Press Releases

For Immediate Release

Kaiser Permanente in California Pioneers Expansion of Hispanic Youth Symposium to Los Angeles

200+ Students Prepare for Success in College and Career

Los Angeles, CA (May 21, 2009) - The Hispanic College Fund program announced today that Kaiser Permanente in California has dedicated $50,000 to support its programs this year, including $25,000 to bring the Hispanic Youth Symposium to Los Angeles during the summer of 2009. The Symposium will be presented by the Hispanic College Fund and is designed to guide Los Angeles youth towards achieving a college education, pursuing a professional career, and giving back to their communities as volunteers.

Over the last five years, Kaiser Permanente has pioneered the development of Hispanic Youth Symposia in other cities such as Baltimore, Maryland; Fairfax, Virginia; and Washington, DC. This year alone, Kaiser Permanente has given over $200,000 to support both the Hispanic Youth Symposia and the Hispanic College Fund's scholarship program.

"Kaiser Permanente is deeply committed to educating future generations of Hispanic physicians, nurses, and other health professionals to help reduce health disparities in underserved communities. We are proud to support the inaugural Los Angeles Hispanic Youth Symposium," said Diana M. Bontá, RN, DrPH, vice president, Public Affairs, Kaiser Permanente Southern California.

"Developing a culturally competent health care workforce begins with Kaiser Permanente's Hippocrates Circle program, with physicians reaching out to inspire underserved middle and high school students to envision themselves as medical professionals. We applaud the efforts of the Hispanic College Fund to help motivate and guide underserved students to become the future professionals and leaders that our communities need and deserve," said Dr. Bontá.

More than 200 high-achieving Hispanic students from the Los Angeles area will attend the four-day, three-night college residency program, which is hosted in cooperation with the Partnership for Los Angeles Schools on the campus of UCLA. Over 900 students have already begun their applications to attend the symposium this year, ensuring that the admissions process will be highly competitive. The family income level of 90 percent of the students who have completed applications makes them eligible for free or reduced-price lunch programs. 65 percent of the applicants have a GPA of 3.00 or higher.

The program will include college admissions and career workshops, scholarship competitions awarding over $14,000 to students, and a networking reception that will allow students to connect with "Hispanic Heroes" - Latino professionals in their fields of interest.Following the Hispanic Youth Symposium, all students will be automatically enrolled in the Hispanic Youth Institute, which provides ongoing year-round programming that reinforces the core themes of college, career, and community for students and their parents.

"Kaiser Permanente's support of the Hispanic Youth Symposium is integral to helping our young Hispanic students pursue successful careers in health care," said Idalia Fernandez, president of the Hispanic College Fund. "We are proud to have their continued support for this program and we look forward to honoring them in October when we name them our 2009 Corporation of the Year for their commitment to the Hispanic College Fund."

Kaiser Permanente joins Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, the honorary chair of the Hispanic Youth Symposium, in supporting this year's program.

Additional sponsors of the 2009 Los Angeles Hispanic Youth Symposium include the AT&T Foundation, Bank of America, Southwest Airlines, Grifols Biologicals, Employees Community Fund of Boeing California, National Nuclear Security Administration, University of Phoenix, The Walt Disney Company, Comerica, Fox Entertainment Group, Ernie G., Jarritos, Pace Promotions, and many caring individuals.

For more information about the Los Angeles Hispanic Youth Symposium, visit: www.hispanicyouth.org/symposium-la.

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About the Hispanic College Fund:

Founded in 1993, the Hispanic College Fund is a non-profit organization based in Washington, D.C., with a mission to develop the next generation of Hispanic professionals. For 15 years, the Hispanic College Fund has provided educational, scholarship, and mentoring programs to students throughout the United States and Puerto Rico, establishing a career pipeline of talented and career-driven Hispanics who are trained in the fields of business, science, technology, engineering, and math.

The Hispanic College Fund has an annual budget of $6 million with 20 full-time employees. In 2006, the Hispanic College Fund received the Brillante award for "Nonprofit of the Year" from the National Society of Hispanic MBAs, and in 2007 was recognized by USA Today as one of the nation's top 25 charities. In 2009, the Hispanic College Fund received a coveted four-star rating from Charity Navigator for exemplary fiscal responsibility.

For more information, visit: www.hispanicfund.org

About Kaiser Permanente:

Kaiser Permanente is shaping the future of health care. We are America's leading health care provider and not-for-profit health plan. Founded in 1945, our mission is to provide high-quality, affordable health care services to improve the health of our members and the communities we serve. We currently serve 8.6 million members in nine states and the District of Columbia. Care for members and patients is focused on their total health and guided by their personal physicians, specialists and team of caregivers. Our expert and caring medical teams are empowered and supported by industry-leading technology advances and tools for health promotion, disease prevention, state-of-the art care delivery and world-class chronic disease management. Kaiser Permanente is dedicated to care innovations, clinical research, health education and the support of community health.

For more information, visit www.kp.org/newscenter.