Broadview Scholarship 2026

The Broadview Scholarship Program supports students and families by providing 93 Scholarships totaling $152,500. The scholarship categories are:

Broadview Initiative Scholarships

Value: $2,500 each

Quantity: 12 scholarships

Eligibility: 

• Applicant must be a Broadview member.

• Currently enrolled or have accepted admission to an accredited college or university in New York State.

• The Initiative Scholarship recognizes students who demonstrate leadership, creativity, and a willingness to take action. Applicants should show how they have identified opportunities to make a positive impact and taken the initiative to lead projects, solve problems, or contribute meaningfully to their community.

Honoring: Paula Stopera, Robert Berroyer, John Ilacqua, Jean Myers, Weidner “Ed” Davis, Ed Gilligan, Dr. Carmen Cornute, Harold Horning, Judy DeLong, Robert Cornute, and Tim Jennings for their board commitment and dedication to our legacy credit unions and embracing the credit union philosophy of “people helping people”

We want to hear your story, in your own voice. While tools like spell‑checkers or grammar assistants can help you polish your writing, your essay should reflect your personal experiences, thoughts, and perspective. You’re welcome to use AI tools for light proofreading or grammar support, but please avoid using them to write, rewrite, or heavily edit your responses. Essays that feel authentic and genuinely represent who you are help our reviewers better understand you and your journey. Thank you for taking the time to share your story with us, we are excited to learn more about you!

Essay Question 1: Community initiatives begin with individuals who care. What community issue matters most to you, and what role have you played, or do you hope to play, in creating meaningful change?

Essay Question 2: Describe a time you identified a need in your community and took action to address it. What motivated you, what steps did you take, and what impact did your efforts have?

Volunteer Work: Your community involvement matters. In the application, you’ll be asked to provide information about any volunteer work you’ve completed since January 2023. Please be prepared to share the organization name, a brief description of your service, the hours dedicated, and your active dates.

Broadview General Scholarships

Value: $1,500 each

Quantity: 80 scholarships

Eligibility: 

• Applicant must be a Broadview member.

• Currently enrolled or have accepted admission to an accredited college or university in New York State.

We want to hear your story, in your own voice. While tools like spell‑checkers or grammar assistants can help you polish your writing, your essay should reflect your personal experiences, thoughts, and perspective. You’re welcome to use AI tools for light proofreading or grammar support, but please avoid using them to write, rewrite, or heavily edit your responses. Essays that feel authentic and genuinely represent who you are help our reviewers better understand you and your journey. Thank you for taking the time to share your story with us, we are excited to learn more about you!

Essay Question: Credit unions are founded on the philosophy of ‘People Helping People.’ Describe a time when you helped mentor, guide, or support someone in your life or community. How does this experience reflect the values of cooperation, service, and financial responsibility?

Volunteer Work: Your community involvement matters. In the application, you’ll be asked to provide information about any volunteer work you’ve completed since January 2023. Please be prepared to share the organization name, a brief description of your service, the hours dedicated, and your active dates.

The Maggie Smith Service Scholarship

Value: $2,500

Quantity: 1 scholarship

Eligibility: 

• Applicant must be a Broadview member and resident of Rensselaer County.

• At least a graduating high school senior or college student.

• Currently enrolled or have accepted admission to an accredited college or university in New York State.

• Applicants must have a minimum 3.0 GPA (B letter or 90 numeric grade) with experience in community service.

• Applicants having personally experienced and/or active in fighting against food insecurity will be prioritized.

Honoring: Maggie Smith for her commitment to service and advancing the fight against hunger in our communities.

We want to hear your story, in your own voice. While tools like spell‑checkers or grammar assistants can help you polish your writing, your essay should reflect your personal experiences, thoughts, and perspective. You’re welcome to use AI tools for light proofreading or grammar support, but please avoid using them to write, rewrite, or heavily edit your responses. Essays that feel authentic and genuinely represent who you are help our reviewers better understand you and your journey. Thank you for taking the time to share your story with us, we are excited to learn more about you!

Essay Question: Broadview prides itself on the model of community service and “people helping people” by supporting our community with investments of our time, talent, and treasure.  Addressing food insecurity is a focus area of our philanthropic support and finding solutions to combat food insecurity requires both community action, and individual efforts. Share a personal experience that has shaped your understanding of food insecurity and what you believe are steps individuals can take to create a positive impact in their community. 

Volunteer Work: Your community involvement matters. In the application, you’ll be asked to provide information about any volunteer work you’ve completed since January 2023. Please be prepared to share the organization name, a brief description of your service, the hours dedicated, and your active dates.

To be eligible for any of these scholarships, you must be a member of Broadview Federal Credit Union when you submit your application. Students are encouraged to apply for all scholarships for which they are eligible. Each applicant is limited to one scholarship per year. Individuals may only receive a scholarship in alternating years. Any applications received from individuals awarded a scholarship in 2025 will not be considered. Full-time, part-time, seasonal or temporary employees of Broadview and its subsidiaries are not eligible.

Essays must be 400 - 650 words or fewer. If an essay is longer, judges will only read the first 650 words. We want to hear your story, in your own voice. While tools like spell‑checkers or grammar assistants can help you polish your writing, your essay should reflect your personal experiences, thoughts, and perspective. You’re welcome to use AI tools for light proofreading or grammar support, but please avoid using them to write, rewrite, or heavily edit your responses. Essays that feel authentic and genuinely represent who you are help our reviewers better understand you and your journey. Thank you for taking the time to share your story with us, we are excited to learn more about you!

All application material must be received by May 4, 2026. All applicants will be notified of our decision by late May 2026. For all scholarships, you must be a Broadview member, at least a graduating high school senior or college student, and currently enrolled or accepted admission to an accredited college or university in New York State. A letter of acceptance or tuition bill noting your attendance to the eligible schools is required with your application. Scholarship checks will be made payable to selected students and their college.

For the Maggie Smith Service Scholarship, applicants must also reside in Rensselaer County and provide their most recent transcript or report card, noting a minimum 3.0 GPA (B letter or 90 numeric grade).