May 23, 2025
The FirstLight Community Foundation is proud to announce the 2025 recipients of its expanded scholarship program, awarding $50,000.00 in support of higher education. This year’s program drew over 720 applications from more than 50 high schools across El Paso, Fort Bliss, and Las Cruces-marking one of the Foundation’s most competitive years to date.
"We take great pride in the achievements of the youth in our region. At the FirstLight Community Foundation, our mission is rooted in empowering and supporting the next generation as they pursue higher education and lifelong success, "said FirstLight Federal Credit Union President & CEO Margie Salazar. Out of a total of 720 applications in 2025, FirstLight Community Foundation’s review panel selected 35 recipients for a total of $50,000.00 in scholarships.
"Our annual golf tournament continues to be a vital source of support for our scholarship program. This year, we exceeded our fundraising goals, allowing us to maintain our commitment to funding educational opportunities," said FirstLight Federal Credit Union Senior VP of Marketing & Community Impact, Anthony T. Walker. "Our volunteers and employees work to continually build awareness, sponsorships, and in-kind donations to support our area scholars," added Mr. Walker.
Instead of the traditional paper-driven scholarship application model, FirstLight Community Foundation partnered with Paso del Norte Community Foundation and Kaleidoscope to drive a Gen Z-friendly online experience. Also, instead of a written essay, students were able to upload videos answering how the scholarship would benefit them, their family, and their community.
Immanuel Christian School graduate and scholarship recipient, Israel Molina, will be attending UT Austin and studying economics with a goal of becoming a lawyer. He says this scholarship will allow him to, "Use his education to help others, especially people in border communities like mine, who often face legal troubles and financial challenges without knowing where to turn."
The FirstLight Community Foundation will host their 5th Annual FirstLight Community Foundation Golf Classic on October 9th. To learn more about sponsorship packages, visit 5th Annual FirstLight Community Foundation Golf Classic.
FirstLight Federal Credit Union is a local financial cooperative serving over 109,000 members in the El Paso, Fort Bliss, and Las Cruces communities. Founded in 1955 by nine pioneers to help military and civilian personnel, the credit union has grown to $1.5 billion in assets serving El Paso, TX and Doña Ana, NM counties. Since 2018, the FirstLight Community Foundation has donated over $150,000 in student scholarships while providing funds to local food banks to mitigate food insecurity. For more information about FirstLight or our Community Foundation, visit www.firstlightfcu.org.
