Wescom Scholarships to Benefit Local High School Students

Wescom Credit Union in Pasadena will be supporting local students and families by providing Sylvan Learning Center scholarships as part of its overall #WescomKindness initiative, according to a company statement released Tuesday.

Sylvan Learning is one of the leading providers of personal learning in the U.S. for students in grades K-12. Sylvan has more than 750 learning centers throughout North America and uses a tutoring approach that blends amazing teachers with its proprietary SylvanSync technology on the iPad for an engaging learning experience, the statement said.

Wescom said the program, which started in 2020, will help ease the transition for Southern California high schoolers heading back to class after more than a year of hybrid or distance learning due to COVID-19.

Under the program, Wescom will donate more than $28,000 to support college-bound students through tutoring scholarships fulfilled by Sylvan Learning Centers in or near the communities where Wescom maintains a local branch.

Eighteen Sylvan Learning Centers will be awarding college preparation services this year, including college essay assistance, college coaching through the admissions process, navigating scholarships and financial aid, and tutoring for Advanced Placement (AP) program classes and courses for credit.

The scholarships will benefit approximately 30 deserving juniors and seniors attending local public high schools.

“Wescom has a longstanding commitment to supporting local communities in order to help Southern Californians build better lives,” said Melissa Pederson, Wescom Credit Union senior vice president for administration.

“We are proud to support students and their families by helping them to be college-ready. Working with partners like Sylvan, as part of our #WescomKindness initiative, we can make a difference in these students’ lives,” Pederson said.

Emily Levitt, vice president of education at Sylvan Learning, said many students have lost months of learning because of the pandemic, even with distance learning.

“We are so appreciative of Wescom’s continued support of Southern California high school students,” Levitt added. “Thanks to them, these local students will receive extra tutoring help to make sure they are better prepared for college, in addition to having access to valuable resources for college planning.”

Wescom said college-bound high school students and their families can go online and access practical information about the different ways to pay for college. The company also offers their Smart Option Student Loan by Sallie Mae, which can be an ideal solution to help families pay for college expenses not covered by scholarships, grants and federal loans.

In addition, Wescom’s GenEdge Account, designed for young adults ages 15 to 17, helps students learn how to build wealth, maintain it, and use the tools to reach their financial goals.

For more information, visit www.wescom.org/college.