SE Valley Times

Rio Salado College has announced that Sarah Nichols and Angelo Lopez have been selected as representatives for the 2025 All-Arizona Academic Team. They will be recognized at a ceremony on February 19, 2025, in Gilbert. This recognition is part of the All-USA Scholarship competition sponsored by Phi Theta Kappa (PTK), the national community college honor society. Selected students receive undergraduate tuition transfer scholarships to pursue their first bachelor's degree at an Arizona university.

Sarah Nichols grew up facing challenging circumstances but found solace in education and self-awareness. "My abusive mother discouraged me from pursuing educational goals, implying I would never measure up to my successful older sister," she said. Despite these challenges, Nichols excelled academically, graduating high school early and finding her passion for math and finances while working at an accounting firm.

Nichols enrolled in Rio Salado College in 2024 to pursue an associate degree in general business. She became active in the college's PTK chapter, serving as vice president for fundraising and engaging with civic initiatives like voter registration drives. "There was a need in my community for reliable, unbiased election information," she noted.

Nichols plans to transfer to Arizona State University this fall to continue her studies in accounting with aspirations of becoming a certified public accountant and eventually opening her own firm. Reflecting on her past, she expressed gratitude for life lessons learned: "Despite the pain I endured, I thank my mother for inadvertently teaching me valuable lessons about survival and self-worth."

Angelo Lopez turned his life around after spending 23 years incarcerated. He sought education as a means of reintegration into society and giving back to the community. "I was incarcerated for 23 years," he shared. Witnessing another inmate's participation in correspondence classes inspired him to engage more deeply with learning.

Lopez began taking classes through Rio Salado College’s Incarcerated Reentry program and focused on addictions and substance use disorders upon release. Though initially interested in becoming an addictions clinician, he shifted toward nonprofit work due to fingerprint clearance card issues: "I have changed my degree path, but my goal remains the same - to have an impact on recovery and reentry."

At Rio Salado College, Lopez joined PTK and participated in various civic activities while volunteering with organizations like The Bridge and Shot in the Dark. He currently works full-time at Axiom Care, supporting individuals with substance use and mental health disorders.

Lopez is set to complete his associate degrees this year before transferring to Northern Arizona University for bachelor’s degrees in strategic leadership and justice studies. His long-term goal is clear: "In the long term, I hope to start my own non-profit and help individuals with mental health or substance issues reintegrate into society after incarceration."