Top Arizona students chosen for state’s most competitive and prestigious scholarship

April 27, 2022

By brianpowell

Twenty Flinn Scholars to attend an Arizona university

PHOENIX—The 2022 Flinn Scholarship, which provides a full ride for college at one of Arizona’s public universities, has been awarded to 20 of Arizona’s highest-achieving students.

The Flinn Scholars Program, supported by the Phoenix-based Flinn Foundation in partnership with Arizona’s three state universities, covers the cost of tuition, fees, housing, meals, and at least two study-abroad experiences.

The prestigious, merit-based Flinn Scholarship—now in its 37th year—is valued at more than $130,000. It is available only to Arizona high-school seniors.

The Class of 2022 Flinn Scholars, who will attend the Honors Colleges at Arizona State University, Northern Arizona University, and the University of Arizona, turned down offers from exclusive out-of-state private schools to remain in state.

“This new class of Flinn Scholars persevered through a pandemic and excelled in the classroom and as athletes, volunteers, musicians, and school leaders during an incredibly challenging time,” said Anne Lassen, Flinn Foundation vice president, scholarship and education initiatives. “The foundation is excited for what lies ahead for this new class of Flinn Scholars as they begin their undergraduate journeys intent on improving our state and world.”

Class of 2022 Flinn Scholars

  • Four Flinn Scholars attend high schools celebrating their first Flinn Scholar: Faith Christian School in Mesa, North Phoenix Preparatory Academy, Sequoia Choice Arizona Distance Learning based in Mesa, and Sunnyside High School in Tucson.
  • For five high schools, this is the second time celebrating a Flinn Scholar: BASIS Phoenix, Bradshaw Mountain High School in Prescott Valley, River Valley High School in Mohave Valley, Santa Cruz Valley Union High School in Eloy, and Tanque Verde High School in Tucson. Bradshaw Mountain has a Flinn Scholar for the second year in a row.
  • Barry Goldwater High School in Phoenix is the only high school with two Class of 2022 Flinn Scholars—the school’s first Scholars since 2011.
  • Six of the Scholars live outside of the Phoenix and Tucson metro areas, including two from Flagstaff and one each from Dewey-Humboldt, Eloy, Mohave Valley, and Page.
  • The Scholars attend public district schools, charter schools, a faith-based private school, and an online distance-learning academy.

The Flinn Scholars Program received 1,095 applications last fall for the 20 scholarships—an acceptance rate of 1.8%.

Flinn Scholars are selected based on academic rigor and performance, as well as leadership and service, communication skills, and personal characteristics.   

The Class of 2022 Flinn Scholars plan to major in a wide range of fields, including pre-med, physics, journalism and mass communications, biology, political science, neuroscience and cognitive science, music education, business entrepreneurship, and more.

“The Flinn Scholars come from cities and towns, urban and rural environments, high schools large and small, and yet they all share this passion to not only succeed academically, but to pursue fields of study that will best enable them to contribute to the future success of Arizona,” Flinn Foundation president and CEO Tammy McLeod, Ph.D., said.

Flinn Scholarship Benefits

The Flinn Scholarship enables recipients to complete their undergraduate degrees without debt. Other benefits include:

• Funding for an international summer seminar after the Scholar’s freshman year and at least one additional study-abroad experience;

• Participation in an extraordinary community of nearly 700 current and alumni Flinn Scholars, including about 80 Scholars studying at the three universities at any given time;

• Membership in a university honors college, with amenities including small classes, access to top researchers, and guest lectures;

• Personal mentorship from top faculty, and exposure to Arizona and global leaders in business, government, science, and the arts at exclusive events; and

• Intellectual, cultural, and social activities developed for Flinn Scholars by both the Flinn Foundation and the universities.

Meet the 2022 Flinn Scholars (PDF)

About the Flinn Scholars Program
The Flinn Scholars Program, established in 1986, is operated by the Flinn Foundation Scholarship Program LLC and supported by the Flinn Foundation, a Phoenix-based private, nonprofit, grantmaking organization that aims to improve the quality of life in Arizona to benefit future generations. The foundation also supports the advancement of Arizona’s bioscience sector, arts and culture, and the Arizona Center for Civic Leadership and its flagship Flinn-Brown Fellowship.