Nissan Donates $180,000 to Fund LULAC to Inspire Latino Students to Be Future of Innovation

NEW YORK -- July 8, 2014: Today’s youth are the scientists and engineers of tomorrow, and Nissan and the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) are investing in that future with a $180,000 contribution to LULAC’s National Educational Service Centers (LNESC), which offers programs that put Latino students on a path to careers in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).

This gift also includes a $40,000 donation to the LULAC National Scholarship Fund, which helps pay for educational opportunities for youth in underserved communities.

“Nissan delivers cutting-edge technology to one of the most diverse consumer bases in the automotive industry and to sustain that competitive edge, we look to today’s top-notch students to develop their skills so that they can one day help us design and build innovative vehicles,” said Jeffrey Webster, Nissan’s director of Diversity and Inclusion. “Since Nissan launched the Generación Innovación (GEN I) initiative last year, young Latinos around the country have gotten access to peers, professionals and activities that inspire them to pursue a STEM education.”

Latinos make up about 7 percent of the STEM workforce, but with Hispanic youth making up nearly 25 percent of the U.S. population under 18, LULAC and Nissan see an opportunity to close that gap with projects such as GEN I, which serves as a gateway to get young Latinos involved in other programs, such as LNESC’s Washington Youth Leadership Seminars and College Days.

The Washington Youth Leadership Seminar brings together students from nearly all 50 states and Puerto Rico and gives them the opportunity to meet firsthand the most influential decision makers in the U.S. and learn more about the roles they can play in the country’s leadership in STEM fields.

One high school student who recently participated in the Washington Youth Leadership Seminar said about his experience: “It really comes down to STEM, because that is what’s moving the world and driving innovation. I want to be part of that generation that makes these groundbreaking discoveries.”

Similarly, LNESC College Days create opportunities for hundreds of Latino high school students to tour colleges and universities across the country and meet college students who are already on the path to their own STEM careers.

“LNESC has enjoyed a very productive relationship with Nissan for the past five years. Nissan’s commitment to improving the lives of Latinos across the country through education is recognized and highly valued by our constituents,” said LNESC representative Elia Quintana.

LNESC College Days run from September to March in cities including Houston, Chicago and Orlando. For more information about these and other programs, please visit LNESC.