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Vail Board of Realtors Foundation awards 19 scholarships this year

The Vail Board of Realtors Foundation recently awarded 19 academic scholarships to local students. Now in its fourth year, the annual scholarship program awarded a total of $32,000 for 2021.

Scholarship winners and the schools they’re attending are:

  • Brooklyn Vargas: Colorado School of Mines
  • Emma Borel: Colorado Mountain College
  • Samantha Nothnagel: State University of New York, Cortland
  • Claire Krueger: University of Notre Dame
  • Davis Krueger: University of Colorado Boulder
  • Carter Josef: California Polytechnic State University
  • Hailey Harsch: San Diego State University
  • Karsen Williams: Elon University
  • Diana Trifonova: University of Colorado Boulder
  • Harry Jaffe: University of Colorado Boulder
  • Ethan Pyke: University of Colorado Boulder
  • Berkeley Kelly: Purdue University
  • Ella Dunn: Northeastern University
  • Ellie Nelson: Colorado State University
  • Cody Bahan: University of Colorado Boulder
  • Ari Dennis: California Polytechnic State University
  • Gabriela Fuentes: Colorado State University
  • Olivia Pyke: Colorado State University
  • Luke Tanner Larson: University of Colorado Boulder

Trifonova is a junior at CU Boulder majoring in computer science with a minor in computational biology. It’s Trifonova’s third year receiving a Vail Board of Realtors Foundation scholarship, which has allowed her to work as a volunteer undergraduate assistant for the Alderete Diabetes and Obesity Research Lab.



“Our research is focused on studying the causes and consequences of obesity, type 2 diabetes and health disparities,” Trifonova said. “The majority of my work in the lab is centered around computing, bioinformatics and data analysis. Post graduation I am hoping to work as a programmer.”

Qualifications are based on academic merit, volunteer and philanthropic involvement, and residency in Eagle County. Each recipient was awarded up to $2,000 to attend a college, university or accredited educational institution of higher learning.

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Applications are reviewed anonymously by a scholarship committee of Vail Board of Realtors members, including committee chair, Realtor Ann Foster.

“I want to make a difference in the lives of our young people, and giving back to our local students is important to me,” Foster said. “I was encouraged by fellow (board of Realtors) members to get involved in this program, and because my own kids are older now I have more time to be involved. I look forward to seeing what this next year brings.”

The Vail Board of Realtors Foundation was established in 1996 to help promote community efforts for the Vail Board of Realtors. The group’s mission is to assist the community and association members with need-based financial assistance, nonprofit support, education and disaster relief.


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