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The Independent Insurance Agents of Trumbull County recently announced a new scholarship to benefit area students pursuing the Bachelor of Science degree in insurance studies at �鶹���� at Salem.

Kent State student Angela Maroni, of Leetonia, is the group’s first recipient. She is a 1997 graduate of Salem High School and has a double major in insurance studies and accounting.

The Independent Insurance Agents of Trumbull County comprises representatives from some of the area’s leading insurance agencies. According to the group’s president, Ryan Griffith, the group promotes high professional standards among insurance agents and also is actively involved in community outreach to improve the region’s quality of life.

“We are excited to expand our community outreach and commitment in the Mahoning Valley,” Griffith says. “This scholarship supports students who are interested in pursuing careers in our region’s dynamic and growing insurance industry. The insurance industry has been very good to our members, and we felt it was important to encourage area students to see our profession as a long-term career.”

Steve Nameth, Ph.D., dean of Kent State Salem, says the bachelor’s degree in insurance studies was developed to meet the Ohio insurance industry’s growing need for qualified professionals.

“The Independent Insurance Agents of Trumbull County Scholarship will support Kent State’s efforts to help fill the state’s 17,000 anticipated job openings, including nearly 1,600 in Northeast Ohio,” he says. “Kent State Salem is committed to providing educational opportunities that are directly linked to long-term careers.”

Kent State Salem’s insurance studies program is the only bachelor’s degree directly linked to the insurance industry that is offered by a state university and the only program in Ohio that can be completed entirely online.

Applications for the 2014-2015 scholarship will be available in February. Preference is given to full-time students who reside in Trumbull County, have a 2.5 or higher cumulative grade point average and who have achieved at least sophomore standing. For more information on the Independent Insurance Agents of Trumbull County Scholarship or the insurance studies program, visit or call 330-332-0361.

At the Kent State Columbiana County campuses, students can earn a bachelor’s degree in 14 disciplines or an associate degree in 14 different areas. The Kent State Columbiana County campuses, which include Kent State East Liverpool and Kent State Salem, are home to more than 3,300 students.

For more information, visit or call 330-332-0361 for the Salem Campus or 330-385-3805 for the East Liverpool Campus.