Engle scholarships are a fundamental piece of the Foundation’s portfolio
Steve Engle was an Oro Valley founding father, and one of the town’s first mayors. While he served, Steve would provide scholarships to local students from his own pocket.
Following Mayor Engle’s passing, the Northern Pima County Chamber of Commerce took up the cause of scholarship fund-raising and awarding. The Oro Valley Chamber, successor to the NPCCC, continued that mission before the Chamber Foundation was formed.
Recipients come from schools across the region
Recent recipients of Mayor Steve Engle Memorial Scholarships came from Canyon Del Oro, Cienega, Amphitheater, Ironwood Ridge, Flowing Wells, Mountain View and San Miguel high schools.
Scholarship applications are evaluated and ranked by a team of volunteers.
The awards, $1,500 each, are named for the late Oro Valley Mayor Steve Engle, who served as mayor from 1978 through 1990. From his own pocket, Engle gave college scholarships to Canyon del Oro High School graduates. The Oro Valley Chamber took on the giving after Engle passed away.
For the second year, individual donors and businesses gave a record-tying $30,000 for scholarships. Recipients were honored at the 2025 Mayor Steve Engle Memorial Scholarship Breakfast, held June 12 at El Conquistador Tucson, A Hilton Resort.
This year’s recipients are:
* Alexa Moreno, Ilisa Cohen, Grace Ponzo, Tenli Woodall and Damon Coyne, Ironwood Ridge High School.
* Leeah Payne, Emma Connell and Lauren Anderson, Canyon del Oro High School.
* Allison Randall, Ironwood Ridge, and a student at the University of Arizona.
* Suhaani Sodhi and Polina Varyvoda, BASIS Oro Valley.
* Catarina Cajigas, Amphitheater Online.
* Jayden Rios and Bryan Rodriguez, Flowing Wells High School.
* Kamsiyochukwu Kanma-Okafor, Amphitheater High School.
* Linda LeClair, Pima Community College.
* Julian Lopez, Marana High School.
* Olivia Johnson, Catalina Foothills High School.
* Alyssa Lopez, CDO, and Samantha Rosales, Mountain View High School, both enrolled at Northern Arizona University.
A committee of Chamber Foundation volunteers chooses recipients. Applicants are evaluated on the basis of academic performance, community involvement and demonstrated need.
Splendido at Rancho Vistoso and Hughes Federal Credit Union sponsored the breakfast. Ninety people attended, among them recipients, family members, school counselors, donors, and business representatives. Oro Valley Mayor Joe Winfield, Councilmember Dr. Harry “Mo” Greene II, and Todd Jaeger, JD, superintendent of Amphitheater Public Schools, celebrated the students’ accomplishments.
Nichole Murphy, who works in the office of U.S. Rep. Juan Ciscomani, gave each student a certificate of recognition from the congressman.
Nine recipients of 2025 Mayor Steve Engle Memorial Scholarships posed with certificates of recognition after the June 12 breakfast presented by the Oro Valley Chamber Foundation. From left are Emma Connell, Leesah Payne, Grace Ponzo, Damien Coyne, Ilisa Cohen, Jayden Rios, Bryan Rodriguez, Alyssa Lopez, and Samantha Rosales.The Chamber Foundation distributed 20 total scholarships, each with a value of $1,500. (Submitted photo / Chris Grey / Christopher Grey Fine Art).