Philanthropy Focus: 2024 Renee Parsons Scholars
Spring is one of my favorite seasons for many reasons, one of which is that it brings about scholarship awards at The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation. Each year, in partnership with Boys and Girls Clubs of the Valley (BGCAZ), we award two scholarships to two exceptional young women who are club members. The Renee Parsons Girls Leadership Award offers the recipient up to $80,000 of educational funding, while The Renee Parsons Excellence Award grants up to $40,000 of funding, each to be used at the university, community college, or vocational school of the recipients choosing. Each girl also receives a brand-new laptop and PXG backpack to support this next chapter of their educational journey. Of course, I can’t resist throwing a little PXG flair into the mix!
It is my absolute pleasure to highlight the 2024 Renee Parsons Scholarship recipients – Blanca, for the Girls Leadership Award, and Evey, for the Girls Excellence Award.
Blanca is a stellar student, BGCAZ AZYouthforce participant and is super engaged at her high school. She’s Vice President of the Senior Class, Student Body Spirit Coordinator, and plays on the Badminton team (how fun). She even has her own side hustle selling sweet churro cheesecakes to fulfill her love of baking and earn a little extra money. We love an entrepreneurial spirit, Blanca! Blanca plans to attend Arizona State University in the fall and study Business Administration.
Evey is a high school junior who proactively applied for the Girls Excellence Award. You go girl! Evey has maintained a high GPA and engagement in the BGCAZ AZYouthforce Program, all while facing health challenges that kept her out of school for a semester. We’re so proud of your resilience and perseverance, Evey! Evey plans to attend an Arizona university and dreams of being a pediatrician.
Each years’ selection process brings to light the number of incredible girls who are in our community, and every awardee simply blows me away – each is so unique and powerful in her own right. It is one of the greatest rewards of our philanthropy to support the educational attainment of these young women – an achievement that can never be diminished nor taken away.
The addition of Blanca and Evey brings us to 10 RP Scholars over the last six years! I can hardly believe it. We had our first scholar graduate college last year, with the next set to get her diploma this spring. I am so, so proud.
In case you missed it, last year we gathered the RP Scholars at Scottsdale National Golf Club for a dinner rich with laughter, discussion, and of course a little glamour.
Keep dreaming big, girls, and know that I am always here cheering you on!