- Tempe Union High School District
- TUHSD Newsroom
Corona del Sol's Andrea Lara-Garcia named 2017 Flinn Scholar
If you ask Corona del Sol student, Andrea Lara-Garcia when she knew she wanted to compete for the Flinn scholarship, she will tell you it was her freshman year in high school. In fact, she credits her older brother for giving her the advice to plan for college and to research scholarships to help her prepare.
Now, four years later, Andrea has made this dream a reality and is one of twenty of Arizona’s highest-achieving high-school seniors that has been awarded the 2017 Flinn Scholarship, a highly competitive merit-based award for undergraduate study at an Arizona public university.
The Flinn Scholarship, supported by the Phoenix-based Flinn Foundation and the universities, covers the cost of tuition and room and board at one of the state’s three public universities, provides funding for at least two study-abroad experiences and an off-campus internship, and offers other benefits. The scholarship is valued at more than $115,000.
The 32nd class of Flinn Scholars represents 17 different high schools across the Phoenix and Tucson metro areas and in small towns in northern, southern, central, and western Arizona.
“The Foundation is once again inspired by the dynamic student leaders who make up the new class of Flinn Scholars,” said Jack B. Jewett, Flinn Foundation president and CEO. “These talented and successful students, a diverse group from rural and urban areas of Arizona, are ready for an extraordinary education and college experience at our state’s universities.”
“Andrea is articulate, engaging, and obviously academically brilliant. Just wait – this girl will knock your socks off,” wrote Andrea’s Guidance Counselor Angela Carter in her letter of recommendation to the Flinn Foundation. She went on to say, “Given a chance, she will achieve great things for any school she attends, and I offer my highest recommendation for Andrea Lara-Garcia.”
The Scholars have a wide range of majors and interests they plan to pursue in the fall, including biomedical engineering, astrophysics, journalism, economics, mathematics, neuroscience, business, urban planning, anthropology, physics, aerospace engineering, and computer science.
“This class of incoming Scholars is a remarkable group of students with diverse talents and ambitions,” said Anne Lassen, Flinn Scholars Program director. “Not only do they excel academically, but they also invest their time in leadership roles and service projects within their community. We look forward to the contributions they will make to the state and its universities in the years ahead.”
Andrea’s advice to other students who hope to be awarded scholarships down the road: “Be active in your community in a genuine way. Find things that have meaning to you and spend your time on those causes. Seeking activities that actually interest you will make you a stronger candidate. Oh…and be nice to your teachers, because they will be the ones to write your recommendations!”
The Flinn Scholars Program received more than 750 applications from high-school seniors for this year’s scholarship, translating to an award rate of 2.6 percent.
The scholarship benefits, beyond covering eight semesters of tuition and room and board, include:
- A three-week summer seminar in China for the full class following the freshman year, and at least one additional study-abroad experience;
- Funded participation in the Professional-Leadership Internship Program, exclusively for Flinn Scholars, at an Arizona company or organization;
- Mentorship from top faculty and exposure to local and world leaders, including Arizona’s leading business, civic, and academic minds;
- Fellowship in a community of about 80 current and more than 500 alumni Scholars;
- Membership in a university honors college or program, with small classes, guest lectures, and research experiences;
- Intellectual, cultural and social activities developed for Scholars by both the Flinn Foundation and the universities.
The typical Flinn Scholar achieves at least a 3.5 grade-point average, a top-5 percent class rank, a score of 1360 on the SAT or 29 on the ACT, and participation and demonstrated leadership in extracurricular activities.
The Flinn Scholars Program is operated by the Flinn Foundation Scholarship Program LLC and supported by the Flinn Foundation, a Phoenix-based private, nonprofit, grantmaking organization. The Foundation, founded in 1965 by the late Dr. Robert and Irene Flinn, also supports the advancement of Arizona’s bioscience sector, arts and culture, and the Arizona Center for Civic Leadership.
Additional information about the Flinn Scholars Program can be found at www.flinnscholars.org
May 11, 2017