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Texas Mutual Insurance Co. awarded five scholarships totaling $16,478 for the 2002-2003 academic year to family members of individuals who died from work-related accidents.

Since the program’s inception last year, the workers’ compensation insurer has awarded 11 scholarships worth over $32,879.

“As a company, our goals are not only to reduce the number of work-related injuries and illnesses in Texas, but also to minimize their consequences,” said president Russ Oliver. “In the case of a work-related fatality, we hope that a scholarship might serve as part of the deceased employee’s legacy to his or her family, thereby reducing the family’s financial burden.”

Acting on Oliver’s recommendation, the board of directors unanimously approved the scholarship program last year. The program is open to unmarried spouses or children of an individual who died from a compensable injury while working for a Texas MutualSM policyholder. Selected individuals may receive up to $2,000 per semester.

Oliver noted that the company may consider several factors before offering a scholarship, including the individual’s economic need, standardized test scores, and high school or college academic performance, as applicable. Additionally, the recipient must maintain at least a 2.75 or equivalent grade point average for the duration of his or her scholarship.

Topics Texas