In an effort to help students build long-term financial resiliency, the BECU Foundation awarded 80 student members either $2,500 or $3,500 scholarships each to use toward their postsecondary programs.

Scholarships were awarded to Kent’s Mackenzie Shelden, who attends the University of Colorado at Boulder; Michelle Finseth, a Highline College student; and Kentwood High School graduate Claudia Gomez-Gonzalez.

The scholarships are renewable over a two-year period and recognize student members who have demonstrated community service as well as academic and leadership potential. Since 1995, the BECU Foundation has awarded $2.9 million in scholarships to more than 1,100 student members.

The foundation honored the 2018 and 2019 scholarship recipients at T-Mobile Park in a program that recognized their achievements. BECU leaders also provided career advice and recruiters shared tips on how to create a professional LinkedIn profile, the benefits of networking and the importance of college internships.

“As a member-owned financial cooperative, BECU is passionate about improving the financial well-being of students, our members and their communities,” said Rachel Van Noord, BECU’s director of community outreach and executive director of the BECU Foundation. “We understand that receiving a postsecondary education correlates with greater lifelong income potential. Through the scholarship program, our goal is to help students establish strong financial futures by lessening the barriers they face when pursuing degrees.”

Interested students can apply online for the BECU Foundation scholarships in January of each year at BECU.org/scholarship. Members must be graduating high school seniors or undergraduate students currently enrolled in an accredited postsecondary degree program (students of graduate programs are not eligible), and have a passion for helping others.