Providing access to higher education for Hispanics in Colorado since 1949. For 72 years LAEF has remained committed since to serving Latino/Hispanic youth of Colorado, awarding nearly $7 million in scholarships to 7,000 students, and we look forward to continuing our success for years to come!
Providing access to higher education for Hispanics in Colorado
LAEF has the proud distinction of being the oldest Hispanic non-profit organization in the state of Colorado. In the 1940's, a group of men and women from Colorado's Latino community, who had struggled for years as field and factory workers, came together to ensure that their children would get the education necessary to avoid the same struggles and to make a better life for themselves. Through these community organization efforts, LAEF was founded in 1949. Today, LAEF's mission remains the same: provide access to higher education for Hispanics in Colorado. Our vision is to advance the educational leadership and economic status of all Hispanics to improve the greater community. Our overarching goals are to increase the number of students from Colorado who attend and graduate from college through scholarships, community collaboration, and support programs and to reduce the financial barriers to accessing college.
Continuing a tradition of excellence since 1949, LAEF has established itself as Colorado's premier organization in providing for the educational needs of Hispanic students. During its 72-year history, the organization has grown from awarding 7 scholarships in 1949, to now, having served nearly 7,000 students with scholarships and support programs for their education needs.
"Thank you much for supporting and helping this amazing program. Thanks to your generosity I will be a step closer to being the first person in my family to get a biochemistry degree!" Thank you!
-Gabriela Recinos, Senior, University of Denver
"I would like to give my gratitude and thank to LAEF for their support without your help my dreams of pursing higher education would not be possible. The scholarship has been able to grant me with the confidence and funs to pursue my dreams of going to college. The LAEF scholarship is more than money for me, it's an opportunity!"
-Brian Jimenez, Junior, Colorado State University
