Galvanize Partners With Silicon Valley Bank to Provide Scholarships for Latinos in STEM

Top Quote Galvanize announces a scholarship fund in conjunction with the Silicon Valley Bank to offer $50,000 in scholarships to Latinos who wish to enter the STEM community. End Quote
  • San Francisco, CA (1888PressRelease) May 05, 2015 - Silicon Valley Bank Scholars Fund Makes $50,000 available for Latinos learning computer programming and data science at Galvanize.

    Galvanize, a leader in industry-focused education, today announced it has partnered with Silicon Valley Bank to launch the SVB Scholars Fund, funded with $50,000 in scholarships made available for Latino students interested in beginning careers in the science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields. The scholarship fund is a continued effort to increase diversity in web development and data science classes across Galvanize's campus locations in Denver, San Francisco, Boulder, and Seattle.

    Galvanize's partnership with Silicon Valley Bank will provide scholarships for individuals from underrepresented groups in the tech workforce to learn skills in one of Galvanize's many educational programs. A recent Galvanize internal study revealed students of Latino descent are one of the least represented groups in Galvanize programs, resulting in initial funds from the SVB Scholars Fund being directed to Latino students.

    "Opportunities for underrepresented groups in tech are increasing, but there's still plenty of work to do," said Lawrence Mandes, Galvanize co-founder. "Silicon Valley Bank has been an amazing industry partner, and we're excited to launch the SVB Scholars Fund with them to offer learning opportunities and access on-ramps for students interested in STEM-related careers."

    Galvanize's new partnership with Silicon Valley Bank is a result of a long-standing relationship between the two organizations. Currently, SVB has a dedicated office space on Galvanize's San Francisco campus and offers free banking services for pre-Series A Galvanize community members. Additionally, SVB offers mentoring, fundraising events and multiple other opportunities to help Galvanize members increase the likelihood of their future success.

    "Finding the talent needed to build and scale a successful, innovative company is the most consistent challenge facing entrepreneurs and high-growth companies," said Scott Bergquist, Senior Market Manager for Silicon Valley Bank. "Through its various programs, Galvanize is addressing this issue while educating a new American workforce. The SVB Scholars Fund is about creating broad and equal access to this training that helps people develop the skills and knowledge they need to compete in the innovation economy. We're thrilled to help increase Latino representation in tech fields with this scholarship program."

    The SVB Scholars Fund will provide a total pool of $50,000 through the Galvanize Foundation, a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit, which will be awarded to Latino students in varying amounts at campuses in Denver, San Francisco, Boulder, and Seattle. Prospective students interested applying for this scholarship can visit galvanize.com/scholarsfund.

    About Galvanize
    Galvanize is a network of modern urban campuses for digital innovators and entrepreneurs that aligns work and learning by uniting education, experience, and industry under one roof. Since launching its first campus in Denver in 2012, Galvanize has expanded to San Francisco, Seattle, and Boulder, Colorado, with more campuses scheduled to open in 2015 and 2016. Each campus offers education opportunities, tech-focused events, and a variety of workspace options. To learn more about Galvanize, visit http://www.galvanize.com

    About Silicon Valley Bank
    For more than 30 years, Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) has helped innovative companies and their investors move bold ideas forward, fast. SVB provides targeted financial services and expertise through its offices in innovation centers around the world. With commercial, international and private banking services, SVB helps address the unique needs of innovators. Forbes named SVB one of America's best banks (2015) and one of America's best-managed companies (2014).

    Silicon Valley Bank is the California bank subsidiary and commercial banking operation of SVB Financial Group (Nasdaq: SIVB), and a member of the FDIC. Silicon Valley Bank and SVB Financial Group are members of the Federal Reserve System.

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