SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

Scholarship Program

Stay tuned. Scholarships will be open this Fall!

College-Edition Recipients

Ivan Vega-Everitt
Texas A&M University College Station

Alexandria Garza
The University of Texas at Dallas

Ivan M. Gonzalez
University of Texas Rio Grande Valley

Luis X. Vasquez
University of Texas Rio Grande Valley

Orlando Ruiz
University of Texas Rio Grande Valley

Nicolas J. Capetillo
Texas Tech University

College-Bound Recipients

Juan J. Garza
Mercedes Early College Academy

Sylvia Reyna
Edinburg High School

Roberto Liguez
McAllen High School

Hector Zuniga
Mercedes High School

Jordan Vela
Sharyland Pioneer High School

Ava Olivarez
Weslaco High School

Gabriel Guzman
Edcouch-Elsa High School

Lauren Longoria
San Benito High School

Caylie Montalvo
Missions Veterans Memorial 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