NEW
YORK, July 2, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The MCU
Foundation, the charitable arm of Municipal Credit Union, announced
that 16 high school seniors and recent graduates were named the
winners of its 2024 scholarship competition, providing $5,000 each to assist them with their future
educational expenses. The students not only excel in academics and
extracurricular activities but, as members of credit unions, they
wrote thoughtful essays showing their understanding of the credit
union philosophy: people helping people.
"We established the MCU Foundation to improve the lives of our
community and members through financial education and empowerment,"
said Kyle Markland, CEO of
Municipal Credit Union. "Given the ever-increasing cost of
college, providing scholarships to our future heroes is a critical
way to invest in our communities."
In addition to $75,000 in
scholarships provided by the MCU Foundation, Markland also
personally donated $5,000 in
scholarship funds for the inaugural CEO Visionary Scholarship to
Miles Jones of Archbishop Molloy
High School in Queens, recognizing
not just his educational accomplishments, but his meaningful
scholarship essay on advancing financial literacy among young
people through credit unions.
"We are immensely proud of the achievements of these young
individuals," said George Chacon,
CEO of the MCU Foundation. "Education is a cornerstone to
creating generational wealth – one of the major focus areas of the
MCU Foundation – but these bright students also showed that they
appreciate why the cooperative and not-for-profit nature of a
credit union helps everyone in the communities they serve. These
young people understand that their future prosperity can also help
their neighborhoods and all of New York
City to thrive. We congratulate them for their hard work and
dedication."
The students, members of Municipal Credit Union, were chosen
based on their outstanding academic and extracurricular
achievements as well as their thoughtful essays. These exceptional
students receiving $5,000
scholarships are:
- Aaron Olton, of Brooklyn, The Scholars Academy, attending
Stony Brook University
- Abigail Cadet, of Brooklyn, Star Early
College School, attending Williams
College
- Anthony Rodriguez, of
Queens, Christ the King HS,
attending Syracuse University
- Bradley Roberts, of Brooklyn, Brooklyn Technical HS, attending
City College of NY
- Carolyn Ellis, of Staten Island, Curtis HS, attending
Syracuse University
- Ehinowen Uwa, of Brooklyn,
Medgar Evers Preparatory HS, attending Lafayette College
- Favor Eme, of Queens,
Newtown HS, attending St. John's University
- Ja-ni Brumfield, of the Bronx,
Promise Academy, attending Howard
University
- Kayin Bann, of Manhattan, HS of Art & Design, attending
Rhode Island School of Design
- Lauren Mitchell, of Queens, Lawrence Woodmere Academy, attending
Spelman College
- Miles Jones*, of Valley Stream, Archbishop Molloy HS, attending
Howard University
- Naila Hull-Goings, of East
Stroudsburg PA, Pocono Mountain East HS, attending Syracuse University
- Omar Castillo*, of Ramsey NJ, Bergen Catholic HS, attending
Loyola University
- Paris Kittrell-Whitehead, of Brooklyn, Achievement First Brooklyn HS,
attending Florida A&M
University
- Sanae Abrahams, of Valley Stream, Valley Stream HS, attending
St. John's University
- Sym Thorpe IV, of Queens, Bard Early College HS, attending
Morehouse College
* Omar Castillo received a
$500 scholarship from the New York
Credit Union Association as one of its 2024 Statewide College
Scholarship Winners, and an additional $4500 from the MCU Foundation.
* Miles Jones received $500 from the MCU Foundation and $5000 in the inaugural CEO Visionary
Scholarship.
The scholarships were coordinated through the New York Credit
Union Association, which both offers scholarships and coordinates
scholarships for its member credit unions, including MCU.
"I've been part of the credit union movement since my first job
in high school," said Markland. "That's why I'm proud to celebrate
and support these young people. Reading their essays focused on
improving their communities through credit unions reminds me of the
reason credit unions exist, and the difference we make in the
communities we serve. I am excited to see what the future holds for
all our scholarship winners, and I hope to support the CEO
Visionary Scholarship for years to come."
About The MCU Foundation
Established in 2023, the MCU Foundation was created by the
Municipal Credit Union's (MCU) executive leadership with the
mission of helping New Yorkers build generational wealth and
eliminate poverty in the Five Boroughs. It furthers this mission by
increasing access to basic necessities, education and homeownership
to uplift the hardworking heroes in our community. For more
information about the MCU Foundation and its programs, please visit
mcufoundation.nymcu.org.
About Municipal Credit Union
Municipal Credit Union is the oldest credit union in New
York State and one of the oldest and largest in the country.
Established in 1916 and headquartered in New York City, MCU
currently has assets of more than $4.35 billion and
offers a full range of financial services to its more than 600,000
members. MCU is an equal opportunity lender, and deposits are
federally insured to at least $250,000 by the National
Credit Union Administration (NCUA), a U.S. government agency. For
more information about Municipal Credit Union,
visit www.nymcu.org.
Media Contact:
David Hammarstrom
212-238-3316
379868@email4pr.com
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SOURCE Municipal Credit Union