PHOENIX — Twelve local students visited Chase Field to see a baseball game last Saturday but instead saw their college dreams come true as they each received a share of $200,000 in scholarships through the D-backs Avnet STEM Scholars Program during a heart-warming ceremony hosted by D-backs President, CEO & General Partner Derrick Hall and Avnet CEO Phil Gallagher. The third graduating class of STEM Scholars received a personalized D-backs jersey, laptop, backpack, headphones and a $500 gift card for school supplies.
“These first-generation college goers should be extremely proud of their educational achievements and scholarship selection,” said Derrick Hall, Diamondbacks’ President, CEO & General Partner. “This program would not be possible without two incredible partners in Avnet and St. Vincent de Paul. Avnet’s generosity and community-minded partnership with the D-backs is once again impacting lives and making a difference.”
“It’s an honor to be able to participate in the D-backs Scholars Program for a third year,” said Phil Gallagher, Avnet CEO. “Each of these students has overcome obstacles to get where they are today and are committed to studying challenging subjects such as engineering, pharmacology and biosciences. It’s exciting for Avnet to be able to invest in our community’s future by supporting these students throughout the course of their STEM education.”
The STEM Scholar program has dedicated over $1 million to provide opportunities for high-potential and/or first-generation Arizona students to pursue a college degree in STEM-related fields. The scholars are selected through St. Vincent de Paul’s One at a Time Scholars program, which has been driving systemic change through comprehensive support for college students for over 20 years. To date, 33 students have benefited from the program.
The 2025 class of D-backs Avnet STEM Scholars includes:
- Nadir Babiker – Software Engineering at Arizona State University
- Helena Contreras – Software Engineering at Arizona State University
- Dolores Franco Paramo – Pharmacology at University of Arizona
- Nayasse Fuentes – Dental Hygiene at Phoenix College
- Itaty Gonzalez – Dental Hygiene at Arizona State University
- Kamali Ishimwe – Biosciences at Phoenix College
- Presten Lawler – Mechanical Engineering at Arizona State University
- Jesse Lopez Martin – Civil Engineering at Arizona State University
- Josie Salazar – Computer Science at Arizona State University
- Caley Suarez – Computer Science at Arizona State University
- Casey Suarez – Computer Science at Arizona State University
- Jesus Zermeno – Electrical Engineering at Arizona State University
