ALEXANDRIA, Virginia, July 25, 2017–InVEST, the insurance industry’s premier classroom to career education program, has awarded the $3,000 Bob Baxter Honorary Scholarship to Michelle Dajczak, a student at East Hartford High School in East Hartford, Connecticut. The program is a key incentive in attracting new talent to the insurance industry which will have an estimated 400,000 open positions by 2020 and faces a critical workforce gap.

 “InVEST congratulates Michelle Dajczak who is among the 76 students representing 24 high schools, colleges and universities in eight states, who earned scholarships this year,” says Cindy Hower, InVEST board chair and president of Kellerman Insurance, an independent agency in Holton, Kansas. “InVEST develops future industry professionals by teaching high school and college students about insurance, risk management and financial services. As a result, students from more than 800 InVEST programs across the country are better equipped to pursue careers in an agency, company or other insurance industry organization.”

The Bob Baxter Honorary Scholarship was established in 2017 and awards a $3,000 scholarship to a high-performing InVEST student. Baxter is the retiring CEO of Dryden Mutual Insurance Company and was a dedicated member of the InVEST board of directors as well as a tireless volunteer for the InVEST program teaching insurance classes for decades in upstate New York. Today, 25% of the employees at Dryden Mutual are InVEST graduates thanks to Baxter’s pioneering efforts in New York. The InVEST board has agreed to award the top scholarships for three years to honor his commitment to the InVEST program. 

InVEST contributes to the education and development of future insurance professionals through academic programs and scholarships. 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 corporate and 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 (IIABA or the Big “I”) Legislative Conference. 

“A successful InVEST program is vital to the financial literacy of our young people, to the future of the independent agency system and to the insurance industry as a whole,” says Robert Rusbuldt, Big “I” president & CEO. “We are concerned that the average age of an insurance agent is almost 60 and as baby boomers continue retiring in record numbers, the InVEST program has the potential to replenish our workforce and to produce the next generation of industry professionals and leaders.”

 

This year, InVEST awarded $75,500 to 76 students pursuing insurance-related degrees. The 2017 scholarship winners represent 24 schools and hail from eight states: California, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Michigan, New Hampshire and New York.

Click HERE for a complete list of scholarship winners.

Scholarship hopefuls from across the country submitted essays describing the influence and benefits of InVEST on their educational plans. The quality of the essay, combined with the applicant’s grade-point average and extracurricular activities, were factors in selecting the recipients. Scholarship checks are mailed directly to the institute of higher learning that each student is attending and will be used exclusively for educational expenses. 

 

###