July 21, 2025

Four incoming SVSU students to benefit from Wildfire Credit Union scholarship

Four incoming freshmen at Saginaw Valley State University have been named the first recipients of the Wildfire First Time in College Scholarship. Each student will receive $6,250 per year for up to four years, totaling $25,000 in scholarship support. The 2025 recipients are Marin Arnold of Essexville, Aubrey Bennett of Lapeer, Connor Mausolf of Birch Run, and Lucas Pratt, of Armada. All will begin their studies at SVSU in August.

The Wildfire First Time in College Scholarship, a donor-funded scholarship, is awarded to new, full-time freshman majoring in select business and technology fields with a minimum of a 3.0 high school GPA. Recipients are selected in partnership with Wildfire Credit Union, which established the scholarship to help make higher education more accessible for students in the Great Lakes Bay region.

“Wildfire Credit Union is dedicated to helping make financial goals more attainable, and higher education is a goal for many within the communities we serve,” said Tricia Schabel, chief marketing officer for Wildfire. “By offering significant scholarship funding and potential employment opportunities, Wildfire hopes to cultivate the skills of local high school graduates and keep their talents close to home.”

Wildfire personnel were involved in the selection process for the scholarship’s inaugural class. “The four freshmen we chose showed dedication to ongoing academic achievement as well as a commitment to supporting their communities, and we saw their positive attributes as a predictor of success in their future endeavors,” Schabel said.

“I am so thankful to be receiving the Wildfire First Time in College Scholarship,” said Pratt, who plans to major in accounting. “Receiving this scholarship showed me that there are more people in this world than just my family and friends who are willing to help and want me to succeed in life.”

Arnold, a pre-marketing major, expressed similar feelings. “Receiving this scholarship really did make me feel like people believed in me,” she said. “I feel very grateful to have been chosen.”

Bennet, who plans to study accounting, appreciates the financial support the scholarship provides. “I would not be able to attend SVSU without the financial aid I’ve received and I’m extremely grateful for it,” she said.

For more information about scholarships at SVSU, visit https://www.svsu.edu/financialaid/typesoffinancialaid/scholarships/.