Athene Now Accepting Applications for Game Changer Scholarship Program

If no one funds local news, your community is just rumors. Help Decorah News bring facts home. WEST DES MOINES, Iowa — Athene is now accepting applications for its 40 scholarships available through its Game Changer Scholarship Program. The scholarships are open to Iowa students pursuing higher education at any accredited college or university within the state. Decorah student Koryn Bakken was last year's local recipient. The program recognizes students who demonstrate strong academic performance, leadership, community impact, work experience and financial need. Scholarship recipients may reapply annually for up to four years of support. "Receiving a Game Changer Scholarship from Athene helped ease the financial pressure from college and gave me the confidence to go after my goals," said Addison Hild, a 2022 scholarship recipient. Hild now works at Athene as a Workforce Management Advanced Analyst, where she has excelled in her role. Recently, Hild even graduated from Athene's Aviator Program, which is a five-month training program for select professionals in Operations. "We are proud to support talented students like Addison," said Kristi Kaye Burma, Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer. "Since launching the program in 2021, we have seen our scholarship recipients go on to earn their degrees, build meaningful careers and make a positive impact here in Iowa." Applications for the 2026-2027 school year close April 7, 2026. To learn more or to apply, visit athene.com/scholarship. Your weekly dose of local life! Subscribe to the free newsletter and enjoy news, analysis, and stories you'll actually look forward to reading.