College of Science welcomes five highly distinguished Flinn Scholars in 2024

With the start of the new school year, the College of Science welcomed its newest cohort of five exceptional Flinn Scholars.

Each year, about 20 of Arizona’s top high-school seniors are chosen to receive the Flinn Scholarship, which is valued at more than $135,000. 

According to Dr. Rebecca Gomez, Associate Dean for Undergraduate Student Success in the College of Science, the Flinn Scholarship is a vital part of Flynn Foundation’s mission to improve the quality of life in Arizona to benefit future generations. The grant covers tuition, fees, housing, and meals at one of Arizona’s three public universities, plus study abroad opportunities for each of the recipient students. 

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The scholarship is highly competitive, and Catalina Carlos, Director of Recruitment and Engagement for the College of Science, said the students are highly coveted among the state’s Universities, and outside Ivy league institutions.

“Flinn Scholars are very smart, they have a lot of potential, and have remarkable resumes and transcripts,” Carlos said.

Gomez and Carlos said they are very pleased to have the new Flinn Scholars joining the College of Science.

This year's Flinn Scholars are Emma Langlais from Ironwood Ridge High School, Allison Mannon from Williams Field High School, Jared Matheson from University High School, Jennifer Orozco Torres from University High School, and Seth Rojas from Catalina Foothills High School.

Respectively, the students are pursuing degrees in Math and Data Science, Biochemistry, Molecular & Cellular Biology and Biology, Biochemistry, Computer Science and Neuroscience & Cognitive Science.

“They're truly remarkable scholars and very accomplished students,” Gomez said. “They all bring so much richness to the university with their accomplishments, their drive, and their aspirations. Some of them will go off and work in other parts of the world, but many of them will stay here in Arizona and have a grand impact on the state.”

As the newest Flinn Scholars, the students now join a community of current and former scholars at the University of Arizona.

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Portia Cooper is a 2022 Flinn Scholar, a recent Goldwater awardee, and a Computer Science undergraduate in the College of Science. She said the Flinn Scholarship has shaped her academic career and provided her with opportunities she never could have imagined.

“Flinn is just invaluable,” Cooper said. “The community is amazing. There's alums everywhere. Whatever field you're in, there would be a Flinn scholar alum that you could contact and get industry experience.”

Since her freshman year, Cooper has worked as an artificial intelligence researcher in the Computational Language Understanding Lab on campus, a connection she said was the direct result of having the Flinn finalist designation.

“At the Flinn finalist dinner, I met Dr. Rebecca Gomez, and she gave me her email. I followed up with her, and I said ‘I would love to do research, do you know anyone who would be willing to work with me?’” Cooper said.

In her time at the University of Arizona, Cooper has taken advantage of her Flinn scholarship to participate in study abroad programs in Denmark and Norway, expanding her academic pursuits, interests, and knowledge about the world.

Portia is planning to graduate early with her undergraduate degree in computer science, and will be pursuing an accelerated masters program, paid for by her remaining Flinn funding.

Cooper had a message for high school students who may be thinking about applying to become Flinn candidates.  

“Definitely go for it, It's such an amazing opportunity,” Cooper said. “You join the community, you have the funding, and it's just gonna make a huge impact on your college career.”