AXA US Announces 2014 AXA Achievementsm Scholarship Winners

AXA US in association with U.S. News & World Report, announces the 2014 AXA Achievementsm Scholarship winners. The AXA Foundation has awarded over $24 million in scholarships to more than 5,600 students since the program began 12 years ago.

As in previous years, 52 students – one from each state, plus Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico – have been awarded college scholarships of $10,000. Of those 52 winners, 10 students have been chosen as national winners and will receive an additional $15,000 scholarship award.

“Higher education drives economic success, for society and for individuals. But we know that with today’s rising cost of tuition, it can be a struggle to afford,” said Mark Pearson, chairman and CEO of AXA Equitable. “AXA Achievement helps students take the next step to college. The remarkable young people we are announcing as winners today represent America’s future, and we are proud to help make college a reality for this next generation of leaders.”

All of the scholarship recipients are graduating high school seniors who demonstrated ambition and drive, determination to set and reach goals and the ability to succeed in college.

The 2014 national winners are:

• Max Ashton, Phoenix, AZ
• Hannah Butler, Locust Grove, AR
• Rohit Gupta, Aurora, CO
• Natasha Harpalani, Fort Lauderdale, FL
• Jingjing Xiao, Louisville, KY
• Tyler Lang, Manchester, ME
• Kamal Smith, Accokeek, MD
• Oscar Lee, Highland Park, NJ
• Adarsh Bhatt, Portland, OR
• Peter Welcker III, Parkersburg, WV

Winners – known as AXA Achievers – are featured online at the U.S. News & World Report website. AXA is also proud to present a video highlighting their inspiring personal stories.

The scholarship is administered by Scholarship Management Services®, a program of Scholarship America®, one of the nation’s largest nonprofit private sector scholarship and educational support organizations.

Through AXA Achievement, AXA is one of the nation’s largest corporate providers of scholarships — awarding more than $1.3 million a year. In addition to the $670,000 in AXA Achievementsm Scholarships awarded annually through this national scholarship, the AXA Achievementsm Community Scholarship awards up to an additional $750,000 in scholarships each year. Through this program and the financial education services the company provides, AXA is a comprehensive resource for information to help students and parents with college planning.

About AXA Foundation

The AXA Foundation is the philanthropic arm of AXA US. The Foundation directs the company's philanthropic and volunteer activities, working to improve the quality of life in communities across the United States where AXA has a presence. The AXA Foundation’s multifaceted signature program, AXA Achievement, supports the company’s strong commitment to Corporate Responsibility and AXA Group’s flagship theme of “Risk Research and Education,” by providing America’s youth with access and advice to help them succeed in college and beyond. Since its inception, AXA Achievement has awarded over $24 million in college scholarships to more than 5,600 students, known as AXA Achievers.

For more information go to www.axa-achievement.com or AXA's Facebook page.

About AXA

“AXA” is a brand name of AXA Equitable Financial Services, LLC and its family of companies, including AXA Equitable Life Insurance Company (NY,NY), MONY Life Insurance Company of America (AZ stock company, administrative office: NY, NY), AXA Advisors, LLC, and AXA Distributors, LLC. In business since 1859, AXA is a leading financial protection company and one of the nation’s premier providers of life insurance, annuity, and financial products and services distributed to individuals and business owners through its retail distribution channel, AXA Advisors, LLC (member FINRA, SIPC) and to the financial services market through its wholesale distribution channel, AXA Distributors, LLC.

AXA S.A. is a Paris-headquartered holding company for a group of international insurance and financial services companies, including AXA Equitable Financial Services, LLC companies. AXA S.A. is a worldwide leader in financial protection strategies and wealth management with 102 million clients in 56 countries as of December 31, 2013.

The obligations of AXA Equitable Life Insurance Company and MONY Life Insurance Company of America are backed solely by their claims-paying ability.