Jerry Arkebauer
Two Southview High School Class of 2022 graduates, Cheyney Nelson and Kaden Dusa, have been awarded $1,000 scholarships each to pursue education in public safety from the Sylvania Area Community Improvement Corp., according to Oliver Turner, Sylvania Township administrator and chair of the SACIC Scholarship Committee.
Nelson hopes to become a registered nurse and Dusa plans to pursue a degree in forensic sciences.
Nelson is following her mother, already a registered nurse, as an example of what she hopes to accomplish. She will further her education this fall at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. “Watching my mom remain on the frontline through this whole pandemic has taught me resilience. Frontline workers have to remain strong. They have to take care of themselves and stay healthy so that they can take care of others. That’s what I want to do, too,” she explained.
Dusa wants to pursue forensic science at Bowling Green State University and work alongside police officers, medical examiners, and firefighters. He will be able to investigate a scene that may involve foul play and use scientific techniques to look carefully at the evidence. “My sister lost her life to drugs in 2018. After trying for months, authorities could never catch the drug dealer involved. After that I thought I could make a difference in other cases by pursuing a career in forensic sciences,” he explained.
Turner said SACIC wanted to help a senior interested in public safety services attend an accredited two- or four-year college, trade or technical school. Also, SACIC established the non-renewable scholarships as a way to show Sylvania area first responders that the organization is aware of their contributions to making the Sylvania area a better community.
Although the SACIC planned to award only one scholarship, Turner said the SACIC Board of Directors voted June 8 to provide for a second scholarship when it approved awarding them to the two students.
SACIC is a non-for-profit organization representing a collaboration of business and government working to enhance balanced economic growth and the quality of life in the greater Sylvania area. SACIC membership information is available at sylvaniaareacic.org.
Jerry Arkebauer is past president of the Sylvania Area Community Improvement Corporation. He also is an economic development specialist.