Thank you for supporting UW Credit Union’s Scholarship Fund

UW Credit Union's scholarship fund raised more than $1.5 million to put towards educating future students in the University of Wisconsin System and Madison Area Technical College. The campaign ran from Oct. 1 through Dec. 31, and included the campuses served by UW Credit Union locations: UW-Madison, UW-Milwaukee, UW-Green Bay, UW-Whitewater, UW-Stevens Point and MATC.

UW Credit Union started the fund with an outright pledge to each of the campuses, and then agreed to match member contributions dollar for dollar. Donations were accepted online and at any of the credit union's 15 branch offices. On top of the UW Credit Union match, some of the university's foundations would then match those amounts. So, for some campuses, a $1 gift would become a $4 donation to the campus after UW Credit Union's and the foundation's donations.

UW Credit Union has had a long lasting relationship with the campus communities it serves, and strongly believes in the importance of quality higher education for students. The funds raised are being placed in a permanent endowment, with the earnings given as aid to students who have been accepted into the schools, but are unable to afford the cost of attendance. Many of these students have earned excellent high school grades, received high test scores and are active in their communities. The schools will select scholarship recipients each year based on financial need.

UW Credit Union, a leading provider of educational loans, decided to start the fund to help keep attendance within reach of more students. Many families don't have the resources or the capacity to borrow money to cover the cost of attendance, and students can't do it alone. For example, at $6.50 an hour, students would have to work 86 hours per week to cover tuition at UW-Madison for a year.