Storrs, Conn. — The University of Connecticut has announced a multi-year commitment of up to $1.6 million from Travelers to enhance academic, outreach and diversity programs.

This new 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. UConn and Travelers are working collaboratively to fulfill the mission of TEAI, which is designed to improve access to higher education for underrepresented populations and build awareness about careers in insurance and finance.

“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, Travelers vice president of Community Relations. “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,” said UConn’s president Michael J. Hogan. “Improving access for underrepresented students is one of the priorities in our academic plan and 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 UConn’s 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 National Middle School Science Bowl, which is co-sponsored in the Northeast by UConn’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, and the Science, Engineering and Health Professions Collaborative Symposium for minority undergraduate students considering careers in those fields.

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

The University of Connecticut Foundation, Inc. (www.foundation.uconn.edu), of Storrs, Conn., was founded in 1964. The foundation is a tax-exempt corporation that operates exclusively to promote the educational, scientific, cultural, and recreational objectives of the University of Connecticut. As the primary fundraising vehicle for the university, the foundation’s mission is to solicit, receive, and administer gifts and financial resources from private sources to support UConn’s pursuit of excellence in teaching, research, and public service.

The Travelers Companies, Inc. (NYSE: TRV), a leading auto, home and business insurer, provides support for charitable organizations in the community through the Travelers Foundation and with corporate funding and in-kind services. The company’s community giving is focused on education, community development and the arts. The Travelers Education Access Initiative was established in 2007 to address the barriers to successful educational and career experiences faced by low-income and ethnically or racially underrepresented students and currently has five college or university collaborations in three states. Travelers employees are consistently active in community initiatives and perform thousands of hours in volunteer time each year. For more information, visit www.travelers.com.

Press Contacts
Arthur Sorrentino
The University of Connecticut Foundation, Inc.
asorrentino@foundation.uconn.edu
860.486.6926

Erin Haberman
Travelers
ehaberma@travelers.com
860.277.3617