Keesler Federal Credit Union Provides Scholarships for Employees to Enroll at USM

Thu, 08/01/2019 - 02:39pm | By: Van Arnold

For the second straight year, Keesler Federal Credit Union has awarded scholarships to employees seeking enrollment as undergraduate students in The University of Southern Mississippi’s College of Business and Economic Development.

Last year Keesler Federal – headquartered in Biloxi, Miss. -- launched the Keesler Employee Education Program (KEEP), with four employees being admitted to USM as part of an exclusive collaboration with the University. An additional four students have earned the scholarships for 2019 and are currently undergoing the admissions process.

The program is designed for part-time students taking USM business courses online. The scholarship covers 100 percent of the cost associated with earning an undergraduate degree, including registration, tuition, books, labs, fees, proctor fees and related up-front expenses.

“It is exciting to have Keesler Federal Credit Union investing in the education of their employees in this way and we are proud they have chosen Southern Miss,” said Dr. Bret Becton, Dean of USM’s College of Business and Economic Development. “We welcome these four new scholarship recipients to the College of Business and Economic Development and look forward to playing an important role in their future career success.”

Ruth Montana, Director of Human Resources at Keesler Federal, pointed out that the scholarship program falls directly in line with the company’s pledge to help employees reach their full potential.

“At Keesler Federal, providing pathways for our employees to grow and achieve their academic, personal, and professional goals is an integral part of our organizational culture and philosophy,” she said. “In 2018 one of our strategic objectives was to create a culture of trust, teamwork, accountability and service to the member as a way of life. With that objective in mind, leadership focused on developing our team, and members will hopefully also will benefit through a better banking experience.”

To learn more about the College of Business and Economic Development at USM, call 601.266.4659 or visit: https://www.usm.edu/business/index.php