EL SEGUNDO, CA, June 1996 - International Rectifier (IR) today presented $23,000 in scholarship awards. Twenty scholarships of $1,000 each were given to graduating high school and college students as part of IR's Outreach Scholarship Program for Inner-city and Neighboring Schools. The scholarship recipients and their families were treated to a tour of IR's El Segundo plant facility followed by a luncheon award program at the Crown Sterling Suites. Additionally, on June 19, 1996, at IR's Temecula HEXFET AMERICA facility in Riverside county, IR will present three scholarships to recipients from Riverside County neighborhood schools. These recipients and their families will also enjoy a tour of the HEXFET AMERICA facility and a luncheon reception.

IR initiated this scholarship program in 1993 to encourage disadvantaged young adults in inner-city neighborhoods to pursue an education in science and engineering. In prior years, IR contributed to scholarship organizations and awarded $500 scholarships to El Segundo's neighboring schools. IR gradually expanded the reach of its scholarship program to include three schools near its HEXFET America facility in Riverside County and in 1993, added inner-city schools.

This year, fifteen high schools participated in IR's Outreach Scholarship Program for Inner-city and Neighboring Schools. To qualify, students must have a minimum 3.0 grade point average and complete an essay detailing their educational goals. If applicants continue to maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA they will be eligible for the scholarship each year through their undergraduate work. This year eight students are returning scholarship recipients.

An added benefit of IR's Scholarship Program is the opportunity to apply for summer employment at IR. Alex Lidow, CEO explained, "The future of high technology depends on the interest and education of young adults in the engineering and science fields. We believe educational aid and on-the-job experience is essential to encourage the pursuit of a career in high technology. IR's scholarship program has been extremely successful and we are inspired to continue this program by the many returning scholarship recipients".

This year scholarships were awarded to Jumoko Olayele, Crenshaw High School; Shirley Moreno, Garfield High School; Tanisha Hunter, Locke High School; Christie Rome, Washington Prep. High School; Demetria Daire, L.A. Trade Tech. College; Andrew Wong, Dorsey High School; Tishia Layton, Lake Elsinore High School; Joanna Lopresto, Murrieta Valley High School; Nicholas McLeod, Temecula Valley High School; Adax Clay, South West College; Kris Petrevski, El Segundo High School; Gustavo Sujo, Lincoln High School; Veronica Guerra, Roosevelt High School; LeKisha Moore, Westchester High School; Yvonne Valenzuela, East Los Angeles Jr. College.

Returning scholarship recipients were awarded to Thomas Gutierrez, Cal. State L.A; Tangela McWilliams, Loyola Marymount; Rachel C. Nixon, U.S.C; Ann Dinh Nguyen, U.C. Berkeley; Alberto Aguilar, Humboldt State Univ.; Richard L. Pugh, U.S.C; Edward Rivera, U.C. Davis; Raymond Sanders, U.C. Irvine.