Umatilla Electric Cooperative (UEC) strives to develop leaders across eastern Oregon by helping students to realize their career goals each year.
The UEC Scholarship Program, founded in 1998, is designed to recognize and encourage the achievements of local students. Each year, the co-op awards up to $50,000 to deserving students. The program is split into three categories: Academic, Engineering and Lineman Trade.
This year, nearly 90 applications were received for the scholarship program. The scholarship committee, a volunteer group of local businesspeople, met in mid-May to review the applications, and ultimately awarding 14 academic scholarships and 1 lineman trade scholarship to deserving students. The 2026 recipients for the UEC Academic Scholarship Program are:
- Eleanor Sak, a sophomore at Western Oregon University.
- Stephanie Booher, a junior at Brigham Young University.
- Kaylee Christy, a 2026 Riverside High School graduate, attending Western Oregon University this fall.
- Maddyn Morton, a 2026 graduate of Riverside High School, will be attending Oregon Institute of Technology.
- Leah Mueller, a junior at George Fox University.
- Guadalupe Trujillo, a 2026 graduate of Irrigon High School, will be attending Oregon State University.
- Amy Murgia Ortega, a 2026 graduate of Irrigon High School, will be attending Oregon State University.
- Alexah Moreno, a 2026 graduate of Hermiston High School, will be pursuing a degree in physical therapy at the University of Idaho.
- Cidney Estes, a 2025 graduate of Tarleton State University, now enrolled in Tarleton’s Business Administration Master’s program.
- Breanna Miller, a sophomore studying nursing at Blue Mountain Community College.
- Riley Campbell, a junior at University of Montana studying physical therapy.
- Nancy Vert, a graduate of Oregon State University, now pursing her master’s degree.
- Keira Denny, a senior studying psychology at Grand Canyon University.
- Catherine Doherty, a 2026 graduate of Hermiston High School, will be studying political science at Rice University in Houston, Texas.
For the 2026 UEC Lineman College Scholarship, the recipient is:
- Ryan Rettkowski, a sophomore at Northwest Lineman College.
“We are proud to offer these scholarships on behalf of the UEC membership,” said Robert Echenrode, UEC president/CEO. “We are inspired by how hard our recipients have worked and what they have achieved, and we wish them the best as they pursue their goals.”
The Umatilla Electric Scholarship Program is an annual scholarship open to UEC members and their dependents. Applications open in the spring each year. More information about the scholarship program can be found at UmatillaElectric.com.