The Helios Education Foundation recently helped Estrella Mountain Community College (EMCC) raise $400,000 for scholarships.
EMCC, along with Gateway Community College and Glendale Community College, had been participating in the Title V Endowment Match Challenge over the past year. Each school set a fundraising goal to be matched by the U.S. Department of Education. EMCC’s goal was $200,000 and the college had raised $60,000 when Helios stepped in and closed the gap.
“The great news is that with this Helios award, we will have met the match a year early,” said EMCC’s Director of Development and Alumni Jonathan Robles, who worked with the other colleges to procure the award. “And with the federal match, the college will have a $400,000 endowment fund.”
In total, Helios awarded nearly $580,000 to the three schools via the Maricopa Community Colleges Foundation, resulting in nearly $1.2 million in scholarship funds after the Department of Education match.
“These scholarships will help ensure more students in Arizona have the opportunity to pursue and complete a postsecondary degree, including Latino and first-generation students,” said Paul J. Luna, Helios President and CEO.
The scholarship funds will benefit more than 115 low-income and underserved students each year.
“It’s exciting to see how our longstanding partnership with Helios has grown over the years from a $15,000 Heroes of Education sponsorship in 2007 to an investment of nearly $5.8 million throughout multiple scholarships and programs,” said Brian Spicker, Interim President and CEO, Maricopa Community Colleges Foundation. “Their generous dollar-for-dollar match marks a new chapter in their relationship with both the Foundation and the Maricopa Community Colleges District and builds a lasting legacy creating opportunities for success in postsecondary education.”
About the Maricopa Community Colleges Foundation: The Maricopa Community Colleges Foundation, with its donors and partners, supports the Maricopa County Community College District, its students, faculty, and staff through scholarships, programs, equipment, and financial and human capital. Visit www.mcccdf.org to learn more.
About the Helios Education Foundation: The Helios Education Foundation is dedicated to creating opportunities for individuals in Arizona and Florida to succeed in postsecondary education. The Foundation believes in the transformational power of education and is strategically investing our knowledge, expertise, and resources across the education continuum to advance student academic preparedness and to foster college-going cultures within Arizona and Florida. Visit www.helios.org to learn more.