Mary K. Stelly of Arnaudville has been selected as the 2009 recipient of the Stephen W. Cavanaugh Scholarship, awarded annually to an outstanding Louisiana student majoring in an insurance-related field.

Stelly will begin her studies at Louisiana State University this fall majoring in mathematics with a concentration in actuarial science. She will receive the $8,000 scholarship over a four-year period.

LWCC established the Stephen W. Cavanaugh Scholarship Fund in 2006 in honor of Cavanaugh's leadership and lasting contributions to the insurance industry in Louisiana. He was LWCC's chief executive officer from the company's inception in 1992 until his resignation in 2006. Cavanaugh was diagnosed in September 2006 with Stage IV pancreatic cancer and died November 15, 2006, at age 55.

Stelly graduated May 2009 from Beau Chene High School in Arnaudville with a cumulative GPA of 4.129. There she served on the Student Council all four years. Stelly was a member of the Beta Club and the National Honor Society. In addition, she held leadership positions in the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) as local chapter president from 2007 to 2009 and District V vice president in 2008-2009.

The Cavanaugh Scholarship Fund, administered by the Baton Rouge Area Foundation, provides financial assistance to deserving Louisiana students who are majoring in an insurance-related field at a Louisiana university, college, or community college. Applicants must submit academic transcripts, a statement about their career plans in the insurance industry, and a letter of recommendation from a teacher or professor.

Many generous donors have contributed to the fund, and the LWCC board of directors matched all donations that were given prior to May 1, 2007. The founding donors include Aubrey T. Temple, Jr.; Community Foundation of Acadiana; Dwight Andrus Insurance Agency; Guy Carpenter & Company, LLC; Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of Louisiana; Knox Insurance Group, LLC; Louisiana Workers' Compensation Corporation; LUBA Casualty Insurance Company; Star Service, Inc.; and Wright & Percy Insurance.