First Trust Credit Union Awards Scholarships to Michigan City Seniors in 2018

First-Trust-Credit-Union-Awards-Scholarships-to-Michigan-City-Seniors-in-2018First Trust Credit Union is proud to have awarded seven $1,000 scholarships to graduating seniors at high schools in LaPorte, Porter and Jasper Counties. First Trust offers Bachelor’s Degree scholarships, and scholarships for seniors pursuing an Apprenticeship, Certification, or Associates Program. Scholarship winners are chosen based on their enrollment in an accredited institution for post secondary education or training, scholastic achievement, involvement in high school and community activities, an essay, and a letter of recommendation from a teacher.

First Trust’s Michigan City branch awarded one $1,000 scholarship to a Michigan City High School graduating senior, Madelyn Gondeck. Gondeck is the daughter of Michele Passmore and Tim Gondeck. She will be attending IUPUI (Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis) this fall, pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree. Her intended course of study is Pre-Med/Clinical Lab. Her passion is to pursue a career that works toward improving the quality of life for people with mental and physical disabilities. She has achieved a 4.3 GPA, and with her strong academic achievements she has received awards in Spanish, Geography, Student Leadership, the Alpha Award for Student of the Year, and was named the Rising Star of Indiana last year. Other achievements include National Honor Society, National Foreign Language Honor Society, Spanish Club president, HOSA Club vice president, Steering Committee, and Student Council. She has been involved in several community service programs such as tutoring and recycling programs, Indiana Student Hunger Drive, and MCHS Environmental Restoration Team. Her involvement with the Special Olympics/IHSAA sport known as Unified Track has led her to discover her passion to help people with disabilities.

Additional $1,000 scholarship winners for 2018 included: Abigail Zila of LaPorte High School, daughter of Scott and Tricia Zila; Hailey Meyers of Westville High School, daughter of Jason and Crystal Meyers; Joseph Funk of Washington Township High School, son of Andrew and Jennifer Funk; Nicholas Raymond of Kankakee Valley High School, son of Nick and Deena Raymond; Gavin Tillema of Kankakee Valley High School, son of Richard and Misty Tillema; and Payton Ritchie of Kankakee Valley High School, daughter of Mark and Jenelle Ritchie, was the recipient of a one time Arnold Bass education scholarship for a student pursuing a teaching degree.

$8,000 in Scholarship Applications will be available to 2019 graduating seniors this fall. $4,000 will be awarded for students pursuing a traditional Bahelor’s degree, with an additional $4,000 available for graduating seniors pursuing an Apprenticeship, Certification, or Associates Program that does not require a four-year degree. Applications can be picked up at school guidance offices, or downloaded from the First Trust website at www.firsttrustcu.com. For further information contact Dana Koselke, Human Resources Director, at (219) 877-2305, or via e-mail at dkoselke@firsttrustcu.com.