March 29, 2023
Contact: Maddy Mahony, maddy@lanlfoundation.org
2023 LANL Scholars Announced
122 Recipients Will Receive Scholarships Worth Over $800,000
Española, NM – The LANL Foundation has announced this year’s recipients of our four-year undergraduate degree scholarships. 110 Northern New Mexico students pursuing bachelor’s degrees will receive 122 scholarships worth $839,000!
LANL Foundation’s four-year undergraduate scholarships are open to students pursuing a degree in any field of study. The scholarships range from $1,000 for a single year up to $20,000 over four years. Recipients are selected based on a demonstrated commitment to academic achievement, leadership, and service.
“Every year I am amazed by the young people of our region who apply for these scholarships. Many of them have remarkable academic records while also juggling substantial work or family commitments and serving as leaders in their schools and communities. It is inspiring to hear about the life they envision for themselves and the change they hope to create in the world. We are so thankful that we can help make those dreams a reality for so many Northern New Mexico students and families,” said Mike Ammerman, Scholarship Program Director at the LANL Foundation.
This year’s $20,000 Gold Scholarship recipients are:
Yunseo Kim of Los Alamos High School – Yunseo represented New Mexico as one of two delegates to the United Nations Senate Youth Program, an honor extended to students who are among the top 1% in academic ranking in the state. Yunseo is a three-time New Mexico Speech and Debate State Champion and ranked 8th in the nation during the 2022 National Speech and Debate Competition. Yunseo was selected as one of nine students from New Mexico to represent the US in a week-long Model International Criminal Court, where she was nominated presiding judge at the event. Yunseo also founded “Powerful Voices Powerful Change (PVPC): Hope for Refugees” after serving at a refugee camp in Denver, Colorado. Yunseo says, “As I desire to make long-lasting change for future generations of refugees, I aspire to study International Relations and one day become a diplomat to address the immense structural barriers refugees face worldwide.”
Dominic Sandoval of Española Valley High School – Dominic Sandoval is Co-Valedictorian of EVHS and has earned many honors, including being named a Hispanic Scholarship Fund Scholar, National Hispanic Scholar, and College Board National Hispanic Scholar. Dominic currently serves as the EVHS Student Body President and New Mexico Association of Student Councils’ 2nd Vice President. Dominic won the New Mexico Science and Engineering Fair state championship in 2021 in the Senior Plant Science division and the U.S. Stockholm Junior Water Prize award. He also participated in the NASA-sponsored “Going Beyond Earth (GBE) Initiative,” where he conducted research in growing vegetables under refined parameters which provided research for application at the International Space Station. Dominic has been mentored by a New Mexico State Senator for the past six years and hopes to serve his community by pursuing a career in Government. Dominic says, “I’ve learned that government and politics are more than just an interest, it’s my reality. Policymaking requires passion, and the desire to fight for the common good, both of which I will carry with me every day.”
Victoria Shaner of V. Sue Cleveland High School – Victoria is the 2023 Valedictorian of V. Sue Cleveland High School in Rio Rancho with a passion for STEM. Victoria currently serves as Key Club President, where she has participated in over 50 community service activities and tripled the number of students participating in the club. Victoria participates in her school’s Storming STEM Club and is a 2021 and 2022 Governor’s STEM Challenge champion. She has also won awards in the Supercomputing Challenge, Science Olympiad, and UNM-PNM Math Competition. Victoria is a first-generation college student who comes from a large family. She says, “I have made a difference at home by aiding my seven younger siblings with support, as a mentor and an older sister. By donating my time to my family, I can help them prosper and reach their absolute best. Being raised in a large family has gifted me with compassion and determination.” Victoria plans to major in biochemistry and possibly pursue a career as a bio-medical engineer or anesthesiologist.
Since 1999, LANL Foundation has awarded more than 2,300 scholarships totaling over $11 million! These scholarships would not be possible without the generous support from the Los Alamos Employees’ Scholarship Fund (LAESF) Advisory Committee and the LANL workforce. In 2022, LANL employees donated nearly $375,000 to LAESF, and Triad National Security contributed $177,500 in scholarship funding.
Scholarships are also made possible by community members who have entrusted the LANL Foundation and the LAESF Advisory Committee to administer their named and endowed scholarship funds. For a full list of this year’s recipients click here.
Since 1997, the LANL Foundation has been investing in education, learning, and human potential in Northern New Mexico. Through diverse programming and collaboration with key partners, the LANL Foundation works to ensure that all New Mexicans have the skills and confidence they need to be self-sufficient lifelong learners who are engaged in their communities. LANL Foundation is dedicated to the enhancement of students’ access to academic and technical opportunities, leading to quality jobs by supporting college and career readiness in schools, districts, communities, Pueblos, Tribes, and Nations. For more information visit: https://www.lanlfoundation.org.
