BayPort Foundation Awards $100,000 in Scholarships to 10 Working Adults, 13 College Students, and 13 High School Seniors

NEWPORT NEWS, Va., June 17, 2025 – The BayPort Foundation today announced it has awarded $100,000 in 12 different scholarship types to a total of 36 member students in the surrounding local communities attending a college, university, trade, or vocational school.

Since 1961, BayPort Credit Union has supported member students in funding their educational pursuits. Over that time, it has awarded over $1 million in scholarships. Today, the credit union’s philanthropic arm, the BayPort Foundation, continues its mission to enrich members’ lives by providing tuition assistance. Scholarship applications are scored on financial need, academic achievements, school and community involvement, and a written essay. In addition, students must be pursuing a degree or certification at an accredited college, university, trade, or vocational school.

This year, the BayPort Foundation introduced two new scholarships: the Julie Heldreth Memorial Scholarship and the Wright Family Scholarship. Both scholarships are family gifts to the BayPort Foundation Legacy Giving Program, which honors those who share BayPort’s commitment and philanthropic efforts.

BayPort has partnered with WAVY-TV NBC and WVBT-FOX43 to honor its 2025 scholarship recipients as part of the BayPort Foundation Scholarship Salute recognition program. The Scholarship Salute will air daily between June 23 and July 27. For more information and to view the entire voluntary series beginning on June 23, please visit BayPort’s HYPERLINK “https://www.youtube.com/user/BayPortCU”YouTube channel.

The BayPort Foundation 2025 scholarship recipients are as follows:

• Beard-Bennett Memorial Scholarship
  • Abel Lynerd, Warwick High School
  • Adriana DeGuzman, Tallwood High School
  • Ameerah Newby, Heritage High School
  • Ashlyn Martel, Hickory High School
  • Charles Moore, III, Phoebus High School
  • Olivia Jackson, Isle of Wight Academy

• Burton P. Hill Scholarship
  • Grace Handle, Emory & Henry University

• Directors Scholarship
  • Ashton Collins, James Madison University
  • Breanna Patierno, Pennsylvania State University
  • Carson Cunningham, Virginia Tech
  • Christopher Freshwater, American University
  • Jourdan Johnson, Regent University
  • Makenna Gruchow, Liberty University
  • Panisha Johnson, Old Dominion University

• Donald I. Steppe Memorial Scholarship
  • Christian Diggs, Virginia Peninsula Community College

• George R. Dudley, Jr. Scholarship
  • Natalee Harris, Kecoughtan High School

• Julie Heldreth Memorial Scholarship
  • Cameron Cheek, Virginia Peninsula Community College
  • Malakye Brown, Virginia Peninsula Community College

• McGee Family Scholarship
  • Allison King, Virginia Peninsula Community College

• Rowe Family Scholarship
  • Katie Dodson, Old Dominion University

• Student-Run Credit Union Member Scholarship
  • Alexander Gabbert, Summit Christian Academy
  • Joshua Ray, Heritage High School
  • Mikayla Parker, King’s Fork High School
  • Sarah Campbell, Texas Christian University
  • Shelby Moore, Poquoson High School
  • Willard Davenport, III, Kecoughtan High School

• Tuition Booster Scholarship
  • Aaron Thompson, Old Dominion University
  • Chanel White, Norfolk State University
  • Jenae Tynes, Liberty University
  • Lauren Wasilausky, ECPI University
  • Lori Allen, Virginia Peninsula Community College
  • Nathalia Matthews, Virginia Peninsula Community College

• Wiatt Memorial Apprentice School Scholarship
  • Isaiah Washington, TBD
  • Melissa Westphal, Saint Leo University

• Wright Family Apprentice School Scholarship
  • Johnathan Walker, Old Dominion University
  • Peter Cortapasso, Old Dominion University

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