NMOST’s
AYWISTEM Scholarship Recipients
Current Recipients
This year, the New Mexico Out-of-School Time Network is pleased to award Advancing Young Women in STEM scholarships to 12 incredible women. Their pictures and bios are below in alphabetical order. Congratulations to our awardees!!
Makeiyla Begay
Hello, my name is Makeiyla Begay. I am originally from Arizona and moved to New Mexico as a child. I spent a majority of my childhood working with livestock and didn’t once think about a career in STEM. It wasn’t until middle school that I grew a love for the STEM field and looked forward to pursuing a career in science. I am a senior in the Biology program at Navajo Technical University. I am currently in my 4th year as a student research intern in the N.E.S.T laboratory where I worked in the field of electrochemistry. I have also worked in the Biology Research Lab at Navajo Technical University, working on Cancer Research. I am fortunate to have spent all of my undergraduate years working as a research intern and gaining this experience. Even thought it wasn’t an easy journey I wouldn’t change anything. I plan on continuing my education into graduate school and I am hoping to pursue a career in Veterinary Medicine. I hope to come back to Navajo Technical University to teach students in hopes of encouraging new students to join the STEM field and helping my Native American community.
Emily-June Bray
Emily will graduate from Rio Rancho High in 2025. Emily is a strong leader, full of ideas for the future and always willing to take charge. After attending DECA by accident, she fell in love with the world of leadership, along with her love for animals (and sometimes people), which has driven her to pursue the health sciences field. She never had many opportunities to practice STEM because she grew up in many poor school districts with few resources for the sciences. She did, however, throw herself into any opportunity to help animals in need, and to the dismay of her parents, she brought an assortment of animals home to rehabilitate them back to health. After taking a few science courses during quarantine and an in-person class in anatomy and physiology, she decided to pursue a career in medicine. She still hasn't decided which route to take (animals or people), but she is fueled by a passion for fairness in the male dominated fields that she is considering. Nothing will stop this stubborn mule from accomplishing anything she sets her mind to. She knows she will make a difference, no matter which path she chooses.
Liliana Madrid Larrañaga
Liliana Raquel Madrid Larrañaga is from Albuquerque, NM, and is a graduate of Albuquerque High. She is currently a Biochemistry major and Public Health minor on the pre-med track at Occidental College in Los Angeles, CA. As a woman of color with profound hearing loss, she is passionate about improving health equity and strives to provide for those underrepresented in health care. Since high school, Liliana has donated time to educating young people, specifically girls, about STEM topics. She has worked at Explora Science Museums, has been a camp counselor for Tech Trek NM, and an X Studios student advisor. On campus, she is a Peer Health Educator with Emmons Wellness Center, a Residential Advisor, and a math tutor. Her dream career is to deliver babies in rural NM, specifically providing prenatal and postnatal care for women of color. Liliana is extremely grateful for the NMOST scholarship and the support in achieving her dream!
Lorena Madrid Larrañaga
Lorena is an incoming freshman at the University of New Mexico as a Regents Scholar and a member of the combined BA/MD 2024 cohort. She will graduate from Albuquerque High School in May, 2024. Her goal is to become a medical doctor and serve in New Mexico to help battle the physician shortage in rural areas. She has been interested in STEM since elementary school and wants to thank her parents for instilling a passion for the sciences and medicine early on. Lorena has participated in several STEM-related programs and classes throughout her education including Tech Trek, Girls Who Code, and MESA. She wants to congratulate the other scholarship winners for being inspiring women in STEM and is so grateful for the doors this scholarship opens.
Maya Marquez
Maya Marquez is a 2024 graduate from Volcano Vista High School, finishing in the top 10% of her class. In the Fall, Maya will be attending New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology to pursue Mechanical Engineering as well as minoring in Aeronautical Engineering and/or Computer Science. She has always been interested in the STEM field from a young age, but upon attending Tech Trek in eighth grade she obtained the confidence to pursue a future in the Engineering field. In high school, Maya took Advanced Placement and Dual Credit classes that would aid her going into college. These classes include AP Statistics, AP Computer Science Principles, AP Computer Science Applications, and Pre-Calculus and Trigonometry through CNM. She also participated in the Volcano Vista robotics team, gaining the title of team captain and advancing to the first round of eliminations during the State Competition. Using all of her knowledge and experiences, Maya aspires to find a more eco-friendly method of air transportation that also improves the capacity and safety measures. Maya is very grateful to receive this NMOST scholarship and hopes to repay the favor by bringing a brighter tomorrow, today!
Sabrina Montoya
My name is Sabrina Montoya and I graduated from Rio Rancho High School in Rio Rancho, New Mexico in 2023. I am currently attending New Mexico State University and I am studying Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering with a minor in Physics. I chose this field because, in my freshman year of high school, I took Aerospace Engineering. In that class, I researched the Lockheed Martin P2V-7, a military plane with many reported crashes. I felt strongly that the crash incidents shouldn’t have happened. I am especially interested in working on military planes because by improving the technology we can ensure that soldiers who use that technology will be safer and fewer lives will be lost. I want to use my degree in engineering to help people. Besides engineering, I enjoy art and music and am a proud member of the Pride of New Mexico Marching Band. I am so grateful to have received this scholarship to help me further my education at NMSU.
Gianna Nilvo
Gianna Nilvo is a senior at Belen High School while also finishing her associates degree at the University of New Mexico-Valencia Campus in biology. Her academic achievements have garnered her widespread recognition to include selection as a 2024 U.S. Presidential Scholar candidate, Congress of Future Medical Leaders of Excellence Award, National Honor Society, National STEM Honor Society, Phi Theta Kappa International (Beta Zeta Zeta Chapter) membership, ‘24 Elks Most Valuable Student Award, ‘24 Hadley Honors Award, and the ‘24 Albuquerque Elks Lodge #461 Achievement Award. Gianna conducted STEM research for 6 years exploring implications of fermented and cultured supplements on the gut microbiome of felines and canines to include dietary supplements and probiotics and also engineered a novel device and process that takes acidic waste and converts it to 100% biodiesel. Her excellence in scientific and engineering inquiry has been acknowledged through numerous awards at Junior Science and Humanities Symposium, U.S. Stockholm Junior Water Prize, Top 30 Broadcom MASTERS, National FFA Agriscience Fair, Junior Academy of Science, Central NM STEM Research Challenge, NM State Science & Engineering Fair, Regeneron Science Talent Search, and even published her first peer-reviewed research paper at age 13 in New Mexico Journal of Science and Harvard Science Review. She has undertaken various research internships at the Center for Water and the Environment at the University of New Mexico Engineering Department and the Air Force Research Lab Scholars Program at Space Directorate. Gianna led and participated in STEM Research Club, NM MESA, 4-H of Bosque Farms, FFA, Vet Science Team, Girls Who Code Club, and Student Technology Association. She has volunteered in her community, from assisting at church soup kitchens, veterinary clinics and animal shelters, peer tutoring, judging at STEM research competitions, to participating in STEM outreach events such as the ABQ International Balloon Fiesta STEM Night. Gianna serves on the UNM STEM-H Center Advisory Council. She has been a member of her varsity golf team for 5 years, winning numerous accolades in 5A-division and also with Sun Country Junior PGA Golf Association. With her passion for animal welfare, she plans to attend New Mexico State University and continue her studies in animal science with a minor in equine therapy with the goal to attend Colorado State University for Veterinary Medical School.
Allison Oñate
Allison Oñate of Alamogordo, NM, is a senior at Alamogordo High School. She plans on pursuing a degree and career in Environmental Engineering. More to be posted...
Jolene Peabody
Jolene Peabody is from Las Cruces, New Mexico. She graduated in the top 10% of her class from Organ Mountain High School in 2024. She is planning to attend New Mexico State University to obtain her bachelor’s degree in biology, and graduate with honors. She then plans to obtain her masters and eventually doctorate degree in marine biology to become an animal specialist and aquarium curator. Jolene wants to help in conservation efforts to improve the lives of marine animals and preserve the beauty of our oceans for generations to come. She credits her mom for always pushing her to being her to be her best self and achieve new heights, her father for his unending support, and her younger sisters, Braily and Samantha, for always being there for her. She is very grateful for this scholarship, for the opportunity it provides to obtain her goals, and for the invitation to the Summit for the chance to meet new people!
Madeline Smith-VanWinkle
My name is Madeline Smith-VanWinkle, and I reside in Albuquerque, New Mexico. I am graduating from Public Academy of Performing Arts, class of 2024. I have a 4.0 unweighted GPA, performed at Carnegie Hall in New York, was a two-time State Champion at the NMAA State Choir Championship, and have maintained a Superior Rating in all my Guitar Solo and Ensemble assessments by NMAA. My interests include guitar, singing, piano, hiking, writing, and above all, science. I am a strong independent woman who has always been interested in STEM and fascinated by scientific accomplishments. Throughout my high school career, I discovered my knack for problem solving. This fostered my burning passion for Chemistry, an extraordinary subject. I will be attending UNM in the Fall to study Chemistry, specifically, the study and understanding of cancer, life-threatening illnesses, and disease through research. I want to make a difference in the world around me by furthering these scientific endeavors. I plan to improve the scientific research being done by exploring more areas that have yet to be fully grasped. I want to expand my scientific knowledge so I can assist others and go beyond that. I am capable of finding solutions to current, pre-existing and future problems that affect human life as we know it. I am so thankful to be able to study at an esteemed university, where I can explore and advance a field I am so deeply drawn into. I firmly believe that Chemistry can change the future of our world for the better. I am deeply grateful for the NMOST Advancing Women in STEM Scholarship, which will allow me to help create a better tomorrow.
Lauren Staples
Lauren Staples is from Albuquerque, New Mexico, and will graduate from high school in May 2024. She will be attending Harvey Mudd College in the fall, where she will be pursuing an engineering degree and playing division 3 volleyball. She hopes to use her engineering degree to help more young women get involved in STEM, especially in underrepresented fields, as well as work on developing more affordable housing for New Mexico in the future. Outside of school, she is involved in club volleyball and volunteer work. She would like to thank NMOST for helping her achieve her goal of furthering her education.
Hanna Weinman
Hanna Weinman is from Taos, New Mexico and will graduate from Taos Academy. She will also graduate from UNM-Taos with a certificate in 3D Printing. Hanna has always had a passion for science and math that has been cultivated through taking many high-level math courses and building machines. She will study Aerospace Engineering in college and eventually pursue a PhD. Hanna is Konkow Maidu and Filipina. Her experience in this world has led to a passion for social justice and she hopes to fight for change within Native communities with her degree. After college, she wants to show other Native students that just because there are obstacles we have to overcome, doesn't mean we can't do it. She wants to inspire Native students nationwide and create more representation in her engineering field. Hanna is incredibly grateful for the opportunity NMOST has given her and will make the most of it.