American Indian College Fund Receives $100,000 to Renew Navajo Scholars Program

Native News Network Staff in Native Briefs. Discussion »

STEM Students

Native Brief: DENVER - The American Indian College Fund received a grant of $100,000 from the APS Foundation, the charitable giving arm of Arizona Public Service, a leading producer of electric power in the southwest. The donation will renew the Arizona Public Service Navajo Scholars Program for 2011-12, to provide scholarship support to Navajo students studying for a degree in the science, technology, engineering, and math fields (STEM) at tribal colleges including Diné College and Navajo Technical College, and mainstream colleges within the New Mexico and Arizona state university system.

"Education continues to be the principal focus for the APS Foundation and we are proud to invest $100,000 in the APS Navajo Scholars Program at the American Indian College Fund for the second year," said Mark Schiavoni, Arizona Public Service Senior Vice President of Fossil Generation, and APS Foundation board member. "Our Four Corners Power Plant sits on the Navajo Nation, and about 75 percent of the plant's employees are Navajo, so it is incumbent upon us to continually invest in those who may comprise our future workforce."

"The continued support of the APS Foundation will help Navajo students to pursue their passions in the STEM fields at colleges in Arizona and New Mexico," said Richard B. Williams, President and CEO of the American Indian College Fund. "We are delighted that the foundation continues to support Native education so that they can create a better life for themselves, their families, and the people in their communities."

Arizona Public Service, Arizona's largest and longest-serving electricity utility, serves more than 1.1 million customers in 11 of the state's 15 counties. With headquarters in Phoenix, APS is the principal subsidiary of Pinnacle West Capital Corp. (NYSE: PNW). The APS Foundation, Inc. is an Arizona nonprofit corporation that was incorporated in December of 1981 as a charitable foundation recognized by the Internal Revenue Service.

posted October 26, 2011 6:00 am edt