Each year, Credit Union 1 is proud to offer the Bill Countryman Scholarship program to Alaskans in pursuit of higher education goals. These scholarships celebrate our roots as an Anchorage teachers’ credit union and our passion for lifelong learning!
-
Aeia D. (Eagle River) – Aeia is an outdoor enthusiast with a distaste for rock climbing and a goal of inspiring and educating the minds and bodies of her fellow community members, so that they can live their lives to the fullest. She is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology and will later work toward a Doctorate of Physical Therapy.
-
Alexa H. (Anchorage) – Alexa is currently balancing her studies, collegiate softball, volunteer activities and faith in her third year of college. She is driven by a passion to help those who are sick or hurting, and intends to do that from the administrative side of healthcare. Upon graduation, she hopes to return home to Alaska to pursue a career in healthcare management.
-
Aspen R. (Anchorage) – Aspen is a community-minded individual who advocates for community involvement and the important role it plays in our lives. She is a licensed pilot with plans to travel all over Alaska, gaining experiences, meeting people and collecting stories. She intends to study toward her Associates of Applied Science in Air Traffic Control.
-
Catalina B. (Kenai) – Catalina knew she wanted to go into a trade, enjoying days of hard work that resulted in bringing a car back to life or completing home repairs. She found her passion in welding and is pursuing a certificate in Welding Technology. She hopes to inspire future generations to embrace opportunities to learn a trade.
-
Claire S. (Anchorage) – Claire's interests are vast and she proudly pursues skills and experiences across the outdoors and fine arts. Inspired by her mother's role as a special ed teacher in an elementary school and her own volunteerism in the classroom, Claire intends to enroll in a speech-language pathology program after high school.
-
Emagale C. (Kodiak) – Emagale was raised with strong ties to the land, culture and traditions, and her community. She is currently majoring in Environmental Studies with a minor in Alaska Native Studies. Emagale hopes to use what she learns to support Alaska Native communities and
help protect the lands and waters that sustain us.
-
Hayley T. (Nome) – Hayley is passionate about preserving and sharing knowledge, traditions and experiences, always eager to support others so her community can thrive. Encouraged by family and colleagues, she is now pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Child Development and Family Studies, with the goal of empowering future generations.
-
James T. (Anchorage) – Jamez has a talent for turning dreams and big ideas into reality. He is currently working toward his master’s degree in Urban Health. He strives to make the hospital experience more welcoming and healing for transgender people and influence systems change that will foster health within transgender populations.
-
Jeremy M. (Kodiak) – Jeremy believes in the importance of community and collaboration, and he makes an effort to recognize areas where he can help support his neighbors. He will be pursuing a degree in engineering with the goal of improving renewable energy systems and reducing our environmental impact.
-
Jillian D. (Anchorage) – Jillian enjoys school, community service, baseball and travel. Through her interactions in life, she learned the power and importance of relationships, connection and community. She maintains involvement through regular volunteerism across various local nonprofit organizations. In college, she intends to major in architecture and interior design.
-
Layla T. (Homer) – Layla has a black belt in taekwondo, a talent for book memorization, life coach certification, and volunteer hours with various organizations supporting women and youth. She plans to obtain a bachelor’s and master’s degree in counseling so that she can return to Alaska and commit to supporting her community and making a bigger difference.
-
Melody K. (Kodiak) – Melody is passionate about travel and lifelong learning. She hopes to earn a bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering and ultimately pursue a career with NASA. All the while, she intends to contribute to her community as a Certified Nurse Aide, an interest she developed through a high school course that will ultimately result in her certification.
-
Morgan H. (Kodiak) – Morgan has a strong respect for nature and a love of art and pottery. She intends to pursue and bachelor's degree in biology with a minor in art. In the future, she hopes to research how our climate and ecosystem are constantly evolving to accommodate human expansion and discover a way to help clean up our oceans.
-
Nasteho O. (Anchorage) – Throughout her life, Nasteho has learned to be resilient, adaptable and appreciative of any and all opportunities that have come her way. She plays an active role in her family and community, and hopes to continue to learn, serve her community and make her family proud. Nasteho is currently pursuing a degree in Business Management.
-
Roman F. (Anchorage) – Roman brings an inspiring level of dedication to everything he pursues. He is an athlete, honor student, tutor, and regular volunteer at the local food pantry. He believes that consistent, everyday actions in support of our neighbors helps build connected, resilient and more equitable communities. He is pursuing studies in Mechanical Engineering Technology.
-
Rylee L. (Ninilchik) – Rylee is very familiar and comfortable with hard work. She worked five summers in the commercial fishing industry, held various leadership roles in her school and community, and volunteered over 150 hours with local organizations. She will be pursuing a career as a Neo-Natal Nurse Practitioner.
-
Samuel K. (Soldotna) – Samuel is an avid disc golf player and enjoys bringing people together, fostering spaces where everyone is welcome. Samuel intends to pursue a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and use this degree to become a teacher, a field he learned to love and appreciate while substitute teaching.
-
Seinab M. (Anchorage) – Seinab has embraced many roles throughout her journey, including student, tutor, volunteer and employee. During her senior year of high school, she became a Certified Nurse Aide. Her experience volunteering with children at an urgent care center solidified her passion for pediatric nursing and inspired her goal of becoming a pediatric nurse.
-
Susan P. (Wasilla) – Susan is a mother, nurse and student. She overcame obstacles early on that taught her she wanted to be a nurse. Now, she is proudly pursuing her Master of Science in Nursing with the goal of becoming a family nurse practitioner, allowing her to expand her scope of practice, improve access to care and advocate more effectively for patients.
In total, we’re excited to give $39,000 in scholarship funds to the above CU1 members! We’d also like to extend special thanks to all talented applicants who applied for our 2026 Bill Countryman Scholarship. While reviewing each and every application, we were proud to see how so many of you are expanding your education to help make Alaska an even better place to live.
.png)
