Paying It Forward: Donors Open Doors For The Next Generation 

For Owens, choosing a scholarship administrator wasn’t simply about finding someone to distribute funds. She wanted a partner that would manage the fund fairly and honor the purpose behind her family’s philanthropy.

Her research led her to the Area Foundation, our region’s largest scholarship program administrator with more than 120 funds under management (more than $14 million was awarded in scholarships in 2025).

“I knew they would carry out our wishes,” she said. “They keep us informed. They handle all the logistics.”

Turn-Key Scholarship Solution

It’s a decision many prospective donors face. Creating a scholarship involves far more than funding it. Applications must be collected and reviewed, selection committees assembled and legal and administrative requirements carefully managed.

For decades, the Area Foundation has helped individuals, families and companies easily navigate that process, empowering donors with not having to worry about the legwork while providing them peace of mind to focus on the impact they hope to make.

“We provide a full service-scholarship solution, handling the administration and behind-the-scenes work, so donors can focus on changing lives,” said Jennifer Ballesteros, Director of Scholarship and Relief Programs at the Area Foundation. “Our role is to connect generosity with opportunity and to help create pathways to a better future for everyone.”

Ballesteros mentioned that notably, each year, the Area Foundation meets talented, hardworking students who have incredible potential, but who may face financial barriers to achieving their goals. By providing scholarships, the Area Foundation not only helps students access education — it helps create pathways to economic mobility in the community and expanding opportunities for future generations.

By working hard to make the process approachable and personalized, the Area Foundation offers a “turn-key” option for donors who want to be a force for change in the community.

“It starts with a conversation about what the donor hopes to accomplish and who they’d like to support,” she said. “From there, we help design the scholarship criteria, establish the fund, and create a plan that aligns with their charitable goals.”

Once a fund is established, the Area Foundation’s team manages the administration, application process and award distribution, working to guide donors every step of the way and making it easy to create a scholarship fund that reflects their vision and values.

Why Choose the Area Foundation

Diane Bacon, Foundation & Education Relationships Manager at Firstmark Credit Union, saw that value firsthand after comparing scholarship administrators before selecting the Area Foundation for the Cunningham Scholarships.

“They’re responsive,” Bacon said. “They take care of everything.”

Laura Liang, who serves on the Area Foundation’s Board of Directors, reached a similar conclusion when her Houston-based company Enterprise Products decided to open its own scholarship fund.

“We wanted to do scholarships,” she recalled. “We just didn’t want to administer it ourselves.”

The Area Foundation listened carefully to what her company hoped to accomplish, helped customize the fund to fit Enterprise’s mission and has continued managing the program ever since.

“The team does amazing work,” Liang noted.

Those relationships don’t end when scholarships are awarded.

The impact of those deep and lasting connections was on full display during the Area Foundation’s Scholarship Symposium at Port San Antonio in July, where donors and scholarship recipients shared breakfast, exchanged stories, posed for photos and, in many cases, met for the first time.

For Owens, those moments are among the most meaningful.

“It can bring you to tears,” she said. “Many of these students are first-generation college students. You meet their parents and grandparents, and you realize what this scholarship means to the whole family.”

Changing Lives

For scholar Jocelyn Garcia, that impact has been nothing short of life changing.

Growing up in Cotulla, a low-income small town in rural South Texas, Garcia always knew she wanted to continue her education, but like many first-generation Hispanic college students, the path wasn’t always clear. As she prepared to transfer to complete her nursing degree, she wasn’t sure how she would afford housing, travel and other expenses that come with attending college.

Receiving the Hank Riley Zolla Scholarship from the Area Foundation changed all that.

Her scholarship helped cover housing and travel costs, allowing Garcia to focus on completing her nursing degree instead of worrying about how she would pay for the next semester.

Now working as a registered nurse, Garcia hopes to one day earn her master’s degree. She has also come full circle by volunteering to help younger students complete scholarship applications and pursue higher education themselves.

“I want to help them because I know how overwhelming it can feel,” she said.

College freshman Nathan Garcia – no relation to Jocelyn – echoed that sense of relief and gratitude.

Receiving a Duncan Scholars Program Scholarship has helped with housing and other costs at Texas A&M University, where he’s pursuing a degree in construction.

“It’s a big relief for my parents that my classes are paid,” he said.

Doshie Piper chairs the City of San Antonio’s MLK Commission, which partners with the Area Foundation to administer the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Scholarship Program, helping students overcome financial barriers to higher education.

Scholarships don’t just help students pay bills, Piper clarified.

“Scholarships open doors students may not have thought possible,” she said. “Those opportunities help close financial gaps that can determine where — or whether — a student enrolls.”

Shaping Leaders of Tomorrow

Standing before hundreds of scholarship recipients, donors and families at the July celebration bringing together donors and students, Area Foundation CEO Nadege Souvenir challenged students to think beyond the moment.

“I see you here now as scholars,” she said. “But you’re future donors. You’re future leaders. You’re future nonprofit leaders.”

That vision reflects what the Area Foundation hopes every scholarship can accomplish: not simply helping one student earn a degree but creating a cycle of generosity that continues for generations.

Whether it’s honoring a loved one, supporting students pursuing a particular field or investing in future generations, the Area Foundation helps donors transform their charitable goals into philanthropic funds that reflect their values and create lasting community impact.

For Owens, the reward is simple: “That is why I really enjoy giving in this way, it’s starting a chain reaction. You’re helping someone get an education, and that can change a life.”

View the Event Photo Album Here!