Photo above is last year's start.

The Sallie Mae Fund today announced that sponsorship support for the 24th annual Sallie Mae 10K/2K Race has surpassed previous records, with donations totaling $90,000. Coupled with an increase in in-kind sponsorships and race registrants, this Washington tradition will go even farther this year in supporting efforts to increase access to higher education for local students. Top sponsors include Barclays, Cognizant, Computer Associates, PricewaterhouseCoopers and TD Securities, each with contributions of $10,000 or more. All proceeds are awarded to the D.C. College Access Program (DC-CAP) to help deserving District students enroll in and graduate from college. DC-CAP provides direct counseling and financial assistance to more than 12,000 D.C. public high school students. Since the organization's founding in 1999, college enrollment rates for D.C. high school students have nearly doubled.

"Kids and education are at the center of our corporate giving philosophy," says Fernando Murias, Washington Metro Office Managing Partner of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (PWC). "PWC supports The Sallie Mae Fund and DC-CAP because we view this as an opportunity to broaden our impact in this area. Giving kids, especially on a local level, the opportunity to further their education is an easy check to write. We want to make a difference, and The Sallie Mae Fund and DC-CAP give us a direct way to do so." On May 6, sponsors will enjoy race day activities and have the chance to interact with some of the DC-CAP students who will benefit from their donations. Since 2000, The Sallie Mae Fund has raised more than $1.3 million - in event proceeds, sponsorships and grants - to help DC-CAP send local students to college.

The Sallie Mae 10K Run/2K Walk gets underway at 8:00 a.m. EDT in West Potomac Park along the scenic Potomac River in downtown Washington, D.C. The 6.2-mile foot race draws a competitive field of local and international runners in addition to casual local runners and walkers of all abilities. In addition to the 10K race, this year's event will feature a pre-race warm-up, a wheelchair race, the 2K Family Walk/Run and a post-race breakfast.

To register or volunteer, please visit the race Web site or call the race hotline at 703/533-4849.