GARDENA, CA - Nissan North America, Inc. (NNA) and the Hispanic Scholarship Fund (HSF) will honor 18 Hispanic students with scholarships during a Celebration of Achievement ceremony being held at Nissan's headquarters in Gardena, California on Wednesday, May 11, 2005.

The students are recipients of the HSF/NNA Community College Transfer Scholarship Program created to provide financial assistance to community college students of Hispanic heritage transferring to a four-year college or university in order to obtain a bachelor's degree.
"Our contribution to the Hispanic Scholarship Fund reflects Nissan's ongoing dedication to supporting diversity and education," said Terri Hines, senior manager, public affairs at NNA.

Many of the students have overcome obstacles and challenges before arriving at the opportunity to go to college. Francisco Franco, one of the 18 recipients, is only days away from obtaining a bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Southern California (USC). A first generation Mexican-American, there was a point in Franco's life when he didn't value education. "After a while of just hanging out with neighborhood friends and not doing anything worthwhile, I decided to give college a try," Franco said. Soon after, Franco discovered his passion for math.

Through the HSF/NNA Community College Transfer Scholarship Program, Franco and his family found an invaluable aid for purchasing the many costly textbooks required. Upon graduation, Franco aspires to assist in building environmentally friendly cars.

This year, NNA will donate $100,000 to support scholarships for recipients in California and Texas. To date, NNA has awarded 133 scholarships and has contributed nearly $700,000 to HSF since the launch of the HSF/NNA partnership in 1995.

About the HSF/NNA Community College Transfer Scholarship Program
The HSF/NNA partnership was created in 1995 to provide financial assistance to community college students of Hispanic heritage transferring to a four-year college or university in order to obtain a bachelor's degree. The students are selected based on their acceptance to a four-year university, grade point average, academic recommendations and future plans for making a difference in their community.

About Nissan North America
In North America, Nissan's operations include automotive styling, engineering, consumer and corporate financing, sales and marketing, distribution and manufacturing. More information on Nissan North America and the complete line of Nissan and Infiniti vehicles can be found online at www.nissanUSA.com and www.infiniti.com.

About Hispanic Scholarship Fund
The Hispanic Scholarship Fund (HSF) is the nation's leading organization supporting Hispanic higher education. Founded in 1975 as a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization, HSF's vision is to strengthen the country by advancing college education among Hispanic Americans. In support of its mission to double the rate of Hispanics earning college degrees, HSF provides the Latino community more college scholarships and educational outreach support than any other organization in the country. During its 30-year history, HSF has awarded more than 73,000 scholarships in excess of $170 million to Latinos attending more than 1,700 colleges and universities.

Contacts

NNA Corporate Communications
Maria Fernanda Bowe, 310-771-5645,
maria.bowe@nissan-usa.com
or
LAGRANT COMMUNICATONS
Melissa Lopez, 323-469-8680 x229,
melissalopez@lagrant.com
or
Hispanic Scholarship Fund
Hilda Oropeza, 415-808-2350
horopeza@hsf.net

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