Travelers Boosts Aid for Diversity Initiative

From the fall 2008 issue of UConn Momentum

The Travelers Connecticut Foundation, the charitable arm of Travelers, has announced a new multiyear commitment to enhance academic, outreach and diversity programs at the University.

This commitment of up to $1.6 million will be used to expand the successful Travelers Education Access Initiative (TEAI) at UConn, established by the company last year with gifts totaling $630,000. TEAI is designed to improve access to higher education for underrepresented populations and build awareness about careers in insurance and finance. UConn and Travelers are working collaboratively to fulfill the initiative’s mission.

“As Connecticut’s flagship public university, UConn is uniquely positioned to help Travelers remove barriers to higher education and careers that underrepresented students face,” says Marlene Ibsen, vice president of community relations at Travelers. “Travelers and UConn are structuring a comprehensive approach that we believe is a formula for success for underserved students.”

The inclusive program includes a wide range of efforts such as mentorship and scholarships in addition to youth outreach in Greater Hartford school districts.

One of the primary pieces of the initiative is a scholarship for students who demonstrate a commitment to multicultural diversity through leadership in activities at UConn or in their communities.

In addition, Travelers offers scholarship recipients opportunities for mentorship and internships to help enhance their educational experience and improve retention through graduation.

“I’m especially pleased that Travelers has stepped up to partner with us on our diversity initiatives,” says UConn President Michael Hogan. “Improving access for underrepresented students is one of the priorities in our academic plan. The TEAI program helps us by supporting community and school-based efforts to keep students on the path of achievement from middle school to a rigorous high school curriculum. This is essential to prepare them for college and to compete on an equal level with their peers.”

TEAI touches many different programs and disciplines at UConn. Priorities include funding at the School of Business to support the Multicultural Business Club, faculty mentoring and outreach to high schools in predominantly minority areas.

Other key areas of support include the Science, Engineering and Health Professions Collaborative Symposium (for minority undergraduate students considering careers in those fields) and the National Middle School Science Bowl, which is co-sponsored in the Northeast by UConn’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

This new commitment from Travelers strengthens the longstanding partnership between UConn and Travelers, a company with more than 700 UConn alumni in its ranks.

For more information about supporting diversity initiatives at UConn, please refer to the development staff listing available on our Contact Us page.