SALT LAKE CITY, UT--(Marketwired - February 25, 2016) -  Mountain America Credit Union's 2016 scholarship program launches February 1, with a total of six scholarships being offered to credit union members and their families. The scholarships are awarded based on a student's academic performance, community volunteer service and a written essay about his or her educational and career aspirations.

"Mountain America has had a long-standing commitment to providing scholarship opportunities for those who want to pursue post-high-school educational opportunities," says Marshall Paepke, EVP/CAO of Mountain America. "We believe that advanced education plays an important role in helping individuals attain career success, reach their potential, achieve their personal dreams and ultimately strengthen our society."

Paul R. Ball Memorial Scholarship

Mountain America awards $2,000 each to three winners of the Paul R. Ball Memorial Scholarship, which honors a former Mountain America vice president who died in a tragic automobile accident in 1992. The scholarship is available for credit union members or their families.

Applications will be available at Mountain America branches beginning February 1, 2016, and can also be found on the Mountain America website, www.macu.com/scholarships. Applications must be completed by the student and mailed to Mountain America postmarked by April 22, 2016.

Paul R. Ball Scholarship winners will be notified and their names posted on the Mountain America website by June 10, 2016.

Utah Public Employees' Association Scholarship

Another option is the Utah Public Employees' Association (UPEA) Scholarship, which awards $1,000 each to three winners. This scholarship is available for those who are Mountain America and UPEA members or their dependents who live in Utah.

UPEA Scholarship applications will be available February 1, 2016, on both the Mountain America website, www.macu.com/scholarships and on the UPEA website, www.upea.net. Applications must be completed and submitted to UPEA by 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, March 1, 2016. Scholarships will be awarded on Friday, March 25, 2016, at the UPEA General Council at the Salt Lake City Marriott University Park Hotel.

Mountain America Credit Union has more than $5 billion in assets and serves more than 570,000 members, wherever they are, through online and mobile banking, 86 branches in five states and access to more than 30,000 ATMs and 5,000 shared-branching locations nationwide. With roots dating back to the 1930s, Mountain America offers a variety of financial products and services for consumers and businesses, including savings accounts, auto loans, checking accounts, mortgage loans, business checking, student loans, SBA loans and retirement options. Visit http://www.macu.com/ for more information.