For college students out of options, the Last Mile Education Fund provides a faster way to support degree completion in high-demand STEM fields.
At New Mexico State University, 19 students (14 of them majoring in computer science) have benefitted from the fund this academic year. In fall 2025 and spring 2026, NMSU students were awarded nearly $32,000 that helped them to cover not only tuition, but also things like car repairs, laptops and even rent. Last Mile Education Fund helps the student surmount challenges standing the way of continuing college classes to complete their degree.
“Last Mile offers two main types of grants,” said Raena Cota, program manager in the computer science department and southwest regional connector for the Computing Alliance of Hispanic-Serving Institutions (CAHSI). “They have an emergency grant up to $599 that they can turn around in a week or two for those situations where students' cars break down, or their computer dies and they need a new laptop to be able to continue their studies – those types of things. There are also larger grants for tuition or other critical expenses.”
Genesis Valenzo, who grew up in Mexico, is a first-generation college student graduating from NMSU in May with a bachelor’s degree in computer science and a concentration in human-computer interaction and a minor in international studies. After graduation, Valenzo will be moving to New York City to begin her role as a software engineer at Bloomberg. She hopes to incorporate her knowledge in human-computer Interaction into her work by building products that are accessible, equitable and ethical.
“Due to recent financial challenges, completing my degree became more difficult,” Valenzo said. “The Last Mile Fund provided crucial support by covering my remaining tuition and awarding me an emergency grant during my final semester. Their support took a significant weight off my shoulders, allowing me to focus on my studies and successfully complete my degree at NMSU.”
Eugene Taabazuing also received both types of grants. He is an NMSU senior who will earn his computer science bachelor’s degree in December 2026.
“Words can’t describe how grateful I am,” Taabazuing said. “Last Mile played a big part in me continuing my education. The grant means a lot because it helped me when I really needed help. There were times when I couldn't afford to bring down my tuition balance so that I could register for the next semester. Last Mile helped me with tuition and helped me to buy a new laptop to continue my studies.”
Computer science is practically in Jade Collins’ DNA. A Las Cruces native, she followed in her sister’s footsteps, participating in NMSU’s Young Women in Computing program while she was still in middle school. As she approaches her final stretch to complete her bachelor’s degree in computer science, Last Mile made the difference when another grant fell through.
“I was supposed to do an internship funded through the NIH and, unfortunately, the funding was cut, and I didn’t find out until we were about to start,” Collins said. “I had to scramble to find funding at the last minute. Getting the Last Mile scholarship really helped me.”
Collins has one year left to get her bachelor’s degree, but she is planning to go into the accelerated master’s program for biology.
“So now I’m doing a double major in computer science and biology,” Collins said. “Currently, I am in a research lab studying bioinformatics.”
Taabazuing is majoring in computer science but is well-aware his field is continuing to evolve. He also will enter the accelerated master’s program to earn a master’s degree in cybersecurity with just one additional year of study.
“Computer science is the best area for me,” Taabazuing said. “Before this whole AI boom, I wanted to be a software engineer, but now I want to go into AI and cybersecurity.”
Unlike traditional scholarships, Last Mile is an investment in potential, not past performance. The organization meets students where they are, in real time, and invests in their ability to finish strong and enter the workforce ready to contribute.
“They call it the Last Mile Education Fund because, for the most part, it is for juniors and seniors,” Cota said. “It’s for those students who are on the last leg of their journey and just need a little help to complete their college degree. I know students who received awards for things like utility bills, rent or fixing their cars because we have a lot of commuter students. The Last Mile Fund has been a huge help to many of our computer science students here at NMSU.”
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CUTLINE: From left: Genesis Valenzo, Jade Collins and Eugene Taabazuing are among the 19 New Mexico State University students who have benefitted from the Last Mile Fund’s program to bridge the financial gaps to help computer science students complete their degrees. (Photo courtesy Raena Cota)