Twenty-one students recently received $1,000 scholarships for their undergraduate education through a program sponsored by General Casualty Insurance Companies. The program, introduced last fall, aims to financially assist academically talented college students.
During the qualifying period from Oct. 1 to Feb. 15, nearly 400 applications were submitted. "The program drew many more applicants than expected for a first-time program, so the scholarship was quite competitive," said Hollie Bowker, General Casualty's corporate relations manager. "The recipients should be very proud of their accomplishment."
Seven scholarships were awarded to students in communities where the company has offices, seven to dependents of General Casualty's 1,650 employees, and seven to dependents of employees of the approximately 100 independent insurance agencies that have achieved Premier Partner status. Awards are renewable up to three years or until a degree is earned, whichever occurs first, on the basis of satisfactory academic performance (2.5 GPA on a 4.0 scale).
Recipients were selected by Scholarship Management Services, which General Casualty hired to independently judge the applications, based on the following criteria:
- consideration of past academic performance and future potential
- leadership and participation in school and community activities
- work experience
- statement of career and educational aspirations and goals
- unusual personal or family circumstances
- an outside appraisal
Financial need was not a determining factor.
For more information please contact Anne M. Smith.