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GREENSBORO — Bennett College for Women has received $125,000 in scholarship money from the Rev. Jesse Jackson’s Rainbow PUSH Coalition and the Citizen Education Fund. The $5,000 scholarships — 25 of them — represent half of all the scholarships given by the group.

“The Rev. Jackson is such a great supporter,” said Bennett President Julianne Malveaux, who accepted the scholarships at the group’s annual conference last week. “I’m excited that he sees such potential in Bennett College.” Malveaux said she knows Jackson, an N.C. A&T alum, has a special place in his heart for Greensboro.

The scholarships are part of PUSH Excel’s Bennett Excel Scholars program and are renewable for four years. They will go to women at the college ranging from incoming freshmen to seniors who will graduate this year. All the scholars must maintain at least a 2.5 GPA and demonstrate a commitment to advocacy.

The money couldn’t come at a better time for the private college of 675 students. The economy has threatened many students’ ability to return to school, and without a master’s program Bennett isn’t benefiting from the back-to-school rush many colleges see during a recession.

“Our endowment is down because of the market, and we’ve done a salary freeze like many schools,” Malveaux said. “We’ve been blessed not to have to do cuts yet.”

Malveaux said that as long as enrollment remains level the school should be all right, and there is hope for a bump in enrollment. But her concern is primarily for students who have to make tough choices in a bad economy.

“We have less money to offer our students,” she said. “That’s why we look at partners to help them, and these scholarships are definitely going to do that. It’s just extraordinary.”

Contact Joe Killian at 373-7023 or joe.killian@news-record.com