The Dr. Tom Sullivan Scholarship

This scholarship was established in 2026 to honor Tom’s memory and to create a legacy to help others achieve their goals as they embrace music.

 

Tom was a life-long educator.  Tom spent his entire career as a music teacher for all age groups - Kindergarten through College.  Through his teaching practices he was able to turn band programs into top-ranked organizations through patience, integrity, and hard-work.  He emphasized the need to put students first as each student could accel individually, as well as within a group. 

 

For over 50 years Tom directed bands at a variety of schools and organizations throughout California and Arizona.  He spent over 20 of those years in the Gila Valley working at local schools including Pima, Safford and Solomon.  Tom joined EAC as a band director from 1997 through 2005, serving as Fine Arts Division chair during his final two years.  In addition, he founded the EAC Community Jazz Band in 2018, a program that continues to-date to bring people together through music.

 

Tom has had a direct impact to the music programs in Gila Valley, and specifically to EAC.  In his own words, “The EAC band was able to take the notes off the page and create music full of feeling and emotion.”  EAC held a very special place in Tom’s heart, so we honor him by providing a scholarship in his name by helping others embrace music as much as he loved it.

 

 

Student recipients of this scholarship include:

2026-2027 

 

 

Thank You Messages 

Here are some thank you messages from many of these students: