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Fall College Fair Welcomes Fort Worth STEAM Students

In October, more than 150 science, technology, engineering, art and math (STEAM) students gathered in GM Financial’s Burnett Conference Center for its 2022 fall college fair.

Juniors and seniors from Fort Worth ISD’s Young Women’s Leadership Academy (YWLA) and Young Men’s Leadership Academy (YMLA) met with representatives from a dozen colleges and universities to learn about admissions, undergraduate coursework and extracurricular activities.

The purpose of the fair was to bring important educational resources from colleges throughout Texas and the Southeast to local students, providing a critical equity and access point, especially for those high schoolers who have limited opportunities for on-campus tours and visits.

“College fairs are a unique opportunity for students to make insightful connections and talk to a live person from a school they might otherwise only be able to visit online,” said YWLA Principal Tamara Albury.

“The experience can help empower students to make their college decision, or even inspire them to apply to a school they hadn’t previously considered.”

Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Hispanic-Serving Institutions were a focal point of the event and accounted for half of the invited colleges.

This year’s fair was the latest engagement in a growing relationship between GM Financial and STEAM students in Fort Worth, which began when the company started providing content from its financial wellness program, KEYS® by GM Financial, to YWLA students in 2018.

Ever since, the company has offered numerous in-person and virtual opportunities, including mentorship programs and professional development trainings. It has also sponsored YWLA’s Senior Signing Day, which celebrates its students’ college acceptance rate and scholarship awards.

Between meetings with college representatives, fair attendees participated in a giveaway raffle, took photos, chatted with peers, played an interactive quiz game furnished by GM Financial’s KEYS Live team and spent a few minutes visiting with Chief Financial Officer Susan Sheffield.

“We’ve been both proud and fortunate to build a strong relationship with incredible students in our community,” Susan said. “I believe our investment in them is an investment in our future, and in speaking with them, I was reminded how bright our future will be.”

The company expects to expand the college fair in future years to include high school freshmen and sophomores and find ways to bring more financial wellness resources to students in Fort Worth and beyond.

By Jake Stevens, GM Financial

Jake Stevens uses his writing skills to help others make sense of complex topics. His second greatest passion, after auto finance, is cheering on the Crimson Tide.