You gave back to your community, so we're giving back to you! Apply for a $2,500 scholarship through the Loretta M. Burd Scholarship Program.

The Centra Foundation places a high value on education and the importance of individuals pursuing higher education opportunities. That’s why we offer scholarships for graduating high school seniors and adult students over the age of 22 who plan to attend a two- or four- year college, university, or technical/trade school.

Applications will be evaluated on the following criteria: academic achievements, school and community involvement, and a written essay related to financial literacy.

The Centra Foundation will award scholarships valued at $2,500 to 28 graduating high school seniors and six adult students.

Printable Scholarship Rules (pdf)

Eligibility Requirements- all requirements must be met to qualify

High School Application

• Must be currently enrolled as a high school senior and graduating in 2025.

• Must be pursing an undergraduate degree or certification at an accredited college, university, or technical/trade school during the 2025 academic year.

• Enrolled in full or part-time classes at an accredited college, university, or technical/trade school for the fall 2025 semester.

• Applicant or the applicant’s parent or legal guardian must be a Member of Centra Credit Union with an active Centra account in good standing, as evidenced in recent transactions shown in account.

• Centra Credit Union Team Members, current Centra Credit Union Board and Supervisory Committee Members, and their immediate family members are not eligible to apply for this scholarship. These individuals are eligible to apply for the Centra Team Member Scholarship.

Adult Application

• Must be at least 22 years of age as of fall semester enrollment date of September 1, 2025.

• Applicant must be a Member of Centra Credit Union with an active Centra account in good standing, as evidenced in recent transactions shown in account.

• Must be pursing an undergraduate or graduate degree or certification at an accredited college, university, or technical/trade school during the 2025 academic year.

• Enrolled in full- or part-time classes at an accredited college, university, or technical/trade school for the fall 2025 semester.

• Centra Credit Union Team Members, current Centra Credit Union Board and Supervisory Committee Members, and their immediate family members are not eligible to apply for this scholarship. These individuals are eligible to apply for the Centra Team Member Scholarship.

General Eligibility Requirements

1. Applicants receiving other scholarships are still eligible to win a Loretta M. Burd Scholarship award.

2. The Loretta M. Burd Scholarship award must be dispersed and applied to the recipient’s bursar account in the year it is awarded.

3. Students must be enrolled in a part- or full-time course of study for the fall 2025 semester or be enrolled prior to summer (June 2025) disbursement.

4. Scholarship applications must be submitted electronically through the Centra Foundation website and can be found at https://www.centra.org/scholarships. Completed application and essay must be received on or before March 9, 2025 at 11:59pm ET.

5. Guidance Counselor Verification forms are due on or before March 16, 2025 at 11:59pm ET. The application is not considered complete without a completed Guidance Counselor Verification form.

Application Instructions

1. ALL PARTS OF THE APPLICATION MUST BE COMPLETED. By completing the Release/Consent section, the student and a parent (for high school application) have pledged that all the information in the application form is true and accurate. This section serves as a signature.

2. A typed essay (see requirements below) must accompany the completed application. We recommend the applicant write the required essay in a Word document before completing the scholarship application form. The essay will need to be uploaded within the scholarship application and is only accepted in Word (.doc or .docx) or PDF format. Submitting your essay in any other file format will disqualify your application and it will not be reviewed.

3. Completed applications and essays must be received electronically on or before March 9, 2025 at 11:59pm ET.

4. Graduating high school students must obtain confirmation of grades and academic achievements from their guidance counselor. Academic information submitted by the guidance counselor must be received on or before March 16, 2024 at 11:59pm ET.

Essay Requirements

An essay written by the applicant must accompany the completed scholarship application and must meet the following criteria:

1. The applicant’s name should be included in the upper right-hand corner of the essay.

2. The essay must be typed using an 11-point font and double-spaced on 8½” x 11” paper with one-inch margins on all sides.

3. The essay should be no longer than two pages and will focus on quality of content versus the length of the essay.

4. The essay should be submitted in Word or PDF format only. Submitting your essay in any other file format will disqualify your application and it will not be reviewed.

2025 essay topic:

Imagine you are tasked with developing a financial education program. What three topics would you consider to be most relevant to students and why? Using those topics, define what financial success looks like for you and how Centra can help you achieve your financial goals.

Award Disbursements

1. The Loretta M. Burd Scholarship awards are for tuition, books, and/or other fees and will be paid directly to the two- or four-year college, university, or technical/trade school in which each recipient is enrolled for the 2025 school year.

2. All Centra Scholarship awards will be made in one disbursement made via ACH from Kaleidoscope and will be remitted to the Bursar’s or Financial Aid Office in June 2025.

3. Each scholarship winner must submit proof of enrollment from their college, university, or technical/trade school and student ID prior to disbursement.

4. If the student’s college or university has a dollar cap on the amount of scholarships they may receive for or apply to the fall 2025 semester, the student may apply their Loretta M. Burd Scholarship funds to the spring 2026 semester. If allowed by your college or university, the Loretta M. Burd Scholarship funds may also be used for essential school supplies, such as books, laptops, or lab/activity fees associated with courses.

5. If recipient withdraws from enrollment during the course of the term, recipient may be required to reimburse Centra Foundation for any unused funds.

Scoring and Selection Criteria

The Loretta M. Burd Scholarship Selection Committee reviews and evaluates scholarship applications, and the scholarship winners will be announced in April 2025.

Additional Information

For questions regarding the 2025 Loretta M. Burd Scholarship Program, contact Jenni Carr, Director of Community, 812-314-0220 or e-mail [email protected].