Scholarships are a valuable investment in our collective future and help turn promising potential into meaningful careers. The LANL Foundation manages a wide range of scholarship funds and ensures that all donor contributions support student awards. The majority of support for scholarships comes from Los Alamos National Laboratory employees, but we welcome contributions from community members and businesses.
There are several ways to become a LANL Foundation scholarship donor:
- Contribute to the General Scholarship Fund(s). These donations are available immediately to award scholarships.
- Contribute to any of the Named or Memorial Funds below designated for students who meet specific eligibility criteria. Donations to an endowed fund are invested into designated endowments. Earnings from the fund are available to award scholarships in perpetuity.
- Create a new, custom scholarship fund through a planned gift.
Regardless of the donor path you choose, your financial gift is tax deductible.
General Scholarship Funds
Donations to these funds offer the most flexibility in awarding scholarships to deserving students in Northern New Mexico.
Los Alamos Employees’ General Scholarship Fund
In 1998, Los Alamos National Laboratory and its employees, retirees, and contractors partnered with the LANL Foundation to create the Los Alamos Employees’ Scholarship Fund (LAESF). The goal of the General Fund is to provide scholarships that support the students of Northern New Mexico who are pursuing undergraduate degrees in fields that will serve the region. Merit-based awards are determined by academic achievement, leadership potential and commitment to service. Financial need, diversity, and regional representation are integral components of the selection process for all awards.
Career Pathways Scholarship Fund
Formerly known as Regional College/Returning Student Scholarships, this fund provides renewable $1,500 scholarships to students pursuing two-year degrees, certificates and trades. Many recipients are nontraditional students returning to higher education. Others are trade school students and those pursuing a two-year degree or certificate immediately after high school.
Los Alamos Employees’ Endowed Scholarship Fund
Established in 1999. This fund creates lasting scholarship opportunities for Northern New Mexico students. Its goal is to increase the number of scholarships available each year, while ensuring permanent funding.
Need-Based Scholarship Fund
Established in 2019, these scholarships are awarded to well-qualified applicants with demonstrated financial need. All recipients meet or exceed the minimum merit-based eligibility requirements. Status as a first-generation college student is also considered.
Named and Memorial Funds
These funds are established by private donors, partner organizations, and the LANL Foundation to support students who embody the spirit and interests of the donors and the loved ones they wish to honor.
Alan Johnston Memorial Scholarship
Established to honor Alan Johnston, former LANL employee and LANL Foundation board member, this endowed scholarship supports students pursuing a business-related field of study.
Anchorum Health Foundation/ Christus St. Vincent Medical Pathways Scholarship Fund
Established to support graduates of the Capital High School Medical Pathways Program who intend to pursue a two- or four-year degree in a medical-related field at any accredited trade school, college, or university in the state of New Mexico. The scholarship is intended to strengthen the pipeline of skilled healthcare workers in New Mexico.
Blaine Meyer Hadden Memorial Scholarship Fund
Established by Marie-Louise Hadden in honor of her late husband Blaine Meyer Hadden of El Rito, this scholarship is awarded to students pursuing a degree in Electrical Engineering or, barring any qualified candidates, any engineering discipline.
Blaine served in the U.S. Marine Corps and earned an Electrical Engineering degree before marrying Marie-Louise and settling in northern New Mexico. Blaine was an avid outdoorsman and served as a volunteer firefighter and EMT. At Los Alamos National Laboratory, Blaine was an integral part of a program with Homeland Security’s Second Line of Defense which sent him around the world to secure seaports.
Bret Knapp Endowed Memorial Scholarship Fund
Established to honor Bret Knapp, a brilliant engineer and leader with a distinguished career in public service at Los Alamos National Laboratory, this scholarship is awarded to a student who demonstrates strong leadership and is pursuing a mechanical engineering or similar engineering degree. Additional consideration is given to student athletes who exhibit leadership in sports or community service and students with a passion for math.
Brett (1958–2014) worked in the Weapons Program as senior manager of the weapons engineering, design, and production organizations, and at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.
Bryan Fearey & Maureen Connolly Endowed Scholarship for Science and the Arts
Established by Bryan Fearey and Maureen Connolly, both physical chemists, this scholarship honors their enduring commitment to science serving the nation’s national security needs and provides financial support to students with similar interests with chemistry at its core and a passion for music performance and/or visual arts. Read more>
Charles E. & Ellen E. Morris Endowed Scholarship Fund
Established by Ellen E. Morris to honor the memory of her late husband Charles E. Morris and to provide financial support for deserving students with a desire to pursue post-secondary higher education, this scholarship is intended to support the hopes and dreams of students in Northern New Mexico pursuing a bachelor’s degree, two-year degree, or certificate at any accredited college or university. The primary criteria are merit as demonstrated by academic rigor and scholastic performance.
Communities in Schools-Endowed Venture Scholarship Fund
Established in 2024 by Kelly Pope and David Bulfer of Santa Fe, this fund provides scholarships for students who received at least one year of case-managed support from Communities In Schools of New Mexico. Scholarships are available to graduating high school seniors and alumni of the program who are enrolled or intend to enroll at an accredited institute of higher education in New Mexico in pursuit of a certificate, associate’s degree, or bachelor’s degree.
Climate Change Leadership Institute Endowed Earth & Environmental Science Scholarship Fund
Established in 2014 when LANL scientist Dr. Jeri Sullivan Graham received the Conservation Leadership Seed Grant Award from the Climate Change Leadership Institute (CCLI), this scholarship supports students pursuing degrees in Earth and Environmental Science fields, including Ecology and Environmental/Climate Stewardship. Preference is given to Native American first-generation college students. CCLI is a nonprofit organization dedicated to phasing out greenhouse gas emissions and empowering community through the ethics of conservation, the adoption of clean energy, and the act of taking responsibility as a civil society. Read more>
Dell Technologies/Wildflower International Endowed Scholarship Fund
Established by a gift from Wildflower International with support from Dell Technologies, this scholarship is for Northern New Mexico high school seniors and undergraduates pursuing studies in computer science and other technology-based disciplines. The first Dell Technologies/Wildflower International Scholar was named in 2023. Read more>
Don & Connie Cobb Endowed Education Scholarship Fund
Established in 2016 by Don & Connie Cobb, inspired by their daughter, an elementary school teacher, this scholarship supports student pursuing a degree in education.
Don was an active LANL Foundation board member with a long and distinguished career at Los Alamos National Laboratory. Don and Connie were instrumental in creating the LANL Workforce Retirees’ Scholarship Fund in 2006. Read more>
Founders Scholarship
Established to honor the founders of the LANL Foundation, this scholarship is awarded to one student annually who demonstrates persistence in the face of adversity and who creates something greater than themselves.
Howard Menlove & Jean Marshall Memorial Scholarship Fund
Established by Howard Menlove, a retired LANL scientist and Fellow, to honor the memory of Jean Marshall, this scholarship is awarded to students pursuing degrees in Education, Science or Healthcare.
Howard had a very distinguished career at LANL in Nuclear Safeguards and Nonproliferation. Howard’s life partner, Jean, worked in education and the coordination of assistance programs for the needy.
John & Marti Browne Endowed Leadership Scholarship Fund
Established in 2000 by former LANL Director John Browne and his wife Marti, their Leadership Scholarship is awarded to students who have demonstrated outstanding leadership qualities and achievements in their home, school, or community. In addition to meeting LAESF’s rigorous merit-based requirements, students who receive this award also have financial need. Read more
LANL Workforce Retirees’ Endowed Scholarship Fund
This endowment became fully funded in 2018 and continues to grow from contributions made primarily by retired LANL employees to provide scholarships for students pursuing degrees critical to the needs of the Laboratory and the region. Emphasis for these awards will be placed on students who have high academic achievement and financial need. Preference will be given to students who are pursuing STEM degrees.
Marvin Martin Mueller Memorial Scholarship Fund
Established to honor the memory of Martin Mueller, this memorial scholarship supports the children and families of Los Alamos County Police Department employees pursuing two- and four-year degrees or certificates, and applicants with the expressed desire to improve the lives of others.
From a young age, Marvin knew he wanted to be a mathematician or a physicist. He ultimately achieved his goal while working for Los Alamos National Laboratory for 35 years. Outside of physics, he most notably enjoyed philosophy, gravitating toward the humanist movement.
Michael A. Hiskey Endowed Nursing Scholarship Fund
Established by fellow LANL scientists to honor the highly creative, unique, and passionate energetic materials chemist, Michael A. Hiskey, this scholarship is awarded to students in Northern New Mexico pursuing a nursing degree to help address the shortage of nurses in the region. Read more>
Nancy & Jeffrey Sauer Endowed Scholarship Fund
Established by Nancy and Jeffrey Sauer to honor their life-long commitment to science and provide financial support to students with similar passions and desires to pursue a career in the physical and environmental sciences, this scholarship is intended to support students in Northern New Mexico pursuing bachelor’s degrees in Chemistry, Physics, Geology, Hydrology, or Biology. Read more>
Nelson O. & Esperanza Baca Gonzales Endowed Scholarship Fund
Established by Nelson O. Gonzales to honor his wife, Esperanza Baca Gonzales, this scholarship is awarded to students from Mesa Vista High School primarily, and then to students from Española Valley High School, pursuing a bachelor’s degree, associate’s degree, or a certification in a trade. Scholarships are awarded to those who embody the Gonzales’ commitment to community and service. Financial need is strongly considered in the selection process. Read more>
NNM American Society of Mechanical Engineers Scholarship (ASME)
Established by ASME, this scholarship is awarded to two students annually who are pursuing a degree in Mechanical Engineering or other engineering field.
Northern New Mexico Tribal Business Scholarship Fund
Established by Los Alamos National Security, LLC, and LANL, this fund is designed to support and advance education opportunities for Native American students from LANL’s 16 neighboring Tribal communities. The intent is to keep up with the growing need for accountants, financial analysts, and business information system professionals within Tribal communities to support business opportunities to help provide a bright future for generations to come. To make this a reality, Tribal communities encourage students to pursue business-related degrees and use their educational skills to be a part of their long-range goals to enhance economic development and business in their communities.
Pete & Elaine Lyons Memorial Scholarship Fund
Established to honor and celebrate the life and legacy of Pete B. Lyons and his late wife Elaine, this scholarship benefits students who have demonstrated leadership and service to their school and community and for whom financial need is a barrier to attaining a college education.
Pete dedicated his life to public service, his community, the scientific community, and the nation. He spent more than 30 years in a range of leadership roles at Los Alamos National Laboratory, as a long-time school board member at Los Alamos Public Schools, as an advisor to Sen. Pete Domenici, and most notably, serving as the Assistant Secretary of Energy for Nuclear Energy under President Obama. He also helped create the LANL Foundation, further continuing his life interest in fostering future generations of Northern New Mexico.
Peterson Career Pathways Scholarship Fund
Established in 2023 by a group of advisors led by Vickie Gabin of Santa Fe, this fund provides scholarships for students pursuing an associate degree or professional certification. Karen Peterson (1947-2023) is lovingly described as a “curmudgeon, cat lover, journalist, linguist and a sometimes bothersome iconoclast.” Raised in Los Alamos, Peterson worked as a journalist for the Rio Grande Sun and the Santa Fe New Mexican. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Spanish and Russian from the University of California-Berkeley (1969) and a master’s of arts in comparative literature at the University of New Mexico (1972).
Rae Lee Siporin Scholarship
Established to honor Rae Lee Siporin, a first-generation college graduate, who firmly believes that women need extra support to pursue their educational goals and, to that end, has started several funds to support women through various organizations, this scholarship is for one female first-generation college student and one female Native American student annually.
Raymond M. Chavez Memorial Scholarship
Established by the LANL Foundation and supported by the family of Raymond M. Chavez, this fund provides one scholarship annually to a student from Chimayó/Española Valley with exceptional community service.
Senator Pete Domenici Endowed Scholarship Fund
Established to honor the life and legacy of Senator Pete Domenici, these awards help foster the competitiveness of New Mexico’s workforce in an increasingly complex global economy. In “Pete’s spirit,” the fund is dedicated to providing college scholarships to local high school seniors who demonstrate outstanding leadership in their schools and communities and who exhibit academic excellence and financial need. Each year, the fund awards one $10,000 scholarship in each of the seven Northern New Mexico counties served by the Foundation.
Senator Domenici made immense contributions to the Los Alamos National Laboratory, LANL Foundation, and communities of Northern New Mexico. He played a leadership role in obtaining a $35 million appropriation for the LANL Foundation’s endowment. To honor him for these contributions, the LANL Foundation established this endowed scholarship fund in his name.
Sheila Morris Luna Memorial Scholarship Fund
Established in 2020 by Susan Seestrom and Chris Morris to honor their daughter Sheila Morris Luna and their own life-long commitment to science, this scholarship is awarded to a woman pursuing a bachelor’s degree in any STEM-related field at a New Mexico college or university. Undergraduate status and financial need are highly considered when awarding this scholarship. Read more>
Susan Herrera Endowed Scholarship Fund
Established by the LANL Foundation Board of Directors to honor Susan Herrera’s 17 years of leadership, this scholarship bears the name of our first Executive Director. Herrera scholars embody Susan’s spirit of community and leadership and exemplify the resiliency and determination of students in Northern New Mexico who work hard to earn every grade in school.
Tim Martin Memorial Scholarship
Established by the family of Tim Martin to honor him and support students from his hometown of El Rito, one-time awards of $1000 are given each year to Mesa Vista High School seniors who exemplify Tim’s spirit of community service and academic performance. Read more>
Veterans Scholarship Fund
In partnership with the LAESF Advisory Committee and the LANL Veterans Employee Resource Group, the LANL Foundation Board of Directors established the Veterans Scholarship Fund in 2024 to provide scholarships for individuals from northern New Mexico with ties to the military. In addition to meeting general LAESF eligibility criteria, eligible candidates will be veterans (preferred) or children of veterans who demonstrate a commitment to academic achievement, leadership and service.
William & Gertrude Fradkin Memorial Scholarship
Established by David Fradkin to honor his parents William and Gertrude Fradkin, this scholarship is awarded to one student annually who demonstrates high moral character and has financial need.
Become a LANL Foundation Scholarship Donor
Contributing to our General Scholarship Fund or another existing fund managed by the LANL Foundation is an incredible way to create a future for another person that ultimately benefits our state.
If you’re interested in establishing a new, custom scholarship fund to honor your legacy or that of a loved one or would like to discuss a planned gift to the LANL Foundation, contact Tony Fox, Vice President of Institutional Advancement & Scholarships at 505-753-8890 ext. 116 or email tony@lanlfoundation.org.