Credit union seeks scholarship applicants

EUGENE, Ore. (KTVZ) -- SELCO Community Credit Union is once again inviting qualified high school seniors to apply for a share of $50,000 as part of SELCO’s annual scholarship program. SELCO will award $2,500 scholarships to 20 high school seniors planning to attend an accredited two- or four-year college or university.

The application process will remain open through March 31.

“We are proud that SELCO’s annual scholarship program has helped hundreds of students achieve their educational goals since it was launched in 2008,” said Craig Carpenter, SELCO’s Senior Vice President of Lending & Business Solutions. “All told, SELCO has provided more than $350,000 in scholarships, helping young people bridge the funding gap that often comes from higher education.

"We see this commitment to removing educational barriers as an extension of SELCO’s mission to improve our members’ social and economic position — a mission that has been at the heart of SELCO’s work since the credit union was founded by Lane County educators more than 80 years ago.”

To qualify for a SELCO Scholarship, applicants must be:

• SELCO members or immediate family members of a SELCO member. A SELCO membership is just $5 and open to anyone who lives or works in one of the 27 Oregon counties SELCO serves.
• Graduating seniors from a four-year accredited high school with a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher.
• Planning to attend an accredited two- or four-year college or university.

As part of the application, scholarship hopefuls are asked to submit an essay that answers the question: “You get to spend the next year of your life in either the past or the future. What year would you travel to, and how would you use what you learned upon your return?” SELCO’s Scholarship Committee will review each application and notify recipients by May 8. Funds will be awarded by the end of May.

Prospective students are asked to apply online at selco.org/scholarships by March 31. For more information, contact SELCO at scholarships@selco.org or call 541-686-5382. 

About SELCO Community Credit Union:

Founded over 80 years ago by a group of fiscally minded teachers, Eugene-based SELCO Community Credit Union today serves more than 142,000 members as the third-largest Oregon-based credit union. A not-for-profit, federally insured, member-driven financial cooperative with more than $1.7 billion in assets, SELCO provides its member-owners with exceptional rates and low fees on a full range of financial products and services, including banking, mortgages, personal and business loans, investments, and insurance. Membership is available to anyone who lives or works in one of the 27 Oregon counties SELCO serves. For more information or to become a member today, stop by one of SELCO’s 15 branches, visit selco.org, or call 800-445-4483.