Highest Scholarship Award – the 2022 Western Union CEO Scholarship

The Western Union Foundation is thrilled to recognize Mathlida Mola with our highest scholarship award – the 2022 Western Union CEO Scholarship.

Originally from Kenya, Mathlida came to the United States in 2015 in pursuit of a college degree. She has always loved school and is especially interested in math and accounting. But growing up in an environment where women have limited access to advanced education, Mathlida had to seek out opportunities to continue learning after high school. She believed from a young age that a college degree was a critical step in her ability to get a good job and have financial stability. “Getting my degree will give me a better chance of starting a career in accounting,” Mathlida shared. “It will give me the financial independence I have desired for a long time. And it will not only be a personal achievement, but one for my family as well.” Mathlida is proud to be the first generation in her family to attend college.

Mathlida has been working hard to focus on her studies and make smart financial decisions to pay for college. She attended community college before transferring to Northeastern Illinois University in 2020. By working part-time jobs, Mathlida saved enough to pay her tuition up until COVID-19 shut down nearly all on-campus employment opportunities. Mathlida quickly found her savings deplete and was struggling to afford her final year of school.

The Western Union Foundation is excited to be able to help Mathlida pay for her senior year so that she can graduate with her Bachelors in Accounting this fall. “Getting this scholarship has helped tremendously in covering my tuition fees,” Mathlida shared. “My sincere gratitude to the entire Western Union Foundation team for granting me this scholarship.”

This year’s CEO Scholarship is in honor of former Western Union CEO, Hikmet Ersek, and his passionate advocacy for diversity, migrants and refugees. “Mathlida, like so many young people who travel overseas to get an education, will now have the chance to use the skills and opportunities she gains to build a better life for herself and the people she loves,” said Hikmet Ersek.