CORE Credit Union partners with retired educators to boost teacher scholarships

Support for future educators was on full display Wednesday, January 14, 2026 as CORE Credit Union marked its commitment to supporting scholarships awarded by the Bulloch Retired Educators Association.

CORE President and CEO Robert Clampett attended the association’s monthly luncheon at Pittman Park United Methodist Church, where he presented the CORE's annual scholarship contribution and reflected on the long-standing partnership between the credit union and local retired educators.

The annual presentation has played a key role in steadily increasing the value of scholarships awarded to aspiring teachers. What began years ago as $500 awards has grown incrementally to $2,000 scholarships, a level the association plans to maintain moving forward.

“Because of donors like CORE Credit Union and others in this room, we were able to increase our scholarships to $2,000 last year, and we’ve made the decision as a board that we’re not going backwards,” said Gwendolyn Yarborough.

During his remarks, Clampett noted that CORE’s support this year totaled $4,000, which was matched by an anonymous donor. The combined contribution will fund two $2,000 scholarships for students pursuing careers in education.

Clampett also shared updates on CORE Credit Union’s continued growth, highlighting what he described as the strongest year in the institution’s history. CORE now serves more than 16,000 members, manages approximately $150 million in assets, and recently expanded its membership eligibility to adjoining counties. The credit union is also planning a new branch in Port Wentworth while completing renovations at its downtown Statesboro headquarters.

Despite that growth, Clampett emphasized CORE’s focus remains on personal service and community investment.

“You are the owners of this institution,” Clampett told members, noting that the cooperative model allows the credit union to reinvest directly into the communities it serves. “We don’t want to lose sight of who we are and who we serve.”

Clampett, whose wife, Kathy Clampett, is a retired educator, said supporting scholarships for future teachers has personal meaning. He credited the retired educators association for its continued commitment to strengthening the profession and ensuring new educators have support as they enter the field.

CORE Credit Union has contributed thousands of dollars annually to education and community initiatives across Bulloch County and surrounding areas, continuing a tradition of local investment that leaders on both sides say remains vital.

As the luncheon concluded, association members expressed appreciation for CORE’s decade-long commitment, calling the partnership an example of how local organizations can work together to invest in the next generation of educators.