Ignite My Future Scholarship

Meet the 2024 Ignite My Future Scholarship Winners

We received applications from many passionate, dedicated teen members. Making a final selection is always difficult, and this year was a particularly challenging task with so many well-qualified applications. We’re tremendously proud to see so many teens dedicating their time to our communities and the people in them.

Now, let’s meet our 2024 Ignite My Future Scholarship winners…

Samantha Sunderhaft | Kenston High School

Samantha has been a committed volunteer for over a decade. She is a regular part of BREATHE at Holy Angel’s Church, where she serves as a program guide and companion to special needs children. She raises money for the “A Kid Again” charity and gives back to her community as a Girl Scout. But Samantha found a true calling in the wake of the pandemic when she observed the staggering impact that isolation and new anxieties had on the mental health of her fellow students. Through research, planning, and community collaborations, Samantha organized a week of mental health awareness and support during suicide prevention month. Her efforts brought in therapy dogs and donated chair massages, easily accessed resources on suicide prevention, and even an expert guest speaker. With a continued emphasis on mental health, Samantha continues her quest to spread the message that “every mind matters.”

Logan Bass | Firelands High School

Logan began his pursuit of volunteering in elementary school. While his parents played a crucial role in promoting the value of volunteering, seeing the joy and enthusiasm on the faces of his peers during volunteer-run book fairs at school cemented just how important it is to give back. Since then, Logan has been a volunteering jack-of-all-trades; gravitating towards whatever project needed the most support. His passion for service has directed him into scouting, with many hours spent in the Boy Scouts of America on a path toward becoming an Eagle Scout. “One of the best ways to have an impact on my community is to become a better leader and start leading by example,” says Logan.

Supporting Students

Are you a teen with a passion for supporting the community? You may be eligible for the Ignite My Future Scholarship, available exclusively for Club Ignite members. Each year, FFCCU will award two (2) $1,000 scholarships to deserving high-school students. Our 2024 application period has closed and winners will be announced April 15, 2024. The application period for our 2025 scholarship award runs from December 1, 2024 – January 31, 2025.

KUDOS!

Emily answered my text quickly (on a Saturday morning!) and helped me promptly with my request. I love the text feature at FFCCU!!

Amanda J.

Clicked the “Live Chat” button, asked my question, got my answer literally within a minute. THIS is what support from a banking institution should be like. Thanks so much for your help!

-Ryan M.

I cannot thank Tilisha Champ at the Willoughby branch enough for going above and beyond to get my auto loan approved. She was a pleasure to work with her. Words can’t express how appreciative I am. I...

-Percaker G.

Jashira got me all set up with opening a new account and linking it to the old one – all over live chat. Super knowledgeable and took less than 10 minutes! Thanks so much for your help!

-Michele

I called about a car loan for my daughter, who is a student, and Sumintra helped determine the best option. I have been a member for 25+ years, and always get great answers and help with our financial...

Sandy

FFCCU made wrapping up my new car loan as easy as anyone could ever hope! What more can you ask for?! Thanks, Firefighters Community Credit Union, always!

-Dawn B.

Thanks to LeeAnn for walking me through a fraud case on our debit cards. She is a perfect example of the fine member experience at FFCCU – always so helpful. Folks like her make me glad I’m a me...

-Chris S.

Thank you to LeeAnn, for the prompt response to my online question. Our family has benefited from over 30 years of outstanding service with Firefighters Community Credit Union.

-Jeffery K.

The FFCCU team went above and beyond to help my 16-year-old get onto her mobile app. They were very helpful and kind. Definitely #peoplehelpingpeople and #CUDifference!

-Donna P.

I work with banks and credit unions on a daily basis, and FFCCU goes above and beyond to help its members. Thank you all for making the process easy to understand and treating me like a person.

-Jennifer

Thank you to Tonja, who was very professional, organized, and helpful in processing a refinance. The entire team has been the best experience in service out there.

-Dan F.

I’d like to give Kudos to Sue Whitt!! She always made herself available to answer phone calls, was prompt in providing documents in a way convenient to my work schedule, and found an expedited resolut...

-Frank D.

More Kudos!

Rules and Eligibility Information

Applicants in grade 12 must be planning to enroll in a full-time undergraduate course of study at an accredited two- or four-year college or university, or accredited trade or vocational school.
Students in grades 9-11 must be planning to attend a tuition-based high-school or taking courses for college credit, with out of pocket tuition expenses, in the upcoming fall semester.
The scholarship money is applied to the upcoming fall semester tuition.
ALL requested information must be received for application to be considered.
Scholarship funds will be made payable to the institution specified by the winners.
Scholarship winners must agree to allow their name and information to be published by the credit union for promotional purposes.
This is not a one-time scholarship. However, applicants must complete a new application to be considered for each academic year.

Past Winners

Additional Info to Know

Restrictions

FFCCU employees and board members, and their immediate family members (siblings, parents/guardians or grandparents, or any family members living in the same household) are not eligible.

Selection Criteria and Scoring Procedure

The selection committee, comprised of FFCCU Board Members and Teammates, will individually evaluate each application without identifying information. Applicants will be considering community involvement, essay, and cumulative GPA. The selection committee will not review any additional information given. FFCCU will complete a scoring sheet for each application by each selection committee member. The highest scoring applicants will move to a final round where FFCCU judge panels will determine the winners.

Submission Deadline

Please follow the submission instructions outlined on the application webpage, available 12/1/23. Applicants must submit electronically. FFCCU will not consider applications delivered in person. If you do not follow directions thoroughly, your application will not be considered. The complete application must include all the required supplements. Students must submit their applications no later than January 31, 2024.

Award Notification

FFCCU will notify only winners of the Ignite My Future Scholarship. Checks will be made payable to the educational institution that the applicant has chosen to attend and mailed directly to that institution. Firefighters Community Credit Union asks that each recipient allow the credit union to use their name and photograph in promotional materials and press releases.

For additional questions please contact Alyssa Garcia Evanoff, Chief Marketing Officer, at aevanoff@ffcommunity.com

Bill Deighton

Bill has over 40 years of experience in credit unions and previously served as Chair of the Board of Directors for 30 years. Bill is a retired Captain of the Cleveland Fire Department. Along with his credit union experience, he has served for 16 years on the Ohio Police and Fire Pension Fund Board. He believes that credit unions are powered by providing the best customer service to members. Bill volunteers at St. Ambrose Parish and the Fire Museum renovation. Bill and his wife live in Brunswick and have two grown children.

Anthony Missig

Tony is honored to have been the current Board Director since 1999. He has been a credit union member of Cleveland Fire Fighter since 1988. Tony graduated with a BA degree in Business from Hiram College and an MBA from Baldwin Wallace College. He is currently an Assistant Chief with the Cleveland Fire Department.

Ben Laurendeau

Ben Laurendeau has been employed in the credit union industry since 1987 in a variety of positions. Ben has held the position of President/CEO with Firefighters Community Credit Union since January of 2005. Ben holds an Associate Degree in Accounting from Terra Community College, A Bachelor Degree in Accounting from Tiffin University and a Master of Business Administration Degree from Baldwin Wallace University. Ben serves as a Director on the Ohio Credit Union League Services Corporation Board and serves on the Ohio Credit Union League Audit Committee.

Gary D. Arbeznik

Gary is a lifelong resident of Greater Cleveland and has been a member of the Board of Directors since 2018. Many of his family members have served in the Cleveland Fire department and are long-time members of FFCCU. Gary holds a BA from Columbia College and a JD g from Cleveland State University. He has worked for both Cuyahoga County and the US Attorney’s office in Cleveland during his legal career. Now retired, Gary and his wife live in Lakewood.

Barbara McCullough

Barb is a current Board Director of FFCCU and a fully vested member. She has an MBA in Finance and has spent 25 years teaching to all walks of life. Barb is a volunteer with the Foundation for Geauga Parks, Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Lorain County Spirit of America, and Girl Scouts of Northeast Ohio. Barb is a lifelong resident of the Cleveland area. She and her husband have one daughter.

Alyssa Garcia Evanoff

Alyssa Garcia Evanoff joined Firefighters Community Credit Union as the Chief Marketing Officer in February 2019. Alyssa has nearly two decades of experience in brand management and strategic marketing with a variety of organizations across the Greater Cleveland area. During her career, she has developed successful marketing and creative campaigns that have repositioned brand image and increased brand loyalty through emerging digital trends, content marketing and user experience strategy. Alyssa is a graduate of Miami University and sits on the board of the Cleveland chapter of the American Advertising Federation.

Jessica Bittner

Jessica Bittner joined FFCCU as a teller in 2009. In 2012 she was promoted to branch manager, and has managed multiple branches throughout the credit union. Jessica holds a Bachelors in Human Resource Management & Business Management, with a minor in accounting from Baldwin Wallace University. She was promoted to COO in 2021.

Kathleen Riggs

Kathleen Riggs joined FFCCU as Chief Retail Officer in 2013. Kathy has been in the financial services industry for over 25 years, holding a variety of positions. Kathleen received her bachelors degree in psychology from Kent State University and is a certified trainer of CUNA’s Creating Member Loyalty program.

Paul Humphrey

Paul Humphrey was born and raised in Northeast Ohio. He joined FFCCU in 2017 as the Chief Lending Officer. Paul is a graduate of Kent State University. He holds the designation of Certified Credit Union Financial Counselor (CCUFC) from CUNA. Paul has managed lending programs in both small and large credit unions and brings that unique perspective to serve the members of FFCCU.

John Carrick

John Carrick is the Chief Financial Officer of Firefighters Community Credit Union in Cleveland, Ohio. John was hired by Greater Cleveland Firefighters Credit Union (former name of Firefighters Community Credit Union) as an Accounting Assistant in February 1993, was promoted to acting CFO in 1995, and was awarded the position of CFO in 1996. John has assisted in the acquisition of multiple mergers for Firefighters Community Credit Union and has managed two different Merging Credit Unions during the merger process. John is a former member of the Audit Committee of the Cleveland Chapter of the Ohio Credit Union League. John holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Cleveland State University.

Dennis Corrigan

Dennis has been a member of the Board of Directors since 2017. He is invested in forming bonds between the Credit Union and the community and helping members improve their economic situations. He has a strong desire to have a voice in the decision-making process of an institution that he was raised with and believes in. Dennis has been a part of the Cleveland Fire Department for 25 years and is currently a Captain. Dennis and his wife live in the Cleveland area with their three children.

Damian Borkowski

Damian has served on the Board of Directors for over 10 years. He has been the Citywide Service Manager for the City of Cleveland since 1983 and manages the demolition of houses and buildings. He holds degrees in Law and Engineering and is a member of the Ohio Bar. Damian lives with his wife in the Cleveland area. He has been a credit union member for 30 years.

Rich Bowman

Rich serves as the Chair of the Board of Directors and has been a board member since 2009. He has been a Cleveland Firefighter since 1989 and is presently a Battalion Chief serving the city’s lower west side. Rich is a founding member and Treasurer of the Firefighters Memorial Ride. Since their inception in 2004, they have donated over $250,000 to the families of fallen Fire, Police, and EMS workers. He has a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with a minor in Finance from Cleveland State University.

James E. Polk

James is the Vice-Chair of the Board of Directors and has served on the Board since 1982. He has also held the position of Secretary. Jim is a retired Cleveland Firefighter after 30 years of service. He is the past treasurer of Fire Fighters Local 93 and served on the Union Executive Board for 18 years. Jim is also a former Worker’s Compensation Representative for Local 93 and the NOFF.

Bryan Gallagher

Bryan has served on the FFCCU Board of Directors since 2006 and looks forward to continuing to help the credit union move forward and provide quality services to members. Born and raised in Cleveland, Bryan and his wife live in Lakewood and have three grown children. He holds a degree in Communications from Cleveland State University and spent 40-years as a cameraman for the MLB and NBA. After 33 years, he retired as a Captain from the Cleveland Fire Department. He is a former Sergeant at Arms for Local 93 IAFF and was Secretary for the Firefighters Memorial.

Robert Schwind

Bob is a lifelong Cleveland resident and has been a member of FFCCU since 1993. He has served on the FFCCU board since 2019. Bob is a graduate of Cleveland State University and has served as a Cleveland firefighter for the past 28 years, becoming a lieutenant in 2002. He and his wife live in Cleveland and have two grown daughters.

James Andrews, Jr.

Jim has been a credit union member for over 40 years and has served on the Board of Directors since 2012. He has been a Cleveland Firefighter for 29 years, currently stationed at Engine Company 13. James has served on the Cleveland Firefighters Relief Fund board and was a former Union Steward and Committee Member for Firefighters Local 93. He and his wife have three children.