Nancy Wright was a lifelong volunteer, involved with a wide range of non-profits.  For nearly 30 years, the Colorado ARCS Chapter was her focus.  Her work and belief in the ARCS mission were contagious with other members, scholars, and her husband, Earl Wright.  When Nancy passed away in 2019, she and Earl had already supported 29 individual scholars in Colorado, several with multi-year awards.

Their shared passion for scholars continues via an endowment that funds two scholar awards each year at the University of Colorado Boulder.  When donations to ARCS Colorado in Nancy’s memory poured in because of her many acquaintances and friends, her husband, Earl, topped off the funds to create the endowment.

 “How do you create a legacy, supporting a passion that has a greater benefit to the community? That’s what the endowment has done,” he says.  “The endowment continues to keep the momentum that she started.”  

Earl is the co-founder and chairman of the Board of AMG National Trust, based in Denver, and continues to be involved with Colorado ARCS scholars.

“I’m constantly saying to young people who have a chance to participate and get the funding, ‘When you have the opportunity, pay it back. Join ARCS if that’s available to you, or when your financial resources allow, help support the organization's overall goals,’”  Earl says.

He added that endowments are a great way to impact someone’s future.

“Not everyone can afford an endowment, but those who can, I encourage them to do it,” Earl says. “It doesn’t take too much of an endowment to fund two scholar awards per year, but it can make a world of difference to the young people in college.”

The Colorado ARCS Foundation Chapter Board President says on their behalf,

“We are deeply grateful to Earl Wright for his remarkable generosity and steadfast support of ARCS and our scholars,” says Nancy Kellogg, Colorado ARCS Chapter president. “The Nancy Seacrest Wright Memorial Award is a lasting tribute to Nancy’s legacy, and Earl’s commitment ensures her passion continues to make a meaningful impact.”

The scholars who receive the Nancy Seacrest Wright Memorial Award learn about her and her numerous volunteer achievements. Nancy Wright chaired what was then the Denver ARCS Chapter board from 1993 to 1994 and remained a board member until she died in 2019.  The Chapter honored her with the ARCS Light award two times.  She was a member of the National ARCS Board for a year.

Earl noted, “She’s the one who set the pace for us in the community.”

If you are interested in learning about endowments or other support for ARCS, this website page will guide you:

https://www.arcsfoundation.org/ways-give-0

If you have already created an endowment or estate gift for ARCS National, please contact VP of Philanthropy Joan Foley, national.philanthropy@arcsfoundation.org.

Nancy Seacrest Wright Memorial Scholars (2024-25)

Kylie Boenish-Oakes 

University of Colorado Boulder

(2nd year ARCS Scholar) 

Major: PhD, Environmental Engineering 

Career Objective: I hope to pursue a career that involves direct involvement with water and wastewater treatment plants and supports the implementation of wastewater reuse. 

Disinfection is a critical component of drinking water and wastewater treatment. During disinfection, the disinfectant can react with organic matter and form a class of chemicals called disinfection by-products (DBPs), some known to be harmful to human health. I study the behavior of DBPs in the water distribution system and in buildings to inform regulations and protect public health. Ultimately, the goal is to provide actionable data to reduce risk from DBPs to consumers at the tap. 

Deanna Gelosi 

University of Colorado Boulder

(2nd year ARCS Scholar) 

Major: PhD, Creative Technology and Design 

Career Objective: My goal is to be a computational design and fabrication researcher, building and studying delightful and useful systems and tools. 

I focus on developing algorithms that act as creative catalysts for people. Past projects include shelving generated from objects, a packaging design tool, a clay 3D printing slicer, and glitch weaving. While much of my work occurs digitally, my research also involves hands-on experimentation in wood shops and with computer-controlled looms. I build kinetic sculptures of taxidermy bugs and am at my happiest on the Pacific Coast.