SALEM — Twenty-eight local students are heading into their next chapter with help from Maps Credit Union and the Maps Community Foundation.
The foundation awarded more than $70,000 in 2026 scholarships to students across the region, with individual awards ranging from $2,500 to $3,500. The money will support students pursuing universities, community colleges, trade schools and career training programs.
For many recipients, the scholarships mark more than a financial award. They are a sendoff into fields that will shape the region’s future, including nursing, engineering, behavioral health, environmental studies, business, accounting, public policy and the arts.
“Supporting education is a key part of how we invest in the long-term strength of our communities,” Kim Hanson, executive director of the Maps Community Foundation, said in the announcement. “When students of all ages are given the opportunity and support to pursue their goals, the impact reaches far beyond the classroom.”
The 2026 awards include four named $3,500 scholarships. Emily Harris of West Salem High School received the Phil Frey Memorial Scholarship and plans to study chemical engineering at Oregon State University. Madelyn Miller, also of West Salem High School, received the Dan Penn Scholarship and plans to study finance and criminal justice at Western Colorado University.
Nadalyn DeLaRosa of McNary High School received the Gordon Sawser Memorial Scholarship and plans to study accounting at the University of Oregon. Chase Stoddard of Silverton High School received the Earl Littrell Scholarship and plans to study business administration at Corban University.
Another 22 students received $2,500 Maps Credit Union Scholarships. Recipients came from high schools across the Mid-Willamette Valley and beyond, including South Salem, McKay, Sprague, North Salem, McNary, Silverton, Central, Cascade, Woodburn, West Salem, Astoria and Wilsonville high schools. The list also included students from Early College High School, John F. Kennedy High School, Blanchet Catholic High School and a homeschool/Willamette Career Academy student.
The scholarship class reflects a wide range of goals. Some recipients are preparing for health care careers in nursing, dietetics, nutrition, pre-medicine, neuroscience and human physiology. Others are pursuing mechanical engineering, environmental engineering, environmental policy, fisheries and wildlife conservation, political science, economics, finance, theater and Japanese.
Maps also awarded two $2,500 non-traditional scholarships, recognizing students who are continuing their education later in life while balancing school with work, family or other responsibilities. Madalena Martin is studying behavioral health at Chemeketa Community College, and Marina Frolov is studying sociology at Western Oregon University.
The scholarship program connects directly to Maps’ roots. The Salem-based credit union was founded in 1935 by educators, and its community foundation continues to support education, financial literacy and local nonprofit work.
For this year’s recipients, the awards are one more step toward college classrooms, training programs and careers that could bring their skills back into Oregon communities.
