With a $50,000 gift, the Vida Federal Credit Union has funded an endowed scholarship for local undergraduate and graduate students studying at the UCR School of Business and A. Gary Anderson Graduate School of Management.

“One of the biggest challenges for local students is the ability to afford college,” says Arnold Ramirez ’20 MBA, Vida’s vice president of lending and compliance and one of several UCR alumni who work at Vida (formerly Ontario Montclair School Employees Federal Credit Union). “We have seen firsthand UCR’s impact on the lives and careers of the students from our region.

“We feel this scholarship is a valuable way to have long-term impact on the local community by providing support for students to advance in their educations, careers, and civic duties.”

Ramirez says the scholarship aligns with the credit union’s values: to encourage thrift, savings, and wise use of credit. Vida serves residents who live, work, worship, or attend school in San Bernardino County and caters to the specific needs of these members. 

Scholarship recipients are selected by a faculty committee and must work or live in the San Bernardino County area, demonstrate financial need, and be in good academic standing. 

“Vida is always working to lower costs for our members within this community,” adds Ramirez and underscores the parallel goal of the scholarship: “This scholarship helps lower the costs for UCR business students from our community.”