Traditional, nontraditional, and vocational students are eligible for one of 21 SELCO scholarships, which include 20 $3,500 scholarships and the $7,500 Richard Metzler Opportunity Scholarship
(springfield, oregón) — SELCO Community Credit Union will begin accepting applications on Sunday, Feb. 1, for nearly $80,000 in SELCO Steps Up scholarships. The application window will remain open through Tuesday, March 31.
SELCO will award 20 eligible students with a $3,500 scholarship. Additionally, one Lane County student will receive the $7,500 Richard Metzler Opportunity Scholarship, awarded to a student who has demonstrated excellence in education, leadership, or civic responsibility despite adversity or a lack of opportunity.
In all, SELCO will award $77,500 in scholarships to eligible students, which include high school seniors planning to attend an accredited two- or four-year college, as well as vocational, continuing, and nontraditional students. Graduate students are not eligible.
"Students approach education differently than they once did," said Craig Carpenter, SELCO's Senior Vice President of Lending & Business Banking. "It's why SELCO's scholarship program evolved to support a diverse cross-section of students, including those planning to attend technical school or returning to finish their degree. As a credit union founded by teachers 90 years ago, meaningful student and educator support will continue to be foundational to how we give back."
Now in its 36th year, SELCO’s scholarship program is part of the SELCO Steps Up philanthropy initiative that the credit union launched in 2024. Solo en 2025, SELCO reinvirtió casi $415,000 en las comunidades a las que sirve a través de becas, subvenciones y patrocinios impulsados por el impacto, mientras que los miembros del equipo de SELCO se comprometieron a casi 1,700 horas de voluntariado.
Whether it's support for students or teachers, many of the Steps Up programs seek to address issues in education. SELCO’s scholarship program aims to address the cost of school, which is the most often cited barrier for those who wish to attend college but don't. SELCO's scholarships can also be used for any educational-related expense, so they are uniquely suited to help students meet the demands of rising educational costs.
Ethan Amato, a University of Oregon freshman from North Bend, earned a SELCO scholarship in 2025 and is now studying pharmacology. He said that the scholarship has "helped relieve the stress" of meeting educational costs.
"It was a huge sigh of relief when I found out I'd received the SELCO scholarship," said Amato, who also helped found UofO's first-ever Pharmacy Club for future pharmacists and serves as the organization's co-president. "The scholarship has really helped relieve the burden of paying for college-not just for me, but for my parents as well."
Para calificar, los solicitantes deben:
- Planea asistir a una escuela técnica o a un colegio o universidad acreditada de dos o cuatro años.
- Be a SELCO member or an immediate family member of a SELCO member. La membresía de SELCO está abierta a cualquier persona que viva o trabaje en uno de los 27 condados de Oregón que SELCO atiende.
- Haber obtenido un GED o un promedio acumulativo de 3.0 o superior de una escuela secundaria acreditada de cuatro años.
El panel de becas de SELCO revisará cada solicitud y los fondos se entregarán a los beneficiarios de las becas a finales de junio. El ganador de la beca de oportunidad Richard Metzler será seleccionado entre los solicitantes del condado de Lane. Se te pide que presentes tu solicitud en línea en selco.org/becas antes del 31 de marzo.
For more information on the scholarship program or other SELCO Steps Up programs, visit www.selco.org/steps-up.
Acerca de selco Steps Up:
El programa SELCO Steps Up tiene como objetivo crear un cambio positivo, innovador y duradero a través del voluntariado, el apoyo a recursos y la colaboración con los socios comunitarios. Solo en 2025, SELCO reinvirtió casi $415,000 en las comunidades a las que sirve a través de becas, subvenciones y patrocinios impulsados por el impacto, mientras que los miembros del equipo de SELCO se comprometieron a casi 1,700 horas de voluntariado. Como cooperativa de crédito fundada por maestros, la educación es un pilar fundamental de estos esfuerzos, con un enfoque en eliminar las barreras a la alfabetización financiera. Al empoderar a las personas y a las familias para alcanzar el bienestar financiero, SELCO se esfuerza por construir una base sólida para todos sus miembros y vecinos. Más información en www.selco.org/steps-up.
Acerca de SELCO crédito comunitario:
Founded in 1936 by a group of fiscally minded teachers, Springfield-based SELCO Community Credit Union today serves more than 150,000 members as one of the largest and longest-standing Oregon-based credit unions. A not-for-profit, federally insured, member-driven financial cooperative with more than $2.8 billion in assets, SELCO provides exceptional rates and low fees on a full range of financial products and services, including banking, mortgages, personal and business loans, investments, and insurance. La membresía está disponible para cualquier persona que viva o trabaje en uno de los 27 condados de Oregón o en uno de los ocho condados de Washington que Selco sirve. Para obtener más información o para hazte miembro hoy, pasa por una de las 15 sucursales de SELCO, visita selco.org, o llama al 800-445-4483.
Contactos
Jacob Berns, SELCO, 541-338-3841, jberns@selco.org
Zack Hall, DVA publicidad y relaciones públicas, 775-338-0745, zack@dvaadv.com