Forty Iowa students receive college scholarships this year through Athene’s Game Changer Scholars Program. Funded by the Athene Charitable Foundation, the program reflects Athene’s commitment to supporting education and the next generation of Iowa leaders. The Game Changer Scholars Program began in 2021, and since then, it has distributed over $475,000 in scholarships to students across the state.
“Congratulations to the outstanding students selected for our Game Changer Scholars Program,” said Kristi Kaye Burma, Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer at Athene. “This program is about empowering the next generation of innovators, leaders and changemakers, and we are honored to support them as they pursue their educational goals.”
The Game Changer Scholars Program awards scholarships to Iowa residents planning to attend an accredited college or university in the state. Recipients are selected based on academic achievement, leadership, community involvement, work experience and financial need.
2025 Game Changer Scholars
First-year recipients:
Mitchell Anderson, Ankeny
Izabella Arndt, West Des Moines
Ava Binstock, Urbandale
Alfredo Espana-Alarcon, Des Moines
Mason Farrington, Ottumwa
Aammin Hassan, Ankeny
Daria Haynie, Ankeny
Abigail Herman, Elberon
Sydney Hurd, Nemaha
Elizabeth Kalous, Cedar Rapids
Isabella Moyer, Des Moines
Kyra Nugent, Ankeny
Ella Rankin, Knoxville
Addison Whipple, Pleasant Hill
Second-year recipients:
Malaina Elliott, Dallas Center
Kela Eltoum Hamdan, Des Moines
James Meggitt, Iowa City
David Nguyen, West Des Moines
Jolcey Santana, Marshalltown
Bailey Schoepske, Waterloo
Sydney Singh, Waterloo
Kelsey Taylor, Swisher
Clayton Williams, Moravia
Araceli Zaragoza-Tapetillo, Ottumwa
Third-year recipients:
Koryn Bakken, Decorah
Rosalyn Becicka, West Des Moines
Harry Bui, Sioux City
Abby Koppmann, Dunkerton
Lizzy Orey, Indianola
Emma Palmer, Waukon
Madeline Warning, Bloomfield
Fourth-year recipients:
Colin Chau, Grimes
Ellie Chen, Urbandale
Brayden Dirks, Marcus
Anna Flyr, Urbandale
Alexa Garvin, Wilton
Caden Kingery, Des Moines
Leah McClure, West Des Moines
Chloe Rooney, Rockford
Jacob Swestka, Palo
Athene is proud to support these students as they take the next step in their educational journeys and futures. Today’s scholars are tomorrow’s game changers.
For more information about the Game Changer Scholars Program or Athene, visit www.athene.com.