Coldwater-based Infinisource Provides Two Scholarships for Branch County Students

COLDWATER ― Tuition, books, room and board all add up for a college student. With a little help from Coldwater business Infinisource, that burden can be eased. Infinisource has awarded two $1,000 scholarships to area students.

One scholarship is awarded to a relative of an Infinisource employee, and the other to a Branch County resident. Applicants must submit a short essay on the Infinisource mission statement: "Every person we come in contact with is the single most important person in that moment." All identifying information is removed prior to the review of the essays. A committee, that has no affiliation to students in the area, then chooses the winners.

The Infinisource employee scholarship was presented to Kailey Rider of Quincy, daughter of Tracy and Jeff Rider. Kailey's mother, Tracy, is the Payment Center manager at Infinisource. Kailey has been active in volleyball, Student Council and the Varsity Club. She provided the welcome speech at her graduation commencement.

Kailey will be attending Albion College or Western Michigan University in the fall to study pre-medicine. She chose that field "because it will allow me to help others less fortunate and in need," explained Kailey in her application. "I truly believe in doing the most possible to help others regardless of the circumstances. I believe that every single person regardless of race, gender or class is the most important person at that moment if they need my help or assistance. Everyone deserves to be treated with care, compassion, and respect as we are all equals."

The Branch County resident scholarship award winner was Coldwater student Jeri Holt. Jeri lost her life in a car accident on March 7, 2007, when she was "on the brink of diving into an entirely new world in college," as she stated in her essay. Her application was received in the mail a day after her death and prior to the application deadline so it was reviewed following the same process as the other applicants. The committee at Infinisource chose her essay, without identifying information, as the winner of the Branch County $1,000 scholarship. Her parents, Kathi and Jim Holt, accepted the award on her behalf and the $1,000 is being placed in the Jeri Holt Scholarship Fund.

Jeri's words still ring true for us to embrace. "The essence of human life, I believe, lies not in our immediate judgments of strangers, nor in our conditioned stereotypes of different groups of people, but rather in the intangible similarities that bind us all together. My belief is that there exist in all people common bonds springing from our very nature: notions such as love and grief, ambition and dejection, hope and despair. The very emotions which make us human also make us unique by differing in application and experience, which is why attention to the individual must be paid. No person shall be lesser to me than another, and to each individual I shall devote the entirety of my attention and compassion."

Infinisource, a national employee benefits administration and compliance provider, is headquartered in Coldwater with additional sales offices in Indianapolis and Dayton. This is the fifth year Infinisource has supported higher education with the two $1,000 scholarships. The scholarships are funded in part by the contributions from 170 Infinisource employees during fundraising activities throughout the year. The company matches the employee contribution with company dollars.

"I'm very proud of the fact we've been able to award these scholarships," said Gary Hart, Infinisource President and CEO. "Our work as a nationally-recognized company is challenging and rewarding. But the ability to do that from a hometown base like Coldwater is priceless. The combination works because the community supports us. We wanted to give some of that success back."

Infinisource, Inc. is a nationally recognized leader of integrated benefits and compliance solutions. Infinisource offers COBRA, FSA, HRA, HSA administration, Direct Billing, Premium Only Plans, HIPAA Privacy and Security solutions and an online eligibility and enrollment solution, Infinisolved. Nationally acclaimed educational seminars and webinars are fundamental to Infinisource’s stellar reputation. For more information, please visit the Infinisource website at www.infinisource.net.