The Western Credit Union Management School (WCMS) Alumni Association convened its annual networking breakfast on Tuesday morning during REACH 2025, welcoming credit union executives and alumni from multiple states.
(View and download event photos from the REACH 2025 Photo Galleries)
WCMS has accomplished some monumental achievements during the school’s 65th annual session, reinforcing its commitment to driving cutting-edge innovation within the credit union movement. Alumni breakfast attendees were eager to reconnect, network, and hear updates regarding the upcoming 2026-2027 academic year.
WCMS Dean and Chief Academic Officer Dr. Michael Steinberger discussed the school’s momentum from 2024 to 2025, celebrating the institution’s name change to Western Credit Union Management School. He also touched on the expansion of its scholarship program designed to ensure accessibility for future leaders.
Also highlighted were two milestones from the 2025 summer session at Pomona College in Claremont, CA that emphasizes the school’s growing impact. This included the largest-ever graduating cohort, the “Chi” Class, with 139 students completing the rigorous, three-year program. The commencement ceremony in July not only lauded the graduates for their academic dedication and distinctions but also recognized their generous class gift, which included $15,000 over three years for the new Nancy H. Wood Legacy Scholarship, honoring the former director of school administration.
Another highlight this past year has been the newly renamed Diana Dykstra Prize for Credit Union Innovation. This distinction is awarded during the annual WCMS Innovators Challenge, a full-day capstone event focused on mitigating complex challenges. The competitive “Frog Tank Finale” saw top student teams present groundbreaking proposals to senior industry leaders, embodying WCMS President Diana Dykstra’s legacy, which challenges future leaders to look for problems and not be afraid to fail fast in pursuit of solutions.
The past year proved that WCMS’s commitment to “head and heart excellence” is resonating more than ever. Not only did the school graduate its largest class, it also engaged in the most focused and intensive Innovators Challenge to date, equipping students to face modern threats like cybersecurity fraud with strategic confidence.
While the energy in the room during the REACH breakfast is the same energy students feel as they work together each year, the WCMS Alumni Association also continues playing an important role in supporting the school’s mission. It provides mentorship, networking, and a strong professional bridge that connects over six decades of credit union leadership across the Western United States, reinforcing the dedication to advancing the credit union movement through innovative management.
Attendees and League staff will be sharing photos, comments, and memories through LinkedIn at #CUatREACH.
REACH is one of the credit union industry’s premier annual events, attracting leaders and system partners from across California, Nevada, and the United States. It is held from October 27-30 at JW Marriott Desert Springs in Palm Desert, CA this year.
