MSGCU Awards Over $100,000 in Scholarships to Students, Educators, and First Responders

CLINTON TOWNSHIP, Mich. – May 3, 2021 – Michigan Schools and Government Credit Union (MSGCU) is excited to announce its 2021 Scholarship Honorees. This year, a group of 31 high school students, college students and educators will each receive a $2,500 scholarship to further their educational journey.

“As a credit union humbly rooted in education and service, it is our honor to promote valuable lifelong learning among aspiring college students and dedicated educators,” said MSGCU President/CEO, Peter Gates.

MSGCU received applications from more than 95 high schools as well as other academic institutions in Michigan. The caliber of the applicants and their accomplishments was inspiring.

After careful review and consideration of applications, which exceeded 330 submissions, MSGCU is pleased to award scholarships to 27 students and four educators. Scholarship honorees attend 22 local high schools and four colleges.

Totaling more than $100,000 in awards for students, educators and first responders, the scholarship program is just one way MSGCU shows its commitment to education. Additionally, MSGCU is proud to provide more than $45,000 annually in classroom grants for local teachers, donate time and resources to local non-profits making a difference in the community, and provide free educational programs to local schools.

2021 Scholarship Honorees

The Rudolph Heino High School Scholarship was created in honor of Rudolph Heino, a longtime MSGCU Board Member who strongly upheld the “people helping people” philosophy. The scholarship recognizes high school seniors committed to inspiring others through service and leadership.

The five recipients of the Rudolph Heino High School Scholarship are:

• Hanna Khor, International Academy Bloomfield Hills High School

• Isabella Lashaway, Father Gabriel Richard High School

• Brooke Palmer, Chippewa Valley High School

• Yajvan Ravan, Churchill High School

• Samantha Seneker, Stoney Creek High School

The Larry Swantek Educational Studies Scholarship was created in honor of Larry Swantek, a retired MSGCU Board Member and an educator of more than 25 years. He embraced his role as an educator and influenced thousands of students both in and out of the classroom. The scholarship recognizes high school seniors and current college students committed to pursuing the field of Education as a career.

The four recipients of the Larry Swantek Educational Studies Scholarship are:

• Sarah Briskey, Wayne State University

• Alexa Graleski, Michigan State University

• Isabella LaFranca, Caledonia High School

• Hailey Petrovich, Franklin High School

The Educational Solutions Scholarship is designed for high school seniors planning to attend a two- or four-year college or university. The scholarship helps offset the cost of earning a degree while celebrating higher education’s ability to change lives for the better.

The 18 recipients of the Educational Solutions Scholarship are:

• Aalia Arshed, Troy High School

• Olivia Beckman, Stevenson High School

• Connor Brezenski, Royal Oak High School

• Niah Brown, Avondale High School

• Mia Cassar, Grosse Pointe North High School

• Madileine Chase, Stevenson High School

• Maria Cheriyan, Detroit Country Day School High School

• Alec Cousino, Utica High School

• Brendan Evert, Sterling Heights High School

• Emily Gilbert, Lake Fenton High School

• Cameron Joseph, Romeo High School

• Madeline Kohler, Grosse Pointe North High School

• Marissa Krajewski, Fraser High School

• Luke Nelson, North Farmington High School

• John Reinoso, De La Salle High School

• Olivia Skomial, Fraser High School

• Noah Socha, Saline High School

• Isabella Vujnov, Warren Woods Tower High School

The Milo Perreault Educator Advantage Scholarship is designed for educators and administrators of early childhood, primary, secondary, and post-secondary schools to help cover the costs of continuing education while honoring a commitment to advancing our educators’ skills.  This scholarship, previously the Educator Advantage Scholarship, was recently renamed in honor of the late Milo J. Perreault. Perreault’s passion for education was demonstrated in his 40-year tenure at Fraser High School where he mentored countless students and became a pillar in the school community. He served on the MSGCU Board of Directors for 24 years and was an MSGCU member for more than four decades.

The four recipients of the Milo Perreault Educator Advantage Scholarship are:

• Kayla Cardeccia, Wayne State University

• Kailey Cole, Oakland University

• Tom Hendricks, Oakland University

• Amanda Sanders, Madonna University

MSGCU applauds the 2021 honorees. Visit www.msgcuscholarships.org to learn more about the MSGCU scholarship program.

About Michigan Schools and Government Credit Union

Founded by a small group of educators, MSGCU has been providing quality financial services to the community for more than 66 years. MSGCU offers a full range of loan, deposit, checking, credit card, mortgage, and insurance products for those that live in Lower Michigan. With 16 branch offices in Macomb, Oakland and Wayne Counties, MSGCU has more than 133,000 members, $2.9 billion in assets, and has earned a 96% member satisfaction rating for the past 20 years. MSGCU has also earned five stars, as reported by Bauer Financial, for more than 20 years, and has been honored as a Top Workplace by The Detroit Free Press for the past eight consecutive years.