C1st Credit Union scholarship program awards $50k to area students

OTTUMWA — Community 1st Credit Union’s 2023 scholarship program has announced $50,000 will be awarded to 24 area high school seniors this summer for the 2023-24 academic school year.

C1st has a long tradition of supporting local communities and education through its scholarship program for both traditional and non-traditional students. In the last decade, C1st has awarded over $400,000 in scholarships to local student-members.

This year’s awards include one $4,000 scholarship, which goes to a child of a C1st employee, and 23 additional $2,000 awards going to high school seniors looking to pursue further education.

The 2023 C1st Child of an Employee scholarship of $4,000 went to Paige Lisk of Pekin Community High School.

The C1st scholarship winners receiving $2,000 include Brayton Striegel and Sophie Waber, both of Albia High School; Jeremy Sheeder of Griswold High School; Leah Rudd and Melana Followwill, both of Davis County High School; Peyton Stadler of Clear Creek Amana High School; Caden Spring of Moravia High School; Delaney Caudill and Grace Watkins-Schoenig, both of Chariton Community High School; Riley Wipperman of Creston High School; and Tayler McCreedy of Pekin Community High School.

Additionally receiving $2,000 scholarships are Charles Willmott of Indianola High School; Kaden McGill of Knoxville High School; Jordan Crooks of Mount Pleasant Community High School; Lane Whirrett of Clarke Community High School; Rylee Dunkin of Twin Cedars Schools; Anderson Keough of Oskaloosa High School; Roderick Rath, Emma Strayer, and Noah Trucano all of Ottumwa High School; Madeline Schmitz of Pella High School; Ali Fletcher of Underwood High School; and Daniel Martinez of Columbus Community High School.

“At Community 1st we sincerely believe one of the very best investments we can make is in helping our young members further their education,” said Greg Hanshaw, president and CEO. “We are grateful that our Board of Directors have been extremely generous in making this investment a reality for many years now.”

Community 1st Credit Union offers traditional and non-traditional scholarships to members who wish to continue their education in college or vocational school. Scholarship America, the nation’s largest designer and manager of scholarships, tuition assistance and other education support programs, administers the program. Applications for the next academic year of 2024-25 can be submitted for consideration on the C1st website beginning December 2023.