The Flinn Scholarship, a prestigious merit-based scholarship that provides a full ride to an Arizona public university, has been awarded to 20 excelling high-school seniors following a competitive selection process.
The 41st class of Flinn Scholars from 19 Arizona high schools receives a comprehensive package valued at more than $135,000 over four undergraduate years, including tuition, fees, housing, meals and at least two study-abroad experiences including the group summer seminar after the first year.
The Class of 2026, which was selected from 1,150 applications submitted in October, joins current Scholars attending honors colleges at Arizona State University, Northern Arizona University, and the University of Arizona.
The Flinn Scholarship was established in 1986 and is supported by the Flinn Foundation of Phoenix in partnership with Arizona’s three public universities.
“The students from the Class of 2026 have unique backgrounds, but all are driven by a desire to make a meaningful difference. Beyond their academic accomplishments, they stand out for how they think, lead, and engage with the world around them,” said Anne Lassen, Flinn Foundation vice president, scholarship and education initiatives.
“We’re excited to invest in their potential and welcome them into a community that will support their continued growth in college and beyond.”
Class of 2026 Highlights
- Four high schools are celebrating their first Flinn Scholar: San Luis High School south of Yuma, Casteel High School of Queen Creek, Maryvale High School of Phoenix, and BASIS Oro Valley north of Tucson.
- Katherine Beverage of Tanque Verde High School is the first child of a Flinn Scholar to receive the award. Her father, Jacob Beverage, was a Class of 1995 Scholar who attended Paradise Valley High School and the University of Arizona.
- The 2026 Flinn Scholars reside in five Arizona counties: Gila, Maricopa, Navajo, Pima, and Yuma with eight of the 20 Scholars from outside the Phoenix area.
- The 19 high schools represented are a mix of traditional public, charter, and private schools.
The intended fields of study are wide ranging for the new class of Scholars, from neuroscience, biochemistry and aerospace engineering to political science, finance, and criminal justice.
The new class will be honored at the Flinn Scholars Recognition Luncheon on Saturday, May 2, in Scottsdale.
“The Flinn Scholars Program is more than a scholarship. It’s a partnership with Arizona’s public universities to ensure that the state’s brightest students have every reason to stay, study, and build their futures here. The return on that investment, for Arizona, has been extraordinary,” Flinn Foundation President and CEO Tammy McLeod, Ph.D., said.
Flinn Scholarship Benefits
A full ride to an Arizona public university and international travel are just the beginning of what the Flinn Scholarship offers. Other unique advantages include:
- Participation in an extraordinary community of more than 750 current and alumni Flinn Scholars.
- Membership in a university honors college, with amenities including small classes, access to top researchers, and guest lectures.
- Personal mentoring from top faculty and fellow Scholars as well as exposure to Arizona and global leaders in business, government, science, and the arts at exclusive events.
- Intellectual, cultural and social activities developed exclusively for Flinn Scholars by both the Flinn Foundation and the universities.
Meet the 2026 Flinn Scholars
Download PDF with photos
Students are listed below by county, with high school and city of residence:
Gila County
Jonas Schwenk, Globe High School, Globe
Maricopa County
Nethra Chintaboina, Arizona College Prep High School, Chandler
Vedang Chintalapati, BASIS Scottsdale, Scottsdale
Charlotte Gould, Corona del Sol High School, Tempe
Alex Josanu, Casteel High School, Gilbert
Michelle Luna, Maryvale High School, Phoenix
Rafael Mather Alvear, Desert Vista High School, Phoenix
Riya Mehta, Xavier College Preparatory, Paradise Valley
Arnav Modem, Basha High School, Gilbert
Adrian Alejandro Perez-Martinez, Hamilton High School, Chandler
Isabella Pettet, Arizona Agribusiness & Equine Center-Estrella Mountain, Litchfield Park
Timothy Kulangara, BASIS Ahwatukee, Phoenix
Charlotte Williams Gross, North High School, Phoenix
Navajo County
Rain Elika Dimaliwat, Blue Ridge High School, Pinetop-Lakeside
Ciera Tsosie, Flagstaff High School, Tonalea
Pima County
Katherine Beverage, Tanque Verde High School, Tucson
Ethan Bialis, The Gregory School, Tucson
Finnegan McGill, Tanque Verde High School, Tucson
Aleena Rafiyath, BASIS Oro Valley, Tucson
Yuma County
Mae Gomez, San Luis High School, San Luis
About the Flinn Foundation
The Flinn Foundation is a Phoenix-based privately endowed, philanthropic grantmaking organization established in 1965 by Dr. Robert S. and Irene P. Flinn that awards grants and operates programs in four areas: the biosciences, the Flinn Scholars, arts and culture, and the Arizona Center for Civic Leadership and its Flinn-Brown Fellowship. The Foundation’s mission is to improve the quality of life in Arizona to benefit future generations.