Matthew Cooper, CEO, Community Insurance Center NA, Inc. (“CIC“), a member of the Inner-City Group of Companies announced today that his company will serve as the sole sponsor of new scholarships to be awarded by the National African American Insurance Association (NAAIA) at its annual scholarship luncheon on May 1, 2024, at the Chicago Union League.

Currently, CIC sponsors the Ron Allen Scholarship named after a former NAAIA board chair, tragically killed in a drive-by shooting while driving home from a friend’s house.

The new scholarships are being awarded to students attending Illinois State’s Kattie School of Insurance. The four students selected as the first recipients of the new scholarship are:

• Aisha Olawore
• Bryson C. Blake
• Tyson Givan
• Gabriel Foley

Matthew Cooper, like the scholarship recipients, majored in Property and Casualty Insurance while attending St. John’s University College of Insurance. Mr. Cooper’s decision to major in insurance came after being awarded a full Scholarship from one of the largest insurance brokerage firms at the time, Johnson & Higgins.

Community Insurance Center, one of the nation’s largest African American owned insurance brokerages is committed to promoting the insurance industry as viable career path for African Americans. The awards this year are partial scholarships.

The goal is to increase the amount each year until we can award   full tuition scholarships.