Vince Papale Returns to Alma Mater to Help Philadelphia Students Achieve Their Dreams of a Higher Education

Vince Papale Returns to Alma Mater to Help Philadelphia Students Achieve Their Dreams of a Higher Education

Real Life Hero of 'Invincible' to Kick Off The Sallie Mae Fund's
'Hold Fast to Dreams' $50,000 Scholarship Tour

WHAT: The Sallie Mae Fund's Vince Papale -- a Philadelphia native who
inspired the No. 1 movie in America Walt Disney Pictures'
"Invincible" -- brings his message about beating the odds to his
former high school on Friday, Sept. 15, to kick off The Sallie
Mae Fund's five-city "Hold Fast to Dreams" scholarship tour. As
part of the tour, Papale will present inspirational workshops to
help thousands of students in traditionally underserved areas
prepare for college. Launched from Papale's alma mater, Interboro
High School in Philadelphia, the tour will also visit high schools
in Newark, Orlando, St. Louis and Los Angeles. At each of the
five high schools, Papale and The Sallie Mae Fund will award a
$10,000 "Hold Fast to Dreams" scholarship to a deserving student.

WHO: Vince Papale, Philadelphia native and inspiration for the Walt
Disney Pictures film "Invincible." In 1976, as a former high
school teacher and part-time bartender, Papale tried out for and
made the Philadelphia Eagles team at the age of 30. After a three-
year career with the Eagles, Papale's college degree from St.
Joseph's University helped him pursue a business career with
Sallie Mae, the nation's leading provider of education funding.
Through the years, he has spent many volunteer hours and won
awards for his student and parent seminars on how to pay for
college.

WHY: The Sallie Mae Fund, a charitable organization sponsored by Sallie
Mae, created the "Hold Fast to Dreams" tour to encourage students
to reach their dreams through a college education. The Sallie Mae
Fund chose the quote -- "Hold Fast to Dreams" -- to capture the
spirit of the tour. The line is from a Langston Hughes poem that
Eagles coach Dick Vermeil used as a locker room quote during
Papale's career.

As part of the campaign to underscore the importance of college
attendance, a public service announcement featuring Vince Papale
and Mark Wahlberg (who plays Vince on-screen), is being shown in
theaters across the country. Go to http://www.salliemaefund.org/
to see the public service announcement and to download Vince's "5
Plays to Win Your Way to College."

WHEN: Friday, Sept. 15

WHERE: 12:45 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Interboro High School
16th & Amosland Road
Prospect Park

About The Sallie Mae Fund

The Sallie Mae Fund, a charitable organization sponsored by Sallie Mae, achieves its mission -- to increase access to a postsecondary education for America's students -- by supporting programs and initiatives that help open doors to higher education, prepare families for their investment, and bridge the gap when no one else can. For more information visit http://www.salliemaefund.org/.

CONTACT: Matt Lindstrom, +1-612-215-7272, mlindstrom@oco.com or Rick Castellano, +1-703-984-5535, richard.castellano@slma.com, both for the Sallie Mae Fund

PRNewswire -- Sept. 13

Source: Sallie Mae Fund

Web site: http://www.thesalliemaefund.org/

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