Alumni Rising Scholarship

Scholarship Type: Annually Funded Immediate Use
Established Date: September 20, 2018

The Alumni Rising Scholarship is dedicated to WNMU graduates who recently earned a baccalaureate degree and who are seeking to earn a master’s degree at WNMU. The scholarship provides financial support to graduate students who generally don’t qualify for financial aid from the government. The purpose of the scholarship is to help students transition from their undergraduate to their graduate studies.

The scholarship was established by Abe Villarreal, a WNMU alum who earned both undergraduate and graduate degrees at Western. Villarreal was active as a Mustang, serving as editor of The Mustang student newspaper during his undergraduate years. After earning his bachelor degree in business, he was hired at WNMU, serving as a staff member for 12 years, both as Director of Communications and as Assistant Dean of Student Support and Civic Engagement. A Douglas, Arizona native, he currently serves as Dean of Student Success at Cochise College.