Over the past 11 years, the Texas Affiliation of Affordable Housing (TAAHP) has provided over $650,000 in scholarship funding to students seeking a higher education. (See last year.) Students living in affordable housing communities owned or operated by TAAHP members are eligible. TAAHP’s scholarship program was established to support some of the most vulnerable students in the state in pursuing a higher level of education as a pathway to self-sustainability and success.
As the need for affordable housing increases, so does the number of students requiring assistance to achieve their educational goals. TAAHP is now supporting more than eight times as many students as it did in 2019 – growing from 4 to 33 recipients.
In 2025, TAAHP is pleased to have awarded a record $200,000 in scholarships to students living in affordable housing communities across Texas, a remarkable jump from just $10,000 given out six years ago and significantly higher than last year’s record awards of a total of $151,000. Thanks to several generous donations from members, TAAHP continues its goal of supporting the future of Texans who need help reaching their full potential and lifting themselves and future generations out of poverty.
The 2025 scholarship recipients include:
- Seraph Aisabokhae ($12,500, Waller)
- Fawaz Ibikunle ($12,500, Houston)
- Nhan Nguyen ($12,500, Converse)
- Mariah Reyna ($10,000, Austin)
- Myat May ($10,000, Austin)
- Noah Hood ($10,000, El Paso)
- Jayde Bettes ($8,000, Huntsville)
- Emma Emmanuel ($8,000, Waller)
- Kemari Williams ($8,000, Dallas)
- Shuntoyia Shaw ($8,000, Fort Worth)
- Maricruz Servin Navarro ($5,500, Brownsville)
- Ngozi Agu ($5,500, Irving)
- Yesenia Vega ($5,500, Austin)
- Gunner Talbot ($5,500, Denton)
- Michael Villafranca ($5,500, Brownsville)
- Krystal Puntillo ($5,500, Midland)
- Nichole Hou ($5,500, San Antonio)
- Victoria Chirinos ($5,500, Fort Worth)
- Maria Arellano ($5,500, El Paso)
- Anaires Rizo ($5,500, Manor)
- Brejanae Moblin ($5,500, Austin)
- Meno Carrillo ($5,500, Alpine)
- Emmanuel Seddoh ($5,500, Houston)
- Darik Lohrstorfer ($5,500, Austin)
- Amiyah Drake ($3,000, Austin)
- Benjamin Diaz ($3,000, Odessa)
- Joel Miller ($3,000, San Marcos)
- Janay Singleton ($3,000, Houston)
- Bizimana Musa ($3,000, Austin)
- Brooklyn Taylor ($3,000, Houston)
- Jill Saint James ($3,000, Marshall)
- Felix Cook III ($1,250, Austin)
- Monicia Harper ($1,250, San Antonio)
“Education is a priority for the TAAHP Foundation, and we are thrilled to continue our scholarship program,” says Roger Arriaga, TAAHP Executive Director. “We appreciate the donors who make this possible every year, and we look forward to seeing what our student recipients do next.” “The students inspire us every year,” says Meghan Cano, TAAHP President. “We are humbled to contribute to their journeys as they pursue careers in nursing, medicine, business, journalism and more.” 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 2025 scholarships were announced and presented during TAAHP’s 2025 Texas Housing Conference. The next application period will open in the Spring of 2026, and selected recipients will be announced at the 2026 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.