Arizona Public Service (APS)

The APS Foundation is the charitable giving arm of Arizona Public Service, a leading producer of electric power in the southwest and Arizona’s largest and longest-serving electricity utility. The APS sponsors the Arizona Public Service Navajo Scholars Program in partnership with the American Indian College Fund to provide scholarship support to Navajo students studying for a degree in the science, technology, engineering, and math fields at the tribal colleges of Diné College and Navajo Technical College, and mainstream colleges within the New Mexico and Arizona state university system.

APS serves more than 1.1 million customers in 11 of the state’s 15 counties. With headquarters in Phoenix, APS is the principal subsidiary of Pinnacle West Capital Corp. (NYSE: PNW). The APS Foundation, Inc. is an Arizona nonprofit corporation that was incorporated in December of 1981 as a charitable foundation recognized by the Internal Revenue Service. The APS Foundation is a separate entity from Pinnacle West and APS. The Foundation receives annual gifts (funding) from APS; is governed by a board of directors; and makes distributions for charitable donations, pursuant to its bylaws, with a focus on education.

Tanya (Navajo)
School: Diné College
Major: Biology

Tanya is a first-generation college student studying biology at Diné College who is so determined to get her college degree that she travels more than 50 miles one way to class from her family’s farm, where she lives without running water (though electricity was recently installed). In addition to going to college and helping her parents on the farm, Tanya has the added responsibility of being a single mom and caring for two children, ages 5 and 7.

Tanya waited five years after graduating from high school to enroll in the tribal college close to her home. During that time she participated in summer internships at Diné College and Northern Arizona University conducting public outreach on cancer awareness, diabetes, and water quality issues facing her people. She has also traveled to Washington, D.C. to participate in a research conference on issues facing Native elders.

Tanya juggles her studies, working to support her children, securing reliable transportation and commuting to school, finding reliable child care while she is in classes, and even hauling and preparing water for cooking and bathing at home on the farm.

Tanya’s goal is to earn an associate’s degree and transfer to Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado to earn a bachelor’s degree in public health so that she can return to her reservation to address the diabetes and other health problems that face her community.

Tanya says, “It is a struggle to continue at times, especially with kids, and asking others for help is no easy task. I believe the world does not give you anything for free and you have to want to learn and in the end accomplish all you have strived to do.” She adds that her American Indian College Fund scholarship allows her to work less so that she can focus on her school work.

Click here for more information about our American Indian College Fund Full Circle scholarship programs »