July 07, 2020
Educational Credit Management Corporation (ECMC) is proud to recognize 44 high school graduates from the class of 2020 who completed the ECMC Scholars Program. These students come from six select high schools across Virginia, and each earned a $6,000 scholarship.
For the past two years, these students participated in a comprehensive mentoring program designed to help build academic and life skills. Unlike a traditional academic scholarship, students were selected to participate in the program based on their potential—not solely on their academic merit. Working in collaboration with school staff and the ECMC Scholars Program team, students spent their junior and senior years of high school actively preparing for postsecondary education.
"I am so proud of the hard work and effort each one of the students has put in to earning their scholarship and preparing themselves for postsecondary education," said Sabrina Berg, ECMC Scholars Program manager. "In a year like no other, they have overcome obstacles never seen before and they are prepared for success in postsecondary education and beyond."
The scholarship funds can be used for enrollment in a degree or certificate program at an accredited college, university or career and technical education institution. Scholarship funds can be used to help pay for tuition, fees, transportation, housing, food, books and school supplies. In addition, each class of 2020 scholarship recipient has been given the opportunity to receive personalized near-peer college coaching services provided by Beyond 12. This service provides academic, social and emotional support students need to persist in postsecondary education.
"Now more than ever, it is important to provide students with a holistic approach to helping them get to and through postsecondary education," said Paula Craw, ECMC vice president of student success and outreach. "The ECMC Scholars Program is designed to help students with challenges that may prevent them from reaching their education goals."
Since 2005, ECMC has awarded $8.7 million to 1,455 ECMC Scholars students in Virginia alone. Over the past 16 years, ECMC has awarded $18.5 million in scholarships to 3,091 students in Virginia, Oregon and Connecticut.
About ECMC
ECMC is a nonprofit corporation with a mission to help students succeed. ECMC works to lower student loan default rates; sponsors college access and success initiatives, and financial literacy programs; and provides resources to support student loan borrowers to successfully repay their loans. To learn more about ECMC's initiatives, visit www.ecmc.org/students.