NMGC Grants Scholarships to 20 Native American Students

Empowering Native American Students Through Educational Opportunities

Twenty Native American students are embarking on a new journey in higher education, thanks to a unique scholarship program. This initiative has been providing financial support since 2011, offering students the chance to pursue traditional bachelor’s and graduate degree programs. The New Mexico Gas Company is behind this effort, aiming to help students achieve their academic goals while contributing to their communities.

The $3,000 scholarship is designed to be flexible, allowing recipients to use the funds for any education-related expenses. This includes not just tuition but also books, supplies, and other necessary costs. The flexibility of the scholarship makes it an invaluable resource for students who may otherwise face significant financial barriers.

Students who have received the scholarship express their excitement about starting college and their desire to give back to their communities. Margaret Quintana, a 2025 recipient, shares her vision: “I really want to give back to my Native communities. I am pursuing a degree in nursing, and I later want to pursue a Master’s Degree in public health so that I can build capacity in our Native communities, so we can strengthen our infrastructure, so we have lots of sustainability.”

Notah Begay III, founder of the NB3 Foundation and a NBC golf commentator, emphasizes the importance of such programs: “It’s critically important to the future of young Native American children with such a lack of resources in many cases and a lack of doors that create opportunities for them to pursue careers, to pursue higher levels of education. These programs provide those pathways.”

Scholarship Recipients and Their Academic Goals

Here are some of the students who have been awarded the scholarships:

• Kaden Bee from Kirtland, Navajo Nation, will attend San Juan College to study engineering.
• Sarah Begay from Brimhall, N.M., Navajo Nation, will attend Navajo Technical University to study applied sciences and biology.
• Shiloh Conn from Red Valley, Ariz., Navajo Nation, will attend the University of Connecticut at Hartford to study criminal law.
• Mya Fragua from Acoma Pueblo will attend New Mexico State to study nursing.
• Wacey Jodie from Albuquerque, Navajo Nation, will attend the University of New Mexico to study civil engineering.
• McKenzie Johnson from Rio Rancho, Navajo Nation, will attend the University of New Mexico to study business administration and accounting.
• Gabriella Jojola from Albuquerque, Isleta Pueblo, will attend New Mexico State to study nursing.
• Kassidy Jones from Gallup, Navajo Nation, will attend Onandaga Community College to study kinesiology.
• Tatum Lantana from Bloomfield, Navajo Nation, will attend Texas Tech to study kinesiology.
• Norlyn Lowden from Acoma Pueblo will attend the University of New Mexico to study nursing.
• Preston Lujan from Taos Pueblo will attend New Mexico State to study aerospace engineering.
• Daija Martinez from Mescalero Apache will attend New Mexico State to study nursing.
• Brooke Nez from Pinehill, Navajo Nation, will attend Carthage College to study nursing.
• Aaron Pino from El Paso, Acoma Pueblo, will attend Indiana Institute of Technology to earn a Master of Science in cybersecurity.
• Whitney Platero from Bloomfield, Navajo Nation, will attend San Juan College to study mortuary science.
• Margaret Quintana from Santo Domingo Pueblo and Cochiti Pueblo will attend the University of New Mexico to study nursing.
• Kiela Shroulote from Laguna Pueblo will attend Brookline College to study nursing.
• Amari Solomon-Lule from Zuni Pueblo will attend Central New Mexico Community College to study health care.
• Hayle Trujillo from Santa Fe, Nambe Pueblo, will attend the University of Arizona to study microbiology.
• Vivyana Valencia from Acoma Pueblo will attend New Mexico State to study animal science.

These students represent a diverse group of individuals with ambitious goals and a strong commitment to their communities. Their success is a testament to the impact of educational opportunities and the importance of supporting Native American youth in their pursuit of higher education.