RICHLAND, WA (May 28, 2025) |
Gesa, a leading credit union in Washington dedicated to driving meaningful change in the communities it serves, today announced the recipients of its Scholarship Program for the 2025–2026 academic school year. This year, the program awarded more than $145,000 in scholarships to 43 students across the Pacific Northwest.
Since 1987, Gesa has awarded more than $1.2 million in scholarships to students who have active student loans, are entering college for the first time, are continuing to pursue higher education, or are interns in the credit union’s High School Credit Union (HSCU) Program.
Through the HSCU Program, student interns help operate fully functional, student-run branches within their high schools. Now offered in 18 partner schools across Washington, the program offers a unique opportunity for students to gain real-world experience in financial services while developing leadership, financial literacy and career skills that prepare students for life beyond graduation.
“Each year, I’m blown away by the quality of our students’ applications and how clearly they’ve thought through using these funds to support their next steps,” said Brandon Allison, AVP of Community Impact at Gesa Credit Union. “Helping reduce the financial barriers to education is one of the many ways we are committed to empowering the next generation of leaders in our communities. These students are driven, focused, and ready to make a difference, and we’re proud to support their journeys.”
The credit union’s Scholarship Selection Committee and Gesa Community Foundation selected this year’s recipients for the Scholarship Program. The recipients for each category include:
Continued Education
- Tracy Lee Glesener (President’s Choice) – Pasco
- Brooklyn Diane Washburn – West Richland
- Emma Liisi Almquist – Richland
- Oscar Jaime Ochoa – Moses Lake
- Reese Owen Fairchild – Kennewick
- Teairra Chantel Pounds – Pasco
Entering Freshman
- Navaj Nune (President’s Choice) – Richland
- Piper Jo Palomarez (President’s Choice) – Richland
- Aaliyah Robertson – Kennewick
- Alberto Barragan – Yakima
- Hardy Joe Shattuck – Pasco
- Kimberly Barragan Abarca – Kennewick
- Leilani Sullivan Jungblom – Cusick
- Lexi Kay Almquist – Richland
- Luke Albert Christensen – Walla Walla
- Randy James Binner – Wenatchee
- Sydney Rae Olson – Richland
- Wilbur Robert Mead – Seattle
Loan Repayment
- Cassie Ann Huber – Centralia
- Lemuel Gitari – Spanaway
- Micaela del Rocio Peralta Galarza – Pullman
- Mindi Westbrooks – Olympia
- Trung Bui Ly Vo – Seattle
- Vanessa Karina Madrigal – Tacoma
High School Credit Union Program
- Lizbeth Linette Lopez Alcantar (President’s Choice) – Richland
- Ruth Plaza Cossio (President’s Choice) – Pasco
- Alexia Zoey Lopez – Kennewick
- Alis Magdaleno – Richland
- Ashley Bravo Rosales – Pasco
- Ashton Berwick – Puyallup
- Dawson William Berwick – Puyallup
- Elizabeth Hernandez – Kennewick
- Isabella Kaelyn Peterson – Spokane Valley
- Jeraldine Alvarez Hernandez – College Place
- Kairi Marie Riley – College Place
- Maya Belete – Renton
- Mauricio Estevez – Yakima
- Rylan Rivera – Liberty Lake
- Son Q Ha – Renton
- Sofia Yanez – Pasco
- Sydney Rae Olson - Richland
- Trynity Ayn Van Gelder – Spokane Valley
- Valeria Jisel Valdivia Gomez – Kennewick
Applications for the 2026-2027 scholarships will open on December 1, 2025. To learn more about Gesa Credit Union and its scholarship program, visit www.gesa.com.