SANTA FE, N.M.—Del Norte Credit Union (DNCU) presented the Venessa Valerio Memorial Scholarship to three nursing students attending Northern New Mexico College in Española. Each recipient will receive $1,040 towards continuing their education within the nursing program at NNMC.
“We were inspired to make this commitment in order to help students on the path to fulfilling their career dreams,” said Chuck Valenti, DNCU CEO/president. “This is a way to honor the memory of Venessa Valerio, a child born in this community whose life was tragically shortened, and was never able to fulfill her dreams.”
DNCU said it first learned of the story from a DNCU employee who had befriended Vanessa prior to her passing.
In addition, the dedication of “Vanessa’s Hideaway” playground within DNCU’s own adopted Valdez Park in Española brought additional attention to the impact of Vanessa’s story on the community. With both a dedication to giving back to the community and newfound inspiration from Annette, Venessa’s mother, the college became a natural choice for scholarships from DNCU.
The mission of Northern New Mexico College is to ensure student success by providing access to affordable, community-based learning opportunities that meet the educational, cultural, and economic needs of the region. DNCU is making its donations through the Northern New Mexico College Foundation, which supports the school.
“This scholarship will help me achieve my goal of becoming a nurse, but it will also give me an opportunity to give back to underserved communities, much like the one I was raised in back home, in Washington D.C.” explained Chicqueeta Whitaker, a DNCU scholarship recipient and current nursing student at NNMC.