Only 37 Arizona high-school seniors remain in the running to be awarded the prestigious Flinn Scholarship for their undergraduate education.
The 2026 Flinn Scholarship Finalists, representing 35 high schools in six counties, will travel to the Flinn Foundation over two days in March for in-person interviews.
The Flinn Scholars Class of 2026 will be announced by the Flinn Foundation in April.
The 20 Flinn Scholars ultimately selected for the award will attend Arizona State University, Northern Arizona University, or the University of Arizona starting in fall 2026.
The 37 Finalists, including 14 students from outside of Maricopa County, attend traditional public, charter, and private schools. Corona del Sol High School in Tempe and Tanque Verde High School in Tucson have two Finalists each.
Over the coming weeks, Finalists will visit Arizona’s three public universities and their Honors Colleges, each of which has devoted considerable time and resources to crafting visits intentionally designed to showcase the depth of the intellectual community, support, and transformational opportunities available to Flinn Scholars.
“Our interviewers often remark on how challenging this stage of the process is, and this year was no exception,” said Anne Lassen, vice president of scholarship and education initiatives at the Flinn Foundation. “These students brought insight, humility, and purpose to every conversation. Narrowing the pool was incredibly difficult, and our interviewers agreed that this was one of the most impressive groups they have encountered.”
The Finalists represent 3% of the 1,150 applications submitted in October.
The Flinn Foundation in December announced 79 Semifinalists, who participated in virtual interviews last week. These students, representing 63 high schools and 12 of Arizona’s 15 counties, are eligible for a special tuition scholarship from Arizona’s three public universities.
Now in its 41st year, the Flinn Scholarship is a merit-based award valued at more than $135,000 that provides for at least two international trips, mentorship, and membership in a community of high-achieving peers.
Class of 2026 Finalists
Students are listed by county, with high school and city of residence:
Apache County
Josiah Gleeson, Round Valley High School, Springerville
Gila County
Jonas Schwenk, Globe High School, Globe
Maricopa County
Elias Chang, BASIS Mesa, Gilbert
Nethra Chintaboina, Arizona College Prep High School, Chandler
Vedang Chintalapati, BASIS Scottsdale, Scottsdale
Charlotte Gould, Corona del Sol High School, Tempe
Hailey Green, Perry High School, Gilbert
Archana Gurudu, Paradise Valley High School, Phoenix
Abigail Hurst, Dobson High School, Chandler
Alexandru Josanu, Casteel High School, Gilbert
Michelle Luna, Maryvale High School, Phoenix
Rafael Mather Alvear, Desert Vista High School, Phoenix
Liam McLaughlin, Gary K. Herberger Young Scholars Academy, Surprise
Riya Mehta, Xavier College Preparatory, Paradise Valley
Arnav Modem, Basha High School, Gilbert
Isabella Monastero, Benjamin Franklin High School, Gilbert
Adrian Perez-Martinez, Hamilton High School, Chandler
Isabella Pettet, Arizona Agribusiness & Equine Center-Estrella Mountain, Litchfield Park
Eva Pombo, Arizona School for the Arts, Phoenix
Fiona Riley, Saguaro High School-Scottsdale, Scottsdale
Timothy Stanly, BASIS Ahwatukee, Phoenix
Iris Tang, Gilbert Classical Academy, Gilbert
Geo Tucker, Corona del Sol High School, Tempe
Lucas Vargas, Brophy College Preparatory, Phoenix
Charlotte Williams Gross, North High School, Phoenix
Navajo County
Rain Elika Dimaliwat, Blue Ridge High School, Pinetop-Lakeside
Aaliyah Nichols, Winslow High School, Winslow
Ciera Tsosie, Flagstaff High School, Tonalea
Pima County
Katherine Beverage, Tanque Verde High School, Tucson
Ethan Bialis, The Gregory School, Tucson
Wesley Butte, BASIS Tucson North, Tucson
Isidoro Castillo, Canyon del Oro High School, Tucson
Finnegan McGill, Tanque Verde High School, Tucson
Aleena Rafiyath, BASIS Oro Valley, Tucson
Thomas Vamos, Catalina Foothills High School, Tucson
Yuma County
Samantha Chulamorkodt, Cibola High School, Yuma
Mae Gomez, San Luis High School, San Luis