Arizona scholarship helps first-generation students turn college plans into reality

By Stacy Mantle
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A $20,000 scholarship aimed at closing gaps in higher education access in Arizona has selected its 2026 recipients, recognizing four high school seniors across the state who are navigating the path to college without strong family guidance or financial stability.

Stand for Children Arizona has announced the winners of the 2026 Renaissance Scholarship, awarded in partnership with The Renaissance Foundation. The scholarship provides $20,000 over four years to students who are the first in their families to attend college, demonstrate financial need and show a commitment to their communities.

Now in its third year, the program is designed not just to help students get to college — but to stay there.

First-generation students now make up the majority of U.S. college enrollment (about 54% of undergraduates) but far fewer make it to graduation. Only about 24% complete their degrees, compared to roughly 59% of students with college-educated parents. In more recent studies, just 69% graduate within six years versus 86% of their peers, according to FirstGen Forward.

In Arizona, the stakes are even higher: roughly 44% of college students are first-generation, with some systems like the Maricopa Community Colleges serving nearly half first-gen populations.

That means a large share of Arizona’s college pipeline is entering higher education but facing significantly lower odds of finishing, reinforcing a persistent gap between access and completion.

Turning lived experience into purpose

For Monica Jacquez, a senior at North High School in Phoenix, college represents more than a personal goal. For her, It is a path to change the system that shaped her childhood.

Jacquez, who spent years in foster care, plans to attend Arizona State University to study social work and become a caseworker supporting children in the system.

Her decision is rooted in what she experienced and what she believes was missing. “When you’ve gone through so much as a kid, and you don’t feel supported and it’s hard to believe you can do something like college,” she said.

Jacquez said the scholarship helps to bridge a gap many first-generation students face: the difference between getting into college and actually finishing.

“It’s one thing to say I’m going to college,” she said. “But in order to actually graduate, it really starts with having the money to do that.”

At North High School, Jacquez has taken on leadership roles through MEChA, North Family of Leaders and Best Buddies. Through her work with MEChA, she helped organize clothing and food drives for migrant farm workers — efforts she said reflect the kind of community support she hopes to provide professionally.

Her long-term goal is to return to the foster care system as a social worker, providing the kind of guidance she said many children, including herself, do not receive.

From family sacrifice to future advocacy

For Giovanni Sanchez Hernandez, a senior at Independence High School in Glendale, the path to college is shaped by both family sacrifice and a commitment to community.

“It feels like there’s an invisible wall we have to navigate,” he said of the first-generation college experience.

Hernandez plans to attend Bowdoin College in Maine to study political science and pre-law, with the goal of becoming an attorney advocating for marginalized communities.

His interest in law is shaped by personal experience with the justice system after his mother, an undocumented immigrant, was killed by a drunk driver while walking. Hernandez said the process that followed felt slow and incomplete, with limited communication from investigators and outcomes that did not reflect the severity of the loss.

“Most of the lawyers come from higher-income backgrounds, so they don’t really understand the struggles,” he said. “We need people with diverse views to implement policy.”

At Independence, he serves as secretary of the AP Social Studies club and leads its community service committee. This year, he helped organize a large-scale food drive that collected more than 1,500 items and raised additional funds for local organizations, including St. Mary’s Food Bank.

He said those experiences have shaped how he approaches leadership and civic engagement.

“The beauty of coming from a marginalized community is that I see diversity,” he said. “I feel like I can truly represent what people want.”

Making college possible

For both students, the scholarship represents more than financial assistance — it creates a clearer path forward.

“It takes a massive burden off my shoulders,” Hernandez said. “It’s proof that my parents’ sacrifice was worth it.”

He said the impact extends beyond his own plans.

“Winning this scholarship shows other students that it’s possible," he said.

That visibility, Hernandez said, is critical for students who may not see themselves reflected in higher education. “A lot of students don’t envision a future for themselves because they don’t have role models,” he said.

Jacquez said the same is true for students navigating instability or trauma. “You have to break the cycle,” she said. “Otherwise it just continues.”

A broader impact

Education leaders say programs like the Renaissance Scholarship are designed to address financial and systemic barriers by investing in students already demonstrating leadership in their communities.

“We're honored to continue supporting the education of Arizona’s future leaders as they begin a new chapter of their lives,” said Rebecca Gau, executive director for STAND.

Previous scholarship recipients have gone on to pursue careers in education, healthcare and the arts — fields where access and representation continue to shape outcomes.

Applications now open

Applications for the scholarship are closed fo 2026, but will reopen for the 2027 school year. Hernandez and Jacquez (along with two other students) will be awarded scholarships on Thursday, May 7th.

As Arizona continues to expand pathways to higher education, programs like this highlight the importance of targeted support — ensuring students not only reach college, but have the resources to succeed once they arrive.

For students like Jacquez and Hernandez, that support is already shaping what comes next.

Editor’s note: A grant from the Arizona Local News Foundation made this story possible. The foundation awarded 15 newsrooms to pay for solutions-focused education reporters for two years. Please submit comments at yourvalley.net/letters or email them to AzOpinions@iniusa.org. We are committed to publishing a wide variety of reader opinions, as long as they meet our Civility Guidelines.

Stacy Mantle
Education Solutions Reporter

smantle@iniusa.org

Meet Stacy
Stacy Mantle is joining the team at Independent Newsmedia, Inc. as an Education Solutions journalist, thanks to a grant from the Arizona Community Collaborative. She has a long history in education that ranges from teaching junior high and middle school to developing curriculum and standards-based assessments.

Community: A longtime advocate for animal welfare, Stacy is deeply involved in rescue efforts and volunteers with several nonprofit organizations.

Random Fact: Once upon a time, she shared her home with a pet coyote and two wolf hybrids. The experiences were wild enough to become the subject of her first book!

Education: She holds a BA in English with a minor in Political Science, a Post-baccalaureate in Secondary Education, and an MBA with a emphasis on Marketing.

Hobbies: In her spare time, Stacy writes fast-paced urban fantasy novels, crafts small-batch artisan soap, and is always up for hiking or off-roading through the Arizona wilderness with her husband of 23 years.