Competitive Home Lending Scholarship Fund

As part of Competitive Home Lending's corporate social responsibility program, we have established a general scholarship fund with Texas A&M-Commerce, helping students from the local communities of Allen, McKinney, and Plano connect with the opportunities they deserve. 

We believe that college is a critical driving force in society, giving citizens the qualifications and knowledge they need to make a real difference. We also understand that costs can be prohibitively high, which is why we have worked to build the general scholarship fund in an effort to manage these costs. With the right approach to corporate social responsibility, local enterprises can ensure that no student is denied academic progress simply because of economic resources.

Educational success can provide individuals with a range of benefits, potentially translating to more purposeful and productive lifestyle habits. This is why offerings such as scholarship funds, provided via corporate social responsibility programs like the one at Competitive Home Lending, are so important — both to individuals themselves and to society as a whole.

Let's take a closer look at the benefits of postsecondary education. 

Education has been linked to a number of health advantages that impact individuals across their entire lives. For example, a report by Anna Zajacova of Western University and Elizabeth M. Lawrence of the University of North Carolina found that adults with higher educational reach tend to live longer and healthier lives than those educated to a lower level. However, this report also found that the disparities in groups educated to different levels were already significant, and these disparities are becoming broader over time.

Postsecondary education delivers the direct academic and vocational qualifications that employers are looking for. By achieving these skills and establishing them with academic credentials, students of postsecondary education achieve much better prospects for long-term and stable employment. In turn, this provides increased income, translating to higher levels of accumulated wealth over time.

Lawrence and Zajacova's research also suggests that those who have achieved higher levels of education are more likely to exercise and pursue healthy lifestyle habits than members of other demographics. This is one of the key factors behind Competitive Home Lendings' own corporate social responsibility programs. Through the CSR scholarship fund, the company seeks to support communities across Allen, McKinsey, Plano, and Collin County, Texas.

The findings from Lawrence and Zajacova suggest that people in this group are more likely to have established layers of social and psychological support. In addition, they may have a broader network of friends to help them cope with daily life and general complications.

While the cost of postsecondary education is high, students do not need to feel excluded from the advantages that study offers. There are ways to manage these costs, helping students progress along their path of learning even if they and their families do not have the economic resources to pay for this themselves.

Students across the United States can access a variety of scholarships and grants to support further education in the postsecondary environment.

One example comes from our own corporate social responsibility program here at Competitive Home Lending. We have become well known for providing low-rate mortgage loans and refinancing options to homebuyers across Texas. So we decided to assist members of these communities by setting up a general scholarship fund at Texas A&M-Commerce. This scholarship fund aims to help students in the local communities of Allen, McKinney, Plano, and Collin County. The scholarship money does not have to be repaid, and it is certainly worth considering if your student lives in one of those communities.

Traditionally, many students will take out a student loan, but this is not always the best approach. According to the Federal Reserve, many people find they have more than $38,000 in student loan debt when they eventually leave college. Thankfully, there are other solutions to consider.

Some high schools may offer "advanced placement" courses that are a step above the standard high school curriculum. Students that qualify can earn some college credit when they take this type of course and, in doing so, may be able to reduce the length of their college attendance with corresponding savings.

You may be eligible for Federal Student Aid through a low-interest loan. With this loan, your repayments could begin after you graduate, and you'll find a number of different payment options at that time.

Competitive Home Lending is keen to give back to the local community and focuses on corporate social responsibility matters. This is because we believe it's vital for all companies to operate in a manner that demonstrates a strong commitment to the local community, going above and beyond legal and regulatory requirements. Corporate social responsibility is driven by a recognition of the issues facing local communities rather than by more traditional profit-based business models.

Here at Competitive Home Lending, we have identified many challenges for those considering postsecondary education in the communities we serve, particularly challenges related to economic resources. With this in mind, we are willing to provide opportunities for talented candidates in communities across Texas. In addition, we want to foster a positive and productive work environment and create a corporate structure that our employees can truly feel proud of.

In this sense, corporate social responsibility becomes less about strategic business decisions and more about an inherent duty to the local community. As a result, businesses of all sizes — and across all sectors — owe a degree of debt to the communities they serve; these communities represent key markets and revenue streams.

By giving back to these communities, businesses are able to foster stronger ties in the local area — not simply to direct customers or business stakeholders, but to all individuals and families across the region. We believe this should be a priority for all business leaders throughout the country and beyond, which is why the team here at Competitive Home Lending is delighted to promote its general scholarship fund at Texas A&M-Commerce.

In summary, postsecondary education offers many benefits over and above the obvious financial advantages. Further education can help individuals lead a healthier and longer life and provide them with more career options than they may have received otherwise. In addition, it may lead them to develop a wider social circle and feelings of empowerment and purpose.

Yet, paying for this level of education can still be a challenge for many families. Indeed, there are some college level, state, or federal programs to consider, and also a range of scholarship funds and grants. Competitive Home Lending's corporate social responsibility scholarship program is the driving force behind this. We want to give back to the community by ensuring that talented candidates can access the funds they need to pursue their educational goals.