MCUL’s Scholarship Winner on Attending WOCCU’s 2023 World Credit Union Conference
The World Council of Credit Unions (WOCCU)’s 2023 World Credit Union Conference took place last week in Vancouver, Canada. The World Credit Union Conference is an annual event that provides the opportunity to learn and connect with credit union professionals from around the globe.
A record 3,000 people from 60 countries were in attendance to take part in an agenda packed with educational opportunities designed to ensure attendees excel in the credit union industry.
Included in those 3,000 attendees were a handful of Michigan credit union representatives, such as MCUL President/CEO Patty Corkery and the recipient of MCUL’s 2023 World Credit Union Conference Scholarship, Samantha Tillman.
Tillman, a young professional at Parkside Credit Union, received a full-ride scholarship to the event.
“MCUL is thrilled to support and encourage the development of our young professionals with various opportunities,” said President/CEO Patty Corkery. “The World Credit Union Conference was one such opportunity and our hope is that Samantha’s attendance will serve to expand her understanding of the credit union impact at the global level and will hopefully inspire her to pursue a lifelong career in this awesome industry.”
Tillman had the following to say about her time at the conference:
Winning the Michigan Credit Union League scholarship to attend this year's World Credit Union Conference in Vancouver was an honor and an incredible experience. The trip, hotel, conference and extra events were all taken care of, providing me peace of mind while traveling to a different country.
The conference was well organized, with an app for scheduling and volunteers at every corner and door to help attendees find their next session. This was an incredible opportunity to meet industry professionals from all across the world. Throughout the conference, there were group discussions in the breakout sessions, and the breakfast/lunch/dinner provided an opportunity to network with people in the industry who you might not regularly meet.
It gave me a newfound appreciation for the credit union industry, as well as a broad understanding of how credit unions in different countries operate and what their primary objectives are. It was wonderful to talk with many CEOs and board members from around the world about our passions in our companies and the future of credit unions.
I'm thankful that I was selected to participate in this event. I hope the Michigan Credit Union League will continue to award scholarships each year to young leaders in the industry.
I learned so much at the conference, and I have a ton of new ideas to share with my credit union. I also want to thank all of the keynote speakers and attendees who sought additional information from the presenters by asking questions.
For more information on the 2023 World Credit Union Conference, check out WOCCU’s website.
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