Joseph M Gates Memorial Scholarship

The Colorado Claims Association offers the chance to insurance industry professionals for their sons, daughters, stepsons & stepdaughters. Effective 2020 we changed our parameters and will now be accepting applications from BOTH currently graduating seniors (Class of 2023) as well as upcoming high school seniors (Class of 2024.)
*Applicants are only eligible to receive one (1) scholarship award *

The 2023 topic is regarding: TALENT, DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION

The insurance industry has typically not been an attractive career target for young professionals. As someone who will be looking for a full time job in the near future, what is the perception of the insurance industry within your peer group, and how do you make that perception more positive such that more people consider insurance as a first-choice career out of college?

Essay Requirements

  • Minimum 500 words
  • Double spaced with footnotes and references
  • The following documents must be submitted to info@coloradoclaims.org by Friday, September 29, 2023 for consideration:
    1. Cover letter applying for the Scholarship outlining who your sponsor is (parent in the industry)
    2. Essay

2022 Joseph M Gates Memorial Scholarship Recipients

Congratulations to both of our 2022 scholarship recipients: Kaden Green & Kendra Gulley

  • Kaden Green hopes to attend an academically rigorous college in the future to pursue his long term goal of getting both a Bachelor’s degree in business, as well as a Master’s degree. He is considering schools in the Northeast to be close to his interests in politics, historical sites, and large companies. Kaden’s mother, Dacie Green, is a Commercial Claims Specialist II at Nationwide Insurance.
  • Kendra Gulley hopes to start attending an art or specific trade school in Fall 2023. Her long term goal is to be an art teacher or tattoo artist. Kendra’s father, Ryan Gulley, is a Commercial Claims Business Consultant at Nationwide Insurance.

2021 Joseph M Gates Memorial Scholarship Recipients

Congratulations to all three (3) of the 2021 scholarship recipients: Kaylinn Carpenter, Olivia Larsen & Annabelle Martin

  • Kaylinn Carpenter hopes to attend CU-Boulder in fall 2022 with a major in Biochemistry. Her long term goal is to attend medical school and eventually become a cardiothoracic surgeon. Kaylinn’s mother, Susan Carpenter, is a Claims QA Consultant at Intact Insurance Specialty Solutions.
  • Olivia Larsen plans on attending either BYU or Utah State University in fall 2022 with a major in Nursing. She is actually graduating high school a semester early and will be working as a CNA until she starts college. Olivia’s father, Bryn Larsen, is a Commercial Claims Manager at Nationwide Insurance.
  • Annabelle Martin plans on attending college in fall 2022 with a major in Film/Television Production and a minor in Psychology. She has been a part of the TV production class at her school for the last three years and wants to pursue something similar for her career. Annabelle’s father, Brian Martin, is an Assistant General Counsel at Nationwide Insurance and her mother, Monica Martin, is a Represented UM/UIM adjuster at Allstate Insurance.

2020 Joseph M Gates Memorial Scholarship Recipients

Congratulations to all 3 of the 2020 scholarship recipients: Benjamin Carlson, Emilia Carlson, and Ellie Springer

  • Ben Carlson plans on attending Metropolitan State College, with a major in communication design. His long term goal after college is to start a career in the field of graphic design or multimedia production. Ben’s father, Ron Carlson, is a Claims Manager at OneBeacon Insurance.
  • Emi Carlson plans on attending the University of Northern Colorado, starting in Fall 2021, with a major in special education. Her long term goal after college is to start a career within the Special Olympics organization here in Colorado. Emi’s father, Ron Carlson, is a Claims Manager at OneBeacon Insurance.
  • Ellie Springer hopes to be able to attend Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute to study aerospace engineering along with taking cognitive science courses integrated into video game design. Ellie’s mother, Heidi Springer, is a Claims Account Executive at IMA Colorado.

2019 Joseph M Gates Memorial Scholarship Recipient

Congratulations to the 2019 scholarship recipient: Brooklyn Larsen.

Brooklyn graduated a semester early from Legend High School and is planning on attending Utah State starting in Fall 2020 to study Chemistry. (She was also accepted into the Colorado School of Mines!) Her father, Bryn Larsen, is a Commercial Casualty manager at Nationwide Insurance.