TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Dateline Alabama, the young adult Web magazine of The University of Alabama, began selling raffle tickets today to win an Apple iPod. Tickets are $1 each and may be purchased on campus in the Ferguson Center March 16 and March 23.

All proceeds will be placed into a scholarship fund for underprivileged Tuscaloosa high school students. Students must apply for the scholarship and be interested in attending The University of Alabama and choosing a major from the College of Communication and Information Sciences.

Those interested in purchasing raffle tickets or donating to the scholarship fund may also contact Major Highfield, producer of the Web magazine, at 205/348-8617 or highfield@jn.ua.edu.

The raffle ends March 23. Winners of the iPod and scholarship will be announced April 6. There is no limit on the number of raffle tickets one can purchase.

The raffle’s prize is a 2004 Apple iPod 20GB model with the new “click-wheel” technology. The iPod retails for $299.99 on Apple’s Web site and includes the signature white earphones, Firewire and USB 2.0 connector wires, AC adaptor and installation software. It is compatible with both Mac and PC.

Dateline Alabama is maintained through a partnership between the College of Communication and Information Sciences and The Tuscaloosa News. The site won the 2003 Society of Professional Journalists National Mark of Excellence award for best all-around independent online student publication and best online opinion/commentary. It has garnered more than 30 regional SPJ Mark of Excellence awards since its inception in February 2000.

Dateline Alabama is updated daily with stories covering a variety of topics on campus and throughout West Alabama in an edgy and engaging style.

To learn more about the raffle, visit www.datelinealabama.com.