Desert Mountain Foundation

The Desert Mountain Foundation plays a critical role for employees and their family members who otherwise may not be able to attend college, ensuring the next generation of leaders.  

John Bauer’s mother worked at the Desert Mountain Club for several years. She came to the United States from the Philippines, and her hopes were high when thinking of John’s future in the States. That all changed when John’s mom, his biggest champion, passed away in 2019. John’s extended family remained in the Philippines, so he was on his own trying to figure out how to pay for school, housing, and food.  

In the meantime, following in his mother’s footsteps, John began working at the Desert Mountain Club. Based on a coworker’s recommendation, he applied for a scholarship through the Desert Mountain Foundation. He got the call in 2022 with the news that he’d been awarded a full scholarship to Arizona State University. 

The fund that supports students like John was created at the Arizona Community Foundation in 2013 to provide scholarships for Desert Mountain employees and their family members. Community residents come together to add a critical component to scholarship recipients’ success: mentorship.

Each scholarship recipient is assigned a mentor, a newly formalized addition to the program. John’s mentor, Mark Dayton, a former U.S. Senator and Governor of Minnesota, was assigned to John because of his interest in government and economics.

“Perseverance is a prerequisite,” said Mark. “And this young man has a lot of it.” Mark chose to serve as a mentor because he likes to help the younger generation and it keeps him feeling young. He met with John regularly, providing advice and guidance and sharing his experiences in government. With Mark’s mentorship and the Desert Mountain scholarship under his belt, John recently graduated from ASU’s W.P. Carey School of Business and is preparing to apply for the master’s program in public policy.