Davis New Mexico Scholarship has issued the following press release:
Santa Fe, N.M. – In an ongoing effort to address the generational opportunity gap in New Mexico, the Davis New Mexico Scholarship will award 50 full ride scholarships to local New Mexican students. The students, all first-generation college students, will be honored alongside their families at a pseudo graduation ceremony on Saturday, May 21 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Santa Fe Preparatory School.
The Davis New Mexico Scholarship covers the full cost of college attendance for students to receive a bachelor’s degree at six partner colleges in the U.S. The scholarship program also includes academic and support outside of the classroom for students throughout their four-year college journey. With this support, nine out of ten students who receive the Davis New Mexico Scholarship receive a bachelor’s degree in four years.
The Davis New Mexico Scholarship was founded by philanthropist Andrew Davis to combat the negative effects and stigmas of generational opportunity gaps by providing pathways to higher education for first-generation students. “Andrew Davis’ transformational generosity is having a tremendous impact on college access across Northern New Mexico,” reflects Sam Ritter, Director of the Davis New Mexico Scholarship. “His enduring commitment to providing a pathway to and through college for first-generation college students from New Mexico is evidence of his deep commitment to the future of our state.”
This year’s scholars include students from 23 different high schools across the state and includes the first class of rural access students from the Rural Opportunities for College Access (ROCA) program. The ROCA program serves first-generation college-going students living in rural areas who are interested in exploring college options outside of New Mexico. Mary Jensen, a lifelong resident of Springer, NM and incoming University of Portland freshman said, “Going out of state can feel unthinkable because people don’t know where to start. I hope that by being part of ROCA, I can give other rural students the confidence they need to go to school wherever they want to go.”
At the event on May 21, Davis New Mexico will also celebrate the addition of a new partner college, Occidental College in Los Angeles. The other partner schools include Lawrence University, Southwestern University, St. Edward’s University, University of Denver and University of Portland.
Local media are encouraged to attend the graduation event on May 21 at 11 a.m. at Santa Fe Preparatory School (101 Camino De Cruz Blanca, Santa Fe, NM) where these inspirational students will gather with their families to be recognized. For more information on this year’s scholars, visit davisnm.org/scholars.
About Davis New Mexico Scholarship: The Davis New Mexico Scholarship provides college scholarships that cover the full cost of attendance for college-ready New Mexican students who will be in the first generation in their families to pursue a college degree. The program is changing college access across New Mexico—a state where fewer than one in three young people have earned a college degree—by connecting students who have succeeded in challenging college preparatory programs and high schools with colleges and universities that commit to an exceptional level of student support. For more information, visit davisnm.org.