ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Three students from Acoma Pueblo are among the 20 Native American recipients of this year’s New Mexico Gas Company (NMGC) scholarship, a statewide initiative that supports Indigenous students pursuing college degrees, trade certifications, and technical training.
Myra Fagua, Kayleigh John, and Virayana Valencia— all members of Acoma Pueblo—received $3,000 scholarships that can be applied to any education-related expense. Fagua and John are studying nursing at New Mexico State University and the University of New Mexico, respectively. Valencia is pursuing a degree in animal science at New Mexico State.
Now in its 14th year, the NMGC scholarship program is open to New Mexico residents who are enrolled members of a New Mexico tribe, pueblo, or nation. Since 2011, more than 200 students have received support through the program.
“We’re proud to support these accomplished students, who are focused through their educational journey to make a difference in their communities,” said NMGC President Ryan Shell.
This year’s class includes students from a diverse group of tribal communities—including Isleta, Laguna, Nambe, Santo Domingo, Cochiti, Taos, Zuni, the Navajo Nation, and the Mescalero Apache Tribe—attending institutions across New Mexico and the U.S.
The 2025 recipients were honored at a banquet on Saturday, where guest speaker Norah Begay, founder of the NMGC Native Network and a member of San Felipe Pueblo, Isleta Pueblo, and Navajo Nation, offered words of encouragement.
“Don’t leave your community or your culture behind. Those are going to be huge assets for you,” said Begay. “It always gave me the will to succeed and to achieve whatever I was pursuing.”