Andy Seth has a very personal connection to his volunteer work with Minds Matter of Denver. “I was one of these students. My striving parents were immigrants from India and I grew up in a motel in LA. I’ve lived that fear of not having money. Education was my way out,” Andy explained during an interview for the 2011 Community Leadership Awards, where he was honored as a finalist for the Volunteer of the Year Award.
With chapters across the country, Minds Matter, Inc. serves high achieving, low-income high school students by broadening their dreams and preparing them for success. The organization offers mentor support, group instruction, and college summer programs with the goal of providing students the tools and support they need to gain admission to and graduate from four-year colleges.
Andy reflects fondly about his experience at the Community Leadership Awards. “It was a milestone marker for my life. Being recognized by Invest in Others brought awareness to my cause and let people know I was in it for all the right reasons,” he explained.
As a financial advisor and founder of Lotus Group Advisors, Andy knew how to best leverage the monetary donation from the Community Leadership Awards. “I was able to use the funds to create a matching pledge drive and double the money for Minds Matter,” he described.
Today, Andy serves as the Chair of the Board of Directors for the Denver chapter and couldn’t be prouder of their accomplishments. “We got 100% of our low-income high school seniors into college with scholarships,” he boasted. “It cost us $30,000 to put them through our 3-year program and in turn, they earned $1.5 million in scholarships.”
As for other financial advisors that are giving back to their communities, he says, “if you’re already doing great work, then this recognition is hands-down the best one you can get.”