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SM������ and Arizona Diamondbacks Foundation Announce the 2019 “Teaming Up For Education®” Scholarship Recipients

Five Arizona residents awarded full-tuition scholarships to SM������

PHOENIX, April 3, 2019 — SM������ and the Arizona Diamondbacks Foundation today announced the recipients of the 2019 Teaming Up For Education® Scholarship Program. Five Arizona residents will receive full-tuition scholarship toward an undergraduate or master’s degree of their choice to be pursued at SM������ online or at a campus location.

The Arizona Diamondbacks Foundation will present the scholarships to this year’s recipients during the pregame events of the D-backs home game versus the Texas Rangers on Wednesday, April 10 at Chase Field. Scholarship recipients were selected by a committee consisting of SM������ and Arizona Diamondbacks Foundation representatives, based on the quality of applications and scholarship essays.

The 2019 Teaming Up For Education Scholarship recipients are:

• Heidi Crouch – Crouch, of Phoenix, is a fourth-grade general education teacher in the Kyrene Elementary School District, who hopes to earn a Master of Arts in Education/Curriculum and Instruction to improve investment in and readiness for higher education in today’s youth. She said her goal is to be a “rock star” teacher in the classroom by using her education to develop programs that impact student success, like the successful summer math program she launched for her fourth-grade students.
• Carlos Parra – Parra is a Chandler High School English language arts teacher, characterized as a “young teacher on a mission” by the selection committee. He believes educators must be lifelong learners and is seeking a Master of Arts in Education/Administration and Supervision to become a “complete” educator for his students through research and data-driven decision-making.
• Jeanette Valencia – Valencia is a marketing and business development officer at Peoples Mortgage Company in Tucson. She used her father’s disappearance in 2011 as a motivator to honor him by pursuing her goal to open a marketing company ranked among the top ten for most admired employers in the world. She is seeking an MBA in Business and Management.
• Tina Wade – Wade, who goes by Missy, was raised in a low-income, single-parent household but overcame poverty and landed her dream job as a Tolleson Union High School District guidance counselor. The Youngtown resident has family members who suffer from mental health disorders and believes everyone is entitled to quality counseling and care. She is hoping to pursue a Master of Science in Counseling/Clinical Mental Health Counseling to become a licensed professional counselor to provide affordable services for people with mental and behavioral disorders.
• Monica Zehring – As a seven-year-old, Zehring’s Little League softball coach introduced her to the mantra that defines her life – “gana” – the Spanish word meaning “win.” She used “gana” as her motivator to overcome life’s challenges and become a special education math teacher for the Tempe Union High School District. The Mesa resident hopes to earn a Master of Science in Counseling/Clinical Mental Health Counseling to share her mantra with others by supporting Arizona’s schools, children and community through improved mental health counseling training and guidance.

This is the eighth year of the Teaming Up For Education Scholarship Program, which has made higher education a reality for 32 Arizona residents. In 2015, the University expanded the number of scholarship recipients from three to five. To date, 15 recipients have received degrees from SM������ while the others continue to pursue their education goals.

“The Teaming Up For Education Scholarship recipients embody the grit, determination and bravery SM������ students develop throughout their lives that motivate them to positively impact their communities through higher education. The University is proud to provide them an opportunity to pursue their educational goals that help make their dreams a reality,” said Dr. John Woods, Chief Academic Officer and Provost at SM������. “We look forward to the impact this year’s scholarship recipients will make as SM������ graduates.”

As the Proud Education Partner of the Arizona Diamondbacks for nearly a decade, SM������ has supported the team’s efforts to use education as a tool to strengthen the Arizona community. The organizations partnered in 2012 to launch the D-backs School Challenge, which has awarded $950,000 to more than 200 schools from across the state since its inception. Other initiatives include: The D-backs Honor Roll, which gifts 30,000 game tickets each season to Valley students who displayed perfect attendance, good grades or leadership; the 500 Club Reading Program to promote literacy by rewarding students who have reached 500 minutes of reading with free tickets to a home D-backs game; and the Winter Classic, an annual holiday celebration to donate school supplies to low-income students and provide a time to meet D-backs players and coaches.

For more information about all SM������ scholarship opportunities, including scholarship requirements, visit www.phoenix.edu/scholarships. To learn more about other community outreach efforts by SM������ and the D-backs, contact cooper.nelson@phoenix.edu.

About SM������
SM������ is innovating to help working adults move efficiently from education to careers in a rapidly changing world. Flexible schedules, relevant and engaging courses, and interactive learning can help students more effectively pursue career and personal aspirations while balancing their busy lives. SM������ serves a diverse student population, offering associate, bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degree programs from campuses and learning centers across the U.S. as well as online throughout the world. For more information, visit phoenix.edu.