Big Horn College, 
     Crow Agency, Mont.
10.  Kristin Madman (Blackfeet) from Blackfeet Community College, 
     Browning, Mont.
11.  Tanya Mendoza (Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa) from United 
     Tribes Technical College, Bismarck, N.D.
12.  Jona Parisien (Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa) from Turtle 
     Mountain Community College, Belcourt, N.D.
13.  Craig Pease (Blackfeet) from Blackfeet Community College, 
     Browning, Mont.
14.  Rory Shaw (Northern Paiute) from Southwestern Indian Polytechnic 
     Institute, Albuquerque, N.M.
15.  Pamela Slinkey (Navajo) from Southwestern Indian Polytechnic 
     Institute, Albuquerque, N.M.
16.  Janel Spotted Bear-Briggs (Crow) from Little Big Horn College,
     Crow Agency, Mont.
17.  Nancy Strickland (Lumbee) from Institute of American Indian Arts,
     Santa Fe, N.M.
18.  Bambi Tuson (Alaskan Unupiat) from Blackfeet Community College, 
     Browning, Mont.
19.  Manda Vann (Washoe/Paiute/Cherokee) from D-Q University, 
     Davis, Calif.
20.  Wilburn Yazzie (Navajo) from Southwestern Indian Polytechnic 
     Institute, Albuquerque, N.M.

In North America, Nissan's operations include automotive styling, engineering, consumer and corporate financing, sales and marketing, distribution and manufacturing. More information on Nissan in North America and the complete line of Nissan and Infiniti vehicles can be found online at www.nissanUSA.com or www.infiniti.com or contact the corporate media line at 310-771-5631.

Established in 1989, the American Indian College Fund (www.collegefund.org) has spent more than a decade helping increase educational opportunities for Native students. With its credo "educating the mind and spirit," it distributes scholarships and support to tribal colleges across the country. This aid supports more than 6,000 scholarships each year. The Fund also supports endowments, developmental needs and public awareness, as well as college programs in Native cultural preservation and teacher training.