Reinforcing its long-standing tradition of promoting higher education and professional development, Two Ten Footwear Foundation, the footwear industry’s national charitable organization, has announced that a group of 310 students will be awarded a total of 870 000 US dollars in scholarships for the 2015-2016 academic year.

The scholarships, provided yearly to eligible footwear employees and their families through Two Ten’s donors, have helped make college education and professional development opportunities more affordable for students nationwide since the program’s inception in 1969. Two Ten offers footwear employees and their families higher education scholarships to two or four year undergraduate programs based on financial need, academic ability and personal promise.

“Obtaining a college degree has become part of the American Dream; however, the soaring cost of higher education can leave students and their families with crippling debt,” remarked Debbie Ferrée, Vice Chairman and Chief Merchandising Officer of DSW Designer Shoe Warehouse, Inc., member of Two Ten Footwear Foundation’s Board of Directors and Chair of the Two Ten Scholarship Committee, adding: “Two Ten understands the value and importance of investing in the education of the next generation. As a strong advocate for affordable education, I’m very proud to be leading Two Ten’s scholarship and education initiatives.”

Neal Newman, President of Two Ten, also commented: “Hundreds of shoepeople and footwear companies have donated millions of dollars over the last 45 years to help make a college education available to everyone who works in the footwear industry. This is a truly remarkable expression of who we are as an industry and what we believe in.”