PHILADELPHIA, PA — Ardent Credit Union awarded $15,000 in scholarships to five students from across the Philadelphia region, extending a program that has distributed more than $174,000 in educational aid since its launch in 2010.
The credit union announced the winners of its 2026 Ardent Scholarship contest, which recognizes high school seniors pursuing post-secondary education. Applicants were evaluated on academic achievement, community involvement and video submissions explaining why they should receive the awards.
The grand prize of $5,000 went to Riya Mehta of Harleysville, a graduate of Souderton Area High School who will attend Georgetown University.
Four additional students each received $2,500 scholarships:
- Christopher Coey of Norristown, a graduate of Norristown Area High School who will attend Lebanon Valley College.
- Alliyah Hoke of Philadelphia, a graduate of Central High School who will attend Temple University.
- Kathryn Kaskey of Berwyn, a graduate of Conestoga High School who will attend Franklin & Marshall College.
- Kelsey Rehm of West Chester, a graduate of West Chester East High School who will attend the University of Pittsburgh.
“For 16 years, this scholarship program has allowed us to celebrate promising young people in our community,” Ardent Credit Union President and Chief Executive Officer Rob Werner stated. “We love seeing the passion, curiosity, and drive these students bring to everything they do.”
The scholarship competition requires applicants to submit short-form videos highlighting their accomplishments and goals, giving students an opportunity to demonstrate their personalities and creativity in addition to traditional academic credentials.
The scholarship program is part of Ardent’s broader financial education and youth development efforts, which also include its free Money Ninja Training resources.
Since its inception, the program has awarded more than $174,000 in scholarships to Ardent members nationwide, according to the credit union.
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