VERO BEACH — Casey M. Gilliams of Sebastian, FL, has received a Simon Youth Foundation Community Scholarship valued at $1,400.
The scholarship is awarded in partnership between Indian River Mall and Simon Youth Foundation, a national non-profit organization dedicated to providing educational and career development opportunities to youth.
Gilliams is a recent graduate of Sebastian River High School and exemplified herself through academic excellence, leadership skills, and participation in both school and community activities. She plans to study Pre-Med at University Of Florida in the fall.
“We are very proud of the Simon Youth Scholarships program, because it has given us the opportunity to support the academic endeavors of promising youth right here in our community,” said Ursula Gunter, Director of Marketing and Business Development at Indian River Mall.
With a combined value of more than $1 million, Simon Youth Scholarships have been awarded this spring to at least one student in every nationwide community that is home to a Simon property.
The highly competitive program awarded one scholarship for every five applicants who applied at SYF.org or their local Simon property.
“Anything is possible with education, and Simon Youth Foundation is committed to igniting this kind of hope in students,” explained J. Michael Durnil, Ph.D., President and CEO of SYF.
“We are proud that our Simon Youth Scholarships help remove financial obstacles that would otherwise prevent deserving young people from pursuing the dream to attend college or another post-secondary institution,” Durnil added.
About SYF
Simon Youth Foundation, established in 1998, operates 23 academies in 13 U.S. states that give at-risk students the same education they would receive in a traditional classroom while offering the flexibility that their individual circumstances require.
Recipient of the Crystal Star Award of Excellence in Dropout Prevention from the National Dropout Prevention Center, the foundation has helped more than 8,000 students earn their high school diploma and provided more than $9.5 million in post-secondary education scholarships to 3,200 students in 42 states.
The Education Commission of the United States has recognized the foundation with its Corporate Award for sustained and substantial investment in improving public education.
About Indian River Mall
Indian River Mall is located on State Road 60 at 66th Ave. and is managed by Simon Property Group, Inc., headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Indian River Mall is a single-level regional mall anchored by Macy’s, Dillard’s, JCPenney, and Sears and has over 80 specialty stores.
About Simon Property Group
Simon Property Group, Inc. (NYSE:SPG) is an S&P 100 company and the largest real estate company in the world. The Company currently owns or has an interest in 337 retail real estate properties in North America and Asia comprising 244 million square feet.
It is headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, and employs approximately 5,500 people in the U.S.
For more information, visit the Simon Property Group website at www.Simon.com.
