ALEXANDRIA, Va., Aug. 8, 2013 - InVEST, the insurance industry’s premier classroom to career education program has awarded scholarships to the following nine students from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla. pursuing insurance-related degrees.

 

• Logan Garfield, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, Parkland, Fla. ($3,000 – Bob Betters Scholarship)
• Michelle Frost, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, Parkland, Fla. ($2,000)
• Nicole Kelley, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, Parkland, Fla. ($2,000)
• Matthew Steinberg, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, Parkland, Fla. ($2,000)
• Austin Tedesco, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, Parkland, Fla. ($2,000)
• Dillon Espey, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, Parkland, Fla. ($1,000)
• Taylor Mindlin, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, Parkland, Fla. ($1,000)
• Anthony Weisler, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, Parkland, Fla. ($1,000)
• Ryan Silverman, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, Parkland, Fla. ($500)

 

“InVEST congratulates the students who earned scholarships this year,” says Heather Minkler, chair of the National InVEST board of directors and CEO of Clark-Mortenson Agency, an independent insurance agency in Keene, N.H. “InVEST continues to have phenomenal growth in the number of new programs started each year. With support from the industry, we provide education to more than 14,000 students each school year and work to provide opportunities for students interested in working in the insurance industry. Graduates from more than 450 InVEST programs across the country are armed with knowledge to help them pursue careers in an agency, company or other insurance industry organization.”

 

The Bob Betters Scholarship is the newest component of the InVEST program and was established in 2011. The scholarship awards the highest dollar amount; this year each scholarship is $3,000. Bob Betters, with Watson Insurance Agency in Gastonia, N.C., passed away in February 2011 after battling brain cancer. Betters, who was appointed to the InVEST board of directors in 2009, served as the InVEST state champion for North Carolina. The InVEST board has agreed to award the top scholarships for five years to honor his commitment to the InVEST program.

 

InVEST contributes to the development of future insurance professionals by educating high school and college students about insurance, risk management and financial services. In high schools, the program offers students a business curriculum which teaches them about the dynamics of insurance agencies and companies. At the college level, the program develops students’ risk management and financial analysis skills. Along with direct contributions, scholarships are funded through proceeds generated by the InVEST auctions and Young Agents YAC Gives Back event held in conjunction with the Independent Insurance Agents & Broker’s (IIABA or the Big “I”) Legislative Conference.

 

“Continuing success of the InVEST program is critical not only to the future of the independent agency system, but to the insurance industry as a whole and the increase in financial literacy of our young people,” says Robert Rusbuldt, Big “I” president & CEO. “Many are concerned that the average age of an insurance professional is around 54 and as baby boomers retire, the InVEST program has the potential to replenish our workforce at this crucial time.”

Nationally, this year InVEST awarded $70,500 in scholarships to 65 college-bound students pursuing insurance-related degrees. The 2013 scholarship winners represent 18 schools and hail from California, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Florida, Illinois, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio and Virginia. This year, 94 scholarship hopefuls from across the country submitted essays.