Application deadline approaches for SELCO Community Credit Union scholarship program

SPRINGFIELD, Ore. (KTV) — SELCO Community Credit Union is once again inviting high school seniors to apply for a share of $52,500 in college scholarships as part of SELCO’s annual scholarship program.

SELCO will award $2,500 scholarships to 19 high school seniors planning to attend an accredited two- or four-year college or university, plus the $5,000 Richard Metzler Opportunity Scholarship to a graduating senior who has demonstrated excellence in education, leadership, or civic responsibility despite adversity or lack of resources. 

The Richard Metzler Opportunity Scholarship was created in honor of Richard Metzler, who served more than 30 years as a director and supervisor of special education in Springfield Public Schools—and more than 40 years as a member of SELCO's volunteer Board of Directors.

“The SELCO Scholarship program has been going strong for more than 30 years, and the goal has always been the same: to make education more accessible,” said Craig Carpenter, senior vice president of Lending & Business Banking at SELCO. “We believe the cost of an education should never be a barrier to receiving one, and with student loan debt at an all-time high, these scholarships will help lessen the financial burden that students face when taking that next big step.”

Students interested in the SELCO scholarship program can apply from Feb. 1 through March 31.

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: “Describe a time when diversity (of ideas, cultures, experiences, etc.) has made you reexamine a belief or viewpoint. Did you change your mind? Why or why not?”

SELCO’s Scholarship Committee will review each application, and funds will be released to scholarship recipients by the end of June. The Richard Metzler Opportunity Scholarship winner will be selected from the same applicant pool.

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 more than 85 years ago by a group of fiscally minded teachers, Springfield-based SELCO Community Credit Union today serves more than 143,000 members as one of the largest and longstanding Oregon-based credit unions. A not-for-profit, federally insured, member-driven financial cooperative with more than $2.5 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 14 branches, visit selco.org, or call 800-445-4483.