Northern New Mexico College students Pablo Montoya, Miranda Salazar and Paul Thibodeaux will each receive $5,000 toward educational goals
Longenecker & Associates (L&A) has announced the three Northern New Mexico College (NNMC) students receiving scholarships for the Fall 2023 semester. Pablo Montoya, Miranda Salazar and Paul Thibodeaux will each receive $5,000, as well as internship opportunities and career mentoring by L&A senior staff or board members.
“We are very grateful for Longenecker & Associates’ generous and continued support of our students and Northern’s mission, and we are so proud of this year's recipients: Pablo, Miranda and Paul,” said NNMC President Hector Balderas. “Community champions like this are vital to providing students the opportunity to pursue their educational and career goals and putting them on the path to success.”
This year L&A increased its annual contribution to the Northern New Mexico College Foundation to $15,000, which provided funding for three scholarships instead of two, as in previous years. The scholarships are targeted toward students pursuing a career in a field that supports L&A’s missions in Northern New Mexico at Los Alamos and Sandia national laboratories, such as project management, business and support functions. Recipients are eligible to have the scholarship extended a second year provided they continue to meet eligibility requirements.
“Congratulations to this year’s recipients of the L&A scholarship. We’re excited to help them achieve their goals of pursuing meaningful careers that support the important missions of the U.S. Department of Energy in national security environmental remediation and clean energy,” said L&A CEO John Longenecker.
“We’re proud of the relationship we have with Northern New Mexico College and our strong decades long ties to Northern New Mexico. We’re grateful for the opportunities we have to aid the DOE in its missions at Los Alamos and Sandia national laboratories, and we’re grateful to help promising students here be able to apply their knowledge and talents close to home to solve our nation’s most critical problems.”
Salazar is from Alcalde, N.M. She recently received her Associate of Science in Chemistry while playing basketball for Northern. She returned this fall for two additional years to her athletic career and to finish her bachelor's degree in biology. After graduation, she wants to study medicine and become an anesthesiologist.
“It is an honor to be named one of three recipients of this prestigious scholarship,” Salazar said. “This scholarship will be very helpful as I am unable to work due to my demanding schedule between academics and athletics. I will forever be grateful for this contribution toward my future goals, and I will always remember Longenecker & Associates for helping make it possible for me to further my education and getting me one step closer to success.”
Montoya is completing his Bachelor of Business Administration in Project Management this fall. After graduation he plans on staying with LANL and work toward running projects for the DOE.
“Being chosen for this Longenecker & Associates scholarship means I can concentrate on doing my best academically,” Montoya said. “Knowing this scholarship comes from a small woman-owned business, I feel even more appreciative of their involvement in the future of this nation.”
Thibodeaux is studying Radiation Control and Protection. A native of Southeast Louisiana, he moved here a year ago with his wife, who is from Northern New Mexico.
“Upon graduation, I plan on working as a Radiation Control Technician,” Thibodeaux said. “I look forward to serving this community through my work as an RCT. This scholarship allows me to further my education and focus on my studies while raising my children.”
