Show us Your Leadership and We’ll Show You The Money!

Do you have talented staff under the age of 30? Are you looking for opportunities to hone and develop their leadership skills? The Texas Credit Union Foundation (TCUF) and Southwest CUNA Management School (SCMS) have joined forces to invest in the future of the credit union system through the SCMS C2C Scholarship – Connect to Collaborate!

The Scholarship? Up to $2,899 (tuition for 2010 SCMS summer session) – The full amount of tuition paid by the student’s credit union will be reimbursed for one student. Odds are better than 1 in 34 to win! At the end of the 1st year session of SCMS, the student’s classmates will vote on who among the under 30 group exhibited the most leadership on campus. Simple majority wins. In the event of a tie, the scholarship will be split. We will announce the winner during the July 21 graduation ceremonies.

Who is eligible? Credit union professionals under the age of 30 as of August 1, 2010 who are enrolled in the July 2010 first year SCMS session. The credit union must be affiliated with their state league. Enrollment closes at 55 students.

What’s in it for the student?

• Connect - opportunity to network and learn side by side with current and future credit union leaders and the school's highly acclaimed faculty.
• Collaborate - peer to peer mentoring.
• Added value for the 1st year students under the age of 30 
  - a special leadership packet – top secret contents!
  - additional bonus opportunities are in the works, like an invite to join 2nd year faculty member, marketing and branding expert, Mark Arnold, for lunch on campus.
  - VIP seating with industry leaders during graduation.

What’s in it for the credit union?

• Connect your rising leaders to a phenomenal credit union network.
• Collaborate with your student(s) as work is done to create a strategic business plan for your credit union.

To encourage and mentor up and coming credit union leaders, SCMS C2C will also hold a casual chat for all SCMS students and alumni under the age of 30 on July 20, after the annual alumni/student auction dinner. Watch www.scms.coop additional details. Wait until you see who is coming to campus to spend time with this group!

A huge thank you goes out to Brent Dixon, Mark Arnold, and PTP New Media for helping me get C2C from concept to reality!

Have questions about SCMS? Contact Director and Synergist, Janine McBee at 800.442.5762x6634, jmcbee@scms.coop or tweet @SCMSJanine.

(No scholarship application is required!)

Comments

[Kent Sugg]

I have to admit, when I walked into my first class at SCMS in the summer of 2007, I was a bit intimidated. Here I was 23 years old, a supervisor of the smallest branch in my $1.5 billion dollar CU, and I was suddenly in the company of CEOs, EVPs, and many people who had been running CU's longer then I had been alive. I don’t think there was a person of less importance to their CU than me in the room. But within days, thanks to the activities and atmosphere of SCMS, what had started as a room of intimidating leaders quickly became of a room full of colleagues, mentors, and friends.

By the end of week one, I was completely consumed by passion and purpose. While at home in Oklahoma over the weekend, I found myself unable to sleep. I had all these thoughts and ideas running through my head. Before I knew it I was up with a pen and a pad of paper making notes and goals about what role I would play in this thing we call the “Credit Union Movement.” My wife thought I was crazy (and I probably was.)

I came back to school energized and ready for anything they could throw at me, and SCMS didn’t disappoint. I found myself stepping up wherever and whenever I could. I took on every challenge and learning opportunity I could find. Then something amazing happened. On Tuesday, the second-to-last day of class, Cheryl, the CEO of her CU, leaned over to me one break and said that she was going to nominate me to be President of the class. WOW, what an honor!! It was great to know that I had made a big enough impression to even be considered for such an honor. Then election day came…There were 8 of us that got nominated for the position of President. They had written our names on the board and asked us to step outside. Suddenly I was out in the hall with a group of amazing and influential leaders of their credit unions. I was just honored to be among them.

As I walked back into the room, I glanced up at Janine and she had a big grin on her face. I looked at the board and my name was the only one left. It took a second for me to realize what just happened. There I was 23 years old (5 years younger then anyone else in the class) and I had just been elected by a group of influential and brilliant Credit Union leaders to represent them as their Class President. WOW doesn’t even do it justice!

Two years later, I found myself up on stage bidding farewell to the Class of 2009. I realized something, this is what SW CUNA Management School does to you: It helps you Achieve the Impossible!

SCMS provides the opportunities; it’s up to you to STEP UP TO THE CHALLENGE!! You won’t regret it…

Kent Sugg, SCMS
President, Class of 2009

[Janine McBee]

Kent, thanks for taking the time to share your experience. I would add that during your SCMS experience, you also served a sabatical term with the Filene Research Institute team. And now, you're working to free your schedule to hopefully join us on campus this summer for the casual SCMS C2C chat with young credit union professionals.

The new ideas, energy, passion and innovation coming from our younger credit union professionals keeps credit unions exciting. Seeing natural mentorship relationships form is refreshing.

Let's keep working together to innovate forward!

[Robbie Wright]

Tremendous idea Janine. I can't wait to see this come to fruition!

[Janine McBee]

Robbie, thanks for the note. I feel like a kid in the candy store as I visit with folks about coming in to join us for the casual chat. I'm waiting until we get closer to announce who in case schedules change. It will be a super opportunity to young credit union professionals to network and build mentor relationships. Just wish I were younger so I qualified to be in the chat environment. Maybe I can get adopted in and be an honorary under 30 member!