Hughes Federal Credit Union Celebrates 20 Years of the Roberta Reeves Memorial Scholarship

Posted by Alyse Knudsen on July 9, 2025

In celebration of the 20th anniversary of the Roberta Reeves Memorial Scholarship, Ariz.-based Hughes Federal Credit Union announced this year’s 10 recipients, each awarded a $2,000 scholarship, totaling $20,000 in support of education.

Established in 2005, the Roberta Reeves Scholarship honors the legacy of Roberta Reeves, a dedicated, long-serving board member at Hughes, whose passion for education and community impact continues to inspire and is open to all high school seniors. It recognizes creativity, thoughtfulness, and excellence in response to the scholarship question, “What are the top financial habits young people should develop, and how do you apply them in your life?”

This year’s scholarship winners are:

• Cecilia B. Appel – Homeschooled
• Daniel Dittiger – Sahuarita High School
• Audriana Elias – Salpointe High School
• Kayla Felix – Cienega High School
• AriAnna Maria Jiron – Mountain View High School
• Sara Kemp – Empire High School
• Benjamin Eric Naus – Mica Mountain High School
• Kylie Rowe – Sahuarita High School
• Bianca Salinas – Empire High School
• Imani Gabrielle Smith – Longwood High School

Over the past two decades, Hughes has awarded more than $145,000 through the Roberta Reeves Memorial Scholarship, reflecting its enduring commitment to supporting youth and expanding access to education.

“Education is one of the most powerful tools for changing lives,” said Irlanda Cuevas, Hughes’ Membership and Community Engagement Manager. “As we celebrate 20 years of the Roberta Reeves Memorial Scholarship, we reaffirm our commitment to investing in the future of our youth and the strength of our community.”

Supporting Financial Literacy

As part of its commitment to supporting youth education and financial literacy, Hughes Federal Credit Union partners with organizations like Banzai, the nation’s leading financial education provider. This partnership delivers a comprehensive financial curriculum to over 30 schools and nonprofits in Southern Arizona at no cost, helping students and community members gain practical money management skills.

Additionally, Hughes offers the MoneyCoach program, a free online resource that helps community members manage their finances and plan, covering topics like emergency savings, mortgage education, and retirement planning.

Through its partnership with Earn to Learn, the largest matched-savings scholarship program in the U.S., Hughes supports low-to-moderate-income students saving for college with an 8:1 savings match, significantly reducing their student loan debt.

To learn more about our scholarship or financial literacy programs, visit HughesFCU.org.

Posted in Arizona, Financial Education, Regional Member News.