ONTARIO, CA, UNITED STATES, April 27, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — On Monday, April 20, ArrowHeart Foundation, the 501(c)(3) nonprofit of Arrowhead Credit Union celebrated its 2026 ArrowHeart Scholarship recipients at the Toyota Arena in Ontario, California.
The arena was filled with scholarship recipients, their families, friends, and loved ones. Emcee Darin Woinarowicz, Arrowhead Credit Union President/CEO, along with Chris Wright, Arrowhead Credit Union SVP, Administration, as well as Stefanie Villalobos, VP Philanthropy & Community Impact, and ArrowHeart Foundation Executive Director, announced the winners, provided highlights of each recipient, such as where they are going to school, their field of study, and then presented their scholarships on stage. Although recipients knew they were being awarded a scholarship, each learned the dollar amount at the event which helped bring surprise and excitement to the evening.
“This awards ceremony is the culminating event of our program,” said Villalobos. “It is always a pleasure to bring our members together to celebrate them and their many accomplishments. And the highlight of the event is seeing the faces of the recipients when they discover how much they are receiving in scholarship.”
In total, $401,000 was awarded to 182 students — the highest dollar amount and largest group of recipients to date. Now in its fifth year, the Scholarship Program has awarded $1 million to students, all of whom are members of the Credit Union.
This year, ArrowHeart surpassed the 10-year goal of distributing $1 million in scholarships to Arrowhead members. The ArrowHeart Scholarship Program supports one of the three key pillars of the ArrowHeart Foundation: food security, housing stability, and education.
The Scholarship Program is open to Arrowhead members in good standing who are enrolled or accepted into any higher education program, including college, trade school, professional, or certificate programs. Recipients come from all backgrounds, and each has unique goals and aspirations.
A Career of Helping Others
Two-time scholarship recipient Madyson Miller is a pre-nursing major at Northern Arizona University and will be applying to nursing school this summer. Her goal is to receive a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, followed by a Master of Science in Nursing. She hopes to become a Nurse Practitioner (NP) specializing in Pediatric Oncology. She is honored to be chosen again this year and is grateful for the opportunity the scholarships have given her.
“When I first received this scholarship, I was graduating from high school and moving to another state to go to college,” she said. “This scholarship helped me move with a sense of financial responsibility and stability that I wasn’t sure I was going to have. It was my first time living somewhere that wasn’t with my family and this scholarship gave me the opportunity to branch out of my comfort zone and pursue life goals that once might have seemed out of reach.”
Miller’s mother, Tiffany was also at the ceremony to support her daughter’s accomplishment. She said, “It’s so rewarding to see her dedication and hard work pay off. And to follow her passions. I hope she’s happy and fulfilled in her career.”
Miller has chosen a career that will help others and she sees that spirit in Arrowhead Credit Union and ArrowHeart. “Arrowhead Credit Union is a prime example of an organization that truly cares about its members and team members. I have been a personal witness to all of the amazing things that ArrowHeart does for their community and now I get to say that I have become one of the people that Arrowhead and ArrowHeart have helped and cared for.”
A Giving Voice
Four-time scholarship recipient Caden Henderson is a junior at University of Redlands who aspires to be a professional sports broadcaster. He is well on his way. Caden hosts his own YouTube sports show called Caden’s Center.
Henderson was first awarded a scholarship in 2023, when the ArrowHeart Scholarship Program became available to the Credit Union membership, and has since been awarded a scholarship each year. The scholarship money has mostly been used for textbooks and supplies. “It’s been a real help,” he said.
His mother Jill agreed. “It’s an honor,” she said. “I’m so proud of my son and all his accomplishments. It’s such a lovely experience every time we come here.” Speaking about the scholarship, she said, “Honestly, it is a lifesaver and it has decreased our stress during the college experience.”
Inspired Siblings
Siblings Brooke and Shawn Holtz, both recipients of an ArrowHeart Scholarship, are going into careers that have been inspired by those around them.
Brooke who is majoring in social work at California Baptist University said volunteer work with ArrowHeart inspired her to become a social worker. “I volunteered in 2022. We did a backpack drive and food drive, and that inspired me to get into social work.”
Brooke, who is in the Honors Society at her school, plans to earn her master’s degree after she graduates.
Her brother Shawn is currently at San Bernardino Valley College working towards a certificate in welding with hopes to continue on into trade school. Shawn said his father, who works in sheet metal, inspired him to choose this career. “I always saw it as a good trade for me to have,” he said.
Unlike traditional scholarships that come with stipulations, the ArrowHeart Scholarship goes directly into the recipient’s Arrowhead account and can be used at their discretion. For Brooke and Shawn, their awards will help them buy books for their classes.
A New Path
Khai Nguyen is in the Master of Business Administration graduate program at University of California, Riverside. A three-time recipient of the ArrowHeart scholarship, Nguyen is pursuing a degree that is quite different than his undergraduate degree – visual design.
“It’s a pivot from my undergraduate studies,” Nguyen said. “I wanted to learn something new, that’s why I’m studying business administration.”
He’s grateful for the Scholarship Program and how it is helping him with this educational shift. “With the scholarship, I can focus on my studies,” he said. “Graduate school is expensive and the support from the Foundation means a lot to me.”
Nguyen encourages others to apply, “I would encourage everyone to apply because I understand how valuable it is to the education journey.”
A Heart for Community
Mabel Morris Dugbartey a three-time scholarship award winner, has always had a passion to help the people in her community. She is currently pursuing her master’s degree in social work at Barry University.
“I’ve always had a passion for people and community,” she said. “I love helping people, I love understanding people, and one of my passions is children and the youth.”
This passion was inspired by her parents and a mentor when she was young who suggested she could develop her passion for helping people into a career as a social worker. With this scholarship, she feels she can continue to pay for books and tuition with a little less worry.
Morris Dugbartey was thrilled to be at the ceremony and listen to the inspiring words from the Credit Union team. “It’s time to be great, it’s time to do more,” she said, “I love when the CEO (Darin Woinarowicz) is speaking because I leave with something in my spirit. I’m encouraged to be great and do more.”
Her parents were also at the event and expressed their joy and gratitude when they heard their daughter had won the scholarship again. They said, “We’re excited to hear that our daughter got the scholarship. This scholarship goes a long way.”
“I’m like a proud Dad,” said Woinarowicz. “Our vision for a scholarship program for our members has exceeded our expectations. In five years, we hit our $1 million goal and for us, this is only the beginning.”
For more information about the Arrowhead Scholarship Program, visit arrowheadcu.org/scholarship.
About ArrowHeart Foundation
ArrowHeart Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization established by Arrowhead Credit Union in 2013. Their philosophy of “people helping people” is at the center of what they do. The work they do and the funds they raise stay local and benefit the people and communities served by Arrowhead Credit Union. Visit arrowheadcu.org/arrowheart for more information.
About Arrowhead Credit Union
Arrowhead Credit Union was established in 1949 and is dedicated to building strong communities. Arrowhead has $2.7 billion in assets and serves more than 200,000 members across the United States. Visit arrowheadcu.org for more information.
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Billy Wagner
Arrowhead Credit Union
+19095321385 ext.
email us here
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