Scottsdale Charro Wayne Botkin, Jr. made a large impact on the Scottsdale community as a leader, philanthropist, and beloved family dentist.  This scholarship honors one SUSD senior who will be pursuing pre-med, pre-dental, or pre-vet studies at one of the following universities: GCU, ASU, UA or NAU. 

One scholarship recipient receives $2,500 in July of 2025 for the 2025-2026 academic year. These funds may be used for the following:

1. Tuition and fees at one of the following universities: GCU, ASU, UA or NAU.
2. The cost of books and educational supplies required for a course of study.
3. Miscellaneous school expenses such as parking fees, technology, etc.

All scholarship recipients must meet the qualifications outlined in the following scholarship application. Completed applications must be submitted to The Charro Foundation by February 28, 2025. Incomplete applications will not be considered for scholarship funding.

The scholarship recipient will be notified in March 2025, after the application review and assessment process is complete.  Recipient will be honored at our Scottsdale Charros Education Awards event on April 25, 2025.

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS

Applicants must meet the following criteria:

• Be a U.S. citizen, a legal resident of Arizona for at least two consecutive years and be graduated from a Scottsdale Unified School District high school. 
• Attain a cumulative grade-point average of no less than 3.0 in high school academic subjects.
• Provide evidence of leadership experience and significant interest in one or more extracurricular and community activities.

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: 500-word essay addressing the following: “How pursuing pre-med/pre-dental/pre-vet studies will help me contribute to the community of Scottsdale in the future.” 
• Teacher Reference: Must be completed by a teacher before February 28, 2025. Share THIS LINK with your selected teacher. We ask for a recommendation from one of your classroom teachers. You will want to select a teacher who best knows your performance and capabilities and can effectively and fairly assess your potential as a scholar. 
• Guidance Counselor Reference: Your guidance counselor will need to submit a report that includes transcripts. Please share this link with your guidance counselor and remind them of the February 28, 2025 deadline.
  Guidance Counselor Report
  
  

Selection Process

An initial review of applications will be made by the Scottsdale Charros and staff. Completed and qualified applications will then be assessed by a review panel on the basis of 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. The following criteria are considered in selecting scholarship recipients: 1) academic assessment, 2) essay, 3) personal achievement. 

If you have any questions about this scholarship, please email sarah@charros.com