Michigan Credit Union Awards $10K in College Scholarships

Four Michigan students are heading to college with financial support that transforms their educational dreams into reality.

Soo Co-op Credit Union announced its 2026 Nick Gerrish Scholarship recipients this week, awarding $10,000 total to member-owners pursuing higher education. Drake Stec, Ashley Dzelak, and Granger Desormeau each received $2,500 scholarships, while Jessie Maeder was awarded the $1,500 Bay Mills Community College Scholarship.

The scholarships reward more than good grades. Students submitted essays outlining their career goals and explaining how the financial support would help them succeed, demonstrating their commitment to building meaningful futures.

"We are honored to support these exceptional students as they pursue their educational dreams," said Lynda Ellis, President and CEO of Soo Co-op Credit Union. "Each recipient has demonstrated a strong commitment to their future, and we are proud to invest in their continued success."

The Ripple Effect

The Nick Gerrish Scholarship Program started in 1986 with a simple mission: help credit union members afford college. Forty years later, that commitment has blossomed into something remarkable.

The program has now awarded more than $289,000 in scholarships to students across Michigan's Upper Peninsula. That's hundreds of young people who gained access to education, careers, and opportunities they might not have reached otherwise.

Each scholarship represents more than tuition money. It's a vote of confidence in young people, a community saying "we believe in your potential." Those students go on to become teachers, nurses, engineers, and community leaders who remember the support they received.

Credit unions operate on a cooperative model, meaning members own the institution together. When Soo Co-op invests in scholarships, it's literally a community investing in its own future.

This year's winners will carry forward that legacy of community support, hopefully remembering to lift up others as they climb.