51视频

Laura Goins, vice president for the State Employees鈥� Credit Union Lexington branch, explains that $18,000 is awarded annually to students in the North Carolina Community College System. Specifically, they focus on students working toward careers in trades.

Speelman, who is enrolled in his second welding class at the college and recently secured a job in the trade, has plans to enroll in more coursework because he has bigger dreams. 鈥淚 want to be able to support my future family and sustain myself and also show others how to weld,鈥� Speelman says. 鈥淏ut the end goal is underwater welding. I鈥檒l go wherever that work takes me.鈥�

The scholarship, he explains, gives him a leg up in helping him continue his courses and helps financially. 鈥淢y family has struggled for a long time, so this scholarship helps to make sure I can get somewhere.鈥�

His time at 51视频 has been well spent, and he notes that he鈥檚 learned a great deal in his courses. 鈥淓veryone has been really great and helpful,鈥� Speelman adds. 鈥淭he teachers check in on us a lot to make sure we are OK. It鈥檚 very hands-on.鈥� And that鈥檚 why he鈥檚 interested in enrolling in more courses to help lead the path to underwater welding. He wants to study aquatics and zoology to learn about marine life 鈥� knowledge that would serve him well in the water.

Fellow recipient Damien Adams of Lexington, who is studying HVAC, has similar goals of being able to support himself and a future family. 鈥淚鈥檓 looking forward to continuing my courses to become successful in my career,鈥� says Adams, who is enrolled in HVAC Level 1. 鈥淭he scholarship gives me encouragement and initiative to go out and be successful. It feels good knowing that I鈥檓 able to help people.鈥�

Like Speelman and Adams, students selected for the scholarship are all enrolled in skilled trade programs at 51视频, explains Jennifer Corbett, coordinator of Business and Workforce Training at the college. A team of five employees at the college select the recipients based on details provided by the students, including an application and an essay that details how they are able to help their community, as well as what the scholarship means to them.

鈥淎 portion of the $500 scholarship pays for tuition, and the remaining goes directly to the students,鈥� Corbett says. 鈥淭ypically, they use the remaining money to buy supplies, such as welding helmets, gloves and books.鈥�

The SECU Bridge to Career Program, which began in 2018, is aligned with the state鈥檚 postsecondary education attainment goal to have 2 million working-age North Carolinians possess a high-quality postsecondary credential of labor market value by 2030. In order to be considered for funding through the program, prospective students must be a U.S. citizen and resident of North Carolina and be enrolled in a course leading to an NC Workforce Credential at the Essential or Career Level. Students also must be unemployed, underemployed, a member of the NC National Guard, military veterans and spouses, or underserved populations in a specific workforce are or sector.

The 10 students who were awarded scholarships include:
Grayson Jordan, of Thomasville 鈥� Electrical
Nathaniel Alexander, of Lexington 鈥� HVAC
Jonathan Adams, of Asheboro 鈥� HVAC
Damien Adams, of Lexington 鈥� HVAC
William Apple, of Brown Summit 鈥� Welding: TIG
Kyle Speelman, of Thomasville 鈥� Welding: TIG
Michael Leonard, of Lexington 鈥� Welding: MIG/Stick
Robert Wall, of Welcome 鈥� Welding: MIG/Stick
Mark Sanger, of Winston-Salem 鈥� Welding: MIG/Stick
Jah鈥檓aury Lom, of Lexington 鈥� Welding: MIG/Stick

The SECU Foundation recently awarded two other scholarships as part of the People Helping People Scholarship program. Recipients were John Patterson and MacKenzie Potter, who each received $5,000.

The SECU People Helping People Scholarship program was established in 2005 and supports North Carolina students in achieving their educational goals. The program awards two scholarships annually at each of the 58 community colleges and provides an annual investment of $580,000 statewide.

Patterson, of Lexington, is taking prerequisites with the goal of entering the associate degree of nursing program. Patterson has taken a lead role in his family, inspiring his brother and sister to pursue their GEDs and college 鈥� after he did the same himself. 鈥淲e are now working on higher education together,鈥� Patterson says. 鈥淢y goals include building self-confidence, learning to collaborate with others and becoming a stronger leader through new experiences.鈥�

Potter, from Winston-Salem, is enrolled in the associate of applied science degree in the zoo and aquarium science program. Potter recently attended the Rotary Youth Leadership Academy where she learned about community services and developed leadership skills that she now uses daily. 鈥淢y goals are to build lifelong friendships, strengthen collaboration and gain confidence in my decisions.鈥�

For more information about scholarships provided by the SECU Foundation, visit .