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- The problem that oftentimes exists

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in predominantly
underrepresented communities

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is young people don't know

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that they have an opportunity

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to fulfill their goals and their dreams.

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- A lot of these students
are working jobs,

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they've got family commitments.

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They're just getting stretched

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in all kinds of different ways.

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- As a first generation college student,

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I really wanted to make my parents proud.

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- I used to always walk past this place

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and wonder if it could be me or not.

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- So in 2007, the Travelers EDGE program

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was the brainchild of our leaders.

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- Travelers' promise is to
take care of their customers,

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take care of the community

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and take care of each other.

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And with this program,
it's just so rich for them

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to have thought way ahead of the rest.

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- Our Travelers EDGE
scholars are brilliant,

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funny, innovative, hungry.

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They have what it takes to lead.

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- They said, "If you really
do want to go to college,

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you can take advantage
of this opportunity,

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the EDGE program.

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It's a little tough."

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And I said, "I'll do what it takes.

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- We can talk about how we
show up in our communities,

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the EDGE program is walking that walk.

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- We've had over 500 scholars

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that have received support
through the EDGE program,

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and in fact this last year,

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over 70% converted to
become Travelers employees.

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- The program has grown over the 15 years.

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You see the success

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and you see that, hey,
this really does work.

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- I knew it was a once
in a lifetime chance

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when I saw that the support

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that the program would give
me would be so massive,

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from financial to skills

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to be a professional in the workplace.

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- I was part of a group with
other like-minded individuals,

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the same goals, the same mindset,

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the same drive to succeed.

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- It kind of finally hit me.

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Opportunities are there if you take it.

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- It's opened up a different world for me.

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- EDGE is very empowering.

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A whole team of people fight alongside us.

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- I was debt-free.

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I was able to buy my first house.

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- People see my strength and my talents.

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- You begin to realize that
you can also belong here.

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- It's surreal that I have people

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that are willing to advise me,

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people that are willing to mentor me,

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people that want me to succeed.

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- They see dreams, they
recognize the dreams.

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They want dreams to come to life.

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(upbeat music)