The Foundation for Financial Service Professionals announced the recipients of 14 Paul S. Mills Scholarships. This annual program provides need-based scholarships to students pursuing a degree in a financial service-related field.  

 Four Eileen J. Prus and Edmund O. Ciske Jr.-designated Paul S. Mills Scholarships for $3,000 were awarded to Luckson Chigarire of The College of St. Scholastica, Kemoni Dunn of Florida A&M University, Tyler Kleinsasser of South Dakota School of Mines & Technology, and Brooklynn Robinson of Husson University. This special scholarship designation was established in 2025 through a generous gift from the estate of Eileen Prus, a dedicated, long-time member of the Society of Financial Service Professionals. Her enduring legacy will support the highest-scoring applicants each year.

The 2026 recipients are:  

Eileen J. Prus and Edmund O. Ciske Jr.-designated Paul Mills Scholarships:  

• Luckson Chigarire, The College of St. Scholastica

• Kemoni Dunn, Florida A&M University

• Tyler Kleinsasser, South Dakota School of Mines & Technology

• Brooklynn Robinson, Husson University

Paul Mills Scholarships:

• Nvard Akopyan, University of Nevada, Las Vegas

• Cesar Duran, University of Houston

• Kayla Guthrie, Slippery Rock University

• Casey Jenkins, Texas A&M University – Central Texas

• Zachary LaForest-Hurd, Kansas State University

• Juan Lam Gonzalez, Florida International University

• Santana Mitre, Slippery Rock University

• Nguyen Hoang Vu Pham, Virginia Tech

• Jaleen Viray, California State University Fullerton

• Brynna Wilson, Kansas State University

“The Foundation leadership is proud to recognize this impressive group of financial services students,” stated Foundation Board Chair James S. Aussem, JD, AEP. “Their commitment to earning a college degree, despite facing monetary and other barriers, is humbling and inspiring. We wish them every success.” 

"The Paul S. Mills Scholarship program offered by NAIFA's Foundation for Financial Service Professionals represents one of the ways our association bolsters the next generation of industry professionals," said NAIFA CEO Kevin Mayeux, CAE. "The enthusiasm, ability, and dedication shown by this year's recipients is encouraging. I would like to congratulate them on behalf of NAIFA and assure them that their professional association is here to support them as they embark on their careers serving the insurance and financial needs of American families and businesses."

Selected  Winner Comments from Essay Submissions 

Tyler Kleinsasser: "Your support would be a meaningful investment in my life that would allow me to continue my education and ultimately enable me to impact others through innovation and strategic leadership in the financial services industry. I look forward to my future career, and I am excited for whatever opportunities come next!" 

Kemoni Dunn: "Pursuing an education in the financial services field is deeply personal to me. Growing up, money was always a source of stress, uncertainty, and survival. My family moved from shelter to shelter, and there were times when we walked miles just to get to school. As I wrote in my college essay, 'Five of us shared a two-bedroom apartment… Still, something in me wouldn’t let me quit.' Those experiences shaped the way I view financial stability, not as a luxury, but as a foundation that can change the entire direction of a family’s life. I want to study finance so I can understand the systems that create opportunity, and eventually help families like mine build security, generational wealth, and hope."

Kemoni Dunn: "More than anything, this scholarship represents a chance to rewrite the narrative for my family. I want to be the person who understands money not just for personal success, but for community impact. My past gave me resilience, discipline, and purpose. Now, I want the education that will allow me to turn those qualities into a career that helps others build the stability I once dreamed of." 

 Established in 1984, the scholarship program honors the late Paul Mills, CLU, the second executive vice president of the Society of FSP. Since its inception, the program has awarded more than $410,000 in scholarships. 

Applications for the 2027 Paul S. Mills Scholarships will be accepted on the Foundation website from February 1-March 31, 2027.