Scholarships

2025-2026 Scholarship Applications NOW OPEN!

Students can receive a $1,500 scholarship from First Financial Credit Union!

At First Financial Credit Union, our goal is to give back to our community through many sponsorship and educational programs. The credit union philosophy is “People Helping People,” which has been the guiding principle of the credit union movement. First Financial Credit Union will award six scholarships to graduating seniors, six scholarships to students currently in college who have not received the scholarship in the past, and all qualifying past recipients who reapply.

Submit your application, and you could receive $750 per semester to reach for the moon! Submit your completed application before midnight Thursday, April 17th, 2025.

Requirements are as follows:

• Must be a graduating senior in good standing, planning to attend a two or four-year, accredited New Mexico college or university, or currently enrolled at a New Mexico institution of higher learning.
• Must be enrolled as a full-time student with a minimum of 12 hours and at least a 2.0 - grade point average.
• The parent/guardian or student must be a member of First Financial Credit Union. Immediate family members of volunteers and staff are not eligible. 
• Completed applications must be submitted by midnight Thursday, April 17th, 2025.

FFCU will award six scholarships to provide financial assistance in 2025 for graduating High School Seniors.

High School Senior App

FFCU will award six scholarships to provide financial assistance in 2025 for current college students who have not previously received an FFCU scholarship.

Currently in College App

FFCU will award additional scholarships to continue providing financial assistance to past First Financial scholarships recipients who are in school full-time and have maintained a 2.0 GPA.

Past Recipient App

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2024-2025 Scholarship Recipients

Total awarded $48,000
32 Scholarships Awarded

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HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS

Estrella Alire - Mesa Vista Consolidated Schools
plans to attend Northern NM College

Kristian Fernandez - Des Moine High School
plans to attend NMSU

Samantha Frame - Volcano Vista High School
plans to attend UNM

Isaac Martinez - Cobre High School
plans to attend NMSU

Naomi Martinez-Delgado - Portales High School
plans to attend UNM

Tiffany Parra - Deming High School
plans to attend Dona Ana Community College

Mariana Quezada - Deming High School
plans to attend NMSU

Liliana Tom - Myamura High School
plans to attend NMSU

Annaleigha Torres - Myamura High School
plans to attend UNM - Gallup

CURRENTLY IN COLLEGE

Shenyl Begaye - NMSU-Grants

Kahleya Chapman -  UNM

Isaiah Galaviz - UNM

Jadaa Jacobs - Western NM University

Cheryl Jim - Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Inst.

PaulineMescale - Navajo Technical University 

Mallory Montano - UNM - Gallup

Marisol Porras - CNM

PAST RECIPIENTS

Kioni Charley - NMSU
2nd Year Recipient

Elijah Chato-King - NMSU
2nd Year Recipient

Loralai Ciccarello - UNM
2nd Year Recipient

Avery Dixon - UNM
2nd Year Recipient

Melissa Erivez - WNMU
4th Year Recipient

Emma Drew-Harlow - WNMU
2nd Year Recipient

Mya Jurado - UNM
3rd Year Recipient

Sonja Lopez - UNM
3rd Year Recipient

Chanel Nez - UNM
2nd Year Recipient

Lorenzo Saldivar - UNM
2nd Year Recipient

April Sandoval - NM TECH
2nd Year Recipient

Elizabeth Silva - UNM
3rd Year Recipient

Martina Silva - UNM Valencia
4th Year Recipient

Gabriel Torres - UNM
3rd Year Recipient

Elisha Yazzie - NMSU/Dona Ana Community College
2nd Year Recipient

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2022-2023 Scholarship Recipients

Total awarded $39,000
26 Scholarships Awarded

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HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS

Autumn Cruz - Rio Rancho High School
Plans to attend CNM

Avery Dixon - Sandia Prep
Plans to attend UNM

Chanel Nez - Wingate High School
Plans to attend UNM

Elijah Chato-King - Gallup High School
Plans to attend NMSU

Emma Harlow - Ramah High School
Plans to attend NMSU

Kioni Charley - Pine Hill High School
Plans to attend NMSU

Lorenzo Saldivar - Gallup McKinley Academy
Plans to attend UNM

CURRENTLY IN COLLEGE

Alyssa Gonzales - UNM Gallup

April Sandoval - NM Tech

Benjamin Marwedel- UNM

Elisha Yazzie - Dona Ana Community College

Larren Benally - San Juan Community College

Loralei Ciccarello - San Juan Community College

PAST RECIPIENTS

Kayla Trujillo – UNM
5th Year Recipient

Martina Silva - UNM-Valencia
3rd Year Recipient

Melissa Erivez - Western NM
3rd Year Recipient

Ayden Tenorio- Okosi - UNM
2nd Year Recipient

Brianna Martinez - NMSU
2nd Year Recipient

Elizabeth Silva - UNM
2nd Year Recipient

Gabriel Torres - UNM
2nd Year Recipient

Joseph Thompson - UNM
2nd Year Recipient

Jovita Kee - NM Highlands
2nd Year Recipient

Kari Kallestewa - NMSU
2nd Year Recipient

Mya Jurado - UNM
2nd Year Recipient

Sarah Silva - UNM
2nd Year Recipient

Sonja Lopez - UNM
2nd Year Recipient

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2022-2023 Scholarship Recipients

Total awarded $34,500
23 Scholarships Awarded

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Check out these interviews with two of our 2022-2023 Scholarship recipients!

Moriah Sujkowski

Savannah Sujkowski

HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS

Kari Kallestewa - Rehoboth Christian School
Plans to attend NMSU

Angelina Largo - Miyamura High School
Plans to attend UNM

Sonja Lopez - Valencia High School
Plans to attend UNM

Marianna Quiroz - Deming High School
Plans to attend CNM

Ayden Tenorio-Okosi - Rehoboth Christian School
Plans to attend UNM

Joseph Thompson - Middle College High School
Plans to attend UNM

Gabriella Casillas - Deming High School
Plans to attend CNM

Elizabeth Silva - Miyamura High School
Plans to attend UNM

Sarah Silva - Miyamura High School
Plans to attend UNM

Gabriel Torres - Valley High School
Plans to attend UNM

CURRENTLY IN COLLEGE - New 2022 Award First Time Recipients!

Brianna Martinez - NMSU

Dulce Saldivar Hernandez - UNM

Leonard Click Jr. - UNM

Mya Jurado - UNM

Nicole Natachu - UNM-Gallup

Vanessa Herrera-Delcid - CNM

PAST RECIPIENTS

Zachary Barreras - UNM
5th Year Recipient

Jacqueline Edaakie - UNM
3rd Year Recipient

Delaney Oberg - Eastern NM University
3rd Year Recipient

Morgan Sainz - UNM
3rd Year Recipient

Melissa Erivez - Western NM University
2nd Year Recipient

Nicole Olguin - PIMA
2nd Year Recipient

Martina Silva - UNM-Valencia
2nd Year Recipient

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2021-2022 Scholarship Recipients

Total awarded $36,000
24 Scholarships Awarded

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HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS

Brandis Edaakie - Zuni High School
Plans to attend UNM

Jasmine Olivas - Albuquerque High School
Plans to attend UNM

Maggie Rose - Gallup HS & McKinley Academy
Plans to attend UNM-Gallup

Imari Saucedo - Cobre High School
Plans to attend Western NM University

Martina Silva - Belen High School
Plans to attend UNM-Valencia

Yovani Calderon - Floyd Municipal Schools
Plans to attend Eastern NM University

CURRENTLY IN COLLEGE - New 2021 Award First Time Recipients!

Allegra Hogue Makori - San Juan College
Bryannia Hall - CNM
Jovita Kee - NM Highlands University
Justin Murillo - Western NM University
Melissa Erivez - Western NM University
Nicole Olguin - PIMA-Albuquerque
Vanessa Frank - UNM

PAST RECIPIENTS

Savannah Sujkowski - UNM
5th Year Recipient

Moriah Sujkowski - UNM
5th Year Recipient

Kayla Trujillo - UNM
4th Year Recipient

Zachary Barreras - UNM
4th Year Recipient

Jacqueline Edaakie - UNM
2nd Year Recipient

Andrea Lopez - UNM Valencia Campus
2nd Year Recipient

Araelia Haskie - Western NM University
2nd Year Recipient

Caleb McReynolds - NM State University
2nd Year Recipient

Delaney Oberg - Eastern NM University
2nd Year Recipient

Gage Evans - Eastern NM University-Roswell
2nd Year Recipient

Morgan Sainz - UNM
2nd Year Recipient

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2020-2021 Scholarship Recipients