The overall competition for scholarships from Northland Pioneer College Friends and Family (NPCFF) for the fall 2025 semester yielded great results. The simplified process for submitting online applications, multiple scholarship information classes, the online availability of both written and video tutorials for developing a scholarship essay (in use for the past six semesters), and a concerted push to market scholarship opportunities through direct email and social media has resulted in NPCFF receiving a record number of applications. Between March 1 and April 17, applications were received from 84 students. Of those, 77 were qualified for review. The total number of applications increased from 56 to 84 (50%) from Spring 2025; the number of qualified applications rose from 51 to 77 (51%) from Spring 2025.

NPC Friends and Family Executive Director Betsyann Wilson credits the work of Karen Zimmerman, development coordinator, who joined NPC Friends and Family in July 2024, bringing the total staff of the organization to two individuals. “Karen’s experience in academic advising and her expertise with outreach to high school students as a former NPC Early College Advisor has taken our whole scholarship program to the next level,” Wilson enthuses. “She’s a wonderful partner who is dedicated to connecting NPC students with scholarship opportunities,” Wilson adds. “We want our students to know how to find and apply for scholarships, no matter where their educational journeys take them.”

Applicants are scored on a personal essay that is evaluated based on criteria including the applicant’s sense of college and career goals and how well they are aligned, their resourcefulness with regard to college planning, their need for the scholarship, and their academic merit. Some were also required to submit letters of recommendation. Scholarship reviewers are provided with a scoring rubric to assist them in assessing each applicant according to the criteria. For this particular round of scholarships, there were six teams of volunteers, each comprised of 7-9 individuals. Teams include members of the NPCFF board, the NPC District Governing Board, college faculty, staff, administrators, and the community at large. To calculate each applicant’s score, the high and low scores awarded by reviewers for each applicant are discarded, and the remaining scores are averaged.

The cutoff score for scholarships was 85%. Fifty-nine of the 77 qualified applicants (77%) received at least one scholarship. Some scholarships are based on the degree program or campus/center the student is attending. Some applicants received two scholarships, based on the scores they received and their degree plan. For example, some scholarships are only available to Nursing students; some are only for students in the college’s Early Childhood Education program. The average score among the awardees was 86.8%. The highest score among the awardees was 97.0%, earned by surgical tech student Lisa Benally of Indian Wells. Scholarships will be of great benefit to Lisa, who will continue to travel to the White Mountain Campus to attend classes in Show Low for the summer and fall 2025 semesters, a round trip of close to 300 miles. Kinzie Martin of Snowflake, who is pursuing an Associate of Science degree, earned an average of 96.88%. Sadonah Chischilly, a student entering the new Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education program, rounded out the top three scores with an average of 96.00%. Sadonah hails from St. Johns.

“It is gratifying to see the number of applications increasing and the quality of applications improving each semester,” Wilson notes. She credits the work of the NPC Communications department, including Director Katie Matott, Media Relations Coordinator Lia Keenan, Marketing Generalists Brett Halfpop and Colleen Isaacson, and Graphic Design and Digital Media Specialist Matthew Chavez, along with NPC Academic Advisors, Recruiters, and Financial Aid Specialists, with getting the word out to students about the availability of the scholarships, and directing them to the web site and application portal.

John “Jack” Harris, a Welding student at the Painted Desert Campus in Holbrook, is the inaugural winner of the new $3,000 KGJ Roofing Scholarship, established this year by Kenny Garvin, owner of the local company, who wanted to join his friend Chris Corbin in giving back to our local communities. Awardees for Fall 2025 include the three winners of the $2,200 25-26 NPC On The House scholarship, generously provided each year by Chris and Michelle Corbin of The House in Show Low. Salvador Kreuger of Snowflake High School, Alexander Judd of Blue Ridge High School, and Korbyn Greenwood of Show Low High School will each receive $1,100 for Fall 2025. Other awardees and their programs of study are as follows:

AndyVon Academic Scholarship for Native American Students ($1,065): Lisa Benally (Indian Wells, Surgical Tech); Karlita Pablo (Whiteriver, Bachelor of Applied Science in Early College Education); Yeenabah Lester (Indian Wells, Surgical Tech); Joshua Kay (Kayenta, Behavioral Health); Audelia Guerrero (Indian Wells, Business); Raynelle Maloney (Kykotsmovi, Nursing); Mandy Begay (Joseph City, Surgical Tech); Megan Paddock (Winslow, Business/Entrepreneurship)

• Arvin Palmer, PhD, Memorial Scholarship ($1,000 - $500 per semester): Kaidan Hancock (Taylor, Welding)
• Charles E. Lisitzky Memorial Scholarship ($1,000): Caleb Cummings (Indian Wells, Welding)
• Claude Millet Endfield Early Childhood Development Scholarship ($1,000 - $500 per semester): Micah Salazar (Snowflake); Kelsey Begaye (Show Low); Shayla Dashner (Keams Canyon)
• Corky Elikann Scholarship for Alchesay High School ($2,000 - $1,000 per semester): Tysa Lee (Whiteriver, General Studies)
• Doris Reed Nursing Scholarship ($1,000): Laurie Adair (Lakeside)
• Gene Schaechterle Memorial Scholarship for CTE Students ($1,000 - $500 per semester): Brent Hatcher (Snowflake, Surgical Tech)
• Jeanne Swarthout, PhD, Presidential Excellence Scholarship ($1,000): Sadonah Chischilly (St. Johns, Elementary Education)
• Jennifer Lee Witt Memorial Scholarship ($1,000): Alexa Cuestas-Quezada (Holbrook, Behavioral Health); Skyla Araiza (Snowflake, Nursing); Zoe Howard (Eagar, Behavioral Health)
• Joann Thompson Memorial Scholarship for Cedar Hills ($2000 - $1000 per semester): Kane Matott (Snowflake, General Studies)
• Jon Graff, PhD, Career and Technical Education Scholarship ($1,000): Kamarie Clark, (Taylor, Cosmetology)
• Jon Graff, PhD, University Bound Scholarship: ($1,000): Samantha Gonzalez-Zuniga (Show Low, Administration of Justice)
• Mary Kay Smith Lindy Nursing Scholarship: ($1,000): Serphina Manygoats (Indian Wells, Nursing)
• Michael T. Mariner Memorial Scholarship ($1,000 - $500 per semester): Lakota Yellowhair (Winslow, Computer Information Systems)
• Newman Family Memorial Scholarship ($1,000 - $500 per semester): Lisa Benally (Indian Wells, Surgical Tech)
• NPCFF Therapeutic Massage Scholarship ($1,000 - $500 per semester): Jayda Halverson (Show Low, Therapeutic Massage)
• Pres Winslow Memorial Scholarship ($1,000): Pamela Bishop (Holbrook, Associate of Arts); Dakota Baldwin (Snowflake, Administration of Justice); Kinzie Martin (Snowflake, Associate of Science)
• US Military Veterans Scholarship ($500): Haylee Edds (St. Johns, Elementary Education)
• White Mountain Commissioned Officers Association - In the Service of Health Scholarship ($2,000 - $1,000 per semester): Tyla Begay (Pinon, Medical Assistant)
• White Mountain Women’s Club Doris Powers Memorial Scholarship ($1,200): Renadel Tsosie (Show Low, Early Childhood Development)
• White Mountain Women’s Club Scholarship ($4000 - $2000 per semester): Bobbie Benkert (Show Low, Nursing); Serena Lopez (Pinetop, Nursing)
• White River Lodge #62 CTE Scholarship ($1000 - $500 per semester): Brent Hatcher (Snowflake, Surgical Tech)
• NPCFF Fill-the-Gaps Scholarship: Adriana Benally, Kaely Blake, Brytani Eddy, Dylan Hatch, Savannah Henderson, Tiffany Honahnie, Sherry Johnston, Tiffani Martin, Jana-ray Nielipinski, Hailey Roblee
• NPCFF Leg-Up Scholarship: Jennifer Brimhall, Shanae Canales, Adelaide Hatch, Abagayle Keicher-Kimmins, Katie Stakebake, Ammon Tingey, Makena Toone, Nicole Yancy

In addition to these scholarships, ten (10) $1,000 nursing scholarships, provided by Summit Healthcare Foundation will be awarded during the summer for the 2025-26 academic year. Three (3) ’25-’26 scholarships of $2,000 each were awarded to students in the Bachelor of Applied Science in Early Childhood Education. Winners of the BAS-ECE scholarship are Adriana Benally of Kayenta, Debbie Burbank of Pinon, and Leslie Todd of Snowflake. Three (3) ’25-’26 $2,000 scholarships were awarded to students in the new Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education program. Those awardees include Nicholas Perkins of Lakeside, Katie Stakebake of Show Low, and Sadonah Chischilly of St. Johns. Four (4) $2,000 Bachelor of Applied Management (BAM) scholarships for ’25-’26 were awarded to Ammon Tingey of Snowflake, Charmayne Quintero of Fort Apache, Colton Penrod of Lakeside, and Shyn Clark of Sanders. The $2,000 Martin Lucas Memorial Scholarship was awarded to Hailey Roblee of Show Low, who plans to complete an associate degree in early childhood studies, then earn the Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education. The $4,000 AndyVon Baccalaureate-Bound scholarship was awarded to BAS-ECE student Karlita Pablo of Whiteriver, and the $3,000 Taking Flight Scholarship in Memory of Dr. Eric B. Henderson was awarded to Graecyn Lewis of Show Low. Graecyn graduated with the Associate of Business degree in May and will pursue a bachelor’s degree in Northern Arizona University’s Hotel and Restaurant Management program.

In August, $20,000 in AndyVon Transportation Grants will be available for NPC students from federally recognized Indian Tribes, who are residing on tribal lands and traveling more than sixty miles to attend classes. Visit www.npc.edu/ffscholarships for details.

NPC Friends and Family extends a heartfelt thank-you to all the donors who make these scholarships possible, and congratulations to all awardees. To learn more about NPC Friends and Family and to make a tax-deductible donation, please visit www.npc.edu/npcfriendsfamily or contact Betsy Wilson or Karen Zimmerman at  NPCFF@npc.edu.  The application window for scholarships for Spring 2026 will be open on October 1, 2025. Please visit www.npc.edu/ffscholarships for more details.