Santa Fe County students receiving scholarships from LANL are, back row, left to right, Molly LeBron, Jessica LeBron, Leina Gries, Alice Pittard, Reuben Fresquez, Ellie Bobchak, Isaac Shelton, Araceli Lara, Cesar Arroyo, Hannah Laga Abram, Edgar Sarceno, Elena Romero, Elvia Goudriaan, Helena Andolsek, Claire Breitinger; (kneeling) Vineet Narayanan, Samuel Gilbert and Cole Agard. Courtesy photo
Rio Arriba County students receiving scholarships from LANL are, from left, Aspen Vallo, Kaitlyn Terrazas, Randy Ferrell, Mandy Salazar, Joselinn Rascon, Taylor Roybal, Jaden Archuleta, Isaiah Trujillo, Arlin Diaz Torres, Ashlyn Lovato, Noelia Topete, Estrella Torres, Silvia Aguirre, Adrianna Quintana, Haley Perez, Amadeo Suazo, Laura Dominguez, Martina Mercure, Ryan Trujillo, Zoe Martinez, Caitlyn Cruz, Mariah Gonzales, Tayler Suazo, Haley Ortega, Mireya Martinez, Isaiah Archuleta and Brenden Fresquez. Courtesy photo
Isaiah Griego of Sandoval County is receiving a LANL scholarship. Courtesy photo
Taos County students receiving scholarships from LANL are, from left, Sasha Martinez, Brissa Chilton-Garcia, Zachary Ginn, Abigail Gunther, Veronica Montoya, Ashley Martinez, Leah Epstein and Gideon Kuykendall. Courtesy photo
Students receiving scholarships from LANL for San Miguel County are, left to right, Joshua Valdez, Savannah Higgins, Andres Garcia, Iris Vance, Caleb Vigil, Nathaniel Gonzales; and Mora County, Leonardo Aragon. Courtesy photo
Los Alamos County students receiving scholarships from LANL are, from left to right, Dima Tretiak, Valerie Li, Christopher Koh, Alix Hailey, Jonathan Doorn, Risa Bridge, Leah Wolfsberg, Elijah Pelofske, Connor Rittner, Meredith McBranch, Steven Zhao, Sonyia Williams, Caleb Parker, Javier McTeigue-Vasquez, Presley Gao and Shawnee English. Courtesy photo
LANL NEWS
Graduating seniors Zachary Ginn of Taos High School, Leina Gries of Desert Academy and Estrella Torres of Pojoaque Valley High School will head off to college in the fall with an extra $5000 per year in scholarships provided by the LANL Foundation and Los Alamos Employees’ Scholarship Fund (LAESF). These three recipients of the top-level $20,000 Gold Scholarship are among the 116 students in Northern New Mexico receiving 122 awards totaling $773,500 in support of four-year degrees.
Ginn will attend Colorado College and major in organismal biology and ecology to study the diverse impacts of climate change on ecosystems worldwide. Gries will attend Pomona College with plans to double major in computer science and biology to develop predictive algorithms. Torres will attend Dartmouth College and study chemical engineering with the goal to create a more efficient fuel source.
Mike Ammerman, scholarship program manager for the LANL Foundation, describes LANL Scholars (as the program is newly named) as high-performing, well-rounded students who excel in academics, leadership and service.
“This community of scholars represents the next generation of emerging leaders and innovative thinkers from Northern New Mexico who share a commitment to serve as role models in their families, schools and communities and make a positive impact in the world,” he said.
All winners met the rigorous academic and merit-based requirements and maintain primary residence in the seven Northern New Mexico counties surrounding Los Alamos National Laboratory—Los Alamos, Mora, Rio Arriba, San Miguel, Sandoval, Santa Fe and Taos. (Student’s county of residence is listed when their school differs in location.)
Scholarships support graduating high school seniors and some current undergraduate students in pursuit of a four-year degree in any field of study. Certain award levels are determined by additional qualifications including the pursuit of degrees in specific fields of study, first-generation college students, Native American students, outstanding leadership, higher financial need, resiliency and determination or residency in certain communities.
Six students received $15,000 Silver Scholarships:
- Cole Agard, The MASTERS Program
- Helena Andolsek, Santa Fe High School
- Leah Epstein, Taos High School
- Savannah Higgins, West Las Vegas High School
- Elijah Pelofske, Los Alamos High School
- Caleb Vigil, West Las Vegas High School
Domenici Scholarships, named after former U.S. Senator Pete Domenici (R-N.M.), are $10,000 awards given to one recipient from each of the seven counties served by the scholarship program. Recipients of the Domenici Scholarships are:
- Arlin Diaz Torres, Pojoaque Valley High School
- Jacob Gamel, Robertson High School
- Samuel Gilbert, Santa Fe Preparatory School
- Javier McTeigue-Vasquez, Los Alamos High School
- Veronica Montoya, Taos Academy Charter School
- Joshua Valdez, Robertson High School
- TiShai Yazzie, Cuba High School
Fifteen students received John & Marti Browne Leadership Scholarships, named for the former Laboratory director and his wife. This year marked an increase in the number of this $10,000 award, with 10 additional scholarships made possible by support of Triad National Security, LLC. Leadership scholars are:
- Raven Alcott, University of New Mexico (Santa Fe resident)
- Cesar Arroyo, Capital High School
- Gary Cook, Institute of American Indian Arts (Taos resident)
- Caitlyn Cruz, Santa Fe Indian School (Rio Arriba resident)
- Mariah Gonzales, Española Valley High School
- Nathaniel Gonzales, Pecos High School
- Elvia Goudriaan, Santa Fe High School
- Michael Justus, Northern New Mexico College
- Araceli Lara, Monte Del Sol Charter School
- Ashlyn Lovato, Santa Fe Indian School (Rio Arriba resident)
- Brianna Maes, West Las Vegas High School
- Mireya Martinez, McCurdy Charter School
- Haley Perez, Pojoaque Valley High School
- Elena Romero, Capital High School
- Edgar Sarceno, Santa Fe High School
Taylor Roybal of Pojoaque Valley High School and Isaac Shelton of the Academy for Technology and the Classics received Copper Scholarships. Shawnee English of Los Alamos High School is the recipient of a Susan Herrera Scholarship, named after the founding LANL Foundation CEO. Both award levels provide $10,000 in financial assistance.
The largest award category of Bronze Scholarships had 68 recipients, each receiving $1,500 a year for up to four years, a maximum total of $6,000.
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- Silvia Aguirre, University of New Mexico-Los Alamos (Rio Arriba resident)
- Roya Ahmadi-Moghadam, Santa Fe High School
- Leonardo Aragon, Mora High School
- Isaiah Archuleta, McCurdy Charter School
- Jaden Archuleta, Española Valley High School
- Lynette Baca, Northern New Mexico College
- Jenay Barela, Taos High School
- Ellie Bobchak, University of New Mexico (Santa Fe resident)
- Ezekiel Brecher, Desert Academy
- Claire Breitinger, Santa Fe High School
- Aaliya Casados, Northern New Mexico College
- Brissa Chilton-Garcia, Taos High School
- Samuel Crooks, Los Alamos High School
- Jennifer Csicsery-Ronay, University of New Mexico (Taos resident)
- Laura Dominguez, Pojoaque Valley High School
- Jonathan Doorn, Los Alamos High School
- Antonio Dowdy, Los Alamos High School
- Arrika Duran, Santa Fe High School
- Jeremy Duran, Taos Academy Charter School (Rio Arriba resident)
- Randy Ferrell, Escalante High School
- Brenden Fresquez, Pojoaque Valley High School (Rio Arriba resident)
- Reuben Fresquez, University of New Mexico (San Miguel resident)
- Presley Gao, Los Alamos High School
- Andres Garcia, Robertson High School
- Isaiah Griego, V. Sue Cleveland High School
- Abigail Gunther, Taos High School
- Alix Hailey, Los Alamos High School
- Makaela Jones, New Mexico State University (Los Alamos resident)
- Jakob Kaare-Rasmussen, Desert Academy
- Occam Kelly Graves, New Mexico School for the Arts
- Duncan Kliphuis, Academy for Technology and the Classics
- Christopher Koh, Los Alamos High School
- Gideon Kuykendall, Mesa Vista High School
- Hannah Laga Abram, Santa Fe Waldorf High School
- Jessica LeBron, Desert Academy
- Molly LeBron, Desert Academy
- Samantha Levings, Eastern New Mexico University (Los Alamos resident)
- Valerie Li, Los Alamos High School
- Tyler MacHardy, Taos High School
- Ashley Martinez, Taos Academy Charter School
- Meredith McBranch, Los Alamos High School
- Kara McGee-Russell, New Mexico School for the Arts
- Kineo Memmer, Taos High School
- Samuel Menefee, Los Alamos High School
- Martina Mercure, University of New Mexico (Rio Arriba resident)
- Quinn Moon, Taos High School
- Song Li Morris, Texas Tech University (Santa Fe resident)
- Vineet Narayanan, Santa Fe Preparatory School
- Haley Ortega, Española Valley High School
- Caleb Parker, Home School (Los Alamos resident)
- Alice Pittard, St. Michael’s High School (San Miguel resident)
- Adrianna Quintana, Pojoaque Valley High School
- Joselinn Rascon, Northern New Mexico College
- Connor Rittner, Los Alamos High School
- Lynn Robey, Santa Fe Preparatory School
- Mandy Salazar, Escalante High School
- Camila Seluja, Colorado State University (Santa Fe resident)
- Joseph Sena, New Mexico State University (Rio Arriba resident)
- Noelia Topete, Pojoaque Valley High School
- Dima Tretiak, Los Alamos High School
- Isaiah Trujillo, Escalante High School
- Ryan Trujillo, Española Valley High School (Santa Fe resident)
- Aspen Vallo, Santa Fe Community College
- Iris Vance, West Las Vegas High School
- Brian Vigil, Northern New Mexico College (Santa Fe resident)
- Sonyia Williams, Los Alamos High School
- Leah Wolfsberg, Los Alamos High School
- Steven Zhao, Los Alamos High School
Named and Memorial Scholarships
Several scholarships have been established by individuals or organizations in partnership with the LANL Foundation in recognition of a loved one, esteemed colleague or area of study.
New in this category is the Nancy & Jeffrey Sauer Scholarship, a $1,000 one-time award that supports studies in physical or environmental sciences, given to Amadeo Suazo of Española Valley High School.
Haylee Hayden of Los Alamos High School received the Don & Connie Cobb Education Scholarship of $6,000 toward a degree in teaching.
Ryan Trujillo of Española Valley High School received the Raymond Chavez Memorial Scholarship, a $2,500 one-time award for scholars in Chimayó.
Tayler Suazo of Española Valley High School received the Abiquiú Land Grant – Georgia O’Keeffe Museum Scholarship, a $1,500 one-time award specifically for descendants of Abiquiú Land Grant families.
The following recipients of named and memorial scholarships each received $1,000 one-time awards:
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- Sage Slater, University of New Mexico (Taos resident)—Alan Johnston Memorial Scholarship
- Jared Carnes, Los Alamos High School—Brett Knapp Memorial Scholarship
- Risa Bridge, Los Alamos High School—Climate Change Leadership Institute (CCLI) Scholarship
- Edgar Sarceno, Santa Fe High School—Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Scholarship
- Reuben Fresquez, University of New Mexico (San Miguel resident)—LANL Workforce Retiree Scholarship
- Darlene Gallegos, University of New Mexico (Rio Arriba resident)—Marvin Martin Mueller Memorial Scholarship
- Alberto Castro, Capital High School; and Brenden Fresquez, Pojoaque Valley High School—Northern New Mexico American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Scholarship
- Sasha Martinez, Questa High School; and Zoe Martinez, Santa Fe Indian School (Rio Arriba resident)—Rae Lee Siporin Scholarship
- Gideon Kuykendall, Stephanie Martinez, Kaitlyn Terrazas and Anthony Vigil, all of Mesa Vista High School—Tim Martin Memorial Scholarship
- Kianna Vigil, McCurdy Charter School—William & Gertrude Fradkin Memorial Scholarship
Fund descriptions and award criteria may be found online at www.lanlfoundation.org/scholarships.
About LAESF
The Los Alamos Employees’ Scholarship Fund began in 1998 and gets its name from the main source of donations: Los Alamos National Laboratory employees, contractors and retirees. Donations also come from community members and local businesses that value education and economic development in the region.
Awards are primarily based on academic merit, with financial need included as one of several additional evaluation factors. Of this year’s scholarship recipients, 41 percent reported an annual family income of less than $50,000.
In addition to financial support, LANL Scholars are encouraged and validated by the Laboratory and Northern New Mexico communities. Many winners are also given the opportunity to work in summer internships with a mentor at the Lab.
2019 Awards by reported ethnicity are:
- Hispanic/Latino/Spanish Origin: 49 students (42%)
- White/Caucasian: 34 students (29%)
- Multi-Ethnic: 14 students (12%)
- American Indian/Alaskan Native: 7 students (6%)
- Asian American: 6 students (5%)
- Black/African American: 0 students (0%)
- Did Not State: 6 students (5%)
2019 Awards by county of residence within scholarship service area are:
- Santa Fe: 38 students, $ 295,000 (33%)
- Rio Arriba: 27 students, $ 124,500 (23%)
- Los Alamos: 23 students, $ 139,000 (20%)
- Taos: 15 students, $ 102,500 (13%)
- San Miguel: 8 students, $ 70,500 (7%)
- Mora: 3 students, $ 26,000 (3%)
- Sandoval: 2 students, $ 16,000 (2%)
LANL Scholars Awards Ceremony
Scholarship recipients were honored during an awards reception with family and invited guests on May 5 at the Santa Fe Community Convention Center. More than 80 Scholars and 350 total guests took part in the celebration that included a luncheon.
Mike Ammerman served as master of ceremonies. LANL Foundation CEO Jenny Parks and Laboratory Director Thomas Mason gave remarks to inspire students on their path to college and career and to encourage them to stay connected to their Northern New Mexico communities wherever they end up working.
The highlight of the event features the students. Each scholar is invited on stage to introduce themselves and make brief remarks about their future aspirations and to share words of gratitude. Santa Fe Youth Poet Laureate Hannah Laga Abram closed the ceremony by reciting an original poem titled Ode to Home by a Teenager Dreaming of College.
Video stream of the event may be seen on the LANL Foundation’s Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/LANL.Foundation/
Giving to Scholarships
The scholarship program and funds are managed and administered by the nonprofit LANL Foundation. Award selections, student outreach and programmatic support are provided by an advisory committee of volunteer donors.
Laboratory fundraising efforts are led by the LANL Community Partnerships Office. The annual scholarship fundraising campaign will be conducted May 13–31, 2019. Lab employees may donate year-round to a variety of funds through the LANL Giving Tool.
LANL Foundation also accepts direct contributions at www.lanlfoundation.org/give and assists donors in creating individual endowed awards with defined selections criteria upon request.
Since 1999, Northern New Mexico students have been awarded 1,667 scholarships totaling more than $7.6 million from LAESF, nearly $5 million of which came directly from LANL employees.
For more information, contact Mike Ammerman at scholarships@lanlfoundtion.org or 505-753-8890 ext. 115.
About the LANL Foundation (www.lanlfoundation.org)
Since 1997, the Los Alamos National Laboratory Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, has worked to inspire excellence in education and learning in Northern New Mexico through innovative programming, collaboration and advocacy. By investing in human potential, the Foundation’s vision is that all New Mexicans have the skills and confidence they need to be self-sufficient, lifelong learners who are engaged in their communities. Programs in early childhood, K–12 education with support of teacher professional development and STEM inquiry, scholarships and small grants serve Northern New Mexico communities primarily in Los Alamos, Mora, Rio Arriba, San Miguel, Sandoval, Santa Fe and Taos counties.
About Los Alamos National Laboratory (www.lanl.gov)
Los Alamos National Laboratory, a multidisciplinary research institution engaged in strategic science on behalf of national security, is operated by Triad, a public service oriented, national security science organization equally owned by its three founding members: Battelle Memorial Institute (Battelle), the Texas A&M University System (TAMUS), and the Regents of the University of California (UC) for the Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration.
Los Alamos enhances national security by ensuring the safety and reliability of the U.S. nuclear stockpile, developing technologies to reduce threats from weapons of mass destruction, and solving problems related to energy, environment, infrastructure, health, and global security concerns.
Event & Speaker Highlights
“We want you to come back to Northern New Mexico. My definition of a meaningful life is to do work that you love with people that you love in a place that you love. I got to do that and I wish the same for you,” said LANL Foundation CEO Jenny Parks. “I am so inspired by you—your brilliance, your light and your heart. Many of you have come from very difficult backgrounds. I want you to know that you have everything you need to be successful and have a meaningful life. You have determination, you have the intelligence and you have the resiliency.”
Parks honored those who have helped and supported the students along the way—parents, grandparents, teachers, coaches, and mentors. She also addressed gender inequality in the workplace and encouraged all students to advocate for themselves.
President and CEO of Triad National Security, LLC and Laboratory Director Dr. Thomas Mason congratulated the scholars and their families. “All of you will be taking on new challenges as you proceed down the path of your education. One of the important things to keep in mind is, whether you have been fortunate to have success with little effort or you’ve had to work very hard at it, whether you’ve always known you were going to a university or you’ve had to overcome obstacles to get there, your success going forward is really determined by only one thing. And that’s persistence, sometimes it’s called grit. You will stumble, you will find difficult things that you have to work through. The measure of success is working through those difficulties,” he said.
He assured the LANL Scholars that the Lab supports them on their journey and that the employees believe in them. This commitment is reflected in the $5 million contribution that Lab employees have made since the program began in 1998. He also highlighted the internship opportunities at the Lab as a route to full-time employment.
Scholarship Program Manager Mike Ammerman spoke of building community among scholars beyond their scholarship. “We hope that you mark today as an end to one part of your journey and the beginning of another and an entry point into one another’s lives and allow us to be part of them with you. We are on a mission to build a community around these amazing people. You have so much to share and benefit from by knowing one another and being part of each other’s stories. My job is to help facilitate that process of you knowing one another and being part of something that matters. Welcome to this LANL Scholars community.”
He also thanked the award-winning New Mexico School for the Arts Jazz Band, under the leadership of Orlando Madrid, that set the mood with music, as well as the YouthWorks Culinary Arts Program, led by Chef Carmen Rodriguez and his wife Penny, that professionally catered the event.