KCEC, Guzman provide college scholarships

Kit Carson Electric Cooperative likes to give back to the community. And so does Guzman Energy.

And in that giving mindset, the two companies have distributed nearly $28,000 in scholarship money to first-time college students for the fall 2020 semester.

Sixteen scholarships were handed out by the Kit Carson

Foundation, while the Guzman Foundation plans to give out 20 scholarships towards the end of this fall semester.

Recipients of some of the scholarships came from different parts throughout Northern New Mexico.

Ariana MacAuley, Carly Gonzales, Jennifer Aguilar, Kiana Passino, Alejandro Gonzales and Dominic Montaño are just a few of those who received a scholarship for their first semester of college this fall. All of these students also played sports in high school, though at different high schools such as Questa, Peñasco and Taos.

The two entities have been partnered since 2017 and, in the last few years, Guzman energy has given out $60,000 to 60 students in the northern portion of the state.

As for KCEC, since 1997 they have given out nearly $500,000 to 583 first-time students.

According to the press release from Kit Carson, Guzman Energy “works to foster competitiveness and spur greater opportunity in the communities it serves through academic scholarships and school-support initiatives that develop critical thinking and inspire creativity.”

Chris Miller, president of Guzman Energy, said that the company is happy to help out with this program by continuing to hand out these scholarships.

“We are so honored to be able to contribute to this program and help students in northern New Mexico further their education,” Miller said, via the press release. “It’s extremely important to us to be active participants in the local community, and there is nothing that builds up a community more than education.”

Those interested in scholarships must have parents who are members of Kit Carson, and it is

available to those at public and private institutions. A letter of recommendation is required, as well as “coherent degree plan and willingness to pursue a course of higher learning.”

Applications are usually accepted up until the end of spring and before the student’s first year of college.

Luis A. Reyes Jr., CEO of KCEC, said that he is happy to know Guzman energy is willing to help out the students of northern New Mexico.

“KCEC is grateful for the generous support from Guzman Energy to help ensure these students have the funds they need as they take the next step in their education journey,” Reyes said. “Guzman has been a true partner, and their investment in our people and community – especially our students and future leaders – has been wonderful.”

Last year, Guzman Energy helped give $20,000 in scholarships to students in Northern New Mexico, according to the company’s Twitter page.

Guzman Energy is the wholesale supplier of power for Kit Carson and has been for the last three years, according to the release.

Guzman Energy has offices based out of Denver and Florida, according to its website. The two partnered up originally to help “KCEC meet its goal of providing 100 percent daytime solar energy by 2022 through the development and commissioning of several solar arrays throughout the region, including the recently built Taos, El Rito and Questa arrays.”