Empowering New Generations of Leaders
For nearly four decades, TEF has been transforming educational outcomes for thousands of first-generation students from the under-resourced communities TELACU serves, by continually pioneering solutions that shatter barriers to higher education faced by the youth of our nation’s largest ethnic minority—Latinx.
Our Continuum of Education—a dynamic model created by TEF and comprised primarily of the College Readiness and College Success Programs—propels students from high school through graduate studies. Commensurate with their academic level, students are provided with a combination of financial resources and a comprehensive support system that includes: academic advisement and career guidance; academic, leadership, personal, and professional development seminars; and the Workforce Preparation Academy, all working together to lay a solid foundation for their academic and professional success.
Additionally, through its STEM and Business Initiative, the Continuum promotes pursuit of careers in these high-growth, high-impact sectors and provides the support and preparation needed to successfully attain degrees in these rigorous disciplines. As a result, historically 75% of Scholars earn their degree in a STEM- or Business-related field—and more than 60% of these students are women. They graduate equipped to meet the growing demand for highly skilled professionals in these technical sectors, ensuring that entrepreneurship and innovation remain hallmarks of our great nation!
Annually, through the generous investments of our network of committed partners—corporations, individuals, educational institutions and civic and community leaders—TEF supports approximately 2,000 high school, college, and graduate school students, including veterans, in realizing their dream of higher education. Together we have empowered TELACU Scholars to build a stellar legacy of achievement: virtually every one of our high school students graduates and pursues higher education; virtually every one of our college Scholars earns at minimum a Bachelor’s degree, and a growing number go on to seek advanced degrees.* At TELACU, we believe that the truest measure of success is not the number of our Scholars who begin college, but rather the number who ultimately attain a college degree.
Beginning with a modest 15 Scholars in 1983, today TELACU Scholar Alumni number well over 10,000 extraordinary individuals nationwide. They are impacting public policy in local cities, and in our state and nation’s capitals; building a brighter future as researchers and engineers in cutting-edge laboratories such as NASA/JPL, CalTech, Harvard and MIT; crusading for justice on the bench of the LA Superior Court and as attorneys; advocating for diversity and inclusion as executives within major corporations; working towards solutions to cultural, social, and environmental issues as social entre/intrapreneurs; and courageously fighting on the frontlines of COVID-19 as doctors, nurses and public health officials.
*Actual graduation rates of TELACU Scholars in 2018-19 Academic Year
High School: 98.6%
College: 99.07%