News and Buzz for Education Credit Unions

Lake Shore High School students run their own credit union with new partner

2026-10-23T22:01:00.000-04:00

Students at Lake Shore High School are getting real-world banking experience without leaving the building. The school’s student-run credit union has entered a new partnership with Radius Federal Credit Union, marking a new chapter for a program that has given students hands-on business experience since 2010.

The partnership was celebrated Thursday with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the school on International Credit Union Day. The branch gives students, teachers and staff access to banking services, including checking and savings accounts, deposits and withdrawals. Behind the counter, students help serve members, process transactions and promote the credit union to their classmates.

“They’re very good at problem solving, and they have great communication skills," Academy of Business and Finance teacher Marla Schifano said.

The program is part of the academy’s curriculum. Every junior works at the branch before completing a 130-hour paid internship the summer before senior year. For students like Molly Degenaars, the experience could also help shape their future careers.

“I am passionate in math, and I am interested in pursuing a career in math, so I do think this could be beneficial towards my actual career outside of high school,” Degenaars said.

Students can also earn college credit through SUNY Erie and graduate with a Certificate of Financial Studies.

Rebecca Gunning, chief financial officer of Radius Federal Credit Union, said the experience can help students build their resumes while giving them a better understanding of potential career paths.

“I think this is an important and good thing for them to put on their resume and important to understand for the future, and give them an idea of what they might want to do after school,” Gunning said.

The student-run branch first opened in 2010, with students helping design and build the space. The program has partnered with other financial institutions over the years, including Evans Bank and Lake Shore Federal Credit Union. The new partnership with Radius continues that effort, giving students an opportunity to apply what they learn in the classroom to a working financial institution.

New Orleans Firemen's FCU Joins Duome CUSO to Bring Co-Ownership Homeownership to Its Members

2026-10-23T22:00:38.346-04:00

Duome (www.myduome.com), a new credit union service organization (CUSO) addressing home affordability through co-ownership, today announced that New Orleans Firemen's Federal Credit Union has made a capital investment in Duome. The investment marks the first step in a partnership to bring Duome's co-ownership model to Louisiana, helping working families achieve homeownership in markets where prices have outpaced incomes.

The housing affordability crisis has priced millions of working families out of homeownership. Rising home prices, stagnant wages, and limited inventory have widened the gap between what families earn and what homes cost. Today, nearly 80% of U.S. counties are considered unaffordable for households earning the median income. The first responders, educators, and working households that credit unions were built to serve are among those most affected.

Founded in 1934 by New Orleans firefighters, New Orleans Firemen's Federal Credit Union is the second oldest federally chartered credit union in the country and a certified Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI). For more than ninety years, it has extended fair financial access to first responders, educators, healthcare workers, and communities that mainstream institutions have overlooked. Its investment in Duome reflects a conviction that the families credit unions were built to serve deserve a real path to homeownership.

"Our credit union was founded in 1934 by firefighters who refused to let working families be shut out of the financial system, and that mission still drives us," said Judy DeLucca, President of New Orleans Firemen's Federal Credit Union. "Too many of the first responders, educators, and neighbors we serve are being priced out of homeownership. Investing in Duome is a step toward opening a door that has been closing for the very people who keep our communities safe, and we're proud to take it."

Duome's model works by co-investing directly alongside qualified buyers. This reduces the mortgage a household needs to a size its income comfortably supports, so the buyer can own and live in the home and build equity from day one. Duome is structured as a Credit Union Service Organization (CUSO) and partners with credit unions to bring the model to their members.

"New Orleans Firemen's Federal didn't just see what Duome is; they saw what it could mean for their members," said Miriam Ackerman, co-Founder of Duome. "Ninety years of serving working families will do that. That's not a coincidence. That's confirmation, and we're proud to be building with them."

Duome continues to engage credit union leaders who are ready to bring a new path to homeownership to the members they serve.

Duome

Duome is a co-investment homeownership company that helps mortgage-ready households buy homes in markets where prices have outpaced incomes. By co-investing alongside qualified buyers, Duome reduces the mortgage a household needs to a size its income comfortably supports, while the buyer owns and lives in the home and builds equity. Duome is structured as a Credit Union Service Organization (CUSO) and partners with credit unions to bring the model to their members. Duome was founded by the Minneapolis venture studio DNT BLNK. Learn more at myduome.com.

New Orleans Firemen’s Federal Credit Union (NOFFCU)

Founded in 1934 by New Orleans firefighters, New Orleans Firemen's Federal Credit Union is the second oldest federally chartered credit union in the United States and a certified Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI). Firemen's Federal serves more than 28,000 members across

Louisiana and Mississippi, with a mission rooted in serving first responders, educators, healthcare workers, and underserved communities. Federally insured by NCUA. Equal Housing Lender. Learn more at noffcu.org.

Educational opportunities tailored for professional roles, career goals

2026-10-23T21:46:17.082-04:00

In support of credit union leadership development and skill-building, America’s Credit Unions has announced its 2027 event lineup. Containing conferences, events, eSchools, and more, the lineup is tailored to fit the needs of staff, volunteers, and leaders of credit unions of all sizes.

The lineup includes the Governmental Affairs Conference 2027, set for Feb. 28–March 4 in Washington, D.C. As the credit union movement’s premier advocacy event, it will be critical for credit union advocates to attend and meet with policymakers just as the new Congress is setting its agenda.

In addition to the events currently posted, dates and locations for the following events will be added:

Enterprise Risk Management Certification School
BSA / AML School
PR Virtual Conference
Fraud & Security Virtual Conference
Digital Marketing Virtual School