This year, Virginia Credit Union placed $156,500 in the hands of 32 student members—a direct bet that their drive and dedication will shape the future of their communities. The investment reflects a decades-long commitment: since 1991, VACU has distributed nearly $2 million in scholarships to members working toward their first undergraduate degree.
The breadth of applicants underscores how meaningful these scholarships have become. More than 840 students applied for 2026 awards, forcing an independent selection committee of 40 community members, education advocates, and partners to weigh each applicant carefully. Evaluators scored candidates on community service, extracurricular activities, the hours they'd worked to pay for college, and the substance of their essays—a holistic approach that centered not just academic promise but character and commitment.
Thirty scholarship winners each received $5,000, split evenly between 15 rising college freshmen and 15 currently enrolled students. The freshmen are heading to schools across the country: Emily Broman from Monacan High School is bound for Christopher Newport University to study elementary education and leadership. Solomon Crewe, a Trinity Episcopal School graduate, will pursue architecture at Howard University. Kelsey Morris, Audrey Smith, Teresa Vithoulkas, and Ava Serrano are all starting at the University of Virginia in fields ranging from nursing to biomedical engineering. Others are choosing schools like Salisbury University, Lafayette College, and Indiana University, with intended majors as diverse as political science, exercise science, and music.
Among currently enrolled college students, the recipients span institutions from Virginia Tech to Syracuse. Parah Shaw is at the College of William & Mary studying Africana studies and marketing. Krishna Shukla is pursuing computer science and biology at the University of Virginia. Oscar Rosales-Martinez is at Brightpoint Community College, working toward a degree in business management and digital marketing—a reminder that scholarship support matters just as much at community colleges as at four-year universities.
Two additional students were honored through Virginia Credit Union's Member One legacy scholarship program, which carries the names of those whose contributions to the credit union and region endured long after they left office. Combined, these two recipients received $6,500.
Chris Shockley, VACU's president and CEO, frames these scholarships as investments in both individual futures and community health. "Helping our members achieve greater success is at the heart of everything we do at Virginia Credit Union, and that mission comes to life in a very direct way through our scholarship program," he said. "Each of these students has shown the kind of drive, concern for their community, and dedication to their own future that makes us proud to be their credit union."
The scholarship program was established in 1991 to honor Dorothy "Dot" Hall and Jane Watkins, former presidents of Virginia Credit Union. Three decades on, the program has become a defining expression of the institution's values—directing capital not toward shareholders but toward young people with the grit and character to make their communities better. With nearly $2 million in scholarships already distributed and a new class of 32 scholars moving forward, the message is clear: success looks like pulling others up along the way.