Prentiss Bullard was in high school when a car struck and killed his father in 2016. While Prentiss grappled with a harsh new reality and the inconceivable loss of a parent, Prentiss and his family faced incredible financial stress because Prentiss’ father did not have adequate life insurance coverage to protect his family and loved ones. While unexpected and tragic, this scenario plays out for countless families across the country who have not taken the necessary steps to include life insurance coverage as part of their financial plan.
The financial hardship endured by Prentiss Bullard and countless other families greatly alters plans and future goals. While Prentiss hoped to fulfill his father’s dream by being the first in their family to attend college, he and his mother struggled to make basic ends meet.
In recognition of students like Prentiss who face such adversity, Life Happens sponsors the annual Life Lessons Scholarship Program and awards recipients with scholarships to help pay for the college education they deserve. This year, Life Happens announced Nov. 14 it has awarded $203,000 in scholarship money to 21 students through the program, with awards ranging from $5,000 to $20,000.
Since the Life Lessons Scholarship program was established in 2005, over 500 scholarships have been awarded, totaling over a million dollars in scholarship money. Past recipients’ stories can be viewed here.
“I am so excited to attend college to pursue my degree in biomedical engineering and couldn’t do it without the generous scholarship from Life Happens,” said Prentiss Bullard.
“These stories remind us all of the pivotal role life insurance plays in providing financial protection to family and loved ones,” said Marvin H. Feldman, CLU, ChFC, RFC, CEO of Life Happens. “We are grateful to these students for sharing their experiences and we hope their stories inspire others to protect their loved ones for the unexpected through adequate life insurance coverage.”
To apply for the Life Lessons Scholarship Program, students are asked to submit a 500-word essay or three-minute video in which they discuss the financial and emotional hardships they have faced as a result of the loss of a parent who had little or no life insurance.
The full list of 2018 Life Lesson Scholarship Recipients includes:
- Life Happens $20,000 Scholarship Recipient (1): Prentiss Bullard (George Washington University, C/O Caron Thomas Mitchell)
- Pacific Life $15,000 Scholarship Recipients (4): Tama Henderson-Semo (University of California, Santa Cruz); Guadalupe Ramos (Mount Saint Mary’s University); Dillon Smith (Nebraska Christian College of Hope International University); Shayna Underwood (Longwood University)
- AIG Direct $15,000 Scholarship Recipient (1): Ashlin Wildun (Tennessee Technological University)
- Swiss Re $11,500 Scholarship Recipients (2): Maranda Dye; Reece McConnell (Concordia University Ann Arbor)
- AIG Direct $10,000 Scholarship Recipient (1): Judson Richards (Clemson University)
- Allstate $10,000 Scholarship Recipient (1): Connor Taylor (Western Carolina University)
- American Family $10,000 Scholarship Recipient (1): Joshua Burns (University of Wisconsin, LaCrosse)
- Legal & General $10,000 Scholarship Recipient (1): Carrie Shuman (SUNY Morrisville)
- AccuQuote $5,000 Scholarship Recipient (1): Megan Kawa (Northern Illinois University)
- Forum 400 $5,000 Scholarship Recipient (1): Kailyn Le (Northeastern University)
- Harding Financial $5,000 Scholarship Recipient (1): Richard Dao (Northeastern University)
- Kansas City Life $5,000 Scholarship Recipient (1): Madison Kremer (Metropolitan Community College – Kansas City)
- LIDMA $5,000 Scholarship Recipient (1): Amanda Hollander (University of Wisconsin, Oshkosh)
- MIB $5,000 Scholarship Recipients (2): Jenna Bradley (Buffalo State College); Teresa Quinn (The University of New Haven)
- Windsor $5,000 Scholarship Recipient (1): Caitlin Peterson (American River College)
- Zander $5,000 Scholarship Recipient (1): Brooke Hill (West Chester University)
This is the 14th year Life Happens has sponsored the Life Lessons Scholarship Program. This program is made possible by the generous financial support of the AIG Direct, Swiss Re Group, Pacific Life Foundation, Life Insurance Direct Marketing Association (LIDMA), MIB Group, All State and others. Life Happens also accepts contributions from individual donors. To learn more about making a tax-deductible donation, visit www.lifehappens.org/donate.
Submissions for Life Happens’ 2019 Life Lessons Scholarship Program will be accepted Feb. 1, 2019 through March 1, 2019. For more information on the program, including the application process, program rules and past recipients, visit www.lifehappens.org/lifelessons.
About Life Happens: Life Happens is a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping consumers take personal financial responsibility through the ownership of life insurance and related products. The organization does not endorse any product, company or insurance advisor. Since its inception in 1994, Life Happens has provided the highest quality, independent and objective information for people seeking help with their insurance buying decisions. The organization supports the insurance industry by providing marketing tools and resources and convening the industry each September for Life Insurance Awareness Month. Life Happens is supported by more than 140 of the nation’s leading insurance company and financial services organizations. To learn more, visit www.lifehappens.org.
