George Stephanopoulos to Speak at Cuyahoga Community College Foundation Luncheon

September 22, 2009

CLEVELAND, Sept. 22 /PRNewswire/ -- The Cuyahoga Community College Foundation will present George Stephanopoulos, ABC News' chief Washington correspondent and host of This Week with George Stephanopoulos, as keynote speaker at its 2009 Presidential Scholarship Luncheon. The luncheon, scheduled for Tuesday, October 13, 11:30 a.m. - 1:05 p.m. at the Renaissance Cleveland Hotel, is another sell-out, with more than 1,100 people in attendance.

Proceeds from the event, presented in partnership with AT&T, will provide scholarships to Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C(R)) students who might not otherwise be able to access or continue their college education. Since the Cuyahoga Community College Foundation held its first luncheon in 1992, more than $6.4 million has been raised for student scholarships. Proceeds are distributed to the numerous Tri-C Foundation scholarship funds, including the First Generation Scholarship Fund, Presidential Scholarship Fund, Gap Scholarship Fund and Veterans Scholarship Fund. Each scholarship awarded contributes to the quality of life for all by providing a stronger workforce for the region.

This year, the importance of the Presidential Scholarship Luncheon has reached a new peak. Tri-C is experiencing its largest enrollment ever, with more than 30,000 students taking classes during the fall semester. This enrollment exceeds Tri-C's previous record set in 1976. The reasons for record enrollment are tied to the economy. More first-time students are choosing to start their college careers at Tri-C to save money, while many displaced workers are coming back to Tri-C to learn new skills to compete in the current job market. As attendance increases, so does the need for scholarships.

The support generated by the Luncheon is critical, now more than ever. As Northeast Ohio looks forward to economic recovery, it is essential to develop a skilled workforce trained in the technologies and growth industries of the current and post-recession economies. With 85 percent of Tri-C graduates remaining in the region following graduation, our local economy will ultimately benefit from the education Tri-C provides to students today.

As chief Washington correspondent, Stephanopoulos oversees the network's coverage of Presidential and Congressional politics, and reports on political and policy stories for all ABC News platforms including World News with Charles Gibson, Nightline, Good Morning America, ABCNews.com and ABC News Now.

During the 2008 primary election cycle, Stephanopoulos interviewed every major Republican and Democratic candidate, and conducted multiple interviews with then-Senators John McCain, Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. In August 2007, Stephanopoulos moderated separate debates for the Republican and Democratic presidential candidates in Des Moines, Iowa, the only two Sunday morning debates of the primary cycle. Stephanopoulos also moderated a Democratic debate with ABC News' Charles Gibson in Philadelphia in April 2008.

Prior to joining ABC News, Stephanopoulos served in the Clinton administration as the senior advisor to the President for policy and strategy. Stephanopoulos is the author of All Too Human, a No. 1 New York Times best-seller on President Clinton's first term and the 1992 and 1996 Clinton-Gore campaigns.

SOURCE Cuyahoga Community College