(AUSTIN, TEXAS) For the last ten years, Texas Affiliation of Affordable Housing (TAAHP) has provided over $450,000 in scholarship funding to students seeking a higher education. Students living in affordable housing communities owned by TAAHP members are eligible. TAAHP’s scholarship program was created to help some of the most vulnerable students in the state pursue a higher level of education as a pathway to self-sustainability and success.
As the need for affordable housing grows, so too does the number of students needing assistance to make their educational goals a reality. TAAHP saw a record number of students applying for the scholarship in 2024.
TAAHP is pleased to have awarded $151,000 in scholarships to students living in affordable housing communities across Texas — nearly tripling the total of any previous year. Thanks to several generous donations by TAAHP members, TAAHP continues its goal of helping to support the future of Texans who need the additional leg up to meet their full potential and lift themselves and future generations out of poverty.
The 2024 scholarship recipients include:
- Oscar Torres, $10,000
- Nhan Nguyen, $10,000
- Fawaz Ibikunle, $10,000
- Nekiaya Sims, $7,500
- Myat May, $7,500
- Shellby Nalette Ochoa, $7,500
- Adaku Ikoh, $7,500
- Ladrina Jones, $5,000
- Matthew Logan, $5,000
- Ava Dickerson, $5,000
- Brooklyn Taylor, $5,000
- Qamar Omari, $5,000
- Abrie North, $5,000
- Ilsy Perez, $5,000
- Tamara Daniel, $5,000
- Kaiya Ughulu, $3,000
- Lakyria Jones, $3,000
- Laglenda Hughes, $3,000
- Maya Shead, $3,000
- Seraph O Aisabo, $3,000
- Anaires Rizo, $3,000
- Neomi Silas, $3,000
- Sabrina Beltran, $3,000
- Nathaniel Barrera, $3,000
- Amarey McKinney, $3,000
- Constantine Ewan, $3,000
- Ze’Mari Reid, $3,000
- Oyindamola Bade-Ojo, $1,500
- Yami Lopez, $1,500
- Jeremiah Johnson, $1,500
- Victoria Blanco, $1,500
- Elizabeth Hethera, $1,500
- Jill James, $1,500
- Aniya Easley, $1,500
- Francisca Curtis, $1,500
- Leandra Johnson, $1,500
- Sedeja Thompson, $1,500
“The TAAHP Foundation is forging full speed ahead in its efforts to help more students living in affordable housing who are seeking a higher education” says Roger Arriaga, TAAHP Executive Director. “We are so grateful to everyone who has donated to make this scholarship possible and are excited to see these students work to lift themselves up to become better versions of themselves.”
“It is extremely rewarding to see so many students benefiting from the TAAHP Foundation scholarship. Their stories are an inspiration to all of us and a reminder of why what we do is so important,” says TAAHP 2024-2025 President, Nathan Williams.
Scholarship applicants are scored on a rigorous 100-point scale. Scoring categories include grade point average, writing skills, participation in extracurricular activities, recommendations from instructors and mentors, and other factors such as their respective school, workload, family obligations, and career objectives.
The 2024 scholarships were announced and presented during the Texas Affiliation of Affordable Housing Providers’ 2024 Texas Housing Conference. The next application period will open in the Spring of 2025, and selected recipients will be announced at the 2025 Texas Housing Conference next July.
About the Texas Affiliation of Affordable Housing Providers (TAAHP)
The Texas Affiliation of Affordable Housing Providers (TAAHP) is a non-profit trade association serving affordable housing industry providers. TAAHP works to increase the supply and quality of affordable housing for Texans with limited incomes and special needs. Founded in 1997, TAAHP is considered the “Voice of Affordable Housing in Texas,” and represents housing industry professionals involved in the financing, design, development, and management of affordable housing communities in Texas through public/private partnerships. TAAHP members produce tens of thousands of award-winning affordable housing communities with state-of-the-art designs, amenities, and resident services. For more information, visit www.taahp.org.