16 New York city-area high school seniors awarded $75,000 in MCU Foundation scholarships

NEW YORK–The MCU Foundation, the charitable arm of Municipal Credit Union, announced that 16 high school seniors and recent graduates were named the winners of its 2024 scholarship competition, providing $5,000 each to assist them with their future educational expenses. The students not only excel in academics and extracurricular activities but, as members of credit unions, they wrote thoughtful essays showing their understanding of the credit union philosophy: people helping people.

“We established the MCU Foundation to improve the lives of our community and members through financial education and empowerment,” said Kyle Markland, CEO of Municipal Credit Union. “Given the ever-increasing cost of college, providing scholarships to our future heroes is a critical way to invest in our communities.”

In addition to $75,000 in scholarships provided by the MCU Foundation, Markland also personally donated $5,000 in scholarship funds for the inaugural CEO Visionary Scholarship to Miles Jones of Archbishop Molloy High School in Queens, recognizing not just his educational accomplishments but also his meaningful scholarship essay on advancing financial literacy among young people through credit unions.

“We are immensely proud of the achievements of these young individuals,” said George Chacon, CEO of the MCU Foundation. “Education is a cornerstone to creating generational wealth – one of the major focus areas of the MCU Foundation – but these bright students also showed that they appreciate why the cooperative and not-for-profit nature of a credit union helps everyone in the communities they serve. These young people understand that their future prosperity can also help their neighborhoods and all of New York City to thrive. We congratulate them for their hard work and dedication.”

The students, members of Municipal Credit Union, were chosen based on their outstanding academic and extracurricular achievements as well as their thoughtful essays. These exceptional students receiving $5,000 scholarships are:

1. Aaron Olton, of Brooklyn, The Scholars Academy, attending Stony Brook University
2. Abigail Cadet, of Brooklyn, Star Early College School, attending Williams College
3. Anthony Rodriguez, of Queens, Christ the King HS, attending Syracuse University
4. Bradley Roberts, of Brooklyn, Brooklyn Technical HS, attending City College of NY
5. Carolyn Ellis, of Staten Island, Curtis HS, attending Syracuse University
6. Ehinowen Uwa, of Brooklyn, Medgar Evers Preparatory HS, attending Lafayette College
7. Favor Eme, of Queens, Newtown HS, attending St. John’s University
8. Ja-ni Brumfield, of the Bronx, Promise Academy, attending Howard University
9. Kayin Bann, of Manhattan, HS of Art & Design, attending Rhode Island School of Design
10. Lauren Mitchell, of Queens, Lawrence Woodmere Academy, attending Spelman College
11. Miles Jones*, of Valley Stream, Archbishop Molloy HS, attending Howard University
12. Naila Hull-Goings, of East Stroudsburg PA, Pocono Mountain East HS, attending Syracuse University
13. Omar Castillo*, of Ramsey NJ, Bergen Catholic HS, attending Loyola University
14. Paris Kittrell-Whitehead, of Brooklyn, Achievement First Brooklyn HS, attending Florida A&M University
15. Sanae Abrahams, of Valley Stream, Valley Stream HS, attending St. John’s University
16. Sym Thorpe IV, of Queens, Bard Early College HS, attending Morehouse College

* Omar Castillo received a $500 scholarship from the New York Credit Union Association as one of its 2024 Statewide College Scholarship Winners and an additional $4500 from the MCU Foundation.

* Miles Jones received $500 from the MCU Foundation and $5000 in the inaugural CEO Visionary Scholarship.

The scholarships were coordinated through the New York Credit Union Association, which both offers scholarships and coordinates scholarships for its member credit unions, including MCU.

“I’ve been part of the credit union movement since my first job in high school,” said Markland. “That’s why I’m proud to celebrate and support these young people. Reading their essays focused on improving their communities through credit unions reminds me of the reason credit unions exist, and the difference we make in the communities we serve. I am excited to see what the future holds for all our scholarship winners, and I hope to support the CEO Visionary Scholarship for years to come.”