Fiesta Sports Foundation and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona Select 25 Arizonans for 2025-26 Empowering Diversity Scholarship
$92,500 in Financial Support Awarded, Increases Six-Year Total to $539,500
SCOTTSDALE, AZ (May 27, 2025) – Twenty-five Arizona residents were awarded the Empowering Diversity Scholarship ahead of the 2025-26 academic year through a partnership between Fiesta Sports Foundation and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona (AZ Blue).
In its sixth year of the program, the scholarship has been awarded to 144 Arizonans, including this year’s recipients. The 25 individuals received a total of $92,500 in financial awards and wraparound support.
“Too often, individuals face barriers in their pursuit of higher education. Many times, these same individuals need people to believe in their dreams, which can propel them to great heights,” said Fiesta Sports Foundation Executive Director & CEO Erik Moses. “I am inspired by this year’s Empowering Diversity Scholarship recipients, with their aspirations to be leaders and gamechangers in their desired professional paths. Fiesta Sports Foundation is proud to invest in their futures to help them pursue their dreams.”
This year’s $92,500 of funding increases the scholarship’s cumulative total to $539,500 in six years. With support from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona, the Empowering Diversity Scholarship debuted in 2020 as a way for both organizations to support Arizonans in their educational journeys.
On the post-secondary track, high school graduating seniors and current college students will receive $5,500 each in scholarship awards and wraparound support services provided by Be A Leader Foundation or Education Forward Arizona. Additional Arizona residents will receive assistance in obtaining their GED (general education development) through a $1,000 award geared towards fees associated with their GED assessment, education-related resources and program support services provided by College Depot.
AZ Blue is proud to support these remarkable individuals who are shaping Arizona’s future," said Paul Penzone, VP, Community Relations officer at AZ Blue. "These scholars inspire us with their resilience, ambition, and commitment to making a difference in their communities."
Nine scholarship recipients will be or are currently attending Arizona State University with seven set to attend or currently attending University of Arizona. There is also one recipient each at Northern Arizona University and Mohave Community College. The recipients have lifelong goals of becoming doctors, architects, social workers and more.
Showcasing statewide impact, this year’s 25 recipients are spread across seven Arizona counties: Maricopa, Pinal, Yuma, Mohave, Apache, Coconino and Yavapai.
The scholarship plays a vital role in ensuring that Arizona’s underrepresented residents, who make up the 10th most diverse state in the U.S., have access to educational attainment to position themselves to achieve their life dreams and goals.
The 2025-26 winners are listed below, alphabetically, with biographies and quotes. More information on the Empowering Diversity Scholarship may be found at FiestaSportsFoundation.org/DiversityScholarship.