Flinn Scholars
Providing world-class undergraduate education in partnership with Arizona’s public universities.
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The Flinn Scholarship
The Flinn Scholarship isn’t about what you get. It’s about who you become and the impact you make. With the world-class education made possible by the Flinn Scholarship, you can become an agent of discovery, creativity and leadership who will make a difference.
The Flinn Scholarship—valued at more than $135,000—covers tuition, fees, housing, and meals at one of Arizona’s public universities, plus study abroad. Each year, about 20 top Arizona high-school seniors are chosen to learn from amazing faculty, business leaders, and civic innovators and join a vibrant, eclectic community—including a powerful alumni network.
What’s the Flinn Scholar blueprint? There is none. Scholars emerge from throughout Arizona and become leaders in every discipline you can imagine.
37 Finalists to interview for 2026 Flinn Scholarship
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 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. [Read more]
Flinn Scholar Alumni Voices: Sharad Desai
Sharad Desai was appointed last year to serve as a United States District Judge for the District of Arizona, where he presides over both criminal and civil cases as a trial court judge in the Sandra Day O’Connor courthouse in Phoenix.
The Flinn Scholar alum from the Class of 1999 worked in Honeywell International Inc.’s legal department for almost a decade and practiced commercial litigation and appellate law at Osborn Maledon, PA, a Phoenix-based law firm. Desai said the importance of developing and fostering a supportive, diverse, and interesting community of peers is a lesson he learned as a Flinn Scholar and continues to employ each time he’s in a new environment. [Read more]
Flinn Scholars engage with Centennial Lecturer Anthony Robles
Flinn Scholars gathered in October for an inspiring conversation with Anthony Robles, NCAA wrestling champion, author, motivational speaker, and the 2025 Flinn Foundation Centennial Lecturer at Arizona State University. Robles, born with one leg, is also the subject of the 2024 movie, “Unstoppable.”
Before Robles delivered his public address for the ASU Centennial Lecture, an annual event funded by a Flinn Foundation endowment established in 1985 to commemorate the university’s centennial, he met privately with Flinn Scholars from Arizona’s three public universities.
His message of resilience and purpose struck a personal chord with Diego Chavez, a Class of 2022 Flinn Scholar and senior at ASU who once attended a wrestling camp with Robles. [Read more]
Study abroad trip to Greece proves life-changing for two Flinn Scholars
Sriya Ramisetty and Taylor Raney, two Class of 2023 Flinn Scholars attending the University of Arizona W.A. Franke Honors College, reflect on their opportunity to travel to Greece this past June as part of a study abroad program that emphasized experiential, personalized, and reflective learning grounded in writing practices.
The three-week trip to Athens, the Cycladic Islands, and Crete was fully funded by the Flinn Scholarship, which provides two study abroad opportunities including a group seminar after freshman year. The Scholars visited popular tourist sites, famous for their archaeological and mythological significance, but also took time to experience the more “forgotten” places. [Read more]
Flinn Scholar Alumni Voices: Ingrid Burger
Ingrid Burger, M.D., Ph.D., is a radiologist who recently transitioned to a new teleradiology job which allows her to work from anywhere in the world. So she moved to Italy.
“My 30-year love affair with Italy began my sophomore year in college when the Flinn Scholarship allowed me to spend a summer/semester studying in Siena and Florence. The dream of one day living in Italy has been simmering on the back burner for a few decades and recently things fell into place in my life to allow this to happen.”
Burger is also an avid chamber musician. For three years, she was the president of a 100-person adult chamber music workshop in southern California. [Read more]
Details For
A great Flinn Scholarship application has many components. But we only select students we believe we really know. Be yourself.
There are a number of specific ways throughout your student’s high-school years to help ensure a strong application and candidacy.
In addition to student-submitted materials, the application requires two teacher recommendations and a high-school academic counselor’s report.
News and Updates
Flinn Scholars
37 Finalists to interview for 2026 Flinn Scholarship
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
Alumni Voices: Sharad Desai
On Jan. 7, 2025, President Biden appointed me to serve as a United States District Judge for the District of Arizona. In this role, I preside over both criminal and civil cases as a trial court judge based in the Sandra Day O’Connor courthouse in Phoenix. My criminal cases include charges for illegal reentry into the United States, drug and weapons trafficking, violent crimes, and financial crimes.
Flinn Scholars
79 Semifinalists named for Flinn Scholarship
The 79 Flinn Scholarship Semifinalists from the Class of 2026 represent not only extraordinary academic achievement, but the breadth of Arizona itself. From border communities to the Colorado Plateau. From the state’s largest cities to its smallest towns. The Arizona high-school seniors emerged from a competitive pool of 1,150 applications submitted in October. They are scientists and artists, athletes and peer mentors, […]
Flinn Scholars
Flinn Scholars share memories of first Flinn CEO John Murphy
John Murphy’s death in October at the age of 88 prompted Flinn Scholars to reflect on the transformative moments they spent with him as well as advice and encouragement that helped lead to many rich lives and careers in service to Arizona and beyond. Murphy, the Flinn Foundation’s first CEO—and first employee—who retired in 2009, […]
For information about Flinn Scholars, please contact:
flinnscholars@flinn.org or (602) 744-6802
