Travelers hosts inaugural graduation for edge scholars
Hartford, conn.--(business wire)--the travelers companies, inc. (nyse: trv) today hosted the first joint graduation for its signature education program, travelers edge (empowering dreams for graduation and employment), in partnership with the university of connecticut, central connecticut state university and capital community college. the program creates a pipeline for underrepresented students to develop the skills necessary for success in college and ultimately the workplace. travelers recruited, mentored and provided financial assistance for the 25 students who graduated today. “my experience with travelers edge was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” said dunnia ulloa, a travelers edge scholar who is now employed as a member of the travelers middle market finance team. “travelers empowered me to get my degree and instilled the confidence i needed to seek out a career in the insurance and financial services industry.” through travelers edge, the graduates participated in a wide variety of activities including resume critiques, mock interviews and improving their personal finance, project management and computer skills. additionally, travelers employees took part in the development of the students; in fact, since the program’s 2007 launch, approximately 200 employees have supported scholars as mentors and managers. “travelers is committed to removing barriers to education and career success faced by underrepresented students,” said marlene ibsen, vice president of community relations. “through our relationships with local colleges and universities, we are able to provide hands-on work experience in our industry as well as financial assistance to students who, when given the opportunity, are able to excel.” at the event, ibsen noted the graduation and success rates of students from three states who have participated in the travelers edge program: 100 percent of travelers edge community college scholars have earned associate’s degrees within three years. nationally, only 31 percent of students from similar populations go on to complete either an associate’s or a bachelor's degree in six years. 100 percent of travelers edge community college graduates who have obtained associate’s degrees have enrolled in bachelor’s degree programs, compared to only 26 percent of those who initially sought an associate's degree nationally. 71 percent of graduating travelers interns have become permanent hires. 100 percent of graduating scholars receiving travelers employment offers have accepted the offers. joelle hayes, vice president of diversity & inclusion, noted the importance of internal and external collaboration. “employee volunteerism, embracing diversity and building a pipeline for recruitment are key components of our core values at travelers. we recognize that today’s students are tomorrow’s workforce, and through travelers edge, we are able to identify future talent while simultaneously providing opportunities to underrepresented youth.” at the graduation, held at the hartford marriott downtown, travelers edge scholar sandie gong talked about her experience as a travelers intern. in addition to representatives from travelers, ccsu president jack miller, capital community college president wilfredo nieves, and uconn business school dean dr. p. christopher earley also attended the event. about travelerstravelers is a leading provider of property casualty insurance for auto, home and business. a fortune 100 company, travelers has more than 30,000 employees and 2010 revenues of approximately $25 billion. travelers stock is traded on the new york stock exchange (nyse: trv) and is a component of the dow jones industrial average. the company 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. 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. about travelers edgeestablished in 2007, travelers edge (empowering dreams for graduation and employment) provides a holistic approach to education through partnerships with colleges, universities and community-based programs to increase the pipeline of underrepresented students to college. travelers edge partnerships are currently in connecticut, maryland and minnesota.
