LPL Financial Donates $50,000 for Business Students and ACE Scholarships

LPL Financial Donates $50,000 for Business Students and ACE ScholarshipsCal State San Marcos has received a $50,000 donation from LPL Financial, one of the nation's leading financial services companies and largest independent broker-dealer headquartered in Boston, Charlotte, and San Diego. The gift will provide for scholarships for business students; support the College of Business Administration's (CoBA) new Student Value Improvement Program (VIP), a recently launched program aimed at providing students with a holistic business education; and provide funding to ACE Scholars, a program that supports former foster youth in their efforts to obtain a college education.A total of $29,000 has been designated for six scholarships for business students, five at $5,000 and one at $4,000. Recipients must be juniors or seniors who have achieved business status (not pre-business) and a 3.25 cumulative grade-point average. Students must have filled out the 2010-11 General Scholarship Application and Essay, due earlier this spring, to be considered for this opportunity.Fifteen thousand dollars will go to the College of Business Administration's (CoBA) Student VIP program, a set of extra-curricular activities designed to enhance curriculum, and provide opportunities for personal and professional skill development that will aid students in the workplace. Over a two-year period, students will engage in a series of activities to teach them personal and professional skill sets and have them practice their newly acquired knowledge for mastery. The three stated goals of the program are:  to assist students in selecting an appropriate career, to provide help in obtaining a first job, and to develop lifelong skills for success."With this pilot program, we are looking to provide a holistic approach that combines the strong academic foundation found in our curriculum with a broad range of opportunities for personal maturation and professional growth," said CoBA Dean Dennis Guseman.  "We are extremely appreciative of the generous gift LPL Financial provided for both the scholarships and the VIP program. These funds will ensure financial viability for the future of this important and life-changing program as well as help ease the financial burden on our students."LPL Financial has also designated $6,000 to ACE Scholars Services for general operational expenses. ACE Scholars Services is a comprehensive program that supports former foster youth in their efforts to obtain a college education. ACE supports ambitious former foster youth exiting the system or transferring from a community college and provides the much needed guidance and financial assistance to ensure the students success at Cal State University San Marcos."We are pleased to be able to partner with Cal State San Marcos. Programs like these provide outstanding educational opportunities for students - our future workforce - and prepares them for the challenges of the marketplace," commented Esther Stearns, president and COO of LPL Financial. "We couldn't be prouder to be providing these scholarship funds for students."About LPL FinancialLPL Financial is one of the nation's leading financial services companies and largest independent broker-dealer (based on total revenues as reported in Financial Planning magazine, June 1996-2009). Headquartered in Boston, Charlotte, and San Diego, LPL Financial and its affiliates offer industry-leading technology, training, service, and unbiased research to 11,950 financial advisors, more than 700 financial institutions, and approximately 3,700 institutional clearing and technology subscribers. LPL Financial has $279.4 billion in advisory and brokerage assets as of December 31, 2009.LPL Financial and its 2,400 employees serve financial advisors through Independent Advisor Services, supporting financial advisors at all career stages; Institution Services, focusing on the needs of advisors and program managers in banks and credit unions; and Custom Clearing Services, working with broker-dealers at leading financial services companies.Member FINRA/SIPC.