Kansas Insurance Dept. Seeks African-American Scholarship Applicants

Kansas Insurance Commissioner Sandy Praeger is seeking applicants for five $1,000 scholarships to be awarded to African-American students enrolled in Kansas universities or community colleges during the 2012 spring semester.

The deadline for spring semester 2012 applications is Oct. 1, 2011. A scholarship committee will review the applications and conduct interviews before awarding the scholarships, which are renewable.

The African-American Monumental Life Settlement Scholarships originated from a nationwide dispersal of funds in a legal settlement regarding premiums charged by Monumental Life Insurance Company. Commissioner Praeger advocated establishing a scholarship program for Kansas African-American college students with the state’s share of the settlement. The Kansas Legislature passed a law designating the funds for the scholarships.

An applicant for the scholarship must meet these requirements:

• The applicant must be an African-American student.
• The applicant must be enrolled as a student at a Kansas accredited institution of higher learning during the 2011-2012 school year.
• The applicant must indicate on the application that his/her designated major is in one of the following: mathematics, computer science, business, accounting, economics, finance or investments.
• The applicant must have a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or better on a 4.0 scale.
• The applicant must supply an academic reference letter from a teacher or administrator at his/her higher learning institute.
• The applicant must be available to be interviewed.

Eligible students should contact the office of minority affairs or student financial aid at their colleges or universities for more information, or they can download the information and application online at the Kansas Insurance Department’s Web site, www.ksinsurance.org/gpa/scholarship.htm.

Topics Kansas