SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

Investing in Education — One Book at a Time

At Security First, we believe education is one of the best ways to give back to our community. Our Scholarship Program helps students succeed by covering book expenses, offering opportunities for members at different stages of their academic journey.

Who Can Apply

  • Must be a Security First Credit Union member

  • Membership is open to anyone who lives, works, worships, or studies in:

    • Cameron, Hidalgo, Starr, or Willacy counties

  • Membership is for life

  • Join easily at any of our nine branch locations for just $5

Scholarship Fund Distribution

  • Summer 2026 – Fall 2026: College Edition recipients

  • Fall 2026: College-Bound recipients

  • Funds may be split between Fall 2026 and Spring 2027 if needed

Next Steps

  • Review the program requirements below before applying

  • Prepare your application and supporting documents

At Security First Credit Union, we’re proud to invest in our Valley’s future leaders. From high school to higher education, we’re here to help you turn the page toward success.

 

 

Apply Today!

ONLINE APPLICATION
DOWNLOAD APPLICATION

College-Edition Recipients

Dixon Rodriguez
Pontificial John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family

Catarina Pena
University of Texas Rio Grande Valley

Juan Carlos Aguilar
University of Texas Rio Grande Valley

Andrea Perez
Texas A&M San Antonio

Vladimir Cruz
University of Texas Rio Grande Valley

Andrea Garcia
University of Texas Rio Grande Valley

College-Bound Recipients

Kimberly Suarez
James Pace High School

Alexandria Garza
Mercedes Early College Academy

Perla Mendoza
Brownsville Veteran Memorial High School

Sandra Salazar
Porter High School

Madison Hernandez
Sharyland Advanced Academic Academy

Ivan Vega-Everitt
Weslaco High School

COLLEGE-BOUND PROGRAM

🎓 College-Bound Scholarship Program

Our College-Bound Scholarship Program supports graduating high school seniors from the Rio Grande Valley who are preparing to begin their college journey. Each scholarship helps ease the financial burden of purchasing textbooks—so you can start strong and stay focused on your future.

 

  • Number of Scholarships: 9
  • Amount per Scholarship: $1,000
  • Eligibility: Graduating high school seniors who are active primary members of Security First Credit Union.
  • The applicant must be classified as a 2026 graduating high school student.
  • The applicant must be accepted into an accredited college, university, vocational school, or other postsecondary institution for the 2026 academic year.
  • Minimum cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.0 (B average) on a 4.0 scale.
  • Application of Scholarship Funds: The scholarship funds will be applied towards book expenses.

COLLEGE-EDITION PROGRAM

🎓 College-Edition Scholarship Program

Our College-Edition Scholarship Program, offering six $1,000 scholarships to support continuing education students. This program is designed for members already enrolled in college or pursuing further education, helping cover book costs as you continue to achieve your academic aspirations.

  • Number of Scholarships: 6
  • Amount per Scholarship: $1,000
  • Eligibility: Active primary members who are currently enrolled or planning to enroll in an accredited post-secondary institution or vocational school
  • Minimum cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.0 (B average) on a 4.0 scale
  • Application of Scholarship Funds: The scholarship funds will be applied towards book expenses

ESSAY REQUIREMENTS

All applications must include a typed essay OR a video answering one of the following prompts (Note: The most important thing to remember is to be original as you share your own story, thoughts, and ideas with us):

1. Share your story from your everyday life that reveals something about your character, values, and life that aligns with the culture and values growing up in the Rio Grande Valley.

2. Who has been the most influential person in your life, why?

ESSAY GUIDELINES:

  • Typed, double-spaced
  • Minimum of 500 words (College-Bound)
  • Minimum of 1000 words (College-Edition)

VIDEO GUIDELINES

  • Length: 1 to 2 minutes
  • Format: Portrait, bright lighting, clear audio, clean background
  • Show personality and creativity
  • No offensive or copyrighted materials

Video Submission:

  1. Email Submission: Include a hyperlink to your video (Dropbox, Google Drive, etc.) along with your application and supporting documents. Send to [email protected].
  2. Mail or Drop-Off Submission: Include your video hyperlink (typed) with your application materials.
  3. Online Submission: Enter the video link in the designated field within the Document Uploads section of the online form.

OTHER

  • While not required, reference letters from teachers, counselors, employers, or community leaders are strongly encouraged and can enhance your application. If unable to submit at the time of submission, please mail or email separately before the application deadline.
  • All scholarship funds will be made payable directly to the applicants attending postsecondary institutions. Funds will not be paid out to the recipients.
  • Open to Security First Credit Union employee’s children.
  • Not open to employees or children of Security First Federal Credit Union board members and senior staff.
  • Incomplete applications will not be eligible.

HOW TO APPLY

  • Online: Upload all required documents when submitting the application. Note: The application cannot be saved for later. The deadline to submit is 11:59 PM on January 31, 2026.
  • Branch Drop-off: Submit by January 31, 2026, 12:30 PM, Attention: Marketing Department / Scholarship Application. Please note: Not all SFCU branches are open on Saturday. Click here for branch hours.
  • Email: Submit no later than January 31, 2026, 11:59 PM to [email protected] with the subject line “Scholarship Application – [Your Full Name]
  • Mail: Must be postmarked by January 31, 2026. Please mail to: SECURITY FIRST FEDERAL CREDIT UNION
    Scholarship Program
    ATTN: Marketing Department
    PO BOX 4829
    McAllen, TX 78502