Meet the 2015 Scholarship Recipients

Published June 17, 2015

Each year, Maps selects some of the most exceptional area students to receive scholarships funds.

This year, the selection committee chose 12 outstanding students to receive a total of $10,500 in scholarship funds. Learn more about them and their academic and personal achievements here.

• Kayly Muniz was awarded $1,000 from the Maps Scholarship Program, which was created by the credit union’s board to honor our education roots and help local students achieve their educational goals. It is administered by the Maps Community Foundation and funded through the credit union’s Free Community Checking account. Kayly graduated from the Early College High School at Chemeketa Community College. She is a 2015 Statesman Journal Academic All-Star and a member of Phi Theta Kappa. Muniz plans to attend Portland State University to study to become a teacher.
• Juliet Hewitt of West Salem High School was also awarded $1,000 from the Maps Scholarship Program. Juliet was a four-year honor roll student who was active in volleyball, track and cross country and swimming. She plans to attend Oregon State University to study mechanical engineering with the ultimate career goals of designing prosthetics.
• Kimberly Mora Olvera received a $750 Business Partner Scholarship. The Maps Business Partner Scholarship is open to graduating seniors from North Salem, West Salem and McKay high schools who have been active members of the business and management classes for one or more years. These students staff the in-school branches and provide financial literacy education to their peers and to younger students. Kimberly, who worked in the North Salem High Vikings Branch, plans to study civil engineering and business management at Oregon State University. She played tennis and soccer and was active in the Future Business Leaders of America, placing at the state level competition in multiple years.
• Spencer Aeschliman of West Salem High School was awarded a $750 Maps Business Partner Scholarship. In addition to his work in the Titan Branch in his high school, Spencer participated on the math, soccer and track teams; played cello in the orchestra; and was part of the National Honor Society. He plans to attend Goshen College in Indiana to study physics and engineering.
• Diego Frias received scholarship assistance from two programs, $500 from the Maps Business Partner Scholarship program and $500 from the Earl Littrell Scholarship Program, which is given to graduating seniors and current college students who intend to study accounting, economics, business or a related field. It honors Maps’ long-time board member and faculty member of Willamette University’s Atkinson Graduate School of Management, the late Earl K. Littrell. Diego, who graduated from McKay High School, played tennis, worked on the Snoball committee and participated in the Willamette Academy college access program. He plans to study marketing at Portland State University.
• Timothy Slama was awarded $1,000 under the Earl Littrell scholarship program. During his high school career, Timothy was active in sports, including swimming, cross country and golf, for which he won multiple honors. He was also named the Wendy’s High School Heisman for the state of Oregon in 2014. Timothy will be studying mechanical engineering and business at Oregon State University.
• Caleb Roberts of North Salem High School received $500 from the Earl Littrell Scholarship program. Caleb, who plans to study sports management or sports marketing at Willamette University, is a 2015 Statesman Journal Academic All-Star. He served in student government, participated in basketball and track and field and attended the NAACP Youth Leadership Conference.
• Zechariah Hazel received a $500 Earl Littrell Scholarship. Zechariah, who graduated from Stayton High School, founded debate and story-telling teams, teaches guitar and fencing and served as a senator at YMCA Youth in Government. He plans to study economics at Willamette University.
• Katia Horsey of West Salem High School also received a $1,000 Earl Littrell Scholarship. In addition to her work in the West Salem Titan branch, the honor roll student also interned in multiple departments at Maps and volunteered at Students for Change. She plans to study accounting and business administration at Western Oregon University.
• Cody Faber was awarded a $1,000 Dan Penn Scholarship. The Dan Penn Scholarship was created in 2009 to honor long-time CEO Dan Penn when he retired. It is open to students from Marion and Polk Counties who plan to study business or a related field. Faber graduated from St. Paul High School and plans to study engineering, physics, or civil engineering at Pacific University. While in high school, Cody served in the Future Farmers of America, Future Business Leaders of America, band and choir, as well as playing football, basketball and baseball.
• Samantha Houston also received a $1,000 Dan Penn Scholarship. While at Stayton High School, she played soccer and was in band and jazz band. Samantha was also part of the National Honor Society and served on the planning committee for Toys for Joy. She plans to attend Chemeketa Community College to earn a transfer degree in business and Japanese in preparation for a career in international business.

The scholarship program is administered by the Maps Community Foundation, a 501(c)3 charitable organization founded to bring together the credit union’s philanthropic efforts and place an additional focus on asset-building initiatives and financial education, with a special focus on higher education. 

MCF is funded mainly through the credit union’s Free Community Checking Account. Each time a member uses their Free Community Checking debit card, the credit union donates one penny to the foundation. Other funding sources include staff donations and fundraisers and member donations.

The credit union funds a $3,500 scholarship at Western Oregon University; this scholarship is administered by the university. Maps also funds three $1,000 scholarships at Chemeketa Community College, which the college administers. One scholarship is earmarked for nursing students and the other two are open to any graduating senior who plans to pursue full-time study at the college.