Chartway Credit Union just handed out $52,000 in scholarship funds to 13 of its student-members, and for the first time ever, they’re not just looking at the traditional four-year college crowd.
The big news? Chartway’s 2026 Directors’ Memorial Scholarships now include students pursuing vocational training, trade certifications, technical programs, and professional licenses. Because let’s be honest—not everyone’s path to success runs through a college quad, and it’s refreshing to see a scholarship program that gets it.
Each of the 13 recipients walked away with $4,000 to put toward their education. That’s real money that can cover textbooks, tuition, certification exams, or those inexplicably expensive “course materials” that somehow cost more than the actual class.
Who Made the Cut?
Chartway selected winners based on a mix of factors: financial need, academic performance, community involvement, an essay (written or video—nice touch), and a recommendation letter. Here’s the full roster of this year’s scholarship recipients:
- Aerin Call (Utah) – Brigham Young University, Business Management
- Robert Cason (Va.) – George Mason University, Accounting & Finance
- Lucy Christensen (Utah) – Brigham Young University, Nursing
- Sydney Fayton (Va.) – North Carolina A&T State University, Agriculture and Environmental Sciences
- Amy Gutierrez (Texas) – Texas A&M University, Civil Engineering
- Naomi Lopez (Utah) – Brigham Young University Marriott School of Business, Finance
- Lyric Parham (Va.) – Virginia Commonwealth University, Psychology
- Lekita Powell (Va.) – ECPI, Nursing
- Adriana Rzayeva (Texas) – University of Houston, Political Science
- Aisha Rush (Texas) – Ultimate Medical Academy, Medical Billing and Coding
- Leilani Smith (Va.) – Regent University, Government
- Celeste Wise (Va.) – George Mason University, Kinesiology
- Gabrielle Young (Mich.) – University of Michigan, PhD in Health Behavior and Health Equity
Why This Matters
“Our scholarship program expansion reflects a simple belief—education can open doors, strengthen families, and help people build the future they imagine for themselves,” said Brian Schools, Chartway’s president and CEO. “Some pursue college degrees and others build careers through trade, technical, certificate, or licensure-based programs. We’re proud to support student-members across those pathways and help them take the next step toward their goals.”
Translation: Chartway recognizes that a four-year degree isn’t the only ticket to a solid career. The skilled trades are facing a massive worker shortage, healthcare needs more certified professionals, and technical training can lead to six-figure salaries. Opening scholarship eligibility to these paths isn’t just generous—it’s smart.
The Bigger Picture
The Directors’ Memorial Scholarship program has been around since 1989, which means it’s old enough to have its own midlife crisis but instead chose to expand and evolve. Since launching, the program has distributed more than $680,000 to Chartway members chasing their educational dreams.
And scholarships are just one piece of Chartway’s community investment puzzle. The credit union commits over $1 million annually to scholarships, Chartway Promise Foundation grants, financial education programs, and crisis relief efforts. They also support students through financial wellness resources, student-focused banking products, a paid summer internship program, and dedicated funding for athletic scholarships at Old Dominion University ($25,000 annually) and ESL programs at Salt Lake Community College ($10,000).
The program is open to Chartway members who are high school seniors, current college students, grad school hopefuls, or anyone enrolled in vocational, trade, technical, certification, or licensure programs. So if you’re a member with educational goals and a need for financial support, this is your annual reminder to keep an eye out for the next application cycle.
Congrats to all 13 recipients—go make that $4,000 count.
Related:
Chartway’s Week of Giving Brings Utah Communities Together for Celebrations and Sell-Out Fundraising Event
Chartway Credit Union Sweeps the Workplace Culture Awards