ACOMA PUEBLO, NM — Four enrolled members of the Acoma Pueblo have been awarded Native American Scholarships from New Mexico Gas Company (NMGC), receiving $3,000 each to support their educational goals in fields ranging from nursing to cybersecurity.
This year’s Acoma recipients are: Mya Fragua, studying nursing at New Mexico State University; Norlyn Lowden, studying nursing at the University of New Mexico; Aaron Pino Jr., pursuing a master’s degree in cybersecurity at Indiana Institute of Technology; Vivyana Valencia, studying animal science at the University of New Mexico Each scholarship can be used for any educationrelated expense, offering students flexibility as they navigate their degree or certification programs.
The NMGC Native American Scholarship Program began in 2011 and has awarded over 200 scholarships to students who are enrolled members of New Mexico’s tribes, pueblos, and nations. Eligible students include recent high school graduates, GED recipients, and those pursuing education at community colleges, trade schools, or universities.
A fifth local recipient, Kiela Shroulote of Laguna Pueblo, was also honored. Shroulote is studying nursing at Brookline College.
2025 recipients were celebrated during a recognition banquet held this past weekend. The keynote speaker was Notah Begay III, a fourtime PGA Tour winner, NBC Golf commentator, and founder of the NB3 Foundation. Begay, who is of San Felipe Pueblo, Isleta Pueblo, and Navajo heritage, spoke about the importance of honoring one's cultural roots while pursuing higher education.
“Don’t leave your community or your culture behind. Those are going to be huge assets for you,” Begay told the scholarship recipients. “It always gave me the will to succeed and to achieve whatever I was pursuing.”
New Mexico Gas Company President Ryan Shell praised the students’ determination and vision for the future. “We’re proud to support these accomplished students, who are focused through their educational journey to make a difference in their communities,” he said.
The corrected list of recipients each showcase the educational achievement and ambition emerging from tribal communities in Cibola County and across New Mexico.
For more information about the NMGC Native American Scholarship Program, visit www.nmgco.com.
Editor’s Note: An earlier version of this article misstated the number of Acoma Pueblo scholarship recipients and included incorrect information regarding individual names and affiliations. This updated version reflects the correct list of four Acoma Pueblo recipients— Mya Fragua, Norlyn Lowden, Aaron Pino Jr., and Vivyana Valencia— as well as Laguna Pueblo recipient Kiela Shroulote. Kayleigh John was incorrectly identified as an Acoma Pueblo member and as a scholarship recipient. Additionally, the keynote speaker was Notah Begay III, not Norah Begay. We regret the errors and thank Noreen D. Lowden for submitting the corrections.