SnoCope CU VP of Lending Wins 2023 CUDE Scholarship from Prodigy

Dustin Rohde, vice president of lending at $83.6 million SnoCope Credit Union in Everett, Wash., is the latest winner of a scholarship from Prodigy, the leading core processing and private cloud Credit Union Service Organization, to attend the 2023 CU Development Educators program in Madison, Wis.

The National Credit Union Foundation runs the program, which aims to build awareness of the development issues that prevent people from achieving financial freedom—and how credit unions are uniquely positioned to address them.

“Getting this scholarship is a fantastic chance that will allow me to pursue the education and skills I desire,” Rohde said. “I love learning and everyone who has participated in this program has raved about it. Through this training, I intend to learn how to positively impact my members’ financial situation. Financial literacy has always been important, and our members look to us to be the experts. I am certain that this program will provide me with the skills that I need to better educate and serve my members.”

“We understand how important enhancing credit union leaders’education is,” Prodigy CEO Amber Harsin said, and that shouldn’t be stunted because their credit union lacks the resources – in fact, that makes it more important! We’re very excited for Dustin, because we know he’ll take full advantage of this opportunity and bring it back with him to SnoCope.”

Prodigy’s third and final scholarship planned for the year to attend Western CUNA Management School will be open for applications later in 2023. The company sent Tina Wickes, vice president of lending of the $68.5 million Columbine Federal Credit Union, to CUNA’s Governmental Affairs Conference, Feb. 26 – March 2, in Washington, D.C.

“We all need education to mature and develop,” Rohde reflected,“but not everyone has access to it. The educational opportunities Prodigy provides are a huge asset to both their partner credit unions and the credit union movement as a whole. This genuinely supports the CU philosophy of ‘people helping people!’”

Harsin explained, “We operate according to the eight cooperative principles, the fifth of which is education, training and information. We expanded our scholarship program this year to ensure credit union executives have the opportunities they need to succeed – regardless of the size of their credit union or its budget – and benefit the entire credit union movement.”

More than 2,500 people from dozens of countries have graduated from the U.S. CUDE program since its launch in 1982. The DE experience includes learning on The Credit Union Difference: Understand how to communicate and leverage credit unions’ unique business model and cooperative principles; Empathy & emotional intelligence in banking: Create a competitive advantage in a disrupted market; and Development issues: Identify and solve challenges preventing the financial health of your employees, members and communities.