HAMLET — Through its member-funded SECU Foundation, State Employees Credit Union has awarded seven local students an SECU Continuing Education Scholarship valued at $1,250 for four semesters at Richmond Community College.

Scholarship recipients include Charles R. Nelson, Michael Gribbins, Paul J. Capel, Shawn Jackson, Sophia Bennett, Tyrone Davis and Dontreice Pratt. Funding is distributed at the beginning of each fall and spring semester.

Launched in 2013, the scholarship program focuses on assisting the needs of North Carolina’s unemployed and underemployed residents, military veterans and members of the North Carolina National Guard seeking short-term job training for new careers or retraining to advance current job skills.

Scholarship funding will be applied to tuition and other expenses associated with their eligible program of study through the N.C. Community College System’s Back-To-Work programs and continuing education courses.

“The SECU Continuing Education Scholarship program provides an excellent opportunity to assist North Carolina’s unemployed and underemployed citizens with career training and marketable job skills needed for today’s workplace,” said Dr. Dale McInnis, who serves on the State Employees Credit Union’s local advisory board and is president of RCC. “We look forward to the long-term success of these scholarship recipients as they build better lives for themselves.”

The SECU Foundation awards two scholarships a year to each of North Carolina’s community colleges. There are 116 scholarships valued at up to $5,000 each. Recipients are selected by a scholarship selection committee.

A not-for-profit financial cooperative owned by its members, SECU has been providing the employees of the state of North Carolina and their families with consumer financial services for 77 years. With more than 1.9 million members, SECU provides services through 254 branches, 1,100 automated teller machines and 24-hour phone and online support.

Wylie D. Bell is director of communications and marketing at Richmond Community College.

Contributed photo From left to right are Charles R. Nelson; Lisa Talley, SECU vice president city executive, Hamlet branch; Douglas Fulford, SECU vice president city executive, Rockingham branch; Sophia Bennett; Michael Gribbins; Paul J. Capel; Tyrone Davis; Shawn Jackson; and Dr. Dale McInnis, Richmond Community College president. Not pictured is Dontreice Pratt.
https://www.yourdailyjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/web1_fzd-SECU-Scholarship-Recipients-Sp16.jpgContributed photo From left to right are Charles R. Nelson; Lisa Talley, SECU vice president city executive, Hamlet branch; Douglas Fulford, SECU vice president city executive, Rockingham branch; Sophia Bennett; Michael Gribbins; Paul J. Capel; Tyrone Davis; Shawn Jackson; and Dr. Dale McInnis, Richmond Community College president. Not pictured is Dontreice Pratt.

By Wylie D. Bell

For the Daily Journal