InVEST Awards 70 Academic Student Scholarships

July 24, 2014, 11:07 a.m. EDT 5 Min Read

InVEST, an education program for the insurance industry, has awarded $87,000 in scholarships to 70 students pursuing insurance-related degrees. The program is an incentive in attracting new talent to the insurance industry.

In high schools, InVEST offers students a business curriculum that teaches 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 Silent and Live auctions held in conjunction with the Independent Insurance Agents & Broker’s (Big “I”) Legislative Convention.

InVEST awarded two Bob Betters Memorial Scholarships and one Classroom to Career Scholarship. The Bob Betters Scholarship awards the highest dollar amounts; this year they are $5,000. The InVEST board will award the top scholarships for five years to honor the commitment of Bob Betters with Watson Insurance Agency to the InVEST program. Classroom to Career was developed for students who would like to enter the insurance industry immediately after graduating from InVEST. They are eligible for $500 reimbursement for licensing or designation expenses.

This year’s scholarship winners are:

Bob Betters Scholarship Winners ($5,000):

· Danielle Dacanay, Deep Run High School, Glen Allen, Va.
· Erin Dudley, William R. Boone High School, Orlando, Fla.

$3,000 Scholarship Winners:

· Andres Alvarez, Dr. Phillips High School, Orlando, Fla.
· Manuel Carmona, St. Petersburg Catholic High School, St. Petersburg, Fla.
· Gabrielle Cotilla, St. Petersburg Catholic High School, St. Petersburg, Fla.
· Sean Coughlin, St. Petersburg Catholic High School, St. Petersburg, Fla.
· Madeline Haller, Manatee High School, Bradenton, Fla.
· Tyler Moffit, Dr. Phillips High School, Orlando, Fla.
· Ashley Palmer, Dryden High School, Dryden, N.Y.

$2,000 Scholarship Winners:

· Thomas Christino, Deep Run High School, Glen Allen, Va.
· Diana Estrada, St. Petersburg Catholic High School, St. Petersburg, Fla.
· Peyton Holl, Groton Central School, Groton, N.Y.
· Josh Hutchinson, Dryden High School, Dryden, N.Y.
· Katherine Johnson, Dryden High School, Dryden, N.Y.
· Jenna Renaud, St. Petersburg Catholic High School, St. Petersburg, Fla.
· Taylor Schneider, Dryden High School, Dryden, N.Y.

$1,000 Scholarship Award Winners:

· Irene Aranda , Grossmont College, El Cajon, Calif.
· Jonathan Becker, Dryden High School, Dryden, N.Y.
· Chloe Beemer, William R. Boone High School, Orlando, Fla.
· Margaret Brown, William R. Boone High School, Orlando, Fla.
· Chris Caplan, William R. Boone High School, Orlando, Fla.
· James Dawson, William R. Boone High School, Orlando, Fla.
· Megan DeVice, Manatee High School, Bradenton, Fla.
· Joseph Eddy, Maple Valley High School, Vermontville, Mich.
· Melanie Ferreira, William R. Boone High School, Orlando, Fla.
· Reilly Gibbons, St. Petersburg Catholic High School, St. Petersburg, Fla.
· Gretchen Gutierrez, William R. Boone High School, Orlando, Fla.
· Ronald Heinkel, William R. Boone High School, Orlando, Fla.
· Claudia Hernandez, Woodrow Wilson High School, Dallas, Texas
· Kimberly Horner, McGraw Central High School, McGraw, N.Y.
· Michael Humphrey, Grossmont College, El Cajon, Calif.
· Daniel Hurtado, William R. Boone High School, Orlando, Fla.
· Colleen Kelly, Grossmont College, El Cajon, Calif.
· Tai Lam, St. Petersburg Catholic High School, St. Petersburg, Fla.
· Jordan Lynch, Dryden High School, Dryden, N.Y.
· Montana Marshall, William R. Boone High School, Orlando, Fla.
· Soyoung Moon, Lake Brantley High School, Altamonte Springs, Fla.
· Tristan Sanders, William R. Boone High School, Orlando, Fla.
· Zachary Schaja, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, Parkland, Fla.
· Tess Schneeberger, Manatee High School, Bradenton, Fla.
· Kevin Schoeppler, William R. Boone High School, Orlando, Fla.
· John Slater, St. Petersburg Catholic High School, St. Petersburg, Fla.
· Stephanie Steinhauser, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, Parkland, Fla.
· Troy Sutfin, Dryden High School, Dryden, N.Y.
· Taylor White, Yvonne A. Ewell Townview Magnet Center, Dallas, Texas
· Tabias Wimby, B.E.S.T. Academy High School, Atlanta, Ga.

$500 Scholarship Award Winners:

· Kristen Chucri, St. Petersburg Catholic High School, St. Petersburg, Fla.
· Dylan Clapp, Dryden High School, Dryden, N.Y.
· Tiffany Clark, McGraw Central High School, McGraw, N.Y.
· Dylan Endlich, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, Parkland, Fla.
· Brett Fielder, Dr. Phillips High School, Orlando, Fla.
· Ragan Hagaman, Manatee High School, Bradenton, Fla.
· Angelo Harris, B.E.S.T. Academy High School, Atlanta, Ga.
· Connor Haughey, Manatee High School, Bradenton, Fla.
· Jerick Johnston, St. Petersburg Catholic High School, St. Petersburg, Fla.
· Vicki Lang, St. Petersburg Catholic High School, St. Petersburg, Fla.
· Kamaye Nichols, Lake Brantley High School, Altamonte Springs, Fla.
· Rachel Poirier, West Seneca West Senior High School, West Seneca, N.Y.
· Courtney Poirier, West Seneca West Senior High School, West Seneca, N.Y.
· Shazid Rahman, Dr. Phillips High School, Orlando, Fla.
· Maria Rangel, St. Petersburg Catholic High School, St. Petersburg, Fla.
· Zachary Robinson, William R. Boone High School, Orlando, Fla.
· Pierce Smith, Dr. Phillips High School, Orlando, Fla.
· Danielle Trinkler, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, Parkland, Fla.
· Joseph Uhatafe, St. Petersburg Catholic High School, St. Petersburg, Fla.
· Chanceller Waters, ACE Technical Charter High School, Chicago, Ill.
· Paris Williams, Lake Brantley High School, Altamonte Springs, Fla.
· Simon Wilson, Dr. Phillips High School, Orlando, Fla.
· Aaron Witt, Dr. Phillips High School, Orlando, Fla.

$500 Classroom to Career Scholars:

· Yashira Torres, Grossmont College, El Cajon, Calif.

InVEST educates high school and college students about insurance, risk management and financial services, said The Slocum Agency Inc. Students from more than 500 InVEST programs are equipped with knowledge to help them pursue careers in an agency, company or other insurance industry organization, the company added.
“A successful InVEST program is critical, not only to the future of the independent agency system, but to the insurance industry as a whole and to the financial literacy of our young people,” said Robert Rusbuldt, Big “I” president and 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 and produce the next generation of industry professionals and leaders.”