Punch Woods Memorial Scholarship

Charles “Punch” Woods

Death Penalty Alternatives for Arizona is proud to offer the Punch Woods Memorial Scholarship in honor of our dear friend and long-time Board Member, Charles Taylor “Punch” Woods.

Punch moved to Tucson, Arizona, in 1977 and dedicated his life to serving the community. He led the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona as Executive Director for 25 years before retiring in 1993. A passionate advocate for justice and education, Punch was instrumental in raising public awareness about the death penalty and played a key role in the founding of Death Penalty Alternatives for

The Punch Woods Memorial Scholarship honors Punch’s lifelong dedication to education, justice, and community engagement. It supports students who are eager to explore the complex realities of the death penalty and who are committed to sharing their learning with others. Through research, creative expression, or public presentations, scholarship recipients will contribute to a more informed and compassionate conversation about the death penalty in Arizona and beyond.

Each year, up to $500 will be awarded to one or more students to support projects that deepen public understanding of the death penalty. Recipients are expected to share the results of their work with the community, helping to foster thoughtful, informed dialogue around this critical issue.

Below is a step-by-step guide for how to apply for the Punch Woods Memorial Scholarship.

  • Draft a letter with the following requirements:

    • A brief introduction of yourself including background information about your current grade level, education, and why you're interested in studying the death penalty.

    • Present a proposal outlining the specific issue related to the death penalty that your are interested in studying. Explain why this issue is significant and how you plan to address it through your educational inquiry.

    • Describe how you intend to share the results of your educational inquiry. Specify the medium you will use (e.g., video, art, PowerPoint, blog post) and how you plan to share this information. Be sure to identify your audience.

    • Be sure to include the amount of scholarship funds you request and what they will be utilized for. Some examples might include materials, equipment, tuition, workshop fees, travel expenses, or technology costs.

Before submitting your application, carefully review your letter to ensure it is clear and concise. Be sure to review the scholarship application requirements in full. Submit your letter by clicking the button below.

Scholarship Requirements

Submit your Application

Scholarship Award Recipients

Tori Choate

  • Tori Choate, a 2L at Arizona State University's law school, plans to expand the death penalty prisoner database, analyze disparities in application, and present her findings for her graduation requirement for law school. Her scholarship award assisted in covering research expenses and helped with tuition costs.

Bella Sasselli

  • Bella Sasselli's research focuses on Arizona's death penalty history and racial demographics from 1920 to 2022. Through meticulous examination of archival records and statistical analysis, Bella seeks to uncover racial disparities in the state's execution practices. This research sheds light on historical injustices and advocates for reform within Arizona's criminal justice system. Bella’s scholarship award assisted in continuing her college education.

Tess Bloxham

  • Tess Bloxham, is second-year Law, Societies, and Justice student at the University of Washington was awarded the Punch Woods scholarship support to continue her studies and advocacy against the death penalty. Passionate about criminal and immigration law, she opposes capital punishment on moral and ethical grounds and views life without parole as another form of death sentence. Through her internship with Death Penalty Alternatives for Arizona, Tess researched felony murder cases on Arizona’s death row, focusing on how the felony murder rule lowers the evidentiary burden for prosecutors and contributes to miscarriages of justice. She plans to expand this research into academic projects, integrating it into her coursework and potentially presenting it at her university’s research symposium.

Gillian Mccomeskey

  • Gillian Mccomeskey, a fourth-year student at Arizona State University, plans to continue her cold case analysis work. Drawing from her internship with Death Penalty Alternatives Arizona, she aims to raise awareness about cold cases, particularly focusing on Missing Veterans in Arizona. Gillian plans to share her findings through presentations, newspaper articles, and outreach activities. She emphasizes her dedication to solving cold cases and expresses gratitude for the opportunity the scholarship would provide.

Amanda Webster

  • Amanda’s proposal reflects her profound change in perspective on the death penalty, influenced by personal encounters and extensive research during her internship with DPAA. Amanda plans to use a $500 scholarship to raise awareness for justice reform and support death penalty exonerees through two initiatives: creating impactful artwork and designing a community mural. . Amanda plans to both initiatives on their YouTube channel to engage their audience in advocacy efforts and cultivate a virtual community dedicated to justice reform.