Meet Our 2021 Scholarship Winners!
2021: what a time to be a senior! It’s safe to say that seniors this year have learned first-hand how to conquer disappointment and hardship. They have discovered how to be flexible, especially at a time when they wished things could be scheduled as originally planned. Still, we had many students shine through difficult situations. However, the ever-changing landscape of school regulations didn’t stop the following phenomenal scholarship recipients from far exceeding their expectations.
At Meritus Credit Union, we are proud to give back to our hard-working students every year by awarding six $2,000 scholarships to eligible members who graduated from high schools in Acadia, Iberia, Lafayette, St. Martin and Vermilion Parishes. Call us sentimental, but it felt even more special this year to help these fellow graduates achieve their dreams and make sure finances would not be a deterrent in pursuing their continued education path. Join us in celebrating these incredible scholarship winners, wishing them luck for their bright futures ahead. Each individual has already accomplished so much, and we can’t wait to see how their college formation will take them even further.
Meet Bryce Stevens
Bryce will be starting at Louisiana State University, studying biology and pre-medicine. He is a graduate of Cecilia High School and is looking forward to maintaining a full plate of extracurricular activities while finding ways to help others who may not have a large platform. While the last year has had its own challenges for this senior, it has also provided Bryce with great insight for what he wants to accomplish in his career. “In the months of September through December 2020, I followed and shadowed my own pediatrician in Lafayette, Dr. Douglas Gonzalez,” Bryce explained. “This experience confirmed my love for pediatrics and helped to teach me empathy. I learned about caring, not only for children, but also how to communicate better with the parents. I was able to not only learn visually, but also was able to participate in some hands-on practice, which was extraordinary.” His ultimate goal is either to come back to Acadiana or reside somewhere in South Louisiana, and open up his own pediatric practice.
Meet Cameron Theyard
Cameron is a graduate of David Thibodaux STEM Magnet Academy. Inspired from a young age to develop his own photography and videography business, Cameron has already met this impressive goal and will continue his education in Marketing at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. He has been a dedicated student, earning the top spot of his graduating class. While studying for a future career in Marketing, he hopes to continue to grow his business, while giving back to others. “I want to mentor other young creators to give them a leg up and help them avoid the early mistakes made when building a business,” said Cameron. He ultimately wishes to become a greater videographer, photographer, filmmaker and marketing strategist, while also growing as a leader.
Meet Caylin Trahan
Caylin is our Acadia Parish scholarship winner who has graduated from Crowley High School. Her field of study will focus on nursing at LSUE this coming fall. Her dream job is to ultimately help others in the medical field or even work with animals at a sanctuary. Following college, she hopes to become a registered nurse and stay connected to her high school classmates, who she has grown up with and has shared so many experiences with. She hopes to change the world by educating others. She believes spreading more awareness and education allows more people to be motivated in staying true to their ideals.
Meet Hannah Dickerson
Hannah is a Lafayette High graduate with her eyes set on Louisiana State University to study pre-medicine. Her dream job is to become a cardiologist, in her own words, to make the world a better place. She has an ambition to “make education diverse and all-inclusive so that everyone could participate and everyone could all learn about something they enjoy.” High school was an amazing time for Hannah, and although she is sad to leave and won’t see her classmates every day, she will always remember what she was taught and the good times she had.
Meet Joshua Listi
A recent Vermilion Catholic High School graduate, Joshua is also excited to attend Louisiana State University, with a focus in pre-medicine. His dream is to become an anesthesiologist and find a cure for dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. One lesson Joshua remembers most from high school is hard work truly pays off, as evidenced by receiving this scholarship. In high school, he was incredibly involved in extracurricular activities, including campus ministry, football and National Honors Society, just to name a few. He looks forward to continuing his involvement in college by first participating in the LSU Ogden Honors program.
Meet Thomas Morris
Thomas is a proud graduate of Catholic High School of New Iberia and is looking forward to moving from the Teche area to study at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in Terre Haute, Indiana. His focus will be studying Biomedical Engineering with the hope of one day becoming a researcher in the biomedical field and saving lives with new technology. While he plans to be a devoted student, he will also be spending time on the field as a soccer player for Rose-Hulman. What stands out to Thomas the most from his high school experience is how to truly achieve success. He said, “Achieving success takes many things, mainly hard work and dedication, but any person can wake up every day, work hard, and discipline themselves. However, real success comes with sacrifice. The amount one is willing to sacrifice and give up for their success will greatly determine what they can achieve in life.”
Congratulations to all six scholarship recipients! Their dedication and achievements are inspiring and we hope the best for their future endeavors. Applications for 2022 scholarships will open January of 2022 and will be posted on our Scholarships page.