One aspiring scholar will be heading off to school this fall with a little help from her friends at Lansford Townhouses.

Marissa Webb, a resident of Lansford Townhouses, has been awarded a scholarship by the educational foundation affiliated with the community's property management company, Interstate Realty Management. The grant of $2,000 can be used to defray tuition costs at any accredited college, university, or vocational training program in the country."We are very proud to be able to give back to the communities where we own and manage properties in this very tangible way," said Mark Morgan, president of the Interstate Realty Management Company.The Michaels Organization's Chairman and CEO Michael J. Levitt created the non-profit Interstate Realty Management Educational Foundation in 1991. Since then, the foundation has distributed more than $2.8 million in educational grants to more than 1,300 residents at properties owned or managed by companies of The Michaels Organization."Mike Levitt and his wife Pat, who match every dollar raised through private donations two-to-one, are strong believers that education is the key to succeeding in life, and they are delighted to have this opportunity to help students pursue their dreams," said Morgan.To qualify, an applicant must be a high school graduate or have earned a GED with a grade point average of 2.5; college students must maintain a grade point average of 2.3. All applications are reviewed by independent educational consultant, Bruce W. Johnson, Ed.D., who has been involved with the program since its inception. Dr. Johnson also assists recipients by providing them with information about government-sponsored financial aid programs, for which they may be eligible. Scholarship winners can reapply for continuing grants each year that they meet the criteria.Lansford Townhouses is a family community offering quality subsidized housing and opportunities to our tenants to help them reach their personal and professional goals.Marissa, a 2012 Marian High School graduate, is planning on attending Alvernia University where she will study Psychology. Marissa would like to have a career in Family and Marriage Counseling. Marissa is a smart energetic woman who has spent her last two summers in the Summer Youth program offered by Carbon County Workforce Training located in Jim Thorpe. Lansford Townhouses was fortunate enough to have Marissa work here during these past two summers. She helps the youth of Lansford Townhouses navigate the internet in our computer lab, helps them resolve conflict and hosts social activities.Headquartered in Marlton, N.J., The Michaels Organization is a family of eight integrated but independent operating companies dedicated to excellence in affordable, mixed-income, military and student housing. Since its founding by housing pioneer Michael J. Levitt in 1973, the Michaels Organization has developed, financed, or acquired more than 55,000 apartments, and currently manages 38,000 units in 23 states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Its companies include the Michaels Development Company, the number one private sector affordable housing owner in the country, and Interstate Realty Management, a nationally accredited management organization known for its award-winning supportive services programs.