2025 Dreams Take Flight Scholarship Recipients Announced
EAST LANSING, Mich. — The MSUFCU Desk Drawer Foundation is excited to announce the second annual recipients of its Dreams Take Flight Scholarshipaimed at making flight time more accessible and affordable to area high school juniors and seniors pursuing careers in aviation.

The 2025 recipients are Danica Bancroft, a senior at DeWitt High School, and Christian Simmons, a junior at St. Johns High School. The Foundation awarded each student a $5,000 scholarship to support their journey toward earning a private pilot’s license.
“The Dreams Take Flight Scholarship will help me tremendously to earn my private pilot’s license,” said Bancroft. “Having the privilege to win this scholarship has paved a path toward my future career and will help in many ways. I couldn’t be more grateful.”
“This scholarship has put me on the fast track to getting my private pilot’s license and helping me start my career,” said Simmons.
The scholarship, made possible through a partnership with the Eaton Regional Education Service Agency and the Capital Region International Airport, supports high school juniors and seniors attending or planning to attend the Aviation Careers Institute, Crosswinds Aviation, or other flight school partners.
“The MSUFCU Desk Drawer Foundation is pleased to partner with the Capital Region International Airport and the Eaton Regional Education Service Agency to make the Dreams Take Flight scholarship possible,” said Rebecca Surian, Executive Director of the Foundation. “MSU Federal Credit Union is the primary donor to this scholarship. We look forward to additional support from other businesses and organizations within the aviation industry to increase the number of scholarships granted in the future.”
The aviation industry is experiencing significant demand for skilled pilots, making scholarships like Dreams Take Flight essential for preparing young people to meet this need. The scholarship program is designed to reduce financial barriers and help aspiring aviators achieve their dreams. For more information or to contribute toward the scholarship, visit deskdrawerfoundation.org/dreamstakeflight.
ABOUT THE DESK DRAWER FOUNDATION
The MSUFCU Desk Drawer Foundation was established in 2019 to partner with donors to empower transformational change to make a sustainable difference in our communities. The Foundation provides meaningful grants to nonprofits whose work impacts their clients and patrons within five philanthropic pillars - the arts, entrepreneurship, financial education, stable housing, and youth empowerment. To date, more than $3 million has been granted. Among other sources, income is generated through employee contributions, new/existing credit union members, and quarterly member raffles. For more information, visit deskdrawerfoundation.org.
ABOUT MSUFCU
Founded in 1937, MSUFCU has a national reputation for excellence and has received several top industry and workplace awards, including being named a Best Credit Union to Work For® by American Banker for the sixth year, a Top Workplace by the Detroit Free Press for 14 consecutive years, and a National Best and Brightest Companies to Work For® winner for seven consecutive years. MSUFCU has also been certified as a Great Place to Work® for 10 consecutive years and has been recognized by the Credit Union National Association, earning first place for the people-helping-people philosophy Louise Herring Award. The Credit Union operates an award-winning, wholly owned credit union service organization, Reseda Group; along with digital financial platforms AlumniFi and Collegiate; trade name Oakland University Credit Union; and its foundation, the MSUFCU Desk Drawer Foundation. MSUFCU is headquartered in East Lansing, Michigan; and has 35 branches; over 360,000 members; $8.26 billion in assets; and 1,200-plus employees. For more information, visit msufcu.org.