The Central Arizona College Foundation has awarded the first Joyce Amburgey Memorial Scholarships, recognizing four students for the Fall semester.

Earlier this year, the foundation received a donation to establish the scholarship in memory of Joyce Amburgey. This fall, four Central Arizona College students — Brooke Packard, Addison Quenga, Arpita Sandhu, and Makenna Vaughn — were selected as the inaugural recipients. Each student received a $2,000 award to support their educational pursuits at Central Arizona College.

According to the college, the scholarship honors Amburgey's life story and commitment to education. Amburgey left high school at age 17 and later became a stay-at-home mother, raising four children while also training and showing Tennessee Walking horses. At age 35, she returned to education following significant life changes, ultimately entering the workforce. Throughout her professional career, she was known for mentoring and hiring employees and encouraging others to pursue higher education.

The Joyce Amburgey Memorial Scholarship is open to Pinal County residents or graduates of a Pinal County high school who plan to enter a medical-related field. Preference is given to first-generation college students or those from disadvantaged backgrounds.

The Central Arizona College Foundation noted that continued community support helps make scholarships available to students who need financial assistance. Tax-deductible contributions to support this and other scholarships can be made online at www.centralaz.edu/give.

For additional information, interested individuals may contact Craig Kurtz, Executive Director of Institutional Development at (520) 494-5215 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..