Sponsored Content by Maricopa Community Colleges
By Brian F. Spicker, President and CEO of the Maricopa Community Colleges Foundation
Imagine a world where every aspiring student has an equal opportunity to fulfill their higher educational dreams regardless of their background. That dream can become a reality through EmpowerED for Student Success – a three-year, $20 million fundraising campaign spearheaded by the Maricopa Community Colleges Foundation (MCCF) and Maricopa Community Colleges.
Empower ED is not just a campaign; it’s a catalyst for change that promises to strengthen Arizona’s workforce by redefining access to postsecondary education and eliminating barriers to make college a reality for countless students throughout Maricopa County. In addition to supporting individual initiatives across our 10 colleges, the campaign will focus on four key areas – scholarships and stipends, including dedicated scholarships for the system’s highly successful bachelor’s degrees, basic needs resources, workforce development and innovative programming to sustain existing College Promise Programs.
Education strengthens Arizona’s workforce
Arizona is behind the curve when it comes to a well-educated workforce. In our state, nearly seven out of 10 jobs require more education beyond a high school diploma, and far too few Arizonans enroll in college after high school. Of the Maricopa County high school seniors who graduated in 2022, only half enrolled at a postsecondary institution one year after leaving high school.
The Maricopa Community Colleges directly contribute to the region’s economic vitality. As an economic engine, Maricopa Community Colleges ensures there’s a pipeline of highly skilled students ready to enter the state’s labor market in high-demand professions, such as health care, construction trades or advanced manufacturing. As a result of our efforts, one out of 28 jobs in Maricopa County is supported by the activities of our 10 colleges.
The funds raised through the EmpowerEd campaign represent a step toward leveling the playing field for our students, making college accessible for all, but most importantly, ensuring Arizonans earn a living wage to support themselves and their families. We are grateful to our lead industry, foundation, community, education, and municipal partners who have paved the way with significant contributions to jumpstart this campaign.
EmpowerED expands how we support students
Since the early 1990s, the average cost of attending a traditional college or university has more than doubled. Today, college students not only face the high cost of tuition, but post-pandemic, we have learned there is an increase in basic life needs due to the impact of inflation on everyday necessities.
Seeing firsthand how our students struggle, having to choose between attending college while dealing with food and housing insecurities and even homelessness, it’s hard to overlook the barriers the financial constraints of a college education can impose. According to data compiled from a basic needs survey administered to students in 2023, 48% experience housing insecurity, 41% food insecurity, and 14% homelessness. Recognizing that our students needed more resources, we introduced basic needs and emergency financial aid funds. These stipends help our students overcome hardships and ensure they don’t need to make compromises to successfully complete their educational goals.
The EmpowerED initiative is not just about the funds raised but also about the ripple effect that will impact our communities for generations. To put that into perspective, Maricopa Community Colleges have a multiplier effect on the community when a first-generation college student succeeds in college because we are changing the trajectory of an entire family. Seeing postsecondary education as attainable, Maricopa Community Colleges graduates secure a brighter, financially stable future while contributing to Maricopa County’s growth by living and working locally.
When we support students with a scholarship or a stipend, it not only eliminates financial and life barriers to earning a certificate or degree; it gets them to the finish line and transforms their future.
Why we need the community’s support
Community colleges play a crucial role in higher education, enrolling 41% of all U.S. undergraduates. Across our 10 colleges, Maricopa Community Colleges enrolls 140,000 students annually. Yet in 2023, community colleges nationwide received only 1.5% of the $58 billion philanthropic donations given to traditional four-year colleges and universities igniting the need to launch this campaign.
To date, we have raised $9.3 million of the $20 million goal. By addressing financial challenges like tuition, basic needs, transportation, and childcare, we empower students to succeed academically and finally cross that finish line to embark on a lifelong rewarding career.
EmpowerED’s $20 million fundraising campaign is more than a financial initiative; it’s a life-changer for Maricopa Community Colleges students. I hope you will join us in our campaign.
You can learn more about the fundraising initiative, read the case study, and make a tax-deductible donation at mcccdf.org/empowered.
The Maricopa County Community College District includes ten individually-accredited colleges – Chandler-Gilbert, Estrella Mountain, GateWay, Glendale, Mesa, Paradise Valley, Phoenix, Rio Salado, Scottsdale and South Mountain – and the Maricopa Corporate College, serving approximately 140,000 students with bachelor’s degrees, two-year degrees, certificates and university transfer programs.
