United Cooperative Services awards $43K in scholarships

United Cooperative Services helped another crop of 15 member-students advance their educational dreams on July 23 when it awarded $43,000 in scholarship awards during the cooperative’s annual scholarship banquet, hosted by the co-op for students and their parents at the cooperative’s Granbury Office Community Room.

The scholarship award program was created to encourage and assist in the educational pursuits of the co-op’s members and their families in its continuing pledge to support and reinvest in the communities it serves.           

“United is more than the sum of its parts as an electric utility company,” United CEO Cameron Smallwood said. “One of our guiding cooperative principles advocates we show concern for community. And investing in the future of our communities by helping the young people we serve realize their higher education dreams is just one of the many ways we demonstrate that lasting commitment and that ideal.”

With this year’s scholarship awards, the cooperative will have staked nearly $1.5 million in college tuition funding for 960 deserving area member-students who were continuing their education. Winners are selected from among area-wide applicants based on their financial need, leadership, community involvement and school activities.

Of the 15 scholarship awards, 12 were in the amount of $2,000. The remaining top three scholarship levels were for $10,000, $5,000 and $4,000 respectively.

$10,000 Winner

Sara Heinrichs – Howard Payne University

$5,000 Winner

Karissa Howell –Tarleton State University

$4,000 Winner

Christopher Arthurs –Texas Woman's University

Local winners include:

Brett DeViney – Stephenville High School

Caroly Leija – Stephenville High School

Karissa Howell –Tarleton State University

Kailin Dowell –Huckabay High School

Madison Reed –Olson Homeschool Academy, Stephenville

Blake Stephen –Tarleton State University

Brent Stephen –Tarleton State University