FORUM Foundation Awards Scholarship and Grant Recipients

This reception honors the Foundation’s educator grant and collegiate scholarship recipients. FORUM has awarded more than $307,000 in classroom grants and $1,500,000 in scholarships since 2014. This year, the Foundation awarded fourteen educators, seven new scholarship students, and 21 prior year recipients who are renewing their scholarships.

The following educators received grants, in various amounts totaling $29,990, for their classrooms: Leah Averitt, Northwest Middle School; Sarah Dobbins, New Palestine Intermediate School; Chelsea English, Shortridge High School; Peter Felice, Our Lady of Lourdes; Nancy Ferguson, Arlington Elementary School; Allan Figy, Greenwood Community High School; Nicole Heflin, Westfield High School; Amanda Hoffman, Stony Creek Elementary School; Elisha Pepperman, Oaklandon Elementary School; Sierra Reed, Prairie Trace Elementary School; Thomas Rohlfs and Taylor Elamon, Whiteland Community High School; Jaleen Royer, Plainfield Community Middle School; Kevin Self, Lawrence Central High School; Matthew Wernke, Carmel High School.

The following students received $5,000 collegiate scholarships, renewable for up to four years totaling $20,000 each: Jaden Atha, Westfield High School; Leonardo Cuevas, Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory School; Tiberius Henson, Lawrence North High School; Ava Scheele, Indiana University; Nadiyah Tai, Fishers High School; Daniela Villatoro, Warren Central High School.

Now in its second year, the Jenny Budreau Commitment to Community Scholarship recognizes a FORUM Foundation Scholarship recipient for academic excellence and community service. The scholarship provides an additional $2,500 per year, for a potential total of up to $30,000 over four years. This year’s recipient is Taylor Powell, who attends Lee University.

Applications for educator grants are now open for the 2026/2027 school year. Educators in Marion and surrounding counties are encouraged to apply for classroom grants before September 1, 2026, and recipients will be announced by October 1, 2026. The application for collegiate scholarships will be available on October 1, 2026, and recipients will be announced in the spring of 2027. Teachers and students can apply online. For more information on the FORUM Credit Union Foundation, please visit forumcu.com/foundation.

FORUM Credit Union’s mission, Helping Members Live Their Financial Dreams, is reflected as FORUM endeavors to help members achieve their goals in all aspects of their financial lives. FORUM serves families and businesses in the state of Indiana with convenient branch locations and online access from anywhere.  A full suite of financial services is offered including home mortgages, auto loans, personal checking, credit cards, business checking, commercial lending, insurance services, health savings accounts, and investment planning.  For more information, please visit forumcu.com.

Megan Carich

 317.558.6292