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OEC Members Putting Scholarship Dollars to Good Use
By Meredith Rasnic | Marketing & Member Relations Intern
When Heidi Fish and her husband, Lyndel, arrived to the Lloyd Noble Center for OEC’s Annual Meeting last August, she was unsure of what to expect and certainly didn’t expect to go home with a cash scholarship.
“Lyndel told me he saw that OEC was having a meeting and dinner and thought we should go and see what they had to say,” Fish said. Upon their arrival, Lyndel noticed a table where members could enter to win one of three $1,000 scholarships and he wrote down Heidi’s name.
“A little while later we were sitting down in the stands and they said they were going to announce the scholarship winners. I never win anything like that so it was a big surprise to hear my name called first!” Fish exclaimed. “I was so excited!”
Fish is currently a full-time student at the University of Central Oklahoma where she is earning a Bachelor’s degree in organizational leadership studies while also working at Alliance Health Midwest where she deciphers Medicare regulations.
“I am already a part of the healthcare field and plan to stay in it but am looking forward to putting the skills and tools I am learning in class into practice,” Fish said. "My classes have provided me with informative and practical leadership training, as well as technical training.
"It is invigorating to learn how to further develop and encourage my co-workers," shecontinued. "These days, much of my job revolves around technology and new tools. I joke that I can barely Skype and so I have definitely had to adapt and acquire some more advanced technology skills.”
Fish says that as the medical field is changing, she is excited for the challenge of keeping up and finds it rather fun! Her degree from UCO is allowing her to not only keep up with changing trends, but excel in her field.
“I want to thank OEC for providing me with this scholarship," Fish said. "We are paying for my school out of pocket and it is definitely an added expense. I really do appreciate all OEC has done for us over the years and this is another example of ways they serve their members well."
The second scholarship winner, Linda Matthesen, was equally as surprised and excited when her name was called.
“I have always been an advocate of life-long learning, simply because I love to learn and never want to stop pursuing growth,” Matthesen said. “I have been planning to return to school and this is the perfect time, especially now that I have been awarded a scholarship from OEC.”
Matthesen plans to begin classes in medical coding at the Moore-Norman Technology Center. She currently works independently in structural design from home.
“I have a bachelor’s degree in math from the University of Oklahoma and in recent years, have taken some steps back to be more accessible to my children and family,” she said.
Matthesen is currently working to become certified in medical coding and, after taking a test, will be able to receive her full certification. “Medical coding is becoming more popular and more necessary and it is exciting to me that I get to branch out of the area I have been working in to take on a new task."
As a cooperative, and according to the cooperative principles, it is OEC’s mission to improve our members' quality of life through the safe delivery of highly reliable, reasonably priced electric service, innovative energy programs and exceptional member service. The Luck of the Draw scholarships are just another way we equip and empower our member-consumers with the tools they need to be successful in life.
Cooperatives work to provide education — or funds for education — to our members. We are so excited for both Heidi and Linda and wish them the best of luck in their upcoming endeavors.
