National Park College (NPC) Criminal Justice student Jose Castaneda Diaz was awarded
the Tim Fincham Memorial Scholarship this semester. He was selected by Criminal Justice
program faculty from more than 60 applicants.
The scholarship was established by Donna Nevill with contributions from Fincham’s
family and friends. Fincham dedicated his life to law enforcement serving 30 years
in the National Park Service and the United States Forest Service. He was patrol captain
of the Ouachita and Ozark-St. Francis National Forest and was honored as Law Enforcement
Officer of the Year when he retired in 2016.
Castaneda Diaz is a graduate of Lakeside High School and is completing his second
year of the Criminal Justice degree program. When he learned he was a finalist for
the scholarship, he was eager to share his news with his family. “I went back home
and told my parents and they were really happy for me because during high school I
really didn’t do good, grade-wise.” He added that here at NPC he has been more serious
and has made better grades than he has ever had.
Castaneda Diaz credits his experience in the National Park Technology Center (NPTC)
high school Criminal Justice program for helping him find his path to a Criminal Justice
career. “The first thing I did was go thank Mr. White and Mr. Montgomery because they
impacted me. If it wasn’t because of that, the [NPTC] classes, I don’t know if I would
still be here because I was still figuring things out. That is probably going to push
me to go farther in life.”
Castaneda Diaz said he always knew he wanted to study law, but did not know exactly
what he wanted to do until he completed the NPTC high school program. “That class
made me realize that I really wanted to go into criminal justice, and that’s what
I want to do for the rest of my life.” After completing the program, he received the
National Park Promise Scholarship, a last dollar scholarship that covers 100 percent
of the cost of tuition and fees after all other aid has been applied. It is renewable
for two years at NPC.
Last summer, Castaneda Diaz was able to complete an internship with the Hot Springs
Police Department. “I really loved that because that is where I want to go in the
future. They explained to me how to get in and what every division does, and I was
more interested in the detectives, because that is what I wanted to be.”
“It is a big transition going from high school to college because I really didn’t
think I was going to go to college,” said Castaneda Diaz. He said the instructors
helped him and the interesting and hands-on classes and labs peaked his interest.
“I always have a passion when I go into the classroom because [criminal justice] is
what is meant for me, and that’s what I know I want to do with my whole life.”
Castaneda Diaz will graduate in May and plans to transfer to the University of Arkansas
Fort Smith to complete a bachelor’s degree. “I want to come back here and work in
patrol for three years to get my experience.” He hopes to work as a homicide detective
one day. “I have thought about going federal, but they just move around a lot and
I want to have a family someday, and I want to just stay here. Hot Springs is an amazing
place to stay.”
Pictured left to right is Nicole Herndon, Executive Director of the NPC Foundation,
Amy Fincham, Jose Castaneda Diaz, and Donna Nevill.
