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Arizona students receive Flinn Scholarships to local universities

Posted 4/27/20

For the 35th straight year, a cohort of Arizona’s highest-achieving high-school seniors has chosen to forego attending out-of-state universities and accept the Flinn Scholarship.

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Arizona students receive Flinn Scholarships to local universities

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For the 35th straight year, a cohort of Arizona’s highest-achieving high-school seniors has chosen to forego attending out-of-state universities and accept the Flinn Scholarship.

The list of 19 recipients one Scottsdale resident; three Mesa residents; three Phoenix residents, one of which attends Phoenix Country Day School; one Glendale resident; and one Litchfield Park resident, according to a press release.

The merit-based award, which the Phoenix-based Flinn Foundation supports in partnership with Arizona’s three state universities, covers the full cost of tuition, mandatory fees, housing, meals and myriad exclusive opportunities. The package values at more than $120,000.

The Flinn Scholars Class of 2020 will attend Arizona State University, Northern Arizona University and the University of Arizona this fall.

“Each year, this rigorous and competitive application process offers us a glimpse into the potential and impact of Arizona students,” Flinn Foundation President and CEO Tammy McLeod said in a prepared statement.

“I continue to be amazed at their academic accomplishment and dedication to extracurricular activities that serve the community. We are proud of the role the Flinn Scholars Program has played over its 35 years in Arizona’s educational ecosystem and the benefits it continues to offer not only the students who become Flinn Scholars, but the entire state.”

Valley Flinn Scholar recipients include:

  • Litchfield Park resident Catherin Broski, Millennium High School;
  • Phoenix resident Anya Chaudhry, Desert Vista High School;
  • Mesa resident Ritisha Das, Gilbert Classical Academy;
  • Mesa resident Roxanne Dyer, Red Mountain High School;
  • Glendale resident Sofía Fencken, Arizona School for the Arts;
  • Scottsdale resident Julia Groman, Paradise Valley High School;
  • Mesa resident Heather Jensen, Red Mountain High School;
  • Phoenix resident Mira Kaibara. Phoenix Country Day School; and
  • Phoenix resident Priscilla Villalobos Ixcotoyac, Washington High School.

Other recipients include Koda Benavidez, Mohave High School; Maxwell Bregman, Hamilton High School; Isabella Espinoza, Desert View High School; Simon Fitch, Tanque Verde High School; Claire Gibson, Northland Preparatory Academy; Nikolas Gruber, Catalina Foothills High School; Nikolas Gruber, Mingus Union High School; Dermot Louchart, Flagstaff High School; Christina Niyigena, Sahuaro High School; and Alexa Wiese, Lake Havasu High School.

The 19 Flinn Scholars have selected a wide range of fields for their studies, including entrepreneurship, biology, astrophysics, philosophy, pre-veterinary medicine, public policy, chemical engineering, linguistics, pre-neuroscience, and physiology.

A record 1,014 Arizona high-school seniors applied for the Flinn Scholarship, producing a less than 2% award rate.

“There is so much to admire in each of these Flinn Scholars,” Anne Lassen, Flinn Scholars program director, said in a prepared statement.

“They are all extremely bright and excel in the classroom. But what makes them stand out is how they engage with the world, their dedication to their schools and communities, and their motivation to have a positive impact on the future of Arizona and beyond.”

In addition to enabling recipients to graduate without debt, the scholarship offers a community of over 650 current and alumni Flinn Scholars, including about 80 Scholars studying at the three universities at any given time.

It also allows for scholars to be a member of a university’s honors college with amenities such as small classes, access to top researches and guest lectures.

Flinn Scholars also get personal mentoring from top faculty and exposure to Arizona and global leaders in business, government, science and the arts. They can also participate in intellectual, cultural and social activities developed exclusively for Flinn Scholars.

Recipients also receive funding for a three-week summer seminar after freshman year and at least one additional study-abroad experience.