Southwest Airlines And The Hispanic Association Of Colleges And Universities Announce College Student Recipients Of Annual Travel Award Program

DALLAS, ­Oct. 15, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV), in partnership with the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU), has awarded 90 students with complimentary roundtrip airfare as part of the Lanzate!/Take Off! travel award program.

The Lanzate! program is geared toward Hispanic college students with economic need who attend school far away from home.  Hispanic college students, ranging from incoming freshmen through graduate students, submitted essays displaying their need for travel on Southwest Airlines.  In the application essays, students wrote about their personal experiences and the importance of staying connected with their families while pursuing higher education away from family.  A panel of judges made up of college professors and educational advocates met to determine the award recipients. Recipients were awarded between one and four roundtrip tickets for travel for themselves or a family member.  Southwest gave 231 tickets this year to encourage students to continue on their path to higher education.

"We are proud to be in our tenth year of helping Hispanic youth throughout the country make their dreams of higher education come true," said Christine Ortega, Southwest's Manager of Community Affairs & Grassroots.  "For many Hispanic students, the ability to stay connected to their family determines whether they graduate or drop out of school.  These tickets allow either students to fly home or their families fly to campus to celebrate important milestones in their college journeys." 

"For the past ten years, students have submitted compelling essays and sent heartwarming letters that demonstrate the importance of the Southwest Lanzate! Travel Awards Program to their higher education success," said Antonio R. Flores, HACU President and CEO.  "The success of Hispanics in higher education depends on a community effort, and Southwest Airlines has proven time and again that they support our community wholeheartedly with the extremely successful Lanzate! travel award program. Congratulations to the students and to Southwest Airlines for this wonderful program."

To see the full list of winning students, please visit: www.hacu.net

Southwest is dedicated to serving the Hispanic community, and the Lanzate!/Take Off! travel award is one of the many ways the airline gives back.  To learn more about Southwest Airlines' efforts in the Hispanic community, please visit www.southwest.com/hispanicoutreach

ABOUT SOUTHWEST AIRLINES CO.
In its 44th year of service, Dallas-based Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV) continues to differentiate itself from other air carriers with exemplary Customer Service delivered by nearly 46,000 Employees to more than 100 million Customers annually.  Southwest and wholly owned subsidiary AirTran Airways operate nearly 3,600 flights a day, serving 93 destinations across the United States and five additional countries.  Service to San Jose, Costa Rica, begins in March 2015, subject to government approvals.

Based on the U.S. Department of Transportation's most recent data, Southwest Airlines is the nation's largest carrier in terms of originating domestic passengers boarded. The Company operates the largest fleet of Boeing aircraft in the world, a majority of which are equipped with satellite-based WiFi connectivity while over the United States that enables video-on-demand and a free, live TV offering of 13 channels compliments of DISH.  Bags Fly Free® at Southwest Airlines (first and second checked pieces of luggage, size and weight limits apply), and there are never change fees, although fare differences might apply. In September 2014, the airline proudly unveiled Heart, a new aircraft livery, airport experience, and logo, showcasing the dedication of Southwest Employees to connect Customers with what's important in their lives.

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

ABOUT HACU
The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) represents more than 450 colleges and universities committed to Hispanic higher education success in the U.S., Puerto Rico, Latin America and Spain. For more information, visit www.hacu.net

SOURCE Southwest Airlines

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