What is the Community Spark Scholarship?
The Southeastern Credit Union Foundation established the Community Spark Initiative in 2020 to ignite collaboration among credit unions in Alabama, Georgia, and Florida. The goal of each initiative was to identify and address an overlying development issue within each of the respective states. The intent was to bring credit unions together to make a measurable impact and enhance the socioeconomic environment while demonstrating the credit union philosophy of "people helping people."
In 2021, Alabama and Georgia joined forces to create the Community Spark Scholarship. The scholarship provides financial assistance to underserved/first-generation college students attending a four-year accredited college or university in Alabama or Georgia. It also establishes credit union summer internships for scholarship recipients and utilizes the integration of students and credit unions as a conduit to expand financial education.
Community Spark Scholarship Endowment Fund
The Community Spark Scholarship award is $40,000 divided into $10,000 annually for four years. The generous scholarship amounts were based on the understanding that students from low-income backgrounds should be able to attend college without shouldering a debt burden.
For many college students, one of the most urgent concerns is the rising cost of college, including tuition costs and other necessities such as textbooks, housing, food, and transportation. Even after grants, scholarships, and earnings from working 10 hours per week (a reasonable workload that won't jeopardize academic success), students are burdened with thousands of dollars to cover expenses...
The Community Spark Scholarship answers the issue of the college affordability gap by providing students the ability to attend college without shouldering a debt burden or having to work long hours, cutting into valuable study time.
The Southeastern Credit Union Foundation’s goal is to provide a $40,000 scholarship to 10 students by the end of 2025. To reach our goal, through your support, we plan to create the Community Spark Scholarship Endowment Fund of 2 million dollars by the end of 2023 and we need your support to accomplish this.
This endowment serves as the credit union community’s commitment to providing hope and opportunity to the brightest and most talented youth who may not experience the transformative power of a degree without a scholarship. However, your contribution is more than a donation. It is an investment in our future.
Donor Recognition Levels
Scholarship Awardees
Henderson Rosser
Henderson Rosser began his college career in August of 2022 attending Tuskegee University in Alabama. Awarded $10,000 a year for four years.
Quote: Thank you very much for the opportunity that you have given me, I will make sure to keep you updated on my success and journey at Tuskegee University
Terrell Jones
Terrell Jones began his college career in August of 2022 attending Morehouse University in Georgia. Awarded $10,000 a year for four years.
Quote: I’ve been blessed to receive this scholarship and yes it will help me. This scholarship helped me a lot this first semester, and I say that because I told my mother I didn’t want her having to come out of pocket for my education for the main purpose of her already providing and doing way more then I could’ve asked for in my life.
Community Spark Scholarship Endowment Fund Supporters
