NEWARK, N.J., Sept. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Applications open today for Prudential Emerging Visionaries, a program that celebrates young people bringing fresh perspectives and innovative solutions to pressing financial and societal challenges in their communities.

The program builds on the legacy and momentum of the Prudential Spirit of Community Awards, the country's largest youth recognition program based exclusively on volunteer community service. Since 1995, more than 150,000 young people across the United States have been honored through these awards. Inspired by the impressive vision of these young leaders, Prudential has reimagined the program.

Emerging Visionaries now puts the spotlight on financial wellness as a foundation on which to build a solid future, championing projects that will help people improve their financial well-being and create thriving communities.

"To fulfill our purpose of making lives better by solving the financial challenges of our changing world, we take a fully inclusive approach, because we believe the best solutions can come from anywhere," says Chairman and CEO Charlie Lowrey. "During more than 26 years of celebrating young people around the country, we've been inspired by their creative and selfless work. With the Emerging Visionaries program, we're excited to celebrate and support remarkable young leaders who are driving progress, and to create a community of change."

In April 2022, 20 students will be awarded for their solutions to social issues, and five for their solutions to financial barriers. Each winner will be awarded $5,000 plus an all-expenses-paid trip to Prudential's headquarters in Newark, New Jersey, for a recognition event. During this event, the five honorees in the financial solutions category will pitch their ideas to Prudential leaders and one grand prize winner will receive $15,000.

Winners will also have the opportunity to consult with Prudential leaders about strategies to advance their work, and to participate in a coaching program with employees to refine their projects.

Prudential is partnering with Ashoka, a leading organization in the social impact sector, who will help develop winners' skills through ongoing workshops and online courses with advisory support from the Financial Health Network, a leading authority on financial health and longtime partner of The Prudential Foundation.

The new direction is lauded by 20-year-old Joshua Williams, a 2013 Prudential honoree and Ashoka Young Changemaker who runs Joshua's Heart Foundation, which has distributed more than 3 million pounds of food to impoverished families around the world. "It's wonderful to see the program evolving and adapting to become Prudential Emerging Visionaries. The U.S. is in a critical time where youth leaders are going to be needed more than ever to guide us into the future, and I know firsthand that they are key to creating lasting change to societal and financial issues."

Applications for the program are open now through November 4. Awards are open to students ages 14-18 in the U.S. Prudential will continue to operate Spirit of Community in countries where the company has a significant business presence including Brazil, China, India and Japan, and will transition to the new operating model in subsequent program cycles.

For more information about Prudential Emerging Visionaries, including how to apply, visit prudential.com/emergingvisionaries.

About Prudential Financial

Prudential Financial, Inc. (NYSE:PRU), a financial wellness leader and premier active global investment manager, has operations in the United States, Asia, Europe and Latin America. Prudential's diverse and talented employees help to make lives better by creating financial opportunity for more people. Prudential's iconic Rock symbol has stood for strength, stability, expertise and innovation for more than a century. For more information, please visit http://news.prudential.com.

About Ashoka

Ashoka is the largest global network of leading social entrepreneurs—individuals with new ideas to systemically address the world's biggest challenges and the entrepreneurial skill to transform those ideas into national, regional and global social impact. Over 40 years, Ashoka has supported more than 3,600 social entrepreneurs in 90 countries with solutions addressing society's most pressing issues. Ashoka's vision is a world in which Everyone is a Changemaker—a society that responds quickly and effectively to challenges, and where each individual has the freedom, confidence and societal support to address any social problem. For more information, visit ashoka.org.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/prudential-financial-seeking-americas-top-youth-visionaries-301372561.html

SOURCE Prudential Financial, Inc.

Prudential Financial Seeking America's Top Youth Visionaries