Scholarships Awarded To 4 Orange County Students

MISSION VIEJO, CA —The Shops at Mission Viejo today announced four local college scholarship winners in partnership with Simon Youth Foundation (SYF), a national nonprofit that champions educational opportunities for students of all backgrounds. Each year, SYF awards scholarships to deserving students that live within 50 miles of The Shops at Mission Viejo.

Katherine Robinson, a recent graduate of Aliso Niguel High in Aliso Viejo, is awarded a $10,000 Simon Youth Foundation Award of Excellence scholarship for top-ranking students. She plans to attend Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in the fall to study world languages and cultures.

A recent graduate of Woodbridge High in Irvine, Rebecca Culbertson is the recipient of the Simon Youth Foundation Community Scholarship. This $1,500 scholarship is awarded to individuals based on academic achievement, financial need and leadership involvement at school as well as within their surrounding community. She will study animal science with the intention of pursuing a veterinary career at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo this fall.

In addition, Simon Youth Academy at The Shops at Mission Viejo will graduate two students this year, including Nicolette Weathersby and Ashlyn Caceres. A non-traditional high school located at The Shops at Mission Viejo, the Academy gives at-risk students the same education that they would receive in a traditional classroom but in a flexible environment.

Teachers are able to focus on one-on-one learning thanks to an emphasis on small class sizes. Academy graduates receive accredited high school diplomas from their public school district as an extension of the local system.

Weathersby is the recipient of an $8,000 scholarship that will be amortized over two years. She will attend Saddleback College this autumn to pursue a degree in sociology. Caceres receives a four-year scholarship totaling $32,000. Beginning this fall, she plans to study political science at Saddleback College.

“Simon Youth Foundation is a national organization, but we can feel the benefit of its efforts right here at home,” said,” said Patsy Sanquist, director of marketing and business development at The Shops at Mission Viejo. “We are incredibly proud to award these scholarships to Katherine, Rebecca, Nicolette and Ashlyn as they continues their studies this fall.”

Simon, a global leader in retail real estate ownership, is proud to support Simon Youth Foundation (SYF) in its efforts to increase educational opportunities for students of all backgrounds through Simon Supports Education. The movement incorporates several activations designed to engage shoppers in SYF’s mission.

Since its inception in 1998, Simon Youth Foundation has helped more than 15,660 students at risk of dropping out of high school graduate, and has awarded nearly $17 million in scholarships. Simon Supports Education encourages shoppers to help SYF continue this incredible legacy.

“Simon Youth Foundation believes all youth, no matter their personal circumstances, should have the opportunity and resources to pursue their dreams through education, and that financial reasons should never prevent students from achieving their goals,” said Dr. J. Michael Durnil, President and CEO of SYF. “We are humbled to have the incredible support of our corporate partner, Simon, and its Simon Supports Education movement.”

Shops at Mission Viejo Photos