SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

At Security First, we are committed to serving the Rio Grande Valley community because we are from the Valley for the Valley. We proudly invest in our communities and future leaders through our annual Scholarship Program, offering valuable opportunities for graduating high school and continuing education students throughout the Rio Grande Valley (RGV).

To apply, you need to be a member of Security First Credit Union. Membership is open to anyone who lives, works, worships, or studies in the four Rio Grande Valley counties—Cameron, Hidalgo, Starr, and Willacy. And here’s the best part: once you’re a member, you’re a member for life, no matter where you go! Visit any of our nine branch locations to open your membership account—joining is just $5.


New College-Edition Scholarship Program! We are excited to announce the launch of our College-Edition Scholarship Program, offering six $1,000 scholarships to support our continuing education members in their pursuit of continuing education this scholarship is designed to help you achieve your educational aspirations. At Security First, we believe in investing in education as a cornerstone of our commitment to the Rio Grande Valley community.

 

Scholarships are accepted August 1 – January 31 of each year. Please read the requirements below for each program.

Congratulations to our 2025 Scholarship Recipients!

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 SENIORS PROGRAM

  • Number of Scholarships: 9
  • Amount per Scholarship: $1,000
  • Eligibility: Graduating high school seniors who are a primary member in good standing of Security First Credit Union.
  • Requirements:
    • Unofficial copy of high school transcripts
    • Official acceptance letter from a post-secondary institution
    • Minimum cumulative GPA: 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale)
    • Essay
  • Application of Scholarship: Fall semester of the awarded calendar year.

COLLEGE-EDITION PROGRAM

  • Number of Scholarships: 6
  • Amount per Scholarship: $1,000
  • Eligibility: Active primary members in good standing currently enrolled in a post-secondary accredited institution (trade school, vocation school, community college or university) during the awarded calendar year and has achieved a minimum of 24 college credit hours.
  • Requirements:
    • An unofficial copy of the applicant’s most recent transcript or
    • Proof of enrollment
    • Minimum cumulative GPA: 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale)
    • Essay
  • Application of Scholarship: Scholarship funds can be applied to any semester, including the summer term of the awarded calendar year.

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:

  • For email or mail: Include a hyperlink to your video on page 6 (e.g., Dropbox, Google Drive) or email to [email protected] with the subject line “Scholarship Application Video – [Your Full Name]. The link can also be copied and pasted on page 6.
  • For online applications: Include the video link in the provided field.

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, 2025.
  • Branch Drop-off: Submit by January 31, 2025, 5:00 PM at any of our nine locations, Attention: Marketing Department / Scholarship Application
  • Email: Submit no later than January 31, 2025, 11:59 PM to [email protected] with the subject line “Scholarship Application – [Your Full Name]
  • Mail: Must be postmarked by January 31, 2025. Please mail to: SECURITY FIRST FEDERAL CREDIT UNION
    Scholarship Program
    ATTN: Marketing Department
    PO BOX 4829
    McAllen, TX 78502