The Suzy Van Sickle Scholarship was established to assist Arcadia High School students to pursue higher education, while acknowledging the vital role of community involvement.

academics

Applicants to the Suzy Van Sickle Scholarship should have a firm academic foundation and a good GPA.

Community involvement

A strong connection to the local community is one of the hallmarks of the Suzy Van Sickle Scholarship.

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leadership

Suzy Van Sickle Scholarship recipients are leaders both at Arcadia High School and in the local community.

Qualifications and Application Process

Candidate Qualifications

  • Arcadia High School senior.

  • Applying to a two or four year college (in or out of state).

  • GPA of 3.0 or above (either academic or overall).

  • Involvement in extra‐curricular, community activities, and/or employment responsibilities will strongly be considered.

Application Timeline

  • The scholarship will open for applications by March 1.

  • Applications should be submitted to the College and Career Center by April 1.

  • The Honors and Awards Committee will provide recommendations to the Van Sickle family by April 15.

  • The scholarship will be awarded at the Arcadia High School Senior Honors and Awards Ceremony in May.

What to Include

  • Copy of your transcript (this will be provided by College and Career Center upon request).

  • A personal statement (300 to 500 words) that describes your passion for community and education, and how your pursuit of higher education will help you become a future leader. You may wish to describe how receiving this scholarship would help your family financially.

  • Extracurricular activities, community involvement, and/or employment responsibilities should be addressed in the personal statement.

  • Letter of recommendation from an Arcadia High School teacher.

  • Letter of recommendation from a community member or employer.

  • Please indicate other scholarships already awarded at the time of application.

Completed applications should be submitted to the College and Career Center

Suzy Van Sickle and the Arcadia Community

Suzy Van Sickle started out as a volunteer in the Arcadia High School College and Career Center in 1997.  At that time, the Center was located in a small corner of the main library and was little more than a telephone, computer, and small stack of college books.

A resident of the Arcadia neighborhood since the early 1970s, Suzy was always involved with local outreach and community organizations and became dedicated to Arcadia High School and its students during her daughter’s attendance there from 1992-1996.  Although beginning her position as a volunteer, she became a full-time staff member in 1998.  Under the direction of Suzy and her good friend and colleague, Kathy Crowe, the Center grew and began to take on a life of its own, reaching new heights with every graduating class.

At the Center, students would meet with Suzy and Kathy to review potential colleges, develop applications and essays, and locate scholarships.  During this time, the College and Career Center became a place where students and their families would receive guidance and advice while embarking on the journey from high school to college.

With the renovation of Arcadia High School, the College and Career Center received a new home of its own: a large, bright space in the main entry with several tables, computer stations, and shelves bursting to the ceiling with information about every college and institute of higher learning one can imagine.  The Center was also recently dedicated in Suzy’s memory as the Suzy Van Sickle College and Career Center, a testament to her commitment for education and community.

Today, the Center remains a cornerstone for Arcadia High School students and their families as they prepare for college.  Devoted staff and volunteers continue to work tirelessly to support the next class of inspired students as they take the first step on the path toward higher education.

The scholarship has provided over $50,000 since its establishment in 2010. The Van Sickle Family would like to thank everyone for the generous donations- now and for the future- that help Arcadia High School students pursue their dreams.

suzy and her students

Suzy was committed to the success of each of her students, and always encouraged them to challenge themselves.

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Suzy and her family

Suzy was a dedicated mother and grandmother and enjoyed spending time with her family and traveling the world.

Suzy van sickle college and career center

The new College and Career Center was dedicated in Suzy's memory in 2011.

“I currently work as a Registered Nurse in the Emergency Room here in Phoenix. Alongside working in the hospital, I have a love for humanitarian work with an emphasis on medical care. I have just returned from a one-month medical outreach trip to Papua New Guinea. Here, we were able to provide medical attention to the rural villages and their people who often go a lifetime without any medical care. I am so thankful for this scholarship and the support it has given me to follow through on my dream of becoming a nurse. I I truly found a job and passion that will continue all the days of my life.”
— Melissa Westfall, Arcadia Class of 2011
“After graduating from Arcadia in 2011, I attended Barrett, the Honors College at Arizona State University; I just graduated in May 2015 with dual Bachelor’s degrees in English and Spanish linguistics with certificates in Latin American Studies, Spanish Translation, and Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. All of this would not have been possible if it were not for your generous scholarship and Mrs. Van Sickle, who encouraged me as a high school sophomore to step out of my comfort zone and attend a leadership camp that summer (HOBY), which truly changed my life and inspired me to chase after my dreams. I have volunteered at that leadership camp every year since and always think of her and all the other students whose dreams came true because of her guidance and encouragement.”
— Alicia Dominick, Aracadia High School Class of 2011
“Since receiving the Suzy Van Sickle Scholarship, I attended Barrett Honors College at Arizona State University and graduated in 2015 with a BS in Psychology. Upon graduation, I put a hold on my studies and joined the Teach For America movement to fight education inequality. I currently reside in Houston, Texas, where I am a prekindergarten teacher. I eventually hope to pursue higher education in justice studies, early childhood education, medicine, or psychology. To this day I am grateful for the opportunities the Suzy Van Sickle Scholarship afforded me.”
— Kelsey Corallo, Arcadia Class of 2011