Advertising Women of New York (AWNY), the premier organization for women in advertising, marketing, media, digital, promotion and public relations, has announced the creation of a$100,000 Education Loan Relief Scholarship Fund to mark the start of its Centennial year celebration. The new initiative, designed to help alleviate financial burden for AWNY members grappling with education debt, launches at a time when student loan bills have become the largest single category of Americans’ financial obligation.
AWNY will present a minimum of ten $10,000 awards to qualifying members at the organization’s Centennial celebration luncheon on October 4.  A portion of all Centennial event sponsorships will raise the $100,000 award monies.  The award application, which must be submitted no later than August 15, can be found at www.awny.org.
“For 100 years, AWNY has dedicated its resources to advancing women in the communications profession, and throughout that time, higher education has been the key to lifting women into positions of influence,” said Carol Watson, AWNY’s new president, who heads the cross-cultural talent consultancy Tangerine-Watson. “Mounting education debt, however, hinders success. With the creation of our Education Loan Relief Program, we aim to address this national issue. AWNY is, to date, the only advertising organization with such a program.”
“This is an unparalleled offer for our industry,” said Kathleen Nagle, co-chair of AWNY’s Young Executive Committee and account director at Redbook.  “Student loan debt is a burden that touches many AWNY members, including myself. This education initiative further demonstrates AWNY’s commitment to educate, support, develop and advance its members, and I’m thrilled to be a part of it.”
About AWNY
Advertising Women of New York, which turns 100 this year, was founded in 1912 as the first women’s association in the communications industry. The organization today counts more than 1,600 dynamic and influential women and men representing the advertising, marketing, media, digital, promotions and public relations fields as its members. AWNY’s mission is to provide a forum for personal and professional growth, to serve as a catalyst for the advancement of women in the communications field, and to promote and support philanthropic endeavors through the AWNY Foundation. For further information, visit http://www.awny.org.
SOURCE Advertising Women of New York