Janice and Robert Daigh Endowed Scholars

This scholarship fund is established for students from Taos and Picuris pueblos as a result of the donors, Janice and Robert Daigh, having lived in Taos for fifteen years beginning in 1973. Two of our daughters attended Taos schools, where they formed many new friendships. As a result, we as parents were introduced to quite a few students from Taos Pueblo, and in some cases formed attachments with their families as well. An older daughter, after graduating from UNM, worked as a volunteer in several programs involving children at the pueblo and later was employed at what was then the Oo-oonah Art Center.

As part of the Taos business community Robert came into contact with members of the pueblo. As a reporter with The Taos News, I was privileged to work with pueblo officials, covering various news events in the years before a Taos Pueblo member joined the editorial staff. I was also assigned to news items from Picuris Pueblo, where again I dealt mainly with the governor and his staff. I did not come in contact with any young people but realized that for them, as with Taos Pueblo students, a college experience would require more than a daily commute. This is not the case at present, with the existence of UNM branches in Taos and Espanola. These, however, do not offer four-year degrees or graduate courses. It is the donors' hope that an annual contribution from this fund, however small, can help students from these two pueblos continue on their chosen paths in higher education at the University of New Mexico.