Next Generation of Credit Union Leaders Sought

2006 WYCUP Scholarship Call For Nominations

Madison, WI-Credit union leaders age 35 and under are invited to submit a nomination for the World Council of Credit Unions, Inc. (WOCCU) Young Credit Union People Scholarship. The WYCUP scholarship, which consists of an all expense paid trip to the 2007 World Credit Union Conference in Calgary, AB, Canada, will be awarded to five participatns at this year's Conference held in Dublin, Ireland, July 27-30, 2006.

By recognizing and promoting the next generation of leaders in the international system World Council aims to ensure the future sustainability of the international credit union system. Credit unions and credit union organizations affiliated with World Council are encouraged to participate in this aim by identifying and nominating their next generation of credit union leaders to compete for the WYCUP Scholarship.

2005 WYCUP winner Sherri Fogwill calls the WYCUP program an "amazing experience." She says, "It was a fantastic opportunity to speak to people from all over the world about what is working for them in their credit unions. It was a chance to share ideas and appreciate the work of the system worldwide. I enjoyed every moment and would encourage anyone under 35 to apply to the WYCUP scholarship program."

The WYCUP Committee, consisting of six WOCCU board members, will select the winners of the 6th annual WYCUP scholarship. In reviewing the nominations, the Committee looks to reward those individuals who have already made a significant contribution to the development of their credit union, regional or national credit union system and also have the potential contribute to the international credit union movement.

To be eligible for the WYCUP scholarship, nominees must: 1) be sponsored by their credit union or credit union organization to attend the World Credit Union Conference held in Dublin, Ireland, July 27-30, 2006, 2) be 35 years of age or younger on January 1, 2006, and 3) submit a completed nomination form, with all necessary supporting materials, to WOCCU no later than Friday, June 2, 2006.

In Ireland, WYCUP nominees will be uniquely recognized at the conference as the next generation of credit union leaders and are invited to take part in events organized specifically for those ages 35 and under, including a networking session. Registrants age 35 and under, regardless of whether they choose to compete for the scholarship, also qualify for a discounted conference registration fee.

Further information about the WYCUP Scholarship is available in the "Get Involved" section of the WOCCU website. The nomination form can be downloaded at https://www.woccu.org/involve/docs/wycup_pdf_english.pdf. The deadline to submit a nomination for the WYCUP Scholarship is Friday, June 2, 2006.

For more information on WYCUP please contact Kim Johnston, WOCCU marketing & communications officer, at kjohnston@woccu.org or (608) 231-7130.

World Council of Credit Unions (WOCCU) is the global trade association and development agency for credit unions. WOCCU promotes the sustainable development of credit unions and other financial cooperatives around the world to empower people through access to high quality and affordable financial services. WOCCU advocates on behalf of the global credit union system before international organizations and works with national governments to improve legislation and regulation. Its technical assistance programs introduce new tools and technologies to strengthen credit unions' financial performance and increase their outreach.

WOCCU has implemented more than 275 technical assistance programs in 71 countries. Worldwide, 53,000 credit unions in 100 countries serve 188 million people. Learn more about WOCCU's impact around the world at www.woccu.org.