MUMBAI: Wal-Mart has signed up as a leading sponsor of a new unscripted, reality TV series - The Scholar, which will be the first prime-time show ever to celebrate higher education as the ultimate American prize.

 
Filmed at an actual university, The Scholar follows 10 high school seniors who compete for a full scholarship and all college-related expenses. The first episode of this six-week series will air on 6 June on ABC.
 
 
Wal-Mart is providing students secondary scholarships throughout the series as they compete in areas of academics, leadership, creativity and community service, while facing oral exams and defending themselves to an Ivy League scholarship committee. Wal-Mart is one of the largest contributors to education in the US, having provided more than $100 million already in scholarship assistance alone to students and schools across the country.
 
 
Wal-Mart's partnership with The Scholar is based on providing actual scholarships to students on the show, as well as merchandise and advertising support. In addition, Wal-Mart's online advertising support includes a microsite on ABC.com. The microsite features a tour of a virtual dorm room outfitted with merchandise from Wal-Mart and Walmart.com that is shown during The Scholar.

"Wal-Mart believes in helping others reach a better quality of life. We also see education as a gateway to success that can be achieved for those who try, no matter the obstacles. 'The Scholar' is a natural fit with our own values and philosophy, and is why we made the decision to work with ABC as a major sponsor," said Wal-Mart and Sam's Club Foundation vice president corporate affairs and executive director Betsy Reithemeyer.

Wal-Mart announced that it will provide more than $6.9 million in community scholarship grants to students this summer in communities where its 3,700 stores and Sam's Club are located. Student awards for the Sam Walton Community Scholarships, presented by the Wal-Mart and Sam's Club , range from $1,000 to $25,000.