The Fiesta Sports Foundation and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona awarded 25 Arizona students with Empowering Diversity Scholarships for the 2025-2026 school year.
These scholarships total $92,500 across the 25 recipients. High school graduating seniors and current college students each receive $5,5500 in scholarship awards and wraparound support services provided by Be a Leader Foundation or Education Forward Arizona for the postsecondary track. Other scholars receive $1,000 toward fees associated with their GED assessment provided by College Depot.
Over the past six years, these scholarships have been awarded to 144 recipients for a total of $539,500.
This year鈥檚 recipients come from seven different Arizona counties. Nine recipients will be attending Arizona State University, seven will be attending University of Arizona and one each will attend Northern Arizona University and Mohave Community College.
Ana Velazquez will be studying biology at NAU with the goal of becoming a veterinarian.
鈥淏esides financial assistance, this serves as an inspiration and motivation, showing me that others believe I am worthy and that they have faith in me to become a veterinarian,鈥� she said in the announcement. 鈥淲ith such support, I will be better placed to achieve my dream of owning my own clinic and treating animals in need.鈥�
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