Foresters Awards 250 Academic Scholarships to Students across North America

TORONTO, July 10, 2013 /CNW/ - Foresters™, an international life insurance provider that champions family well-being, has helped 250 dedicated students from across North America plan for their futures, rewarding their academic excellence and commitment to volunteerism with a renewable scholarship worth up to $8,000.

"Foresters Competitive Scholarship Program applauds individuals not only for their academic excellence but also for their community involvement," said Kasia Czarski, Senior Vice President and Chief Membership and Marketing Officer. "This year's recipients went above and beyond our requirements, contributing over 500 hours of volunteer service during secondary school while maintaining a 3.74 GPA on average. Foresters purpose is to champion family well-being and we're pleased to help lessen the cost of their postsecondary education."

For over 30 years, Foresters has awarded more than 7,300 academic scholarships to students who share Foresters commitment to community service and have demonstrated solid academic performance. In total, Foresters has awarded more than $30 million in financial support of the Competitive Scholarship program in the Canada, the US and the UK.

Lily Zhang is one of this year's scholarship recipients. Lily will begin her four-year program at Queen's University in Kingston, ON, in the fall, majoring in Commerce. As an active volunteer for many years, Lily dedicated her time to a variety of community programs involving arts, education and the disadvantaged. Lily's efforts focused on initiatives that promote financial literacy, including work with the Financial Literacy of Ontario initiative where she is currently an Ambassador working on promotion and education of financial literacy.

Foresters Competitive Scholarship Program is administered by International Scholarship and Tuition Services, Inc. and is open to eligible members, their spouses and dependent children, including grandchildren who will be continuing their postsecondary education. Eligible students of any age with a minimum GPA of 2.8 or 70% may apply. Members interested in applying for a scholarship for the 2013-2014 academic year can do so from December 1, 2013 to February 28, 2014.

For more information on Foresters Competitive Scholarship program, visit www.foresters.com

About Foresters
Foresters™ is a life insurance provider with a difference.  The fraternal benefit society, founded in 1874, supports family well-being through quality products, unique member benefits and inspiring community activities. Foresters shares its financial strength with over one million members in Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom.  For more information, visit foresters.com.

Foresters™ is the trade name and a trademark of The Independent Order of Foresters, a fraternal benefit society, 789 Don Mills Road, Toronto, Canada M3C 1T9; its subsidiaries are licensed to use this mark.

Note to Editors:
Click here for a complete list of 2012-2013 Canada scholarship recipients by province and city.

SOURCE: Foresters