In just its second year of existence, the Conroy Scholars Program in the New Mexico State University Honors College welcomed six new members.
This year’s freshmen Conroy Scholars include Joshua Barrera, Dominick Cordova, Lauren Fierro, Analyssa Martinez, Arianna Martinez and Sienna Mata.
“The Honors College is heavily involved in recruiting students and helping them discover what great opportunities are available to them when they come to NMSU,” NMSU Honors College Dean Miriam Chaiken said. “These scholarships recognize the talents of the best and brightest students in the state and the region, and we are so pleased that they chose NMSU.”
The scholarship is named for William B. Conroy, who served as NMSU president from 1997-2000. He also served as interim president and executive vice president. While at NMSU, Conroy was a strong supporter of the honors program. He also supported the renovation of the historic YMCA building that was constructed in 1909. The newly renovated building was dedicated as the William B. Conroy Honors Center in 2002.
The six students, along with a few second-year Conroy Scholars, met Conroy in August during an informal session at the Honors Center.
“What a pleasure it was for me to meet and visit with the Conroy Scholars,” Conroy said. “I was so impressed by each of them. They seemed to be full of energy and excited about what the new academic year will bring.”
High school students who are national merit semi-finalists or national Hispanic merit semi-finalists are eligible for the scholarship beginning with their freshman year at NMSU. Students’ PSAT scores determine whether they will be invited to apply for the Conroy scholarship.
Invitations to apply for the scholarship were extended to hundreds of students in the western United States. Students who submitted an application were invited to Conroy Day on campus in February. During Conroy Day, the students were provided with a scholarship offer letter. It was the students’ choice whether to accept the offer, which includes tuition, room and board.
Conroy Scholars may choose any field of study as a major. The scholarship is a four-year offer if a 3.5 grade point average is maintained.
Chaiken said the Conroy Scholarship Program demonstrates that NMSU is able to attract students who are being recruited by the top schools in the nation, not just the nearby University of Texas at El Paso and University of New Mexico.
“We tend to think of our ‘competition’ as UTEP and UNM, but the Conroy Scholars are choosing between NMSU, Stanford or Yale,” she said. “The fact that we can attract these students shows that we offer a high quality education and tremendous opportunities for personal and professional growth.”
Information from NMSU