Dion’s is more than a pizza place, it’s also a business committed to youth development within the community and their stores. As part of its In the Community initiatives, Dion’s awarded two undergraduate students at The University of New Mexico $2,500 scholarships recently. Mary Arnhart and Bethany Johnson were the recipients of the scholarships designed for high school seniors who are currently-enrolled college employees. 

“Dion’s focuses a multitude of efforts around youth development within the community. We wanted to find ways to support our employees in their own educational goals,” said CEO Mark Herman.

More than 50 applications for the scholarship were submitted for consideration. The scholarship application included an essay and questions about how the employee felt they had grown while working at Dion’s, and why they felt they should be awarded the scholarship. After the initial application, some applicants including Arnhart and Johnson, were invited to meet with The Dion’s Scholarship Board for an interview,.

Arnhart volunteers her time tutoring math to Spanish-speaking students and participates in various community projects with Spanish and national honor societies. She is a state 6A Track and Field participant and top-10 GPA award recipient. She plans to pursue a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science at The University of New Mexico.

In her application essay, Arnhart wrote about reaching her goals, stating, “I set high expectations for myself. I have always strived to achieve my goals independently. I want to be self-sufficient, and I am hoping to earn all the money I require for college so that I will not be in debt.”

Johnson, who is set to graduate in May 2019 with a bachelor of arts in multimedia journalism, hopes to work for a local newspaper or magazine. Johnson spends time attending church, working for Dion’s, and expanding her knowledge of photography. She is currently on the Dean’s List and a member of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society.

In her application essay, she wrote about the impact Dion’s has on her life, stating, “the skills I learned at Dion’s are not just skills I can use in a restaurant. They are skills I will take with me in every situation in life.”

For more information on Dion’s opportunities, visit the website.