FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Frank Beachnau President
Members Advantage Credit Union
(219) 874-6943
Members Advantage Credit Union Awards Two $1,000 College Scholarships
Michigan City, April 7, 2014: Members Advantage Credit Union has awarded two $1,000
college scholarships to area high school seniors: Luke Latchford and Jessica Reason.
Latchford, who is graduating from Michigan City High School, is the recipient of the Leona
Bruno Scholarship, while Westville High School senior Jessica Reason has been awarded the
Gail Walker Scholarship.
Latchford resides in Michigan City and is the son of Philip and Janet Latchford. He plans to
study finance or business management at either Indiana University or Butler University in the
fall.
“I chose my major because I enjoy working with numbers,” he said. “I want to possibly
receive my CPA and become an accountant.”
Reason, also a Michigan City resident, plans to major in elementary education and minor in
TESOL (Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages). She hasn’t made a final
decision where she will be attending college. She is the daughter of Debbie Reason.
“I chose Elementary Education and TESOL because after graduation from college I would
really love to join the Peace Corps or a similar organization and I feel both my major and
minor would be very helpful,” explained Reason.
Latchford, who has a GPA of 3.82, is ranked 20 in his class of 349. He is a member of both
the National Honor Society and the National Foreign Language Honor Society. He has
served as Vice President of the Student Council, Secretary of the Steering Committee,
Business Manager of the Yearbook Staff and participated in German Club and Math League
Competition. As a sophomore, Latchford received the Wolf Award in German.
At MCHS, Latchford served as captain for all three sports he participated in: cross country,
swimming and track. He has received the wolf award in cross-country for two years and
holds the school record for the 400-meter free relay.
His community service includes volunteering with the Learn-To-Swim Program at MCHS,
at Franciscan St. Anthony Health’s Infusion Center, with the mens club at Notre Dame
Catholic Church, and with the Samaritan Skedaddle Kids Race.
Reason holds a 3.1 GPA and participates in the Early Childhood Program through LaPorte
County Career & Technical Education at the A.K.Smith Area Career Center. She is fulfilling
her requirement of experiences in an early childhood education setting through her service as
a teaching assistant for second grade at Marsh Elementary School. Reason received her
scholarship pin while a sophomore at Michigan City High School and is working towards her
Technical Honors Diploma. During high school she has participated in the prom and
graduating committees.
Reason’s community service involvement includes volunteering at Reins of Life as a side
walker during their day camp and helping to take care of the horses. She’s assisted with her
church’s Madrigal Dinner and Vacation Bible School, and worked as a preschool camp
counselor.
The Leona Bruno Scholarship was awarded in memory of the first manager of Members
Advantage Credit Union, while the Gail Walker Scholarship was created in 2010 in memory
of a former board member. Both winners received their scholarships based on scholastic
excellence, personal integrity, active participation in and service to their schools as well as
their contributions to their community.
Applicants for the scholarships must be members of Members Advantage Credit Union.
For the Leona Bruno Scholarship, students must be attending a high school and plan to
further their education upon entering a college or trade school the following fall after
graduation. The Gail Walker Scholarship is awarded to a high school senior, college
freshman or college sophomore with active participation in a job during the past four years.
Members Advantage Credit Union is a locally managed, non-profit full-service financial
institution. Open to anyone who lives or works in LaPorte, Porter or Lake County, Members
Advantage has two locations in Michigan City and one in Portage. For more information call
1-877-874-6943 or visit www.macuonline.org. Member NCUA.