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FWIT 2022 Scholarship Information One of the benefits of FWIT membership is the opportunity to obtain scholarships for furthering your education, studying for an additional credential, or attending a professional conference – all ways to enhance and promote your career and help you succeed. All FWIT members in good standing who did not receive an Association Scholarship (Education or Conference) during the previous year are eligible to apply. Applications are posted on the website each year and publicized via email, local Group leadership and social media. In 2022, the Association will award two general education scholarships and 10 scholarships to our own FWIT Conference 2022 – Choose Your Next. 2022 Conference Scholarship are now available Scholarships totaling $4,000 are available for 5 First Time attendees and 5 Returning attendees. Full details are described in the applications below. Apply today! Deadline for submission is May 27, 2022. Winners will be announced June 13th! Conference Scholarship Application 2022 - First Time Attendee.pdf Conference Scholarship Application 2022 - Returning Attendee.pdf Congratulations to our 2021-2022 FWIT General Education Scholarship Winners! Brandy Patterson, Vice President, Fair Lending | The First State Bank, Sweeny, Texas | Gulf Coast Group and Brittany Bessonett, Senior Vice President, Marketing Director | Mineola Community Bank, Mineola, Texas | East Texas Group Read their stories below to find out how they are going to use their scholarships.
FWIT 2022 Scholarship Winners
General Education Scholarship Winners General Education Scholarships are offered annually by FWIT to promote improvements in the professional development, leadership skills, education and training of women in the financial services industry and to bring together women in the financial services industry for the exchange of ideas, experiences, and interests. In March of 2022 the Association awarded two (2) general education scholarships, in the amount of $1,000 each, for attendance at any educational offering of the applicant’s choice. Brandy Patterson
Brandy Patterson is Vice President, Fair Lending, at The First State Bank, Sweeny, Texas, and an active member of the Gulf Coast Group. Brandy attends several TBA and IBAT conferences and seminars each year to maintain her Community Bank Compliance Officer certification and will use her scholarship to supplement the cost. She has risen through the ranks of the Bank since 2007, serving as teller, then into the Compliance Department as the BSA Assistant, and then to Lending Compliance Officer as an Assistant Vice President, before being promoted to her current position. Brandy wasted no time in becoming involved in FWIT. She joined and attended her first FWIT Annual Conference in 2021 and already serves as Secretary of the Gulf Coast Group. Brandy looks forward to continuing her FWIT involvement at the Group and Association level and has been successful in recruiting colleagues to FWIT. She says she hopesto make an impact in our industry, through her knowledge and expertise, but also to other women through showing them that we’re all in this together. To quote Brandy, “So far, my experience with FWIT has been just that, welcoming and a reminder that I’m not alone. It’s helped me realize that I have a purpose in my position and I want to fulfill that purpose.” Congratulations, Brandy! We celebrate your successes and are honored to help you reach for your goals! Brittany Bessonett
Brittany Bessonett is Senior Vice President, Marketing Director, at Mineola Community Bank in Mineola, Texas, and an active member of the East Texas Group. Prior to joining the Bank, she was co-owner of an auto dealership where she held a license from the OCCC in auto finance. Although she has no formal marketing degree, she joined the Bank five years ago and, as a fearless go-getter, has been pursuing every opportunity possible to gain the knowledge and skillset required to be successful in her job as well as well as a productive addition to the Bank’s senior management team. Brittany plans to attend the ABA Bank Marketing School in the spring of 2023 in preparation for applying for the Certified Financial Marketing Professional (CFMP) exam. With the registration fee for this program being $2,995, the FWIT General Education Scholarship will help tremendously towards covering that expense. Brittany jumped right into FWIT through her involvement in the East Texas Group’s meetings and many charitable events, and by attending the 2021 Annual Conference and then volunteering to serve on the 2022 Conference Sponsorship Committee. Britany also serves as President of the Board of Directors for the TCBS Foundation, Inc., a non-profit foundation that allocates grant funding for charitable purposes and community development. Brittany says her goal is to constantly keep her mind open to new opportunities she may not even know exist. “Being a member of FWIT has welcomed me into a group of encouraging, brilliant women, and who knows, maybe one of them will be what sparks my next adventure!” Congratulations, Brittany! We have a strong suspicion that you will be successful in any endeavor that comes your way! 2020-2021 Conference Scholarship Winners In 2020 the Association awarded 10 scholarships to attend our 11th Annual Conference: FWIT Conference 2020 – Crossing the Finish Line. Five of these scholarships were offered to first-time FWIT Conference attendees. The remaining five scholarships were awarded to members who had previously attended a FWIT Association Conference. The value of each scholarship was in the amount of the Early Bird registration of $400. With the pivot to a Mini-Conference for 2020, winners were given the option of transferring those scholarships to the 12th Annual Conference in 2021. In April 2021, active members were invited to apply for an additional 10 Conference Scholarships. The following members received Scholarships for the 2021 Conference. First Time Attendees:
Congratulations to all our scholarship recipients! |
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