Phoenix, AZ – August 23, 2025 – The Phoenix Conservatory of Music (PCM) proudly celebrates the extraordinary accomplishments of College Prep students Sebastien Swensen and Patrick Cassidy, who both earned full-ride scholarships to the prestigious Berklee College of Music. Their journeys from uncertainty to achievement were made possible by PCM’s nationally recognized programs, supported in part by Thunderbirds Charities.
Sebastien, who once felt lost and without a support system, found direction and purpose through PCM. “What donors provide quite literally makes dreams come true,” he reflected. “Without this support, I wouldn’t be able to pursue my dream at Berklee. This opportunity gave me hope. It changed my life by giving it purpose.”
Patrick echoed a similar transformation. Music began as an escape, but through PCM, it became a discipline, a passion, and now a future. “My PCM teachers, my private lesson teachers, they weren’t just musicians—they were life mentors,” Patrick said. “Without scholarship support, I don’t know where I’d be. This place has changed my life, and I’ve watched it transform many others.”
Both students emphasized that PCM’s environment—where teaching artists serve as mentors and peers provide unwavering encouragement—was just as impactful as the rigorous training. “Being on stage with other people, interacting in that unspoken musical way, is like nothing else,” Patrick shared. Sebastien added, “Even with faculty I didn’t know well, they told me good luck. That support made me believe I could do this.”
PCM’s results demonstrate this impact on a broad scale. In FY2025, PCM served more than 1,300 students across seven program streams, with over 40% receiving financial assistance. The College Prep Program alone delivered over 1,100 hours of instruction, helping students earn more than $2.8 million in college scholarships collectively.
“Sebastien and Patrick represent the best of what is possible when young people are given access, mentorship, and opportunity,” said Regina Nixon, Executive Director of PCM. “Thunderbirds Charities’ support ensures that students not only gain world-class training, but also a community that lifts them up and propels them forward.”
As both young musicians prepare to begin their journeys at Berklee, their stories inspire future generations of PCM students. Patrick summed it up best: “This is the most valuable way you could be spending your money. Whether music becomes someone’s whole life, or simply their way to grow, donations here give young people a place to become themselves.”
To see Sebastien receive his scholarship, please watch: https://youtu.be/29li21f0fzQ