Receiving this scholarship is a blessing. I didn't continue high school because I became a mom at a young age. I want my kids to always look at what I've been able to accomplish with minimum support and think, 'Hey, if mom can do it, so can I.'
– Dalia Chacon Jimenez, 2021 Empowering Diversity Scholarship recipient
Education is a positive predictor of health, employment, and overall quality of life. With a goal of uplifting individuals, along with their families and communities, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona (BCBSAZ) and Fiesta Bowl Charities established the Empowering Diversity Scholarship. The scholarship is designed to help Arizona minority students fulfill their educational goals while fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Launched in August 2020, the scholarship attracted over 400 applications for the 16 available $5,000 scholarships. The demand inspired BCBSAZ and Fiesta Bowl Charities to do more to help Arizonans learn and thrive. In 2021, Empowering Diversity expanded to support two educational pathways: post-secondary attainment and general education development (GED).
Scholarship packages for both pathways include $500 in wraparound services that are crucial to student success, including:
These services are provided in partnership with Be A Leader Foundation, Education Forward Arizona, and College Depot.
The Empowering Diversity Scholarship fund has provided over $170,000 in funding, bringing greater opportunity to 46 scholarship recipients as of May 2021. Empowering Diversity Scholarships are funded by BCBSAZ staff and board of director contributions together with Fiesta Bowl. Anyone in the community may also
make a tax-free donation and help build a brighter future for Arizonans.
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