WYCUP Scholarship Connects Young Professionals to a World of Opportunity

MADISON, Wis.—The nomination period for the 2021 WYCUP Scholarship program is now open and will run through May 31.

The program spotlights young professionals under the age of 40 with a desire to engage internationally and a passion for applying their talents to our shared global challenges. The program recognizes emerging leaders who have demonstrated leadership through contributions to their credit union, community or cooperative financial system. Young professionals from credit unions, financial cooperatives, CUSOs and regional or national associations are welcome to apply.

The WYCUP Scholarship is made possible thanks to the generous support of CUNA Mutual Group. Up to five scholarship recipients will connect with a world of financial cooperatives, traveling to Glasgow, Scotland to attend the 2022 World Credit Union Conference. In addition, scholarship recipients will join the WYCUP Affiliates Council, sharing their insights and applying their talents as they engage with leadership from young professional networks around the world.  

An integral part of Worldwide Foundation for Credit Unions’ Bridge the Gap campaign, WYCUP is bridging the leadership gap for young professionals around the world. What began as a scholarship program to raise the voice of emerging leaders on the global stage, WYCUP is inspiring the next generation of leaders and redefining the relationship between young people and financial cooperatives.

Scholarship nominees must submit a completed 2021 WYCUP Scholarship Application Form, including a video essay that demonstrates their passion for financial cooperatives and contributions to the sector. Videos from previous scholarship recipients can be found here.

To be eligible for the WYCUP scholarship, individuals must:

• Be 40 years of age or younger on January 1, 2021.
• Demonstrate leadership, personal commitment and the potential to influence credit unions or financial cooperatives within or outside their country.
• Be an active employee and/or volunteer with a credit union, financial cooperative, CUSO or regional/national trade association affiliated with a member organization of the World Council.
• Not have been a previous WYCUP scholarship recipient or a current World Council of Credit Unions employee.

WYCUP is unique among professional networks, sharing global perspectives and empowering emerging leaders who are empathetic, innovative and better prepared to lead financial cooperatives to a brighter future. While financial cooperatives support local solutions, young professionals connected through WYCUP are applying that local success to our shared global challenges. In the process, they are changing the relationship between financial cooperatives and young people everywhere. WYCUP is investing in young leaders today to ensure the shared success and sustainability of credit unions and financial cooperatives tomorrow.

WYCUP (World Council Young Credit Union Professionals) - a program of Worldwide Foundation for Credit Unions - empowers emerging leaders with global perspective to be part of the solution. Join us and enrich professional journeys through financial cooperatives everywhere. www.wycup.org.

Worldwide Foundation for Credit Unions is the fundraising and engagement arm of the World Council. Join us on a global journey to transform a billion lives worldwide using credit unions. Visit www.doglobalgood.org to start your journey today. 

World Council of Credit Unions is the global trade association and development platform for credit unions. World Council 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. World Council 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.

World Council has implemented 300+ technical assistance programs in 90 countries. Worldwide, 82,758 credit unions in 97 countries serve 404 million people. Learn more about World Council's impact around the world at www.woccu.org.

Contact: Greg Neumann
Organization: World Council of Credit Unions
E-mail: gneumann@woccu.org
Phone: +1 608-395-2048

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