Susan Helsabeck Scholarship

The Susan Helsabeck Scholarship provides financial support to Early Educators in Randolph County who are pursuing advanced education. By continuing their learning, scholarship recipients strengthen their classrooms and deepen their commitment to the field of Early Care and Education. Awarded annually, this scholarship supports an early childhood educator working in a Randolph County child care program and currently enrolled in a higher education institution.

Named in memory of our beloved colleague Susan Harris Helsabeck, this scholarship honors her lifelong dedication to early childhood education. Susan served as the Randolph Partnership for Children’s Professional Development Specialist from December 2015 until her unexpected passing in January 2021. Her career, which began in 1993 after graduating from Appalachian State University, was devoted to supporting families, children, and early educators. At ASU, she met her soulmate and future husband, Oliver, and together they raised their daughter, Elizabeth, who proudly continues the Mountaineer tradition.

Susan’s warm heart and infectious smile are deeply missed. Through this scholarship, we honor her legacy and commitment to higher education for Randolph County’s early educators—ensuring her passion for supporting those who care for our youngest learners lives on.