Mariah Levy, a senior at Vanden High School in Vacaville and Shelbri Gates, a senior from Mare Island Technology Academy in Vallejo, are the first-ever recipients of the new Travis Credit Union Foundation scholarship, developed to motivate and support college-aged youth from underserved communities to pursue postsecondary educational opportunities.
The students were nominated by staff from First Place for Youth, a nonprofit which seeks to help foster youth build the skills necessary to make a successful transition to self-sufficiency and responsible adulthood. Both Levy and Gates participate in programming with First Place for Youth in Fairfield.
The virtual Life after High School event provided youth who have experienced financial barriers to postsecondary education with information on financial aid provided by Solano Community College, University of California at Davis, Sacramento Job Corps Center, and Travis Credit Union. This year, nearly 100 foster and homeless students from more than 30 local high schools in Solano, Napa, Yolo and Contra Costa counties participated.
“By supporting a postsecondary education after high school, we are promoting financial wellness and helping youth avoid common financial vulnerabilities, while building economic stability for themselves and the communities in which they live,” said Barry Nelson, president and CEO of Travis Credit Union.
Solano County Superintendent of Schools Lisette Estrella-Henderson welcomed students to the event. “Preparation—what this workshop is all about—is a stepping stone along the way to your lifelong success,” she said. “Seeking further education beyond high school is a lifelong investment in yourself and your community. Today, we want to empower you by sharing all of the opportunities available to turn your dreams of higher education into a reality.”
Celebrating 70 years of “people helping people” in 2021, TCU’s Awesome Cause was created to change lives and lift communities through financial wellness. For more free financial education resources, tools and opportunities, please visit traviscu.org/webinars.
Headquartered in Vacaville, California, Travis Credit Union is a not-for-profit cooperative financial institution serving those who live, work, worship, or attend school in Alameda, Colusa, Contra Costa, Merced, Napa, Placer, Sacramento, San Joaquin, Solano, Sonoma, Stanislaus, and Yolo Counties. Currently, Travis Credit Union is the 14th largest credit union in California with more than 217,000 members and more than $4.2 billion in assets.