Insurer disburses $17,500 for students with injured parents to continue their studies

PORTLAND, Maine – Four college students with parents injured at work will be able to continue their educations with help from MEMIC.

MEMIC’s Harvey Picker Horizon Scholarship Program recipients for 2022 are Janly James, of Southampton, Pa.; Angel and Tyrone Thompson, of Eatonville, Fla.; and Emma Whitney, of Surry, Maine.

James, winner of a $10,000 award, attends Lake Erie School of Osteopathic Medicine, in Erie, Pa., where she is engaged in graduate work to become a pharmacist; Angel and Tyrone Thompson will split a $5,000 award, with Angel Thompson attending Bob Jones University in Greenville, S.C., and Tyrone Thompson attending Pensacola Christian College in Pensacola, Fla.; and Whitney will use a $2,500 award to continue her studies at the University of Maine flagship in Orono.

James was completing her undergraduate degree in biology from Drexel University and applying for graduate school when she said her father was injured at work and “my life took a 180 degree turn.” Forced to start working during the pandemic as a nursing assistant up to 50 hours a week to support her family, James also was called for an active-duty mission with the Pennsylvania Army National Guard.

The Thompsons were sidelined when their father sustained a back injury at work while their mother battled rheumatoid arthritis. Their father regained employment with a different company in the same field, but with less pay, temporarily knocking college out of the family budget for both students.

Whitney was living at home to save money while studying at the University of Maine when her father injured his shoulder at work. She applied for a job at a retirement home as an activities assistant, and said being able to bring a smile to residents during the pandemic “helped me grow as an individual more than I ever expected it to.” It also drove her decision to pursue a career in speech pathology.

Founded in 2008, the Harvey Picker Horizon Scholarship Program aids the children and spouses of workers who have been seriously injured on the job. MEMIC has awarded more than $242,000 in scholarships since the program’s inception.

The scholarship is named after former Camden resident Harvey Picker, a renowned physicist, educator, philanthropist, and advocate for education. In 1992, Picker was appointed by then-Gov. John R. McKernan as a member of the Blue Ribbon Commission on Workers’ Compensation, which led to the formation of MEMIC 28. Picker also served as a member of the Board of Directors at MEMIC.

Applicants complete the application in May to be considered for a scholarship of up to $10,000. To be eligible for the scholarship, the related injured worker must have been working for a MEMIC policyholder at the time of injury.

Applications are reviewed by a selection committee for financial need, academic performance, community involvement, other life experiences, as well as future promise. Students must be attending or planning to attend an accredited college or university.

For more information and to request a copy of the application, please call 1-800-660-1306 and say “Horizon Scholarship” at the prompt or visit memic.com/horizon.

About MEMIC
The MEMIC Group includes MEMIC Indemnity Company, MEMIC Casualty Company, and parent company Maine Employers’ Mutual Insurance Company; all rated “A” (Excellent) by A.M. Best. The MEMIC Group holds licenses to write workers’ compensation across the entire country. The group insures and serves more than 20,000 employers and their estimated 300,000 employees with dedicated safety and injury management service teams from Maine to Florida.