LMCU Announces 2025-26 Hutt Scholarship Essay Contest Winners
Grand Rapids, MI. (April 10, 2026) – Lake Michigan Credit Union (LMCU) is pleased to announce the 20
winners of this year’s Lloyd F. Hutt Scholarship essay contest.
The annual Lloyd F. Hutt Scholarship essay contest awards $2,000 college scholarships to 20 high school
seniors in Michigan or Florida. Now in its 36th year, the scholarship program honors the legacy of LMCU
founder, Lloyd F. Hutt. A schoolteacher himself, Hutt committed his life’s work to education and
community involvement. Over 93 years later, LMCU still upholds that passion through the Hutt
Scholarship, as well as teacher grants, in-school financial workshops, and initiatives that support aspiring
educators.
This year, 915 seniors submitted essays addressing the topic:
“How do you stay authentic to yourself and your values in today’s fast-paced world, where so much takes
place online?”
Applicants were required to write an original 750-1,500-word essay exploring the topic. Essays were
evaluated blindly by a panel of independent judges, with the greatest emphasis placed on passion for the
topic, creativity, clarity, and originality.
Since 1990, the Lloyd F. Hutt Scholarship has provided over $660,000 in scholarship dollars to 372 high
school seniors to use toward their higher education.
The 2025–26 Lloyd F. Hutt Scholarship recipients are:
Lola Beer, Milford High School
Abby Biller, Grand Haven High School
Kenna Charbauski, Forest Hills Northern High School
Faith Chipman, Lowell Senior High School
Juanita Daza Reyes, Portage Northern High School
Alyssa Ellison, Spring Lake High School
Evelynn Frens-Travers, Holland Christian High School
Josephine Huver, East Grand Rapids High School
Nidhi Kulkarni, Middleton High School
Alexi Martin, First Baptist Academy
Leah Nienhuis, Unity Christian High School
Connor Olszewski, West Catholic High School
Irelynn Pachulski, Saranac Jr/Sr High
Alexandra Rivera, Spoto High School
Liam Roloff, Jenison High School
Jackson Soldano, Mattawan High School
Isabella Sterling, North Farmington High School
Ava VanTol, Byron Center High School
Brayley West, Lake Fenton High School
Caleb Zylstra, Homeschool
LMCU Vice President of Corporate Social Responsibility, Matt Cook, extended his appreciation to this
year’s winners.
“Online authenticity is such an important issue that’s only getting more pressing by the day,” Cook said.
“In this age of AI and social media misinformation, it’s reassuring to hear that so many of today’s
students are still committed to ‘keeping it real.’ That’s why I want to thank our 20 winners, as well as
everyone who submitted an essay: with soon-to-be leaders like you, our future’s in good hands.”
About Lake Michigan Credit Union
Lake Michigan Credit Union, established in 1933, is the largest credit union in Michigan and 13th
largest in the country. Employing a staff of over 1,800 and serving more than 645,000 members,
LMCU’s assets exceed $15 billion, with over $17 billion in portfolio and serviced mortgages. LMCU
has 74 convenient branch locations, including 22 across the Tampa Bay area and Southwest Florida.
LMCU members have access to over 55,000 Allpoint ATMs worldwide. LMCU provides a full range of
financial services, from high-interest-bearing checking accounts to personal loans, mortgages,
business banking, investments, and insurance.
To find out more, visit LMCU.org. Federally insured by NCUA. Equal Housing Lender. NMLS #442967