WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Council Foundation is proud to announce the recipients of its 2025 Scholarship Program, awarding $5,000 academic scholarships to 84 deserving students pursuing higher education (full list below). These scholarships recognize exceptional individuals with the potential to become future leaders and significant contributors to the commercial insurance brokerage industry.
Since 2017, The Council Foundation has invested in the next generation of insurance professionals, awarding a total of $4.8 million in academic scholarships to over 850 students. This year’s cohort of scholars represents a diverse group of talented individuals from universities across the country.
“The talent our industry wants to recruit is out there and we must create a compelling case for them to want to join us,” said Robert L. Cohen, Chairman & CEO of IMA Financial Group and Council Foundation Board Chair. “The Council Foundation is working to create that space and avenues for young professionals to gain exposure to the world of risk, and explore career opportunities within the insurance brokerage sector. There’s much work to be done,” said Cohen, “and we’re grateful to our Council Foundation donors for their intentional support and commitment to our mission.”
The mission of The Council Foundation is to bring fresh, diverse talent into the brokerage sector. The scholarship program is a partnership between the Foundation and leaders of internship programs at Council member firms. Member firms conduct their own review process and identify their most exceptional interns to be awarded the scholarship, with the goal of eventually bringing these students on full-time and/or retaining them in the commercial insurance brokerage sector.
Six of this year’s recipients have also been honored by named scholarships (*) administered by The Council Foundation – Chelsea Ramirez-Porras, Assurex Robert P. Ashlock scholar, Bailey Davis, Assurex Game Changer scholar, Jordyn Porter, IMA Financial Group scholar, Sanders O’Kelley, Franklin Wheeler scholar, Kidist Dash, Dave Oberkircher scholar, Emma Braswell, USI scholar, and Ashley Auderer, Tom Motamed scholar.
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Scholarship Recipient
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University
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Chloe Haynes
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Southern University
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Dakaria Williams
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University of Alabama
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Stephen Garcia
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St. Mary’s University
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Sameya Ghani
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St. John’s University
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Addison Tresca
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Florida State University
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Luke Elian
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Florida State University
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Mariah Hershberger
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University of South Carolina Upstate
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Evan Parente
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University of Georgia
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Thomas Cevasco
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Cornell University
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Isabella Kedryna
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University of Michigan
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Theodore Vetere
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University of Miami
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Francesca Carter
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Wake Forest University
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Keely Roberts
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California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
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Reid Deaton
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Indiana State University
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Samaurya Hicks
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Florida State University
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Viputh Kounakor
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University of Massachusetts-Boston
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Zella Johnson
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University of Nevada-Reno
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Ava Shea
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Stetson University
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Ashley Boscovich
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Florida State University
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Bailey Russell
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Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
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Dillon Carter
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Stetson University
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Julia Jasingh
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University of Florida
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Adam Utter
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Florida State University
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Jamison Saxton
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University of Mississippi
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Chandler Walton
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University of Mississippi
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Banks Taylor
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University of Mississippi
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Ethan Baltimore
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University of Denver
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Abby Anokye-Agyei
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University of Wisconsin-Madison
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Gurjas Singh
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Temple University
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Chris Schwuchow
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Illinois State University
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Ashley Auderer*
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University of Iowa
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Meredith Bahl
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University of Iowa
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Thomas Dean
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University of Maine
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David Ditata
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University of New Hampshire
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Barbara Cardoso
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University of Colorado Denver
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Brian Jung
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University of Illinois Chicago
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Maryn Thompson
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University of South Carolina
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Travis Bauer
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Michigan State University
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Mia Pesavento
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University of Evansville
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Ariana Triantafyllou
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Santa Clara University
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Christoph Karleskind
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Northeastern University
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Ben Lirette
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Texas A&M University
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Melayna Briskey
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Texas A&M University
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Michael Iseminger
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Missouri State University
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Bailey Davis*
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Western Kentucky University
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Salvador Leon Golib
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Western Kentucky University
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Carly Dickson
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University of Kansas
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Max Rolnick
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Elms College
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Adan Reed
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Florida State University
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Brian Voetberg
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Butler University
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Mia Mitchell
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University of Central Florida
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Jordyn Porter*
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University of North Texas
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Pierce Brown
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University of Georgia
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Tina Lin
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Appalachian State University
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Haley Johnson
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University of the Pacific
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Lyliana Chavez
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California State University
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Chelsea Ramirez-Porras*
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Temple University
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Elsie Call
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Southern Utah University
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Mavik Brown
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Utah Valley University
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Ryan Moon
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University of Arkansas
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Isabella Carpinelli
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Baylor University
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Emily Long
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University of Missouri-Kansas City
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Amya Swafford
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University of Georgia
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Brody Kerscher
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University of Wisconsin-Madison
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Kidist Dash*
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Temple University
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Sanders O’Kelley*
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Florida State University
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Audrey Main
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University of Georgia
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Peyton Morton
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Carroll University
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Jason Wilson
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Kennesaw State University
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Mariana Molinari
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University of Michigan-Dearborn
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Olivia Lodge
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University of Pittsburgh
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Torrin Todd
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University of Akron
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Zoran Vujaklija
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Kent State University
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Riley Heydenburg
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Marquette University
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Gladys Castro
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Texas Woman’s University
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Ashley Cunningham
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University of Tennessee-Knoxville
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Joseph Li
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Pennsylvania State University
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Paige Wissel
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Pennsylvania State University
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Nadia Alonso
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University of Central Arkansas
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Timothy Smith
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Indiana State University
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Allison Beckwith
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Butler University
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Isabelle Fuller
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University of Northern Iowa
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Lucas Kampman
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Baylor University
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Emma Braswell*
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University of Georgia
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