As part of BECU’s commitment to education and assisting outstanding students, the BECU Foundation awarded 50 BECU student-members, including Kentwood‘s Kathryn Nielsen, with $2,500 scholarships toward their college education.

For more than 18 years, the BECU Foundation has awarded the scholarships to outstanding high school and undergraduate college students.The recipients participated in all types of service projects, from creating a non-profit business, Paws for a Cause, to creating an annual Halloween food drive and being a Big Buddy for the Maple Hills Swim Team.

For Nielsen, volunteering for the Northwest Mitochondrial Research Guild’s annual fundraising auction has been particularly meaningful. Her little brother was diagnosed with an extremely rare metabolic disorder. The medical crisis itself changed her as a person in many different ways. By giving her time and energy to this cause every year, Nielsen is helping fund research to find a cure for her brother’s disease.

The BECU Foundation received approximately 500 applications and selected 50 recipients based on grades, amount of time dedicated to volunteering and an essay about their community involvement project.