HSF Technologies (HSFT) is committed to respecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and protect information that we collect through the process of providing our Service, and your choices about the collection and use of your information.

Capitalized terms that are not defined in this Privacy Policy have the meaning given to them in our  Terms of Use .

Click on the links below to jump to each section:

• How We Collect and Use Information

• Sharing of Your Information

• How We Store and Protect Your Information

• Choices about Your Information

• Children's Privacy

• Links to Other Websites and Services

• Your California Privacy Rights

• Your Rights Under the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act

• Changes to Our Privacy Policy

• HOW WE COLLECT AND USE INFORMATION

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  • Information we collect from you directly:

    • Registration and profile information.   We may ask that you provide personal information when you use the Services, such as by registering on our site, applying for a scholarship, or corresponding with us, including, but not limited to, your first and last name, birth date, phone number, e-mail address, and photos   We may also ask for a variety of personal details to populate your scholarship application or website profile, such as your school, academic history, transcripts, financial aid information, student record information obtained from your school or other educational institution, demographic information, verification of enrollment, Grade Point Average (GPA), work history, interest, hobbies, affiliations and other pertinent information  We may retain any messages you send through the Service, and may collect information you provide in User Content you post to the Service.  We use this information to operate, maintain, and provide you with the features and functionality of the Service.

    • Information we may receive from third parties.   We may receive information about you from third parties. For example, we may collect information about you from social media sites.  If you access our website or Service through a third-party connection or log-in, for example, through Facebook Connect, or by "following," or "liking," this scholarship organization, or sharing your activities on our site on social media, etc., that third party may pass certain information about your use of its service to us.  This information could include, but is not limited to, the user ID associated with your account (for example, your Facebook User ID), an access token necessary to access that service, any information that you have permitted the third party to share with us, and any information you have made public in connection with that service.  This information may be used to pre-populate your account.  If you allow us access to your friends’ list, your friends’ user IDs, and your connection to those friends, may be used and stored. You should always review, and if necessary, adjust your privacy settings on third-party websites and services before linking or connecting them to this scholarship organization.  You may also unlink your third party account from the Service by adjusting your settings on the third party service.  If you unlink your third party account, we will remove the information collected about you in connection with that service.  We may also request and collect information about you from third parties such as teachers, schools, and other referral sources, providers of background check services, billing and credit agencies, and other third parties.

    • Messages and User Generated Content.   We collect information when you post content and messaging to the site, such as publishing or commenting on a blog post.  We may also collect information when you communicate with us.

      We use the information we collect or receive to operate, maintain, and provide you with the features and functionality of the Service, as well as to communicate directly with you.  For instance, we may use information you provide us for purposes such as statistical analysis, marketing and promoting our scholarship programs, and referrals for internships and financial aid opportunities. We may send you emails containing updates, newsletters, or information about your scholarship applications.  If you do not want to receive such email messages, you will be given the option to opt-out or change your preferences.  We also use your information to send you Service-related emails (e.g., account verification, purchase and billing confirmations and reminders, changes/updates to features of the Service, technical and security notices).  You may not opt-out of Service-related e-mails.

  • Information we collect through technology:

    • Analytics information.   We may directly collect analytics data, or use third-party analytics tools, to help us measure traffic and usage trends for the Service.  These tools collect information sent by your browser or mobile device, including the pages you visit and other information that assists us in improving the Service.  We collect and use this analytics information in aggregate form such that it cannot reasonably be manipulated to identify any particular individual User.

    • Cookies information.   When you visit the Service, we may send one or more cookies — a small text file containing a string of alphanumeric characters — to your computer that uniquely identifies your browser and lets us help you log in faster and enhance your navigation through the site.  A cookie may also convey information to us about how you use the Service (e.g., the pages you view, the links you click and other actions you take on the Service), and allow us or our business partners to track your usage of the Service over time. A persistent cookie remains on your hard drive after you close your browser.  Persistent cookies may be used by your browser on subsequent visits to the site.  Persistent cookies can be removed by following your web browser’s directions.  A session cookie is temporary and disappears after you close your browser.  You can reset your web browser to refuse all cookies or to indicate when a cookie is being sent.  However, some features of the Service may not function properly if the ability to accept cookies is disabled.

    • Log file information.   Log file information is automatically reported by your browser or mobile device each time you access the Service.  When you use our Service, our servers automatically record certain log file information.  These server logs may include anonymous information such as your web request, Internet Protocol ("IP") address, browser type, referring / exit pages and URLs, number of clicks and how you interact with links on the Service, domain names, landing pages, pages viewed, and other such information.

    • Clear GIFs/web beacons information.   When you use the Service, we may employ clear Graphics Interchange Format (GIF), also known as web beacons, which are used to anonymously track the online usage patterns of our Users.  In addition, we may also use clear GIFs in HTML-based emails sent to our users to track which emails are opened and which links are clicked by recipients.  The information allows for more accurate reporting and improvement of the Service.

    • Device identifiers.   When you access the Service by or through a mobile device (including but not limited to smart-phones or tablets), we may access, collect, monitor and/or remotely store one or more unique device identifiers.  Device identifiers are small data files or similar data structures stored on or associated with your mobile device, which uniquely identify your mobile device.  A device identifier may be data stored in connection with the device hardware, data stored in connection with the device’s operating system or other software, or data sent to the device by Company.  A device identifier may convey information to us about how you browse and use the Service.  A device identifier may remain persistently on your device, to help you log in faster and enhance your navigation through the Service.  Some features of the Service may not function properly if use or availability of device identifiers is impaired or disabled.

    • Use of information collected through technology.    We use or may use cookies, log file, device identifiers, and clear GIFs information to:  (a) remember information so that you will not have to re-enter it during your visit or the next time you visit the site; (b) provide custom, personalized content and information; (c) to provide and monitor the effectiveness of our Service; (d) monitor aggregate metrics such as total number of visitors, traffic, and demographic patterns; and (e) diagnose or fix technology problems.

• SHARING OF YOUR INFORMATION

  We may share your personal information in the instances described below.  For further information on your choices regarding your information, see the "Your Choices Regarding Your Information" section below.  

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  • Who we may share your information with:

    • We may share your information with third-party business partners, vendors, donors, consultants, and other service providers that perform services on our behalf, in order to carry out their work for us, which may include content or service fulfillment, background checks, credit reports, billing, or providing analytics services.

    • Our business partners who offer a service to you jointly with us, for example, when running a co-sponsored scholarship or promotion.

    • Third parties at your request.  For example, you may have the option to share your activities on our site with your friends through social media or, if you choose to participate in our mentor-mentee program, certain information that you provide us to facilitate matching you with a mentor or mentee, as applicable.

    • With the public.  Remember that any content that you voluntarily disclose for posting to the Site, such as your public profile, blog content or commentary, becomes available to the public. You may control your privacy settings by going to your account profile and setting your privacy setting to Private.  Additionally, we may make use of your name, photo, and/or profile information on our site or on our partners’ sites, for example if you are a scholarship applicant, recipient, or alumni with a personal story to share, and if you have connected with us on social media we may display your name, photo, and/or profile information on our social media page.

    • Other parties in connection with any company transaction, such as a merger, sale of company assets or shares, reorganization, financing, change of control or acquisition of all or a portion of our business by another company or third party or in the event of bankruptcy or related or similar proceedings.

    • Third parties as required to (i) satisfy any applicable law, regulation, subpoena/court order, legal process or other government request, (ii) enforce our Terms of Use Agreement, including the investigation of potential violations thereof, (iii) investigate and defend ourselves against any third party claims or allegations, (iv) protect against harm to the rights, property or safety of this organization, its users or the public as required or permitted by law and (v) detect, prevent or otherwise address criminal (including fraud or stalking), security or technical issues.

    • We may share information we collect through technology, such as  cookies, log files, device identifiers, and clear GIFs (such as anonymous usage data, referring/exit pages and URLs, platform types, number of clicks, etc.): (i) with our third-party partners for the purposes described in the section above on "How We Collect and Use Information."  We may also aggregate or otherwise strip data of all personally identifying characteristics and may share that aggregated, anonymized data with third parties.

• HOW WE STORE AND PROTECT YOUR INFORMATION

  We care about the security of your information and use commercially reasonable physical, administrative, and technological safeguards to preserve the integrity and security of all information we collect and that we share with our service providers.  However, no security system is impenetrable and we cannot guarantee the security of our systems 100%.  In the event that any information under our control is compromised as a result of a breach of security, we will take reasonable steps to investigate the situation and where appropriate, notify those individuals whose information may have been compromised and take other steps, in accordance with any applicable laws and regulations.

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• CHOICES ABOUT YOUR INFORMATION

  You control your account information and settings.    You may update your profile information and email-communication preferences at any time by logging in to your account.   You can also stop receiving promotional email communications from us by clicking on the "unsubscribe link" provided in such communications.  We make every effort to promptly process all unsubscribe requests.  As noted above, you may not opt out of Service-related communications (e.g., account verification, purchase and billing confirmations and reminders, changes/updates to features of the Service, technical and security notices).  If you have any questions about reviewing or modifying your account information, you can contact us directly through the message center.

  Tracking Technology.  The only way to completely opt out of the collection of any information through cookies or other tracking technology is to actively manage the settings on your browser or mobile device.  Please refer to your mobile device or browser’s technical information for instructions on how to delete and disable cookies, and other tracking/recording tools.  To learn more about cookies, clear GIFs/web beacons and related technologies, you may wish to visit http://www.allaboutcookies.org and/or the Network Advertising Initiative’s online resources, located at http://www.networkadvertising.org.  Depending on your type of device, it may not be possible to delete or disable tracking mechanisms on your mobile device.  Note that disabling cookies and/or other tracking tools prevents this organization and its partners from tracking your browser’s activities in relation to the Services.  However, doing so may disable many of the features available through the Services.  If you have any questions about opting out of the collection of cookies and other tracking/recording tools, you can contact us directly through the message center.

  Following termination or deactivation of your User account, we may retain your profile information and User Content.  We may also continue to display your profile information and/or personal story on the site unless you request that we discontinue use.  Please contact us directly through the message center to request that your information be disabled from public view.

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• CHILDREN’S PRIVACY

  This company does not knowingly collect or solicit any information from anyone under the age of 13 or knowingly allow such persons to register as Users.  The Service and its content are not directed at children under the age of 13. In the event that we learn that we have collected personal information from a child under age 13 without verification of parental consent, we will delete that information as quickly as possible.  If you believe that we might have any information from or about a child under 13, please contact us via the message center. 

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• LINKS TO OTHER WEBSITES AND SERVICES

  The Services may, from time to time, contain links to and from third party websites of our partners, advertisers, partner merchants, social networks, retailers and affiliates.  If you follow a link to any of these websites, please note that these websites have their own privacy policies and that we do not accept any responsibility or liability for their policies.  Please check the individual policies before you submit any information to those websites.

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• YOUR CALIFORNIA PRIVACY RIGHTS

  We collect various types of personal information about you both online and offline, as described in this privacy policy.  Under California law, clients who are residents of California may request certain information about our disclosure of personal information during the prior calendar year to third parties for their direct marketing purposes. To make such a request, please contact us via the message center.

  Alternatively, you may send us an email through the message center with the words "California Privacy Rights" in the subject line.

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• YOUR RIGHTS UNDER THE FAMILY EDUCATION RIGHTS AND PRIVACY ACT

  The Family Education Rights and Privacy Act ("FERPA") requires that you must give consent for your institution to release information in your student education records to us.  Certain aspects of the Services, such as applying for a scholarship, may require your institution to release academic and financial information pertinent to your candidacy for scholarships and/or programs. We will ask for your consent when you agree to use such aspects of the Services, and understand that you may revoke your consent at any time by giving written notice to your institution and this scholarship organization.

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• CHANGES TO OUR PRIVACY POLICY

  This company may modify or update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect the changes in our business and practices, and so you should review this page periodically.  When we change the policy in a material manner we will let you know and update the ‘last modified’ date at the bottom of this page. 

  CONTACT US  

  For questions regarding our Privacy Policy or compliance, please send an email through the message center. 

Updated: January 2021