Legal & General America Awards $10,000 Life Lessons Scholarship to UMBC Sophomore

FREDERICK, Md., Sept. 19, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Legal & General America (LGA), a top ten U.S. life insurer, awarded Mary Anastasi, University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC) sophomore, its annual $10,000 Life Lessons Scholarship. This scholarship, part of non-profit organization Life Happens' annual program, recognizes students like Mary for their perseverance in the face of adversity following the loss of a parent or guardian with little to no life insurance coverage.

"This scholarship is extremely helpful in allowing for me to set myself up for success in my future. I wouldn't be able to get my education without this scholarship, and I'm beyond grateful for LGA selecting me as the recipient," said Mary Anastasi.

Mary's life turned upside down when she lost not only her younger sister, but also both of her parents in one day. Mary and her three other siblings were left with no money, no life insurance and nothing from their parents. The four children did not know where they were going to sleep, how they would pay for food or go to school.

"It's difficult to prepare for all of life's events, but ensuring those who depend on you are taken care of should a tragedy strike, like in Mary's case, is the ultimate peace of mind a person can have, " said Mark Holweger, President and CEO of Legal & General America's insurance division. "We are proud to award Mary this scholarship who persevered through an incredibly difficult time and is determined to succeed in her studies and beyond."

Through its annual Life Lessons Scholarship Program, Life Happens recognizes students through scholarships ranging from $5,000 to $20,000, which help pay for their college education. The program started in 2005 and has awarded roughly $2,000,000 to nearly 615 students. LGA has worked with Life Happens for over 10 years.

"These students' stories remind us of the importance of life insurance, specifically that it's not us, but for those we've left behind. It is an honor for Life Happens to play a small part in helping these students achieve their goal of higher education. We have been able to help over 600 students with scholarships because of support from companies like LGA," said Andrea Englert, manager of Consumer & Industry Programs at Life Happens.

About Legal & General America
Legal & General America (LGA) is part of the worldwide Legal & General Group. For over 70 years, the Legal & General America companies have been in the business of providing financial protection through life insurance for American families. The Legal & General America companies are Banner Life Insurance Company and William Penn Life Insurance Company of New York. With more than $58 billion in new coverage issued in 2018, LGA is ranked in the top ten of U.S. life insurers and ended 2018 with in excess of $734 billion of coverage in force with 1.3 million U.S. customers.  LGA shares Legal & General's independent financial strength ratings: A+ Superior from A. M. Best and AA- Very Strong from Standard and Poor's and Fitch.  For more information, please visit www.lgamerica.com.

About Life Happens
Life Happens is a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping consumers take personal financial responsibility through the ownership of life insurance and related products. The organization does not endorse any product, company or insurance advisor. Since its inception in 1994, Life Happens has provided the highest quality, independent and objective information for people seeking help with their insurance buying decisions. The organization supports the insurance industry by providing marketing tools and resources and convening the industry each September for Life Insurance Awareness Month. Life Happens is supported by more than 140 of the nation's leading insurance company and financial services organizations. To learn more, visit lifehappens.org.

SOURCE Legal & General America Inc