Insurance Excellence Scholarship

The Risk and Insurance Education Aliance’s CISR and CIC designations are world-renowned for their high caliber of insurance industry education and have long served as the foundation of our association’s professional education and development department. Scholarships for both programs, in-person, are designed to encourage either the beginning or continuation of a course of study in pursuit of these respected professional designations.

Criteria for consideration and eligibility:

• Awards apply to one course per in-person program and must be used within 12 months of the award or the benefit will be forfeited
• First-time participant in the indicated designation program
• Employed full time in the insurance or risk management industry
• For CIC: Recommended minimum of two years of industry experience; applicants may not already hold the CIC designation
• For CISR: Applicants may not already hold the CISR designation
• Must take the applicable examination (a passing grade is not required)
• Demonstrates a commitment to professional continuing education

Marie Welch scholarship

The Marie Welch Scholarship is provided by the Oklahoma City Community Foundation in honor of Marie Welch, an entrepreneur who founded Oklahoma General Agency—literally from her kitchen. Marie was the first female president of the American Association of Managing General Agents and was a strong supporter of scholarships for students pursuing a career in insurance or studying it as a college major or post-secondary equivalent.

The purpose of this scholarship is to encourage the beginning or continuation of a course of higher education. Funds must be used for degree or certification programs at an academically accredited institution in the United States.

Scholarships will be awarded based on merit, as demonstrated by grades, and school and community service. Selection will be made by a committee of insurance industry professionals based on the applicant’s completed application, personal essay, and a letter of recommendation from a non-family member. Financial need is not a criterion.

Criteria for consideration and eligibility:

• Candidate must be a child of an active BIGiOK member, or a full- or part-time employee of an active BIGiOK member organization.
• Candidate must be an Oklahoma resident pursuing a bachelor’s degree at a community college, college or university.
• Candidate must be sponsored by an active BIGiOK member in good standing, with a letter of sponsorship sent to education@bigiok.com on or before the application deadline.
• An official transcript for the most recently completed semester must be emailed to education@bigiok.com by the application deadline. Include the candidate’s name and purpose of the email in the subject line.
• A letter of recommendation from a non-family member must also be emailed by the deadline. Include the candidate’s name and purpose of the email in the subject line.
• Candidate must submit (by email) a one-page, typed, double-spaced essay on the following topic:
  What impact does the emergence of insurers doing more direct-to-consumer insurance sales via online platform technology and innovative customer engagement technology have on your decision to join the insurance industry?
• Funds awarded but not used within 12 months of the award will be forfeited.