The Scottsdale Charros have been proud supporters of Scottsdale Police and Fire departments for more than 50 years. In 2021, the Charros introduced The Charro Foundation Public Safety Cadet Scholarship, awarding two $5,000 scholarships: one Scottsdale Police Cadet Scholarship and one Scottsdale Fire Cadet Scholarship. The $5,000 scholarships will be awarded at $2,500 per academic year, with re-application required to obtain the second year of funding. Both scholarships support the recipient’s pursuit of a degree or certification to pursue a career in public safety. These scholarship funds may be used for the following:
- Tuition and fees;
- The cost of books and educational supplies required for a course of study;
- Miscellaneous school expenses such as parking fees, technology, etc.; and/or
- Housing and meal plans.
All scholarship recipients must meet the qualifications outlined in the following scholarship application. Completed applications must be submitted to The Charro Foundation by February 29, 2024. Incomplete applications will not be considered for scholarship funding.
The scholarship recipient will be notified in March 2024, after the application review and assessment process is complete. Recipients will be honored at our Scottsdale Charros Education Awards event on April 19, 2024.
APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS
Please review the list of credentials required to be considered for The Charro Foundation Scottsdale Public Safety Cadet Scholarship. You are responsible for ensuring your credentials are complete; the Charro Foundation will not assume this responsibility.
The scholarship is awarded only for purposes of study at a community college, university, or technical school for a degree or certification in support of a career in public safety. Applicants must be accepted and committed to one of these forms of post-secondary education before applying for this scholarship.
Applicants must meet the following criteria:
- Be a U.S. citizen, a legal resident of Arizona for at least two consecutive years, and
- Be active in either the Scottsdale Police or Fire Cadet program.
- Attain a cumulative grade-point average of no less than 2.5 in high school academic subjects or completed college courses.
- Provide evidence of leadership experience and achievement in academic and cadet volunteer activities
- Current scholarship recipients may apply for a second year of funding if all criteria are met
Your application will consist of the following elements:
- Applicant Information: Form provides basic applicant information and also provides an opportunity to list your accomplishments and tell the selection committee about your interests.
- Applicant Essay: Upload a 500-word essay addressing the following: “What I want to study to further my career, my future goals, and how this scholarship assistance will help me achieve my goals.”
- Professional Reference: Must be downloaded, completed by a teacher or professional colleague, and uploaded with your application or emailed directly to sarah@charros.com.
- Cadet Program Reference: Must be downloaded, completed by the Scottsdale Police or Scottsdale Fire Cadet Program, and uploaded with application or emailed directly to sarah@charros.com.
Selection Process
An initial review of applications will be made by the Scottsdale Charros and leadership of the Scottsdale Fire and Scottsdale Police departments. Completed and qualified applications will then be assessed by a review panel based on the applicant’s overall record of achievements, and activities; together with an appraisal of the qualities of intellect and character by student-selected references. Candidates will be considered without consideration of race, gender, color, religion, physical handicap, age, and national origin.
Selection Criteria The following criteria are considered in selecting Scottsdale Charro Public Safety Cadet Scholarship recipients: 1) academic assessment, 2) essay, 3) personal achievement, 4) References, 5) Cadet activities and volunteer hours.
Reporting
At the end of each academic year, scholarship recipients must submit to The Charro Foundation evidence of performance in the form of a written progress report on courses taken, grades earned, participation in campus community, and cadet activities and other pertinent experiences. If your course of study is interrupted for religious missions or extenuating personal circumstances, the scholarship support may be deferred up to one year.
Reapplication
Past scholarship recipients may apply for an additional $2,500 scholarship during the follow year’s application period. They must remain in good standing with the Scottsdale public safety cadet program of their choice and complete the Charros reporting requirements.
If you have any questions about this scholarship, please call the Scottsdale Charros office at (480) 990-2977.