CAMPUS: TAMIU’s Alumni Association awards 12 student scholarships
By Kaily Olivo
Editor-in-Chief
Published Friday, Sept. 18, 2026
Before the Fall 2026 semester began its run on Aug. 18, the Alumni Association held its board induction and recognized this year’s Alumni Scholarship recipients.
Along with a change in the Texas A&M International University association’s officers came a change for the lives of these recipients as they each received $1,000.
This year’s scholarship recipients included Francisco Aceves-Sapunar, Muhammed Bilal Ali, Eduardo Arroyo, Adrian Beltran, Arturo Bonnet-Escobedo, Olivia Bugros, Jesus Calderon, Axel Camacho Berriel, Valeria Castillo Villela, Saurab Neupane, Sanjeep Niraula and Juan Pérez De Vargas Martin.
TAMIU Alumni scholarship recipients participate in a board induction and talk with Alumni Association President David Vasquez on Aug. 18 in the Helen Richter Watson Gallery KLM Lobby.
From left, Muhammed Bilal Ali, Axel Camacho Berriel, Sanjeep Niraula, Saurab Neupane, Arturo Bonnet-Escobedo, and Eduardo Arroyo. talk
Association Secretary Christy Rangel said their ongoing engagement with TAMIU students includes supporting students in their education.
“I think by us being out there in the community, not only do we help fundraise, but … we’re engaged and involved with TAMIU students,” Rangel said.
Through this involvement, this association connects with students from any major or background and is open to the possibility of being awarded this scholarship. Recipients shared how this scholarship isn’t only monetary, but has motivational value to keep going.
Scholarship recipient, junior and second-semester nursing major Eduardo Arroyo shared his excitement when he found out he was awarded this scholarship and how it impacted him.
“It’s such a breath of fresh air … it’s gonna help a lot financially … It’s like a way to focus on what matters, which is doing great in classes,” Arroyo said. “I have to go to clinicals, to the hospital, so instead of worrying about having to work a shift or something like that I can worry about being really well prepared in order to serve my community as best as I can.”
Arroyo said these scholarships impact TAMIU students and their educational journey.
“It changes the lives of people .. it makes it so that people who wouldn’t be able to have this opportunity or to believe in themselves that they can finish a degree,” Arroyo said. “It alleviates a lot of the financial issues, financial instability, that some people might have and it allows them to focus on doing what they have to do in school and doing their best to complete whatever program they might be enrolled in.”
Another scholarship recipient, sophomore Sanjeep Niraula from Nepal, said the award impacted him as an international student who doesn’t qualify for federal aid.
“From my personal experience, because I’m an international student, … I’m not eligible for any federal aid, and on top of that, I’m also limited to working 19 hours just on campus,” Niraula said. “So, I have a very limited source of income; so, that’s how scholarships like this help me a lot because these are the only ones that help me in my finances.”
Despite this scholarship helping Niraula financially, this award has encouraged him to continue chasing his goals and motivated him to contribute back to the community that has given to him.
“This scholarship is not just a number, it really helps me,” Niraula said. “It encourages me to keep continuing my major, continuing my studies and chasing my goals … it also motivates me to contribute back to the community that supported me so much; like this, I want to give back to the community.”
Like Niraula, junior Neupane from Nepal also shared his excitement and how this helped him and his family.
“I’m also an international student from Nepal, so we have to pay … a lot of fees and since we don’t qualify for FAFSA or any other federal aid, we have to rely on these kinds of scholarships,” Neupane said. “So, it’s a good relief for me, and my family as well back home.”
The TAMIU Alumni Association awards scholarships to undergraduate students pursuing degrees at the University. For more information on the association and this award, interested students may contact the Director of Development in the Office of the Vice President for Institutional Advancement Athena Cortez.
