Brandes Investment Partners Awards Financial Literacy Scholarships

SAN DIEGO, Aug. 15, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Brandes Investment Partners, L.P. today announced the winners of its U.S. Financial Literacy Scholarship Awards. Ten students have received $1,000 each as part of the Brandes Scholarship Program.

This summer more than 4,100 students between the ages of 18 and 22 submitted essays that examined their fundamental attitudes and behaviours towards personal finance, investing and saving. The essays were written in response to the insights they obtained by completing Brandes' online financial literacy and financial personality questionnaire.

Based on input they provided in the questionnaire, students learned whether they have a tendency to be a saver or a spender and how much interest they have in investing. The online questionnaire was designed by MarketPsych, a consulting firm dedicated to exploring aspects of behavioral finance.  

Ed Blodgett, Director of Brandes Investment Partners' Private Client Group, was thrilled with the response and reiterated that this will be an annual event, with next year's contest opening in the spring of 2014. Details will be available at www.brandesscholarship.com.

"It is essential that we continue the conversation about financial literacy and arm students with much needed tools and information," said Mr. Blodgett. "We are all stakeholders in the financial literacy of our youth."

An independent judging panel of leading financial planning and investment experts selected the winning applicants: 

• Bradley G. Brown, President and Owner, Royal Paladin Group
• Erik Lawrence Investment Professional and CFP, TenBridge Partners, LLC
• George M. Noceti, Chartered Retirement Plans Specialist™, Wealth Advisor and Senior Partner, Integra Group at Morgan Stanley
• Anna Ramsay, Financial Advisor, Peregrine Wealth Strategies LLC  
• Craig Richart, CLU, ChFC, CFP, Founding Partner, Financial Strategy Network, LLC

"Students, families, schools, government and businesses all have a role to play in developing our most valuable asset, our future generation. It is essential that we continue the conversation about financial literacy and arm students with much needed tools and information," Mr. Blodgett said.

The winners of the 2013 Brandes Scholarship Program are: 

The following is a sample of excerpts from the winning essays.

"There is a world of investment opportunities and this quiz shed light on the ones I knew little about."

"Until taking this quiz, I had little knowledge of or interest in investments or finances."

"Honestly, I was just looking for scholarships to help pay for my college educations. I was not expecting to come across anything that would impact my life or teach me a valuable lesson..."

"Learning my money personality has opened my eyes. Although saving money is a great way to ensure security, there are more options to protect my future."

"I am determined to learn more about investing and saving my money in a savvy way."

"The most important thing that I learned from this experience, apart from the fact that I now more fully understand my attitude toward money, is that the process of investing does not have to be so intimidating..."

About Brandes Investment Partners
Brandes is a leading investment advisory firm, specializing in managing global equity and fixed-income assets for clients worldwide. Since the firm's inception in 1974, Brandes has consistently applied the value investing approach, pioneered by Benjamin Graham, to security selection and was among the first investment firms to bring a global perspective to value investing. The independently owned firm manages a variety of active investment strategies and applies its investment philosophy consistently in all market conditions.

SOURCE Brandes Investment Partners