Ruud Receives Minnesota Family Involvement Council Scholarship at TopLine Federal Credit Union

MAPLE GROVE, MN--(Marketwire - May 16, 2012) - TopLine Federal Credit Union is honored to announce that Austin Ruud won a $500 scholarship from the Minnesota Family Involvement Council (FIC). This year the FIC offered $12,000 in college scholarships to Minnesota credit union members.

More than 700 students applied for the scholarships from credit unions throughout the state. Applicants were selected based on school and community involvement, and an essay which explained what impact social media has on their financial decisions and how credit unions can utilize these types of tools to help them reach financial goals.

Austin Ruud lives in Brooklyn Center, and is attending the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities campus, seeking a degree in biomedical engineering. He is a past Medtronic Wallin Scholar, has received honors such as National Honor Society and Presidential Award for Academics, a member of the Biomedical Engineering Society and also volunteers for organizations such as Feed My Starving Children, Salvation Army, Children's Hospital and the Wallin Scholarship Student Organization.

Harry Carter, President/CEO, said, "TopLine has been involved with the Minnesota Family Involvement Council scholarship program since 1997, and we are very pleased that Austin was chosen as a scholarship recipient this year. We are a strong supporter of financial education in our communities, and participating in the scholarship program fits well within that mission."

The Minnesota Family Involvement Council (FIC) is a volunteer organization made up of representatives from credit unions around the state of Minnesota to enhance the future of the credit union movement by promoting financial awareness, financial education and full-family involvement. The FIC began in 1985 and launched the scholarship program in 1997 and has received nearly 11,000 scholarship applications and has awarded $126,500 in scholarships.

TopLine Federal Credit Union, a Twin Cities-based credit union, is Minnesota's 13^th largest, with assets of more than $300 million. Established in 1935, TopLine offers a complete line of financial services from its five locations -- in Bloomington, Brooklyn Park, Maple Grove, Plymouth and in St. Paul's Como Park -- as well as by phone and online at www.TopLinecu.com. Membership is available to anyone who lives, works, worships, attends school or volunteers in Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey, Scott or Washington Counties and their immediate family members.