Madison,
03
December
2020
|
11:00 AM
America/Chicago

American Family Insurance announces new partnership with Arizona State University’s Hispanic Mother Daughter Program

Summary

Partnership includes annual $5,000 American Family Insurance scholarship for program participant who will attend ASU.

American Family Insurance has announced a new partnership with Arizona State University (ASU) to support their Hispanic Mother Daughter Program, which includes programming support as well as an endowed scholarship providing $5,000 a year to a graduate of the program attending the university.

Every year, hundreds of future first-generation college students join ASU’s Hispanic Mother Daughter Program, which for 36 years has provided skill-building, mentorship and community building around higher education for Arizona families. The program has reached thousands of parent-student teams since its launch and has contributed to the increased enrollment of resident Latina women at ASU. In 1984 there were 556 Latina students enrolled. As of fall 2018, that number increased to more than 7,000 Latina students.

Focus on both school and community

American Family Insurance has pursued partnerships with several universities in the company’s operating states, said Steve Amundson, senior manager of strategic partnerships. “While our goals include providing opportunities through internships, scholarships and apprenticeships, as well as recruitment of top and diverse talent, we want to do more,” Amundson said.

“An equally important priority is community investment and engagement," he said. "The Hispanic Mother Daughter Program is a great example of a program whose positive results are creating meaningful impact in the entire community, and one we’re proud to support.”

The student and family member participant teams, which receive support from seventh grade through high school graduation, participate in the Hispanic Mother Daughter Program’s monthly workshops on ASU’s Tempe campus (and now virtually) addressing topics such as peer pressure, financial aid and preparing for high school. The program is open to students and parents of all genders, and programming is available in both English and Spanish to ensure accessibility to dual-language communities in Arizona. 

Participation in program encourages higher education goals

Kassandra, 17, is a Hispanic Mother Daughter Program participant and a senior in high school in Mesa,, Arizona. She said she joined because it was a chance for family connection and also great resources.

“I thought this program would be a good opportunity to surround myself in a community where students have higher education goals, and it would also mean spending time with my mother and my parents together,” Kassandra said.

Her favorite part so far was visiting ASU’s campus; she’s already applied to be a Sun Devil. Kassandra would be the first in her family to graduate from college and said money has been the biggest barrier to her education. 

Kassandra’s mother, Veronica, said it has been rewarding to learn so much together and also to connect socially with other parents through the program. 

“I'm getting her involved with other people who have the same interest as she does in higher education,” Veronica said. “And I thought it would be good for us both to learn the steps together and what it would be like in the future for her.”

Mother and daughter agreed that the American Family scholarship is a great opportunity for Hispanic Mother Daughter Program participants. Kassandra said receiving such support would help her concentrate on studies rather than “worrying about how I will be funding my education.”

Veronica said it would be a leg-up for students to be successful. “It would really just mean an opportunity for her to have a better life, to be able to go to school and finish it and accomplish what she sets as her goals,” Veronica said. 

“We’re pleased to provide the annual $5,000 American Family Insurance scholarship to a deserving, first-generation college student attending ASU,” said Amundson. “We know every recipient, with the support of their families and through participation in the Hispanic Mother Daughter Program, has made a solid commitment to higher education and will contribute to a strong, diverse student body.”

American Family partnership impacts students’ lives

Marcela Lopez, a graduate of the program who went on to earn her degree at ASU and now helps lead the Hispanic Mother Daughter Program as executive director of outreach for Access ASU, said the American Family gift will have an invaluable impact on the next generation of first-gen students and extend significant support into their college years.

“We are so honored to have the support of American Family Insurance for this high-impact program,” said Lopez. “I know firsthand how much it can mean to families to have access to the resources, information and support of the Hispanic Mother Daughter Program. This support and scholarship will change these students’ lives.”

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About the American Family Insurance group
Based in Madison, Wisconsin, American Family Insurance has been serving customers since 1927. We inspire, protect and restore dreams through our insurance products, exceptional service from our agency owners and employees, community investment and creative partnerships to address societal challenges. We act on our belief in diversity and inclusion by constantly evolving to meet customer needs and preferences. American Family Insurance group is the nation’s 13th-largest property/casualty insurance group, ranking No. 254 on the Fortune 500 list. The group sells American Family-brand products, primarily through exclusive agency owners in 19 states. The American Family Insurance group also includes CONNECT, powered by American Family Insurance, The General, Homesite and Main Street America. Across these companies the group has more than 13,500 employees nationwide.

About The Hispanic Mother Daughter Program
The Hispanic Mother Daughter Program is an early outreach middle and high school program designed to increase the number of first-generation Arizona students who are qualified and prepared to enroll at Arizona State University through direct family involvement.