Sony Electronics Makes Gift of $70,000 to American Indian College Fund and 30 U.S. Tribal Colleges

American Indian College Fund
Tuesday, 22 June 1999

DENVER (June 22, 1999)--In support of American Indian higher education, SONY Electronics has donated $70,000 worth of equipment to 30 Native American colleges and universities in the United States. Made through the Denver-based American Indian College Fund, the gift is one of the largest equipment donations SONY has ever made to a group of educational institutions.

Each of the 30 colleges has received a state-of-the-art SONY color television set and 8mm digital video recording camera. Serving 26,000 Indian students representing 250 different tribes, the tribal colleges are dedicated to fighting the high rates of poverty and educational failure that face Indian tribes.

"Sony sees education as one of the top institutions our company must support through philanthropic and community involvement," said Leslie Gaffney, director of community affairs for Sony's U.S. electronics unit. "We hope our donation will advance education at tribal colleges by making technology an intrinsic part of their academic lives."

About 85 percent of tribal college students live at the poverty level. Located mostly on rural Indian reservations, the colleges themselves have been called "economic lifelines" for Indian communities. While 9 out of 10 Indian students who leave reservations for public colleges fail to graduate, tribal colleges are reversing this trend. About 90% of tribal college graduates find jobs or pursue further education. Offering two- and four-year degrees, tribal colleges credit a mix of fully accredited academics and Native culture.

"Tribal colleges are changing the failed history of Indian education," said Richard Williams, executive director of the College Fund. "By combining Indian culture and academics, tribal colleges are succeeding and producing more graduates. With the support of SONY, these students can tell a new story of success for Indian people."

Headquartered in Park Ridge, N.J, Sony Electronics has about 25,000 employees in manufacturing, engineering, customer service, sales and marketing located at more than 100 locations in the U.S. and Mexico. Sony Electronics' annual sales exceed $10 billion. Its website can be found at http://www.sel.sony.com. With a flame and feather symbol, the College Fund's credo is "educating the mind and spirit." In 1998, the College Fund distributed nearly $4 million in scholarships and other support to the 30 tribal colleges. This aid directly supported more than 5,000 students. The Fund also supported endowments and public awareness, as well as college programs in Native cultural preservation and teacher training. Fully operating since 1989, the Fund has raised a total of more than $35 million from corporations, foundations and some 90,000 individual Americans.

For more information, or to contact American Indian College Fund, see their website at: www.collegefund.org