The Credit Union of Southern California recently awarded the Whittier Black Student Association (BSA) a $20,000 grant to support Black students at the College. The Office of Equity and Inclusion (OEI) has been working closely with the BSA to determine how to best utilize this generous gift. The funds will be split between additional scholarship aid, emergency funding, and leadership development.
"The aim of the Office of the Dean of Students And Office of Equity and Inclusion is to work closely in partnership with our BSA student leaders to maximize the positive impact of this very generous grant,” said Associate Dean of Student Deanna Merino-Contino who oversees the OEI. “In particular, by providing emergency funding via this grant, we can support student success and be part of the student’s educational journey and provide them the opportunity to successfully continue their college education.”
About receiving the grant, BSA President Journee Bradford ’21 said, “We’re going to be using it for the best interests of everyone.” Bradford was largely responsible for securing the grant and bringing wide attention to Whittier’s BSA. In early 2020, she kicked off a petition that successfully turned Martin Luther King, Jr. Day into an official day of service for the Poet community. “I’m glad that it made some type of difference,” she said in a recent interview with The Rock. “I love working with other people and making sure we can get something done.”
The Credit Union of Southern California (CU SoCal) is an employee-inspired charity. In the fall, CU SoCal Helping Hands, donated $20,000 to five non-profit organizations that work to advance the lives of those in the Black community.
“It is our hope these donations will help these organizations continue to do amazing work in advancing lives in the black community,” said CU SoCal Vice President of Business and Talent Development Melissa Manning in a statement.
