The 20 Flinn Scholars graduating from an Arizona university this year will be pursuing advanced degrees in medicine and engineering, expanding a startup company they founded, volunteering for a health organization in Mexico, working for NASA, and teaching in Arizona and abroad.
These are just some of the educational and professional pursuits of the outgoing Flinn Scholars, who majored in computer science, journalism, physics, economics, anthropology, public health, the biosciences, global studies, plus many other fields at Arizona State University, Northern Arizona University, and the University of Arizona.
The 20 outgoing Scholars were honored during a May 4 luncheon at the Paradise Valley Country Club along with the recently announced 2019 Flinn Scholars, who recognized their Distinguished Educators during the event.
The 20 outgoing Flinn Scholars honored at the 2019 Recognition Luncheon are:
Eric Christopher Arellano: Will teach high-school computer science and
math in west Phoenix through Teach for America.
Mia Anne Armstrong: Will intern with
The Marshall Project before serving as a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant
(ETA) in Mexico.
Jonathon Barkl: Will continue to
build up AirGarage, a startup that he co-founded.
Rhiannon Layne Bauer: Will pursue professional work in the
life-sciences field.
Lexi Darby: Will pursue a master’s
degree in biological sciences at Arizona State University.
Scott Fitsimones: Will continue to build up AirGarage, a
startup that he co-founded.
Emily Giel: Will serve as a
Fulbright ETA in Vietnam.
Craig Johnson: Will explore international reporting and
storytelling opportunities and pursue formation of a production company.
Ruby Marie Kerwin: Will work for
Partners in Health in Chiapas, Mexico, as a monitoring, evaluation, and quality
volunteer while applying to medical school.
Grant Laufer: Will work in global economic policy for the U.S. State Department.
Rafael Lopez: Will pursue professional work in the software-development field.
Abhijay Murugesan: Will apply to medical school after completing a post-baccalaureate fellowship at NIH.
Alexa Nguyen: Will pursue a degree in medicine.
John Patterson: Will pursue a
master’s degree in electrical engineering while building up an electrical
consulting services company.
Gayatri Sadachar: Will pursue professional work with health-care nonprofits and partake in local social-justice efforts before applying to medical school.
Mary Elizabeth Saxon: Will pursue a master’s degree in the science of health care delivery at Arizona State University with future plans to attend law school.
Alex Stoken: Will work as a data analyst with NASA at Johnson Space Center.
Bharath Tata: Will climb, sail, and dive around the world
before pursuing a doctorate in chemical engineering.
Benjamin Trumpinski: Will pursue a degree
in medicine.
Maggie Tucker: Will work as a Library of Congress Congressional Research Service Junior Fellow.
The merit-based Flinn Scholarship, valued at more than $120,000, covers the cost of tuition, fees, housing and meals at ASU, NAU, and UA; provides funding for at least two study-abroad experiences; and offers other benefits.
The scholarship is supported by the Phoenix-based Flinn Foundation and Arizona’s public universities. There are now nearly 650 current and alumni Flinn Scholars.
For more information: