Nursing Students Receive Two-Year SECU Scholarships

Beaufort County Community College nursing students Helenah Chaplin and Callie Welch received the State Employees Credit Union (SECU) Foundation People Helping People Scholarship, a $5000 award that is distributed across two years. It is funded through monthly contributions from SECU’s 2.8 million members. Deborah Waters, senior financial services officer at the Washington branch, presented the students with the scholarship.

Helenah Chaplin is a aRIBN (Accelerate Regionally Increasing Bachalaureate Nurses) student. The allows her to take online classes through East Carolina University in addition to her classes at Beaufort County Community College to complete a four-year nursing degree in just three years.

Callie Welch, 20, is a nursing student and a Bath resident. She plans to work as a traveling intensive care unit nurse.

“These scholarships are a testament to the recipients’ hard work and determination, demonstration of leadership, and strong commitment to helping others in the community,” said Waters. “Together with the support of all 58 community colleges, we are building a solid foundation for students to be successful in obtaining a college education and rewarding career in the future.”

Scholarships are awarded to students who best exemplify the membership philosophy of credit unions, “People Helping People,” and have demonstrated leadership, excellence of character, integrity, and community involvement. Preference will be given to students whose parents or guardians and family members are public sector employees who live and work in North Carolina. Students must have a GPA of 2.5 of higher and be enrolled in an associate degree, diploma, or certificate program. Students are connected to the scholarship through the BCCC Foundation.

The SECU Foundation has awards 116 scholarships to North Carolina community college students annually, representing an annual commitment of $580,000.