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Yuma, Arizona - Roberto Mora Garibay has been selected to receive this year’s Cassandra Burch Memorial Scholarship. Garibay is a Senior at Northern Arizona University’s Yuma Branch Campus.

Cassandra J. Burch was also a senior at NAU’s Yuma Branch Campus and majoring in Education, when she was tragically killed in an automobile accident, July 2005. A memorial fund in her honor was established shortly there after by Jack Simes, Cassandra’s supervisor at the Bureau of Reclamation, and Harry Hengl, President of the Yuma Chapter of the Northern Arizona University Alumni. 

Like Cassandra Burch had hoped, Roberto Garibay plans to be an educator working with young students. Garibay is currently employed at Otondo Elementary School, and hopes to continue working in an elementary school following his graduation from NAU-Yuma next Spring.

 

Garibay is the son of Roberto and Esperanza Mora. He credits his parents, and his siblings Armando, Maria and Yolanda with being very supportive of him during his studies. Drew Burch, Cassandra’s husband, was also supportive of her higher education goals, and continues to support NAU-Yuma’s efforts to honor her memory through this scholarship program.

 

While Garibay states he was not familiar with the Burch Memorial Scholarship prior to being notified of his award, he says he will now do all he can to encourage other students and the public to participate in this scholarship fund. He is also encouraging others to improve their opportunity for a better future through higher education.