DALLAS, Nov. 22, 2016
/PRNewswire/ -- Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE: LUV),
in partnership with the Hispanic Association of Colleges and
Universities (HACU), has awarded more than 100 students, ranging
from incoming freshmen through graduate students, with
complimentary roundtrip airfare as part of the ¡Lánzate!/Take Off!
travel award program.
The ¡Lánzate! Program, which was recognized in 2015 by the White
House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanics, is geared
toward Hispanic college students with economic need who attend
school far away from home. Students from across the nation
completed online entries and submitted essays conveying how
receiving a travel award would help them achieve their educational
goals.
In 2015, a student studying in Milwaukee wrote about the strain of finding
herself more than 1,000 miles away from her family who lived in
Austin, Texas. The student wrote
"Studying in the Milwaukee area
has made it difficult for me to see them; last Thanksgiving was my first holiday away from my
family due to our inability to afford my travel expenses. My future
college degree is not only mine, but a combination of hard work
from my family and me. Receiving the ¡Lánzate! scholarship would
greatly ease my family's financial strain to travel for my
graduation and subsequently allow us to celebrate a great
accomplishment together."
A panel of judges made up of college professors and educational
advocates met to determine the award recipients. Recipients were
awarded between one and four roundtrip tickets for travel for
themselves or a family member. Southwest donated 400 one-way
e-passes to encourage students to continue on their paths to higher
education.
"Southwest Airlines has been proud to partner with HACU for 12
years as we work together to assist Hispanic youth throughout the
country in making their dreams of higher education come true," said
Christine Ortega, Southwest Airlines
Senior Advisor, Community Affairs & Grassroots. "This travel
can make it possible for a student to go home for the
holidays. Sometimes that connection with family and home can
make the difference between graduating and dropping out."
"The entries received this year demonstrate how important family
visits are to a successful higher education experience for Hispanic
college students," said HACU President and CEO Antonio R. Flores. "As an organization
whose mission is to champion Hispanic success in higher education,
HACU is honored to partner with Southwest Airlines' ¡Lánzate!
Travel Award Program to help college students stay connected with
their families as part of their higher education journey."
To learn more about Southwest Airlines, visit the Southwest
Airlines Community.
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 46th 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 53,000 Employees to more than 100 million Customers
annually. Southwest operates more than 3,900 departures a day
during peak travel season across a network of 99 destinations in
the United States and eight
additional countries with additional Cuba service to Havana, Cuba, beginning Dec. 12, 2016, and Santa Clara beginning Dec. 15, 2016, both routes subject to
governmental approvals.
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 nearly 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. The airline
proudly unveiled a bold new look: Heart. A new
logo, aircraft livery, interior design featuring a new seat and
Flight Attendant galley, Employee-designed uniforms, and an updated
airport experience all showcase the dedication of Southwest
Employees who 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 2015 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.