FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contacts:
HSF: Lilia Santiago, Lilias@hsf.net (415) 808-2320
Gabriel Reyes, Gabriel@reyesentertainment.com (512) 686-1488
Wells Fargo: Mariana.Phipps@wellsfargo.com (510) 882-1603
Hispanic Scholarship Fund Expands Scholarship Program with Grant from Wells Fargo
Student Leadership Conference funded by $3.4 million commitment to help Hispanic students finish college
San Francisco (September 27, 2012) - To mark the start of Hispanic Scholarship Fund’s (HSF) Student Leadership Conference, Wells Fargo and HSF announced today an expanded scholarship program for college-bound Hispanic students. This expanded program is a major component of a $3.4 million overall commitment by Wells Fargo – the single largest donation HSF has ever received. The expanded program will fund an additional 53 scholarships in 2013, bringing the total to 225 scholarships funded by Wells Fargo.
“The Hispanic Scholarship Fund is grateful to have the support of Wells Fargo, a company that recognizes the value of higher education and is willing to provide resources and expertise to prepare the next generation of Hispanic leaders,” said Frank Alvarez, HSF President and CEO. “This collaboration allows us to prepare students to make lasting impacts at their schools and in the communities where they live.”
During the two-day leadership event, Wells Fargo and HSF will offer educational speakers and training sessions to students from 38 HSF National Scholar chapters across the country. Activities will focus on social marketing, communications and debt management to help students serve as effective ambassadors for education in their chapters and local communities.
“Wells Fargo is committed to working with valued non-profit partners like HSF that are leading the way in helping to prepare individuals who seek to achieve their higher education goals,” said Tim Hanlon, head of Philanthropy for Wells Fargo. “We invest in education and in our neighborhoods because we understand that when our communities have access to vital resources and quality education, we are helping individuals to flourish and thrive.”
Hispanic Scholarship Fund’s leadership and scholarship programs play an important role in contributing to the overall effort of providing resources for students that allow them to attend and graduate from college. Recent data suggests advancements have been made with degree attainment among Hispanic students, yet there is still room for improvement with college enrollment. According to the August 2012 Pew Hispanic Center report, for the first time, the number of 18- to 24-year-old Hispanics enrolled in college in the U.S. exceeded 2 million and reached a record 16.5 percent share of all college enrollments. However, research released by Excelencia in Education in April 2012 revealed that Latino adults have lower degree attainment levels than other ethnic groups.
The goal of programs like HSF’s Leadership Conference and other joint efforts with Wells Fargo is to encourage and empower students to attend college and graduate with a degree. To contribute to the ongoing effort, Wells Fargo and HSF recently announced a scholarship program at the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (USHCC) 33rd Annual Convention on September 18 to provide 40 scholarships for students who are dependents of USHCC members. For more information about scholarship opportunities, visit: www.HSF.net.
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About the Hispanic Scholarship Fund
Founded in 1975, the Hispanic Scholarship Fund believes that the country prospers when all Americans have access to the opportunities a college education can afford. As the nation’s leading Hispanic higher education fund, HSF works to address the barriers that keep many Latinos from earning a college degree. To date, HSF has awarded over $360 million in scholarships and has supported a broad range of outreach and education programs to help students and their families navigate collegiate life, from gaining admission and securing financial aid to finding employment after graduation. HSF has created Generation 1st Degree, a program that envisions a future where every Latino household will have at least one college graduate, creating an enduring impact on the college outlook of Latino families nationwide, and strengthening the American economy for generations to come. For more information about the Hispanic Scholarship Fund please visit: www.HSF.net.
About Wells Fargo
Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC) is a nationwide, diversified, community-based financial services company with $1.3 trillion in assets. Founded in 1852 and headquartered in San Francisco, Wells Fargo provides banking, insurance, investments, mortgage, and consumer and commercial finance through more than 9,000 stores, 12,000 ATMs, the Internet (wellsfargo.com), and has offices in more than 35 countries to support the bank’s customers who conduct business in the global economy. With approximately 265,000 full-time equivalent team members, Wells Fargo serves one in three households in United States. Wells Fargo & Company was ranked No. 26 on Fortune’s 2012 rankings of America’s largest corporations. Wells Fargo’s vision is to satisfy all our customers’ financial needs and help them succeed financially.