MADISON, Wis.—Sept. 23, 2021—WPS Health Solutions has expanded its support of five Madison College students currently enrolled in the Risk Management and Insurance Program through the ‘WPS Diversity in Insurance’ scholarship.
In 2020, The WPS Charitable Foundation established the scholarship to allow underrepresented students the opportunity to earn an insurance certificate through Madison College. The Urban League of Greater Madison worked with Madison College to enroll students in the 14-credit Insurance Certificate for the Business Professional program under full scholarships.
A second financial commitment of $25,000 to the Madison College Foundation from the WPS Charitable Foundation broadens the depth and breadth of WPS’ impact to more than a financial contribution. Programming will now include additional support for the scholarship recipients, including:
- Continued financial commitment
- Academic support
- Mentorship and networking
- Designated internships at WPS Health Solutions
Additionally, the scholarship will now fund a 35-credit technical diploma for the students instead of a professional certificate. With this change, students will:
- Qualify for additional financial aid, if necessary
- Receive additional time to be integrated with WPS Health Solutions
- Complete an internship as a required component of the program
- Gain a deeper and broader background in insurance with the additional programming and internship
“The additional academic support and funding from WPS Health Solutions will provide five
full scholarships to students who have been historically underrepresented in the insurance
industry,” said Dr. Jack Daniels, president of Madison College. “These scholarships will allow
students to attain a broad knowledge of the industry and increased knowledge of career
opportunities that will lead to successful employment in the insurance industry.”
“We are proud to partner with Madison College and the Urban League of Greater Madison to intentionally increase representation across a field that has historically been homogenous,” said Jihan Bekiri, WPS Vice President of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. “We are inspired by our 2021/22 scholarship recipients and are committed to their future success.”
This scholarship program is a key component of WPS Health Solutions’ investment in diversity, equity, and inclusion. The scholarship is intended to help diversify the pipeline of talent while building authentic relationships with community organizations.
