SACRAMENTO, Calif., June 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Comcast NBCUniversal today announced that it has awarded approximately $219,000 in scholarships for the 2016-17 school year to 199 California students as part of its annual Leaders and Achievers(®) Scholarship Program. The program, funded by the Comcast Foundation, is a one-time, $1,000 scholarship awarded to the best and brightest high school seniors for their community service, academic performance and leadership skills. Since 2001, Comcast has awarded more than $25 million to nearly 25,000 high school seniors across the country as part of the Leaders and Achievers Program.

"Our Leaders and Achievers Scholarship winners exemplify leadership and are committed to academic excellence and community service," said Darren Oliver, Regional Vice President of Human Resources, Comcast California. "We are honored to recognize their achievements, and excited to support them as they continue their educational journeys."

Comcast, recognized the students at a special event held at the California State Capitol today. The 199 recipients each received $1,000 scholarships. Two students, Shondryea Landrum, a resident of San Diego and student at Chula Vista Learning Community Charter, and Justin Jio, a resident of San Jose and student at Abraham Lincoln High School were selected to receive an additional $10,000 Comcast Founders Scholarship - instituted in honor of Ralph J. Roberts, Founder and Chairman Emeritus of Comcast Corporation. Mr. Roberts died in June of 2015. In total, Comcast awarded $219,000 worth of scholarships in California this year.

"Comcast's Leaders and Achievers(®) Scholarship provides valuable financial support for students to continue their academic path," said Hank Fore, Regional Senior Vice President, Comcast California. "Beyond Comcast's investment through scholarships and educational tools, we honor those individuals who make a difference to improve our educational systems by future-proofing the skills that young people need to succeed in school and beyond."

The Comcast Leaders and Achievers Scholarship Program provides scholarships to students who strive to achieve their full potential, who are catalysts for positive change in their communities, who are involved in their schools, and who serve as models for their fellow students. The philosophy behind the program is to give young people every opportunity to prepare for the future and to engage them in their communities. The program also demonstrates the importance of civic involvement, and the value placed on civic involvement by the business community.

To learn more, please visit the Comcast Leaders and Achievers Facebook page.

About Comcast Corporation
Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA) is a global media and technology company with two primary businesses, Comcast Cable and NBCUniversal. Comcast Cable is one of the nation's largest video, high-speed Internet and phone providers to residential customers under the XFINITY brand and also provides these services to businesses. NBCUniversal operates news, entertainment and sports cable networks, the NBC and Telemundo broadcast networks, television production operations, television station groups, Universal Pictures and Universal Parks and Resorts. Visit www.comcastcorporation.com for more information.

About the Comcast Foundation:
The Comcast Foundation was founded by Comcast Corporation in June 1999 to provide charitable support to qualified non-profit organizations. The Foundation primarily invests in programs intended to have a positive, sustainable impact on their communities. The Foundation has three community investment priorities--expanding digital literacy, promoting service, and building tomorrow's leaders. Since its inception, the Comcast Foundation has donated more than $176 million to organizations in the communities nationwide that Comcast serves. More information about the Foundation and its programs is available at www.comcast.com/community.

To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/comcast-nbcuniversal-awards-219000-in-scholarships-to-199-california-high-school-seniors-300281008.html

SOURCE Comcast NBCUniversal