Cornerstone Foundation Fuels Professional Growth

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The Cornerstone Foundation is proud to announce that 48 individuals have been awarded Southwest Credit Union Management School (SCMS) scholarships for 2024, totaling $67,263. These scholarships are a testament to the Foundation’s commitment to fostering professional growth and leadership within the credit union industry. 
 
The SCMS curriculum provides rising and C-suite credit union professionals with higher academic-style learning and engagement opportunities. The school’s blend of in-person, live-virtual, and self-paced learning equips students with the tools they need to enhance their business acumen, broaden their strategic vision, and develop essential leadership skills. This comprehensive approach ensures that SCMS graduates are prepared to lead their credit unions. 
 
Grant Weiland, chief operations officer for Border Federal Credit Union, is a testament to the transformative impact of the SCMS program and the scholarships provided by the Cornerstone Foundation.

“I received scholarship assistance my first two years of SCMS when I was at a smaller credit union,” said Weiland. “The assistance I received helped relieve the travel costs and class material costs that the credit union would have incurred, which was a deciding factor in my attending SCMS. I don’t know if the board of directors of that smaller credit union would have said yes if I hadn’t received the assistance that the Cornerstone Foundation offered.”

Weiland credits SCMS with having a profound impact on his career. “SCMS’s impact on my career so far has been nothing less than astronomical. I have not only gained lifelong friendships and networking beyond imagination, it has also helped me advance my career. What the program offers in terms of curriculum sets you up to expand your knowledge, but it also helps prepare you for continued success for years to come. I have no doubt that this will be the catalyst I can look back on as a defining moment in my career.” 
 
The scholarships awarded by the Foundation help alleviate financial burdens and enable recipients to immerse themselves in the SCMS experience. This support ensures that those from all credit unions can benefit from this program regardless of their financial circumstances. 
 
The Cornerstone Foundation congratulates all 48 scholarship recipients and looks forward to seeing the positive impact they will undoubtedly make in the credit union industry.

To learn more about other professional development support opportunities, visit the Foundation online today.