SAN MATEO, Calif., Jan. 4, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Bills.com, part of the Freedom Financial Network of families, has awarded its first scholarship to Maya Bluthenthal of Los Angeles.

Bills.com awarded a $2,500 college scholarship to Bluthenthal for her essay response to the question, "How are you planning on paying for college?" A selection committee from the company chose Bluthenthal's essay from more than 500 entries for its thoughtfulness, completeness, quality and grammatical accuracy.

Bluthenthal will graduate in June from Westridge School for Girls in Los Angeles. She carries a 4.010 weighted GPA, is an award-winning Mandarin Chinese student, and is active in student government, peer leadership and volunteer efforts. A varsity athlete in soccer, she also is a member of the school's track and field team. Bluthenthal has been recognized for her leadership, maturity and communication skills. She has been accepted to, and plans on attending, Columbia University in New York.

Bills.com sponsored the contest as part of the Freedom Financial Network mission to empower people to live healthier financial lives. "A college education can be one of the greatest assets an individual can have," says Brad Stroh, co-CEO of Bills.com. He points to studies that show a college graduate could earn $1 million more than a high school graduate over his or her lifetime. "The cost of college, though, can put a severe drain on the financial future of some of our nation's most talented young adults," he continues. "The Bills.com scholarship seeks to help defray some of these costs, and help prepare the recipient for a healthier financial life after graduation."

The scholarship contest was open to graduating high school seniors, as well as college freshmen, sophomores or juniors who planned to enroll in full-time undergraduate study during the 2017-2018 academic year at an accredited two- or four-year college or university in the United States. Applicants were required to have a minimum grade point average of 3.5 (on a 4.0 scale), and be a U.S. citizen or permanent U.S. resident.

"The number of exceptional entries Bills.com received was astounding," says Stroh. "The submissions demonstrated the extraordinary time, effort and long-term planning students are undertaking to pay for college. The impressive and sincere applicant group we encountered was both heartwarming and humbling."

Freedom Financial Network, LLC (www.freedomfinancialnetwork.com)
Freedom Financial Network, LLC is a family of companies providing innovative solutions that empower people to live healthier financial lives. For people struggling with debt, Freedom Debt Relief offers a custom program to significantly reduce and resolve what they owe more quickly than they could on their own. FreedomPlus tailors personal loans to each borrower with a level of customer service unmatched in the industry. Bills.com helps homeowners better understand their loan options and make smarter mortgage decisions.

Headquartered in San Mateo, California, Freedom Financial Network also operates an office in Tempe, Arizona, and employs roughly 2,000 people. The company has been voted one of the best places to work in both the San Francisco Bay Area and the Phoenix area for several years.

Contact: Aimee Bennett, Fagan Business Communications, 303-843-9840, aimee@faganbusinesscommunications.com

SOURCE Freedom Financial Network

Related Links

http://www.freedomfinancialnetwork.com