Kia’s contribution to the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities will Provide 16 Scholarships as Part of the Fast-Moving Brand’s Overall Commitment to Education and Diversity

IRVINE, Calif., August 28, 2015 – Kia Motors America (KMA) and the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) today announced the recipients of 16 scholarships in the amount of $4,000 each. HACU member colleges and universities in the U.S. are home to more than two-thirds of all Hispanic college students. To be eligible for the scholarship, students needed to maintain a 3.0 grade point average and be enrolled at one of the more than 400 national HACU member institutions.

"Kia believes in contributing to a better future for all through education, and through our partnership with the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities, we are proud to provide these scholarships to Hispanic college-aged students who are some of the best and brightest minds in higher education," said Rhonda Bolton, head of corporate Diversity initiatives for KMA.

The scholarship recipients for the 2015-2016 school year are:

• Elizabeth Altamirano, Arizona State University
• Luz Castro, Whittier College
• Ramiro Cazares, The University of Texas at Arlington
• Felipe Covarrubias, Heritage University
• Daniela Figuera, University of California, Riverside
• Ramon Gutierrez, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi
• Jonathan Ho, Santa Clara University
• Omar Johnson, Nova Southeastern University
• Patricia Lopez, California State University, San Bernardino
• Caroline Martinez, California State University, Channel Islands
• Efrain Medina, Texas A&M International University
• Jessica Miguel, California State University, Fresno
• Shannon Patino, University of St. Francis
• Karla Soto, College of Staten Island, CUNY
• Alejandro Tobon, Barry University
• Rondeline Williams, Cornell University

“We congratulate the students from our member institutions selected to receive a Kia Motors America scholarship,” said HACU President and CEO Antonio R. Flores. “There is no more important investment than in our students, the future of the nation, and we are proud to partner with Kia to recognize their achievement and support their educational development.”

About Kia Motors America      

Kia Motors America (KMA) is the marketing and distribution arm of Kia Motors Corporation based in Seoul, South Korea.  KMA proudly serves as the "Official Automotive Partner" of the NBA and LPGA and set an all-time annual sales record in 2014, surpassing the 500,000 unit mark for the third consecutive year. KMA offers a complete line of vehicles, including the rear-drive K900[i]  flagship sedan, Cadenza premium sedan, Sorento CUV, Soul urban passenger vehicle, Soul Electric Vehicle[ii], Sportage compact CUV, Optima midsize sedan, Optima Hybrid, the Forte compact sedan, Forte5 and Forte Koup, Rio and Rio 5-door subcompacts and the Sedona midsize multi-purpose vehicle, through a network of more than 765 dealers across the United States.  Kia’s U.S. manufacturing plant in West Point, Georgia, builds the Optima* and Sorento* and is responsible for the creation of more than 15,000 plant and supplier jobs.

Information about KMA and its full vehicle line-up is available at www.kia.com. For media information, including photography, visit www.kiamedia.com.  To receive custom email notifications for press releases the moment they are published, subscribe at www.kiamedia.com/us/en/newsalert

About HACU

The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) represents more than 450 colleges and universities committed to Hispanic higher education success in the U.S., Puerto Rico, Latin America and Spain. The association’s headquarters are located in San Antonio, Texas, with government relations offices in Washington, D.C., and Sacramento, California. HACU, the only national association representing existing and emerging Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs). Information is available at www.hacu.net.