Ford, Zipcar 'Students with Drive' grant program awards $300,000 to student organisations

Ford Motor Company and Zipcar, Inc. announced the culmination of the first year of the 'Students with Drive' grant program, which donated a total of $300,000 to student organisations on university campuses throughout the United States. In an event at the University of
California Los Angeles (UCLA), Zipcar and Ford recognised UCLA's Choral Activities at the as the 'Students with Drive' grand prize winner.

Through the 'Students with Drive' grant program, which first launched in October 2011, Ford and Zipcar provided student organisations at eligible Zipcar colleges and universities with free Zipcar memberships and driving credits to support their activities on campus and in their local communities. Each month, five student organisations in each of the five categories (Academics, Arts, Athletics, Community Service and Student Life) working to make a difference were awarded $5,500 each in Zipcar credits. Zipcar and Ford also recognised 10 runner-up organisations each month with $1,000 each in Zipcar credits.

"We know that today's students are active with local organizations in their communities and we were pleased to be able to help them give back through the 'Students with Drive' program," said Amy Marentic, Ford Group Marketing Manager. "Ford's alliance with Zipcar not only provides students with access to Ford's newest fuel-efficient vehicles but it allows them to use these vehicles when supporting local organisations." 

"One of our core values at Zipcar is to 'have an impact,' and the organisations that have been recognised by 'Students with Drive' over the course of the year should be very proud of the work they are doing to make their campuses and communities better places," said Scott Griffith, Zipcar Chairman and CEO. "On behalf of Zipcar, I'd like to congratulate our Grand Prize winner Choral Activities and the UCLA community on the work that these students are doing to change our world for the better. We're pleased to help such worthy organisations achieve their missions through the use of Zipcar's car sharing program."

UCLA's Choral Activities is a group of vocal ensembles with a growing community outreach program. With the grant money from Ford and Zipcar, Choral Activities plans to bolster the UCLA Choral Outreach Program, which serves inner-city schools in California and across the nation. The program seeks to encourage and inspire students to pursue musical and artistic endeavors and higher education. The 'Students with Drive' grand prize will fuel the group's mission to enhance the lives of young people in the community with singing, by providing honor choirs, quarterly choral outreach concerts at UCLA and free clinics in participating schools and on the UCLA campus.

As 'Students with Drive' grand prize winners, UCLA's Choral Activities will receive $5,000 in Zipcar credits to be used for memberships and driving, $10,000 for to put toward their cause and $10,000 to be awarded to UCLA. Four grand prize runner-up organisations, including Alpha Phi Omega-Alpha Gamma Nu at the University of California Santa Cruz, Aspiring Hands at the University of New Hampshire, Camp Kesem at Johns Hopkins University and the Student Volunteer Program at Rice University, will each receive $1,125 in Zipcar credits, $1,000 to put toward their cause and $1,000 for their school.

"As a completely self-sustaining organisation, Choral Activities relies on financial contributions from individuals and companies like Zipcar and Ford to do its work. Every dollar donated to our organisation goes to bettering the life of a student through music and arts education, and Zipcar and Ford's generous contribution will enable us to continue our mission next year," said Rebecca Lord, Associate Director of Choral Activities. "Choral Activities uses Zipcar for all of our outreach visits to the schools we work with, and we thank Zipcar and Ford for helping us make our dreams of service and artistic excellence for today's youth a reality."

For the 2011-2012 school year, the 'Students with Drive' grant program received over 300 submissions from student organisations at nearly 140 colleges and universities. The competition received over 37,000 votes from students trying to help their school's organisation win.

'Students with Drive' will recommence in August 2012 at the start of the fall semester. Student organisations will have a chance each month to receive grants from Ford and Zipcar through sharing their stories.

Posted in: Amy Marentic,Award,Choral Activities,Contribution,Ford,Grant Program,International,Prize,Rebecca Lord,Scott Griffith,Student Organisations,Students With Drive,University of California,Zipcar