State Employees' Credit Union Members Award Scholarships to Martin Community College Students

Williamston, NC -- State Employees' Credit Union (SECU) members, through the member-funded SECU Foundation, presented two $1,250 scholarships to two Martin Community College (MCC) students Miranda Meldick and Cuong "Kevin" Pham. Each recipient will also be eligible for up three more semesters of scholarship assistance for a total of $5000. They were selected from among seven applicants by a committee. Due to COVID 19, SECU representatives deferred the presentation of the scholarships to President Beddard.

Meldick, a resident of Windsor, joined MCC's PTA program after graduating from both Bertie Early College High School and MCC in May of 2021. The Early College program made it possible for her to earn a tuition-free Associate in Science degree and a high school diploma simultaneously. Although Meldick is only 18 years old, her multiple credentials made her a very strong candidate for the highly competitive PTA program at MCC.

Meldick stated, "After I graduate, I plan to remain in North Carolina and work as a PT assistant. This scholarship means a lot to me because it makes me want to work even harder to graduate."

Pham, currently a resident of Greenville, and the son of Vietnamese immigrants, was born in California and moved with his mother to North Carolina as a young child. He eventually joined the US Marine Corps and honorably served his country for eight years.

Upon leaving the military, Pham searched for a career where he could assist veterans. After considering several options, he felt a strong connection to MCC's PTA program.

Pham also feels that the SECU Scholarship will motivate him to work harder and successfully finish the program. "It's a big honor to receive this scholarship," he stated.

When Pham completes the PTA program, he plans to seek employment in a VA (Veterans Administration) hospital or clinic located in Eastern North Carolina.

Based on the Credit Union philosophy of "People Helping People," these scholarships recognize the recipient's desire to obtain a college degree and change their lives - as well as the lives of others -- for the better. Scholarship funds will be applied to tuition and other expenses associated with their community college education.

State Employees' Credit Union's local Advisory Board member Judy Jennette comments, "My fellow SECU members and I are dedicated to helping North Carolina students succeed in their pursuit of higher education. The SECU Foundation 'People Helping People' Scholarship program allows us the opportunity to provide resources for many deserving individuals to attain their educational goals through our State's excellent community college system. As a representative of SECU's membership, I am very pleased to award these scholarships to Miranda Meldick and Kevin Pham."

The NC SECU Foundation established its "People Helping People" scholarship program to assist students attending North Carolina's Universities and Community Colleges, in attaining their educational goals. Since its establishment in 2005, the "People Helping People" scholarship program represents an annual commitment of over $5 million, with a collective total of over $76 million. Annually, SECU members provide two $5,000 scholarships to each of the 58 community colleges in North Carolina.

SECU is a not-for-profit financial cooperative owned by its members and has been providing employees of the State of North Carolina and their families with consumer financial services for 78 years. The Credit Union also offers a diversified line of financial advisory services including retirement and education planning, tax preparation, insurance, trusts, estate planning and investments through its partners and affiliated entities. SECU serves 2 million members through 254 branch offices, over 1,100 ATMs, 24/7 Contact Centers and a website, www.ncsecu.org. The SECU Foundation, a 501c(3)charitable organization funded solely by the contributions of SECU members, promotes local community development in North Carolina primarily through high impact projects in the areas of housing, education, healthcare and human services.