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WINTERVILLE�The State Employees Credit Union (SECU) Foundation, funded solely by SECU membership, presented $5,000-scholarships this week to Pitt Community College students LaTanya Rice and Lauren Ward. Rice, a Greenville resident and graduate of Lejeune High School, is studying Early Childhood at PCC. The 30-year-old is president of the college�s Student Government Association. A graduate of Bear Grass School, Ward is a PCC Student Ambassador. The 18-year-old Bear Grass native is studying Medical Sonography at Pitt. Rice and Ward received their scholarships based on SECU�s philosophy of �People Helping People.� The awards, which will be used to offset the cost of tuition and other educational expenses, were given in recognition of the students� leadership, character, integrity and community involvement. Robert DeSoto, a member of SECU�s local advisory board, said, the scholarships presented to Rice and Ward affirmed the commitment of SECU members to education and making a difference in North Carolina. �We are so pleased that we can continue to help our state�s students further their education in North Carolina�s community college system,� DeSoto said. �As a representative of SECU�s membership, it is with great pleasure that we award these scholarships to LaTanya and Lauren.� In addition to the scholarships awarded at Pitt, the SECU Foundation also awarded a pair of $5,000-scholarships to each of the 57 other community colleges in North Carolina this year, representing a total of $580,000 in awards. SECU is a non-profit financial cooperative owned by its members and has provided North Carolina state employees and their families with consumer financial services for more than 70 years. With nearly 1.5 million members, SECU provides services through 218 branches, 990 ATMs, two call centers, and a website, www.ncsecu.org. The SECU Foundation, a 501c(3) charitable organization, promotes local community development, primarily through high-impact projects in the areas of education, heath and human services. |
