Teach For America and the Hispanic Scholarship Fund Join Forces
New Partnership Aims to Increase the Number of Top
Hispanic Math and Science Graduates Choosing to Teach
Teach For America and the Hispanic Scholarship Fund announced today that they will enter a strategic partnership to foster the next generation of Hispanic education leaders and improve educational outcomes among Hispanic students. Under the new partnership, the two organizations will seek to increase access to scholarships for top Hispanic undergraduates and raise awareness among these young leaders of the impact they can have in the teaching profession
Teach For America recruits, trains, and supports outstanding college graduates and professionals who commit to teach for two years in underserved schools and become lifelong leaders in the effort to expand educational opportunity. The Hispanic Scholarship Fund is the nation’s leading Hispanic scholarship organization, awarding 4,000 to 5,000 scholarships annually, the majority of which go to students who are the first in their family to attend college.
“Teach For America shares our belief that demographics do not determine academic achievement,” said Frank Alvarez, president and chief executive officer of HSF. “They have been a valued partner over the past four years, and we are looking forward to expanding this partnership in support of Latino college students on the road to graduation.”
Under the partnership, Teach For America and HSF will seek to establish a scholarship program for Latino college students pursuing science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) degrees. Scholarships will be awarded based on academic achievement and leadership experience, and recipients will have the opportunity to participate in a leadership development program.
“At Teach For America, we recruit a diverse group of leaders who are committed to putting students from low-income communities on a path to college, and HSF ensures that these students have the financial support to attend college,” said Wendy Kopp, founder and CEO of Teach For America. “Our partnership with HSF is an exciting opportunity to increase the number of excellent Hispanic teachers in classrooms across the country and strengthen the educational resources available for Latino students to achieve their dreams.”
Teach For America places a particular focus on attracting and fostering the leadership of individuals who share the racial and socioeconomic backgrounds of the students underserved by public schools, including Latinos. More than 40percent of the 600,000 students reached by Teach For America corps members nationwide are Hispanic. Among Teach For America’s 5,200 incoming corps members, 8 percent are Hispanic, compared with 6 percent of the graduating seniors at the nation’s top 340 colleges and universities. To date, 60 HSF Scholars are part of Teach For America’s network and are teaching in high-need schools or working as alumni from inside and outside the field of education to ensure all children have access to an excellent education.
About Teach For America
Teach For America is the national corps of outstanding recent college graduates who commit to teach for two years in urban and rural public schools and become lifelong leaders in expanding educational opportunity. Today, 9,000 corps members are teaching in 43 regions across the country, while nearly 24,000 Teach For America alumni continue working from inside and outside the field of education for the fundamental changes necessary to ensure educational excellence and equity. For more information, visit http://www.teachforamerica.org.
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. HSF has awarded over $330 million in scholarships over the past 36 years 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 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.
