TALLAHASSEE, FL – First Commerce Credit Union recently awarded four $1,000 MyWay Scholarships to credit union members ages 17-29 to help support their higher education pursuits. This is the ninth year First Commerce has awarded the scholarships to recognize students who demonstrate excellence in school and beyond.
Two MyWay scholarships were awarded to Florida students and two were awarded in Georgia. D’Aja DeWindt and Zamari Lewis, both from Tallahassee, Fla., were selected as this year’s Florida scholarship recipients.
MyWay Scholarship applications and essays were judged by an independent panel of educators from distinguished institutions of higher learning, including Florida A & M University, Florida State University, Tallahassee Community College, and Valdosta State University. Winners were selected based on criteria that included grades, community service, leadership, school activities, and work experience. Each applicant was also required to submit an essay or short video elaborating on their experiences with and approach to money, as well as lessons learned. Scholarships will be paid directly to the student’s chosen institution of higher learning and can be used to help pay for school expenses such as tuition, fees, and books.
“First Commerce is committed to helping our members build strong financial futures,” said Cecilia Homison, First Commerce CEO. “The MyWay Scholarship program empowers our young members to pursue higher learning goals, which can open doors to career opportunities that set them on a path toward long-term financial success.”
To be eligible to apply for a MyWay Scholarship, students must have a First Commerce checking account in good standing. First Commerce offers two types of free checking accounts for young adults -- SmartStart Teen (available for ages 13-17) and Power Checking (ages 18+). Both accounts offer financial empowerment features such as free online financial education courses, an Automatic Savings Option, no Overdraft Fees, the ability to send and receive money securely through Zelle, real-time text and email alerts on account activity, credit score monitoring and management, and 24/7 digital banking with mobile deposit.