Livonia, MI (April 9, 2019) – Zeal Credit Union awarded a total of $22,000 in scholarships to 11 members at its 65th Annual Membership Meeting on March 27, 2019 at the Dearborn Inn. It was the largest number of scholarships awarded in one year and raised the total amount to more than $270,000 since the scholarship program was introduced 25 years ago.

Seven scholarships of $2,000 each, honoring former credit union leaders and volunteers, were awarded to 2019 graduating high school seniors in the Detroit area. This year’s recipients are:

• Anna Sun, Detroit Country Day School, Beverly Hills, Al Williams Scholarship

• Jeswin David, Detroit Catholic Central High School, Novi, Harlan Richardson Scholarship

• Isabella Martincic, Churchill High School, Livonia, Dutch Farr Scholarship

• Kate Dmitruchina, Allen Park High School & Baker College, Allen Park, Mark Strobel Scholarship

• Selena Stafford, Renaissance High School, Detroit, Kremer-Hehman Scholarship

• Ahmed Dakhlallah, Dearborn High School, Dearborn, William Allen Scholarship

• Gabriel Quigley, Churchill High School, Livonia, Cullimore Scholarship

This year, four new scholarships of $2,000 each were awarded. Two of the scholarships were named in memory of Robert Huston, the credit union’s former CEO.  Recipients include Madeline Filiatraut, who is currently studying biology at the University of Dayton and Jessie Collins, who is pursuing a degree in psychology and chemistry at Hillsdale College.

The final two scholarships were awarded to a Zeal Credit Union employee and a family member of a Zeal employee. They are Jomayra Candelario, who works in the Financial Resolutions Department, and is pursuing an online degree in business administration from Colorado Technical University, and Christopher Lucas, son of Julia Lucas, a Zeal Credit Union employee. He is working toward a degree in Aviation Technical Operations at Western Michigan University.

“All of our 11 scholarship recipients were selected by their demonstration of how they live with character, feel with empathy and act with passion in their school and community--a reflection of our credit union’s mission,” said Tiffany Sweet, youth and community development coordinator for Zeal Credit Union. “We congratulate and applaud all of the hardworking parents, families and educators who support these students.”

Zeal Credit Union is a full-service, non-profit financial institution with more than 65,000 members, assets exceeding $600 million and 13 full-service branch offices in metro Detroit. Members also have access to more than 5,000 shared branches and nearly 30,000 ATMs nationwide. Member deposits are insured to $250,000 by the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA), a U.S. government agency. For more information about Zeal Credit Union, visit the credit union website www.ZealCreditUnion.org or call 800-321-8570.

Photo: 2019 scholarship recipients attending Zeal Credit Union’s 65th Annual Membership meeting included, from left to right, Julia Lucas, accepting on behalf of her son Christopher Lucas, Ahmed Dakhlallah, Jeswin David, Selina Stafford, Kate Dmitruchina, Anna Sun and Gabriel Quigley. Unable to attend were scholarship winners Isabella Martincic, Madeline Filiatraut, Jessie Collins, Jomayra Candelaro and Christopher Lucas.