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Local youth receive nearly $570K for higher education

The Los Alamos Employees’ Scholarship Fund honors 95 area students.
May 2, 2016
Arasely Rodriguez of Taos High School, Katherine Wang of Los Alamos High School, and Solomon Sindelar of New Mexico Military Institute are the recipients of the 2016 Los Alamos Employees’ Scholarship Fund Gold scholarships. Put it on your child’s summer reading list as part of the Rudolfo Anaya Summer Reading Program.

Arasely Rodriguez of Taos High School, Katherine Wang of Los Alamos High School, and Solomon Sindelar of New Mexico Military Institute are the recipients of the 2016 Los Alamos Employees’ Scholarship Fund Gold scholarships.

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  • Director, Community Relations & Partnerships
  • Kathy Keith
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“This scholarship gives me the opportunity to gain new experience and go to college without loans. This is not frivolous.” —Solomon Sindelar

With the help of a $20,000 Gold Scholarship from the Los Alamos Employees’ Scholarship Fund (LAESF), New Mexico Military Institute (NMMI) senior Solomon Sindelar will attend the University of New Mexico this fall with hopes of making a real difference locally—and beyond.

“I want to figure out a way to give back to New Mexico or NMMI or America,” says 18-year-old Sindelar. “This scholarship gives me the opportunity to gain new experience and go to college without loans. This is not frivolous.” 

Sindelar’s scholarship is one of 95 LAESF scholarships awarded in April 2016 (see the full list here). Ranging from $1,000–$20,000 each (and totaling $566,750), the scholarships are given annually to students who exhibit strong leadership qualities in their schools and communities, in addition to meeting LAESF’s rigorous merit-based requirements.

In 1998, Los Alamos National Laboratory and its employees, retirees, and contractors partnered with the LANL Foundation to create the scholarship fund. The $5.5 million in scholarships given since 1999 have supported more than 1,100 Northern New Mexico high school graduates who are pursuing four-year undergraduate degrees and non-traditional students returning to school after a hiatus who are seeking two-year degrees or certifications. Awards are based on academic performance, leadership potential, critical thinking skills, and career goals. Financial need, diversity, and regional representation are integral components of the selections process.

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Totaling $566,750, the 2016 LAESF scholarships were awarded to students who exhibited strong leadership qualities and rigorous merit-based requirements.

“Each year, I’m reminded of how many talented, well-rounded students we have in Northern New Mexico,” says Tony Fox, LANL Foundation vice president of Institutional Advancement and Scholarships.

The 2015 campaign (for the 2016 scholarships) marked a 46 percent increase in Lab participation from 2014, reporting a total of $613,188.50 raised. Los Alamos National Security, LLC (LANS) provided a $250,000 match of employee donations. The LAESF annual fundraising campaign for the next round of scholarships kicks off on May 16.

May 2016