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VyStar Credit Union helps transform student futures with full scholarships to FAMU and BCU

ORLANDO, FL (May 30, 2025) |

VyStar Credit Union is proud to announce the award of two one-year college scholarships totaling two years of support to two deserving Florida high school seniors through the Stanley Tate Project STARS (Scholarship Tuition for At-Risk Students) Program. These scholarships, made possible in partnership with the Florida Prepaid College Foundation (FPCF), will support students as they begin their higher education journeys this fall at Bethune-Cookman University and Florida A&M University.

“Supporting education is at the heart of VyStar’s purpose,” said VyStar SVP and Foundation President Patricia McElroy. “We are proud to collaborate with the Florida Prepaid College Foundation to offer these scholarships. This initiative not only eases the financial burden for these students but also empowers them to achieve their academic and career goals, fostering a brighter future for them and our community.”

Meet the 2024 VyStar Project STARS scholarship recipients:

  • Josiah Loving, Jones High School, Orlando, Florida (Bethune-Cookman University)
  • Kymberlee Etienne, Jones High School, Orlando, Florida (Florida A&M University)

Project STARS is Florida Prepaid College Foundation’s flagship scholarship program, created to give hope and opportunity to students who face significant life challenges. Funded through private donations and legislative support, the program helps students who show academic promise and perseverance in the face of adversity.

Through a partnership with the FPCF, scholarship recipients are selected based on their commitment to staying crime-free, drug-free, and excelling academically. Each recipient is paired with a mentor to help guide them through the transition to college and beyond, giving them the tools to succeed.

Learn more about the Stanley Tate Project STARS Program and the Florida Prepaid College Foundation at https://www.floridaprepaidcollegefoundation.com/scholarships/stars/

To learn more about VyStar, please visit vystarcu.org

Vystar Credit Union

VyStar Credit Union is the second-largest credit union headquartered in Florida, with 79 full-service branches across Florida and Georgia, 1 million members and assets of over $14 billion. VyStar is the top mortgage lender in Northeast Florida and a major employer in the region with over 2,500 employees across the communities it serves. VyStar membership is open to everyone who lives or works in the 49 contiguous counties of Central to North Florida, 29 Georgia counties, and past and present military members and their families all over the world. VyStar members have access to 55,000 surcharge free ATMs worldwide. For more information, visit vystarcu.org, and follow us on Facebook, Instagram,  X (Twitter), and LinkedIn. 

Contact

Charlene Shirk
Asst. Vice President of Public Relations
shirkc@vystarcu.org

Florida Prepaid College Foundation

Since its founding in 1990, the Foundation has committed to giving aspiring students the opportunity to build a better future for themselves and our state by providing college scholarships funded through partnerships with individuals, businesses, educational foundations, and the Florida Legislature. The Foundation administers several innovative scholarship programs, including Project STARS and the new Challenge Match Scholarship Programs, designed to help students achieve their dream of earning a college education. To date, the Foundation has awarded more than 58,000 Florida Prepaid College Plan scholarships, and more than 36,000 Foundation scholarship recipients have gone to college using their benefits. The Foundation is the 501(c)(3) direct support organization for the Florida Prepaid College Board. To learn more about the Florida Prepaid College Foundation, visit here.

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