2025 Scholarships

MUNA Awards Five $1,000 Scholarships

MERIDIAN, MS — Five exceptional high school seniors have been selected as recipients in MUNA Federal Credit Union’s community scholarship program, with each being awarded $1,000 to continue their education.

“MUNA believes in giving back — both to its members and the community,” said Jerica Hudson, Vice President, Marketing and Communications. “We asked each applicant to write an essay telling us what he or she has done to give back so far in life. We were especially pleased to receive more than 20 applications for these community scholarships.”

Board member Richelle Putnam, who also oversaw the judging, agreed. “What an impressive group of applicants! It was gratifying to see how much each of these students has done so far in life to ‘give back.’”

Scholarship applications were open to any graduate who is a member of MUNA or has a relative who is a member. Five $1,000 rewards were awarded. The five recipients of the $1,000 scholarships are:

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Ridge Brown

Ridge Brown will graduate from West Lauderdale High School and plans to attend Meridian Community College in the fall. “Everything I have done to give back to the community means a lot to me,” Ridge said. Volunteering has been his guiding passion. He volunteered for Vacation Bible School for four years, Meals on Wheels and Love Out Loud, to name a few. He also volunteered with National Honor Society at West Lauderdale, helping to build a playground and clean up the elementary school. “I strive to help others… I have been beyond grateful.”

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Haley Graham

A graduate of West Lauderdale High School, Haley Graham plans to attend East Central Community College in the fall. Haley remembers hearing the phrase, “what goes around, comes around” and found herself on a journey of giving back to her community as a young adult. A volunteer for the United Way of East Mississippi, she said Executive Director Kym Parnell played a pivotal role in teaching her the importance of making a difference. She said, “giving back to Meridian is crucial because it reminds me of my community connection. I eagerly anticipate continuing this lifelong journey of service.”

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Robert Hearn II

Robert Hearn is a graduate of Kemper County High School and has his sights set on attending East Mississippi Community College to continue his education. He said it took a while to realize he could use his “free” time to help others. “It took me getting older and seeing and experiencing different life events to truly understand how impactful and meaningful it is to take time to help those in need.” Through neighborhood cleanups, food drives and volunteering in nursing homes, Robert said he found the value of patience and compassion. “These experiences helped show me the importance of just being there for people when they need it most.”

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John Clayton Kitchens

John Clayton Kitchens was homeschooled and plans to attend Mississippi College. His move to Lauderdale County at the age of nine put him on the track to participate in many community projects. As a 4-Her, he became the Mississippi 4-H president; meeting mentors in Meridian, his woodworking skills helped him to design and build picnic tables for the Lauderdale County Extension Service office; and board members at Merrehope encouraged him to work with the National Historic Registry, helping restore the porch at the historic mansion. This hands-on approach to service “has been beneficial in making me a more well-rounded citizen who is aware of the world around me and wants to do all I can to continue to make improvements,” he said.

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Zeniyah Norman

A graduate of Meridian High School, Zeniyah Norman will attend Meridian Community College in the fall. From a young age, Zeniyah was “taught to consider the needs of those around me.” Those lessons led her to volunteer at a youth center, working with younger students, offering tutoring services and engaging them in educational activities. “Being a part of their lives and offering support was incredibly fulfilling,” she said. “It reinforced the idea that giving back is about creating lasting, meaningful relationships.”

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Judges for the Scholarships

MUNA engaged Board Member Richelle Putnam to put together the team to judge the scholarship essays. Richelle is an award-winning writer and musician, with many published works to her name. The judging team included Caleb Phillips, Director of Communications for the Meridian Museum of Art; and Marty McIntyre, owner of MK/MCI Design, SCORE mentor and serving as a Board of Directors member at Illuminations Center for Dyslexia and Meridian Architectural Trust.

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About MUNA

MUNA Federal Credit Union, a division of Singing River Federal Credit Union, was chartered in June 1962 as Meridian Naval Federal Credit Union. The merger with Singing River FCU has greatly expanded MUNA’s footprint across the state allowing MUNA to serve more than 50 counties throughout Mississippi and Alabama.