PSFCU names collegiate gymnast Timothy Kutyla its “2018 RISING STAR”
U. of Minnesota Junior Awarded $5,000 From Credit Union; Polish-American Athlete Sets His Sights On 2020 Olympic Games
BROOKLYN, NY (January 15, 2019) — Continuing to foster dreams of its young members, the Polish & Slavic Federal Credit Union announced today that the recipient of it’s 2018 “Rising Star” scholarship award is Timothy Kutyla, a PSFCU member and a world-class gymnast attending the University of Minnesota.
Kutyla, who is only the third student to receive the award from the Brooklyn-based credit union, will receive $5,000 to help with his studies and athletic training. PSFCU’s “Rising Star” award began a few years ago as part of its annual scholarship program to reward young PSFCU members for their achievements in the fields of sport, science, music, art, leadership or special talent.
An Olympic hopeful on the Polish national team, the 20-year-old junior competes on the University of Minnesota gymnastics squad while studying business and marketing. Kutyla was the U.S. Junior champion in the horizontal bar discipline.
“We are beyond delighted to be able to help a young credit union member attain his dream of representing Poland in the Summer Olympics,” said Bogdan Chmielewski, CEO of PSFCU. “His dedication to his sport and his studies is inspiring to all of us.”
A PSFCU member since his parents opened up his minor account, Kutyla started practicing gymnastics at the age of three. He hones his craft with a rigorous schedule that includes two-hour training sessions twice weekly beginning at 6:30 a.m., and three-hour afternoon exercises every day. In between, he attends classes and handles homework and assignments.
“I thank my credit union for this award, and will always be honored to have been chosen its ‘Rising Star,’” said Kutyla. “I hope that I will soon compete at the European Championships wearing white and red, Poland’s colors, and eventually qualify for the Olympics in Tokyo next year.”
Other athletes who have been named PSFCU’s “Rising Star” are swimmer Michael Domagala and 2016 Olympic bronze medalist in fencing, Monika Aksamit. Over the past 17 years, PSFCU has awarded more than $4.5 million in scholarships and awards to its young members.
About Polish & Slavic Federal Credit Union
Founded in 1976 by a group of Polish immigrants to help other ethnic Poles obtain mortgages, the Polish & Slavic Federal Credit Union now has 21 branches in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Illinois, a Mortgage Center in New Britain, CT and an operations center in Fairfield, NJ. In addition, PSFCU offers mortgage loans on properties located in the states of Florida and Indiana. Credit Union members can access our services through our Online Banking, accessible through our www.psfcu.com website or through our mobile app. Through its scholarship program, PSFCU has thus far granted over seven million dollars to over 6,000 students. The nearly 47-year-old credit union has over $2.5 billion in assets and serves over 114,000 members.
