DALLAS, April 15, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The Hispanic
Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU), today announced
that they are accepting applications for the 12th annual
"¡Lánzate! / Take Off!" Travel Award program. Prizes for the
program will be provided by Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE: LUV).
Online applications will be accepted through May 13, 2016, at hacu.net. The program is geared
toward Latino college students with economic need who pursue higher
education at least 200 miles away from home. All applicants
must complete an online application including an essay describing
their inspiration to pursue a college degree.
Educators and education activists from around the country will
form a diverse judging panel this summer to choose the 2016 Travel
Award recipients. For more information about the prize and to view
the criteria for the 2016 award program, please visit: SWAmedia.
Travel has been provided to 830 students since the program's
inception in 2005. 2015 student recipient Gabriela Lopez shared, "Since receiving this
award, I was able to spend this past Thanksgiving with my family. I particularly
enjoyed the ease of being able to book arrival and departure
dates that worked best with my school schedule without any
financial limitations. I highly recommend this program to any
student that lives far from the people they
love and experiences financial barriers when planning a
trip to visit them."
"At Southwest Airlines, we are passionate about connecting
People to what's important in their lives," said Christine Ortega, Southwest Airlines Manager of
Community Affairs & Grassroots. "Through the
"¡Lánzate! / Take Off!" Travel Award program, we are proud
to help Latino students stay connected to their families. That
connection to family is often the difference between staying in
school and dropping out. We believe in strengthening the
communities we serve and we're proud to play a part in helping
these students achieve their dreams."
"As the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities
celebrates its 30-year milestone since its founding in San Antonio, Texas, we applaud the Southwest
Airlines ¡Lánzate! Travel Award Program for the ongoing commitment
to Championing Hispanic Success in Higher Education," said HACU
President and CEO Antonio R. Flores.
"It's difficult to be away from family starting a new life in
college. The ¡Lánzate! Travel Award Program helps Hispanic families
stay connected during the higher education journey."
More than 1,700 Southwest Airlines® roundtrip tickets have been
awarded to students across the nation since the program's inception
in 2005.
ABOUT HACU
Founded in 1986, the Hispanic Association
of Colleges and Universities (HACU) represents more than 450
colleges and universities committed to Hispanic higher education
success in the U.S., Puerto Rico,
Latin America and Spain. HACU is the only national association
representing existing and emerging Hispanic-Serving Institutions
(HSIs). The association headquarters are located in San Antonio, Texas, with government relations
offices in Washington, D.C., and
Sacramento, California. This year,
HACU is celebrating 30 years of championing Hispanic education.
Information is available at www.hacu.net.
ABOUT SOUTHWEST AIRLINES CO.
In its 45th year of
service, Dallas-based Southwest Airlines
(NYSE: LUV) continues to differentiate itself from other air
carriers with exemplary Customer Service delivered by more than
49,000 Employees to more than 100 million Customers annually.
Southwest proudly operates a network of 97 destinations across
the United States and seven
additional countries with more than 3,900 departures a day during
peak travel season.
Based on the U.S. Department of Transportation's most recent
data, Southwest Airlines is the nation's largest carrier in terms
of originating domestic passengers boarded. The Company operates
the largest fleet of Boeing aircraft in the world, the majority of
which are equipped with satellite-based WiFi providing gate-to-gate
connectivity. That connectivity enables Customers to use
their personal devices to view video on-demand movies and
television shows, as well as more than 20 channels of free, live TV
compliments of our valued Partners. Southwest created
Transfarency℠, a philosophy which treats Customers honestly
and fairly, and in which low fares actually stay low. Southwest is
the only major U.S. airline to offer bags fly free® to
everyone (first and second checked pieces of luggage, size and
weight limits apply, some airlines may allow free checked bags on
select routes or for qualified circumstances), and there are no
change fees, though fare differences might apply. In 2014, the
airline proudly unveiled a bold new look: Heart.
The new aircraft livery, airport experience, and logo, showcase the
dedication of Southwest Employees to connect Customers with what's
important in their lives.
From its first flights on June 18,
1971, Southwest Airlines launched an era of unprecedented
affordability in air travel described by the U.S. Department of
Transportation as "The Southwest Effect," a lowering of fares and
increase in passenger traffic whenever the carrier enters new
markets. With 43 consecutive years of profitability,
Southwest is one of the most honored airlines in the world, known
for a triple bottom line approach that contributes to the carrier's
performance and productivity, the importance of its People and the
communities they serve, and an overall commitment to efficiency and
the planet. The 2014 Southwest Airlines One Report™ can be found
at SouthwestOneReport.com.
Book Southwest Airlines' low fares online
at Southwest.com or by phone at 800-I-FLY-SWA.
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SOURCE Southwest Airlines Co.