Southwest Airlines And Hispanic Association Of College And Universities Celebrate 15 Years Of Supporting College Students

DALLAS, Oct. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE: LUV), in partnership with the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU), has awarded 187 students complimentary roundtrip air travel as part of the ¡Lánzate!/Take Off! travel award program. The 2019 recipients are from 120 different schools across the country ranging from freshman to graduate students. Each year, ¡Lánzate!/Take Off! provides roundtrip air travel for recipients who meet socioeconomic and other criteria. A panel of judges comprised of college professors and education advocates met to select the recipients, who each were awarded four roundtrip tickets to allow them to stay connected with their families throughout the school year.

"Without the assistance of Southwest, my attempt to pursue an undergraduate degree would have been nearly impossible," said Jessica Arzola, a ¡Lánzate!/Take Off! Travel Award alumna and student at New York University (NYU). "I have been, and always will be, incredibly grateful to Southwest Airlines."

Through this national education initiative, HACU and Southwest Airlines® together have unforgettably impacted students, their communities, and their families during the past 15 years. Southwest has championed Hispanic success in higher education since 2005, by donating more than 4,000 tickets to students across the country for traveling to and from school.

"Southwest's purpose is to connect People to what's important in their lives," said Christine Ortega, Southwest Airlines' Senior Advisor of Community Outreach. "The lifeline of complimentary travel affords these college students an ability to remain connected to support systems and their families, while pursuing education toward their future success. Access to air travel allows a student to focus on learning, and to attain a college degree."

"HACU's partnership with Southwest Airlines in the ¡Lánzate! Travel Program has kept college students connected with their families for a decade-and-a-half," said HACU President and CEO Antonio R. Flores. "Student success often is dependent on support of families, and HACU and Southwest Airlines are committed to ensuring young people have the opportunity to reach their higher education goals for years to come."

To learn more about how Southwest and HACU are closing the achievement gap and showing young Hispanic students what is possible with a quality education, visit here.

ABOUT HACU

The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities, founded in 1986, represents more than 500 colleges and universities in the United States, Latin America, Spain, and school districts throughout the U.S. The mission of HACU is to Champion Hispanic Success in Higher Education. HACU is the only national association representing existing and emerging Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs). The Association's headquarters are located in San Antonio, Texas, with regional offices in Washington D.C., and Sacramento, California. Information is available at www.hacu.net.

ABOUT SOUTHWEST AIRLINES CO.

In its 49th year of service, Dallas-based Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE: LUV) continues to differentiate itself from other air carriers with exemplary Customer Service delivered by more than 59,000 Employees to a Customer base topping 130 million passengers annually. Southwest became the nation's largest domestic air carrier in 2003 and maintains that ranking based on the U.S. Department of Transportation's most recent reporting of domestic originating passengers boarded. In peak travel seasons, Southwest operates more than 4,000 weekday departures among a network of 101 destinations in the United States and 10 additional countries.

Southwest coined Transfarency^® to describe its purposed philosophy of treating Customers honestly and fairly, and low fares actually staying 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 carriers offer free checked bags on select routes or in qualified circumstances), and there are no change fees, though fare differences might apply.

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. Learn more about how the carrier gives back to communities across the world by visiting Southwest.com/citizenship.

Book Southwest Airlines' low fares online at Southwest Airlines or by phone at 800-I-FLY-SWA.

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SOURCE Southwest Airlines Co.