Cruz Monreal, left, and Zan Saleem are Chandler residents attending Arizona State University who are among the announced 2026 winners of the 2026-27 Empowering Diversity Scholarship.
Chandler residents Cruz Monreal and Zan Saleem have been selected as recipients of the 2026-27 Empowering Diversity Scholarship.
The scholarship is awarded through a partnership between Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona, or AZ Blue, and the Fiesta Sports Foundation, a news release states.
Monreal and Saleem are Arizona College Prep High School alumni who among 20 Arizona residents selected for this year’s scholarship program, which awarded a total of $87,500 in financial support and wraparound educational services to students pursuing post-secondary education or completing their GED.
Over the program’s seven years, the scholarship has been awarded to 164 Arizonans, including this year’s recipients, the release states.
This year’s funding increases the scholarship’s cumulative total to $627,000 over seven years.
On the post-secondary track, 15 high school graduating seniors and current college students received $5,500 each in scholarship awards and wraparound support services provided by Be A Leader Foundation or Education Forward Arizona.
Five additional Arizona residents received assistance in obtaining their GED through a $1,000 award geared towards fees associated with their GED assessment, education-related resources and program support services provided by College Depot.
Six scholarship recipients will be or are currently attending Arizona State University, with five planning to or currently attending the University of Arizona and two recipients each at Northern Arizona University and Grand Canyon University.
The remaining five are pursuing their GEDs.
This year’s 20 recipients are spread across four Arizona counties: Apache, Maricopa, Pima and Yuma.
Cruz Monreal | Arizona State University | Mechanical Engineering
Monreal is a mechanical engineering student at Arizona State University – Barrett, The Honors College.
Originally from Chandler, Monreal was drawn to engineering for its emphasis on creativity, problem-solving and building practical solutions that improve everyday life, the release states.
Throughout his ACP High School days, he balanced rigorous coursework and dual enrollment classes with varsity basketball, leadership organizations and community service.
Monreal’s long-term goals include working on energy-efficient systems and transportation infrastructure and mentoring students from underrepresented backgrounds in STEM.
Zan Saleem | Arizona State University | Electrical Engineering
Saleem is an electrical engineering student at Arizona State University with a focus on sustainable technology and community-driven innovation.
On campus, he is involved in Engineering Projects in Community Service and Engineering Without Borders, the release states, where he works to develop educational resources for students in rural areas of South America.
The ASU sophomore-to-be’s academic interests include power systems, renewable energy and microchip design, and he hopes to one day launch a startup that advances sustainable infrastructure while mentoring future engineers through service-focused programs.
“With less financial stress, I can continue participating in programs at ASU and exploring sustainable infrastructure and power systems through organizations such as the ASU Solar Power Laboratory,” Saleem stated.
More information about the Empowering Diversity Scholarship may be found by clicking here.
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