Two Roanoke College students have been selected as recipients of prestigious scholarships awarded through the Virginia Foundation for Independent Colleges. Matt Jones, of Salem, is one of six recipients of the prestigious Philip Morris USA Scholarship and Ashley N. Francis, of Roanoke, is a recipient of the prestigious Wachovia Securities Scholarship.

Jones, an economics major, was one of six selected for the award through a statewide competition with applicants from all 15 member colleges in the VFIC consortium. The scholarship, worth $10,000, carries with it the opportunity to be considered for a paid summer internship at Philip Morris USA, a Fortune 500 firm headquartered in Richmond.

"The competition for these scholarships was strong, so it's a real credit to Matt and Ashley to be selected," said Ned Moore, President of the Virginia Foundation for Independent Colleges. "We are delighted to partner with Philip Morris USA and Wachovia Securities on this important initiative. With their generosity we have been able to reward talented and dedicated young men and women with much-needed academic scholarships and career development opportunities too."

Francis was selected for the Wachovia Securities Scholarship through a statewide competition with applicants from all 15 member colleges in the VFIC consortium. The scholarship, also worth $10,000, carries with it the opportunity to be considered for a paid summer internship at Wachovia Securities, a Fortune 500 financial firm headquartered in Richmond.

Francis is a junior mathematics major who works as a peer tutor in statistics. She is a member of Alpha Chi, a national college scholarship society.

The Wachovia Securities Scholarship program, administered by the VFIC, is provided to juniors who have academic promise and an interest in enhancing their future career opportunities through an internship with a Fortune 500 company.

The Philip Morris USA Scholarship program, administered by the VFIC, is provided to sophomores who have academic promise and an interest in enhancing their future career opportunities through an internship with a Fortune 500 company.

Founded in 1952, the Virginia Foundation for Independent Colleges is a nonprofit fund-raising partnership supporting the programs and students of 15 leading private colleges in the Commonwealth.