COMMUNITY
Native American students receive $60,000 in scholarships
New Mexico Gas Company celebrated the 15th anniversary of their scholarship program
Twenty Native American students recently received $60,000 in scholarship money from the New Mexico Gas Company.
At this year鈥檚 Native American Scholarship Program banquet, the New Mexico Gas Company awarded 20 students $3,000 each to use to advance their educations, marking the 15th year of the scholarship program.
鈥淭he motivation is to help support students' pursuit of post secondary education with the encouragement that once they attain their degrees, or they reach their educational goals, that at some point in their career they come back and help their respective tribal communities,鈥� said Ted Garcia, the lieutenant governor of San Felipe Pueblo and former director of tribal governmental relations at New Mexico Gas Company.
Since its first year in 2011, the scholarship program has given away a total of $650,000 to students pursuing a wide range of educational paths, including medicine, engineering and the trades. According to the gas company, the scholarship aims to empower Native American students to get their education and better their communities.
鈥淚t鈥檚 really interesting to hear how many of our recipients plan to go back to the communities they come from, get that education they鈥檙e earning, and do something with that to empower their community,鈥� said Gerald Weseen, the vice president of regulatory strategy and external affairs at New Mexico Gas Company.
The students were formally recognized at a celebratory banquet on July 18. Family and friends gathered to hear from recipients and show their support while students shared what the scholarship meant to them.
Many students shared how receiving the financial support offered them a chance to work toward not only their own personal success, but the success of their community.
鈥淎ll Native kids need is the opportunity, and people like New Mexico Gas Company, they give people that opportunity,鈥� said recipient Brooke Nez in her acceptance speech. 鈥淲hen given that opportunity we thrive, and we come back to our communities and we make them better.鈥�
Several students also shared how they were beginning to use their educations to support their communities, from volunteering at medical clinics to mentoring younger students.
鈥淚t鈥檚 really important that you go out and mentor your cousins, your little cousins who are even 4 or 5, tell them about what you鈥檙e doing cause they鈥檒l listen,鈥� said recipient Caroline Pecos-Duarte, who is currently studying medicine.
鈥淚t鈥檚 become what I ask Creator for in my prayers, to give Native kids the opportunity and to give them the courage to travel far and come back to make their communities better,鈥� said Nez.
The gas company plans to continue the scholarship, saying the hope is to continue to strengthen the future generation of Native American students.
鈥淚t鈥檚 super gratifying that we have private companies and entities like the New Mexico Gas Company who have worked to develop these kinds of programs to support our Native American youth,鈥� said Garcia.
