Ascentra Awards $15,000 in Scholarships to Traditional, Non-traditional and Trades Students

The Ascentra Scholarship Program has awarded its 2023 scholarships to fifteen area student members of the credit union. These fifteen future leaders were selected to receive $1,000 each to help get one step closer to achieving their academic goals. 

Five $1,000 scholarships were awarded to traditional high school students planning to enter college, five $1,000 scholarships were awarded to non-traditional students, aged 19 or over, planning to attend college or earn an advanced degree, and five $1,000 scholarships were awarded to students entering vocational school or college with a trade program.

The Ascentra Scholarship Program is unique in that students can apply every year they are enrolled in an accredited institution or program.  

This year’s traditional scholarship winners include: 

• Kushal Sai Maridu, Bettendorf, Iowa
• Aaliyah Lay, Bettendorf, Iowa
• Katelyn Kiefer, LeClaire, Iowa
• Alex Pauley, Geneseo, Illinois
• Hailie Shemek, Milan, Illinois

The non-traditional or continuing education winners include: 

• Grace Gustafson, Rock Island, Illinois
• Peyton Bytnar, Bettendorf, Iowa
• Emma Porter, Bettendorf, Iowa
• Emma Milder, Clinton, Iowa
• Isabel Fenner, Blue Grass, Iowa

The vocational school or trades program winners include:

• Isabela Saguilan, East Moline, Illinois
• Daniel Simmons, Bettendorf, Iowa
• Johnathon Creighton, Bolingbrook, Illinois
• James Morley, Bettendorf, Iowa
• Ashten Huling, Preston, Iowa

The competition is announced every October with an end of February deadline of the following year. 

“Credit Unions are all about helping their members and their community,” said Linda Andry, President and CEO, Ascentra Credit Union. “It is an honor to award these scholarships each year knowing that they will help our student members with a great start to their continued education and future livelihoods.”

The Ascentra Scholarship Program began in 1997 and has awarded nearly $140,000 in scholarships.

Learn more about this year’s scholarship winners, the official Ascentra Scholarship Program rules and other scholarship opportunities at ascentra.org/scholarships.