SELCO Awards $53,000 to Lane County Students Through Annual Scholarship Program

Lane County students were among 21 in Oregon to be awarded $77,500 in scholarships, which are open to traditional, continuing, and nontraditional college students, as well as vocational students

SELCO Community Credit Union awarded $77,500 in scholarships to 21 students throughout Oregon, including $53,000 to 14 students in Lane County, as part of its annual scholarship program. Picked from a competitive field of applicants, this year’s scholarship recipients were honored at a luncheon last week at SELCO’s headquarters in Springfield.

SELCO awarded 20 scholarships, each worth $3,500, to students representing seven Oregon counties. In addition, SELCO awarded Peyton Caldwell of Eugene the $7,500 Richard Metzler Opportunity Scholarship – given to a Lane County student who demonstrates excellence in education, leadership, or civic responsibility despite adversity or lack of opportunity.

​​“Today’s students are pursuing a wide range of paths, and our scholarship program is designed to meet them where they are. The depth of this year’s applicant pool made the selection process incredibly competitive, and recipients reflect the determination, resilience, and ambition we see across our communities.”

– Olivia Sorensen, Community Development Supervisor, SELCO Community Credit Union

Part of the SELCO Steps Up philanthropy initiative, SELCO’s scholarship program aims to address the rising cost of school. Costs are the most often-cited barrier for those who aspire to attend college. SELCO’s scholarships can also be used for any educational-related expense, so they are uniquely suited to helping students meet the demands of rising costs and better meet a variety of student needs.

Recently, the program expanded eligibility to include vocational, continuing, and nontraditional students, as well as high school seniors planning to attend an accredited two- or four-year college.

Recipients were invited to a luncheon last week at SELCO Community Credit Union headquarters in Springfield. At top, from left to right: Goush Shaik, Miranda Ryker, Alexis Marshall, Charlie Joye, Abigail Green, Marissa Fox, Abigail Castelan Cordero. Bottom, from left to right: Trent Dearborn, Madison Thurman, Peyton Caldwell, Gabriela Gonzales Manuel, Tavia Zepnewski. Photo credit: SELCO Community Credit Union

As the Richard Metzler Opportunity Scholarship winner, Peyton Caldwell exemplifies what SELCO’s scholarship program aims to achieve. A senior at Willamette High School, plans to use the scholarship to study Animal Science at Oregon State University in the fall.

“Animals, especially horses, have always held a special place in my life,” Caldwell wrote in her scholarship application. “Being around them brings me a sense of peace and purpose that nothing else does. They are more than just animals to me. They are my therapy, my teachers, and my constant motivation. No matter what challenges I face, spending time with animals reminds me why I am passionate about this path.”

To qualify, applicants must be a SELCO member or the immediate family of a SELCO member. Applicants must also have a GED or cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 (or a 3.0 GPA in their last college term) and plan to attend a vocational school or an accredited two- or four-year college/university.

The 2026 SELCO Scholarship recipients from Lane County are:

$7,500 Richard Metzler Opportunity Scholarship

$3,500 SELCO Scholarships

SELCO started its scholarship program in 1991 as an important component of its mission to help members reach their financial and educational goals. In the past three years alone, SELCO has awarded more than $230,000 to students taking the next step in their education.

For more on the recipients, visit selco.org/steps-up/scholarships/2026-recipients/.

For more information on the scholarship program or other SELCO Steps Up programs, visit www.selco.org/steps-up.

About SELCO Steps Up:
The SELCO Steps Up program aims to create positive, innovative, lasting change through volunteerism, resource support, and collaboration with community partners. In 2024, the first year of SELCO Steps Up, SELCO volunteered nearly 1,400 hours and reinvested nearly $415,000 in the communities it serves through educator grants, scholarships, and impact-driven sponsorships. As a credit union founded by teachers, education is a cornerstone of these efforts, with a focus on removing barriers to financial literacy. By empowering individuals and families to achieve financial well-being, SELCO strives to build a strong foundation for all its members and neighbors. Learn more at www.selco.org/steps-up.

About SELCO Community Credit Union:
Founded in 1936 by a group of fiscally minded teachers, Springfield-based SELCO Community Credit Union today serves more than 150,000 members as one of the largest and longest-standing Oregon-based credit unions. A not-for-profit, federally insured, member-driven financial cooperative with more than $2.9 billion in assets, SELCO provides exceptional rates and low fees on a full range of financial products and services, including banking, mortgages, personal and business loans, investment management, and property & casualty insurance. Membership is available to anyone who lives or works in one of the 27 Oregon or eight Washington counties SELCO serves. For more information or to become a member today, stop by one of SELCO’s 15 branches, visit selco.org, or call 800-445-4483.