WASHINGTON, DC – Leading the largest commitment ever made by The Merck Company Foundation to Hispanic student access to higher education, the National Alliance for Hispanic Health (the Alliance) announced today that the application period has opened for the Alliance/Merck Ciencia Hispanic Scholars Program. Over the next five years, the program will award 50 promising Hispanic high school students from Brownsville, TX; Elizabeth, NJ; and Los Angeles, CA with $42,500 in college scholarship, mentorship, and summer internship support to pursue degrees in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields. In addition, 125 Hispanic college students nationwide will receive $2,000 scholarships.

"I have no doubt that Alliance/Merck Ciencia Scholars may be the next generation of Nobel prize winners, lab directors, professors, university presidents, and mentors leading scientific discovery that improves our health and well-being," said Dr. Lauro F. Cavazos, former U.S. Secretary of Education and a member of the Alliance Board of Directors. "It is fitting that application for this program opens today, the beginning of the nation's annual celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month."

The Alliance/Merck Ciencia Hispanic Scholars Program is supported by a $4 million grant from The Merck Company Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the research-based pharmaceutical company Merck & Co., Inc. This is the largest grant to date that The Merck Company Foundation has made to the field of Hispanic education. The program is being implemented by the Alliance in collaboration with the field-leading Merck Institute for Science Education (MISE).

According to Dr. Carlo Parravano, Executive Director of the Merck Institute for Science Education, "Investment in scholarships to reduce the financial burden of college, coupled with mentorships and lab experiences, can have a significant impact on students pursuing degrees in a STEM field. Today's announcement is critically important to encourage students to continue their studies and to pursue careers focused on innovation and scientific discovery."

According to Dr. Jane L. Delgado, President and CEO of the National Alliance for Hispanic Health, "more than one in five Hispanic college students begin college with an interest in majoring in a STEM field. If we give them the support and opportunity they need, these students will redefine the frontiers of science. Along with the Merck Institute for Science Education, The Merck Company Foundation, and the Alliance's supporting arm the Health Foundation for the Americas, we are proud to invest in the promise of Hispanic students."

Students interested in the Alliance/Merck Ciencia Hispanic Scholars Program are invited to apply at www.alliancescholars.org. Even before today's announcement, hundreds of students from across the U.S. had requested to be notified of the opening of the program's application period. The application deadline will be January 16, 2009 – four months from today – and the first class of scholarship recipients will be notified in May of 2009.

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About the National Alliance for Hispanic Health
The National Alliance for Hispanic Health (the Alliance) is the nation's foremost science-based source of information and trusted advocate for Hispanic health and well-being. The Alliance represents thousands of Hispanic health providers across the nation providing services to more than 15 million each year, making a daily difference in the lives of Hispanic communities and families. For more information, visit www.hispanichealth.org or call the Alliance's Su Familia National Hispanic Family Health Helpline at 1-866-783-2645.

About the Health Foundation for the Americas
The Health Foundation for the Americas (HFA) is the support organization for the National Alliance for Hispanic Health. HFA encourages philanthropy that invests in the human and social capital of community-based organizations that deliver innovative solutions for health and well-being in the Americas. For more information, visit www.healthyamericas.org.

About the Merck Institute for Science Education
Created in 1993, the Merck Institute for Science Education (MISE) is an award-winning program to improve science education and raise the levels of science performance for students from kindergarten through 12^th grade. MISE is funded through a 15-year, $38 million commitment from The Merck Company Foundation. Now expanded to include college and graduate-level education, MISE works to build capacity in the biomedical sciences through partnerships with higher education institutions. For more information, visit www.mise.org.

About The Merck Company Foundation
The Merck Company Foundation is a U.S.-based, private charitable foundation. Established in 1957 by the global research driven pharmaceutical company Merck & Co., Inc., the Foundation is funded entirely by the Company and is Merck's chief source of funding support to qualified non-profit, charitable organizations. Since its inception, The Merck Company Foundation has contributed more than US$524 million to support important initiatives that address societal needs and are consistent with Merck's overall mission to enhance the health and well-being of people around the world. For more information, visit www.merckcompanyfoundation.org.