RICHARDSON, Texas (April 28, 2003) - Dmitry Schneider, an 18-year-old freshman studying business administration at The University of Texas at Dallas (UTD), has been selected as the winner of the Frank P. Samford, Jr. chess fellowship, the most prestigious honor of its kind in the United States. The fellowship is worth approximately $32,000 per year.

The award provides young American chess masters the support and resources necessary to enhance their skills and reach their full potential in chess, including a monthly stipend for living expenses, top-level coaching and access to study materials.

The fellowship, which is given for one year and is renewable for a second, was created by the late Frank P. Samford, Jr., an attorney and chief executive officer of the Liberty National Life Insurance Company (now Torchmark) in Alabama. Samford was a chess enthusiast who was active in civic, business, political, educational and cultural affairs.

"The Samford is the highest honor in American chess; it's the chess equivalent of a MacArthur Fellowship," said Dr. Tim Redman, director of UTD's chess program. "It is a great recognition for Dimitry's talent and years of hard work, and for our program at UTD."

The winner is chosen by the Samford Fellowship Committee, made up of Frank P. Samford III, former U.S. Chess Champion Grandmaster Arthur Bisguier and International Master John Donaldson. Victors are determined by their chess prowess, work ethic, dedication and accomplishments.

Schneider, who currently is ranked an international master but hopes to achieve grandmaster status, is a member of UTD's chess team, which is one of the top two collegiate teams in the U.S. He is from New York and was born in Chernigov, Ukraine. He arrived in the U.S. in 1991 and since then has captured numerous chess titles, including the 1998 U.S. Cadet Champion, the 1999 Marshall Chess Club Champion (the youngest ever, at age 14), the 2000 New York State co-champion and the 2001 National Chess Congress Co-Champion.

Between 1996 and 2002, Schneider represented the U.S. in six world championships - finishing 4th in 2000 and 6th in 2002 - and four Pan-American championships, winning a gold and two bronze medals. Schneider represented the U.S. in the 2001 and 2002 U.S.-China Chess Summits and tied for 9th in the 2002 U.S. championship.

Schneider has defeated a number of grandmasters, including two U.S. chess champions. He is a 10-time Pressman All-American, has given numerous simultaneous exhibitions and also has been a chess club organizer.

Schneider's term as a Samford fellow begins July 1.

About UTD
The University of Texas at Dallas, located at the convergence of Richardson, Plano and Dallas in the heart of the complex of major multinational technology corporations known as the Telecom Corridor, enrolls more than 13,000 students. The school's freshman class traditionally stands at the forefront of Texas state universities in terms of average SAT scores. The university offers a broad assortment of bachelor's, master's and doctoral degree programs. For additional information about UTD, please visit the university's Web site at http://www.utdallas.edu.