CHULA VISTA, Calif., June 5, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Southwestern College in Chula Vista, Calif., today announced four $1,000 winners of the Encore Capital Group community college scholarship program. Encore Capital Group, Inc. (Nasdaq:ECPG), an international specialty finance company with operations in San Diego, created the program to support students working toward advanced degrees.
The program, Encore's largest philanthropic initiative to date, provides 124 students from across the country with $1,000 grants for tuition at select community colleges. The students selected by Southwestern College are Adia Ahmed (Chula Vista, Calif.), Marcos Estrada (San Diego), Shiree Houston (San Diego) and Jason O'Neal (Chula Vista, Calif.).
"We value our partnership with Encore and the impact the company's scholarship program will make on the lives of our students," said Governing Board President Norma L. Hernandez.
Encore's global philanthropic program focuses on economic empowerment to help consumers take control of their financial futures through quality education, job training and basic support services.
"We are pleased to help students continue their education," said Sheryl Wright, Senior Vice President, Corporate and Government Affairs, Encore Capital Group. "For many, college is the path to economic empowerment, and given the escalating costs of higher education, our grant could mean the difference between a student getting his or her degree or having to give up on the dream."
"A scholarship can make all the difference between whether or not a student is able to attend community college," said Sen. Ben Hueso of San Diego. "It's encouraging to see companies like Encore giving back to the communities where they operate through their scholarship partnership with Southwestern College."
About Encore Capital Group, Inc.
Encore Capital Group is an international specialty finance company that provides debt recovery solutions for consumers and property owners across a broad range of assets. Through its subsidiaries, Encore Capital Group purchases portfolios of consumer receivables from major banks, credit unions, municipalities, and utility providers, and partners with individuals as they repay their obligations and work toward financial recovery.
Headquartered in San Diego, Encore is a publicly traded NASDAQ Global Select company (ticker symbol: ECPG) and a component stock of the Russell 2000, the S&P Small Cap 600, and the Wilshire 4500. More information about the company can be found at www.encorecapital.com. More information about the Company's Cabot Credit Management subsidiary can be found at www.cabotcm.com. These websites, and the information contained therein, are not incorporated into and are not a part of this press release.