COLLEGE SUCCESS ARIZONA
Programs
Program 1 [2020]
IN 2020, THE COLLEGE SUCCESS PROGRAM AWARDED SCHOLARSHIPS TO APPROXIMATELY 287 STUDENTS TOTALING $1,360,500. EACH COLLEGE SUCCESS ARIZONA SCHOLAR IS ASSIGNED A SUCCESS ADVISER WHO IS A FULL-TIME MEMBER OF THE STAFF. THE MISSION OF THE SUCCESS SERVICES PROGRAM IS TO NOT ONLY HELP STUDENTS GRADUATE COLLEGE, BUT TO ALSO PREPARE THEM FOR LIFE AFTER GRADUATION. SUCCESS ADVISERS MEET WITH EACH SCHOLAR AT LEAST TWICE PER SEMESTER IN-PERSON ON THEIR RESPECTIVE CAMPUS AS WELL AS BY PHONE AND VIRTUALLY, HELPING THEM TO IDENTIFY OBSTACLES TO COMPLETING THEIR COLLEGE EDUCATION AND ASSISTING THEM IN CREATING A PLAN TO OVERCOME THOSE OBSTACLES. THESE BARRIERS OR OBSTACLES COULD BE FINANCIAL, FAMILY SUPPORT, STUDY HABITS, HOUSING, EMOTIONAL AND MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES, ETC. SUCCESS ADVISERS PROVIDE SUPPORT AND ENCOURAGEMENT TO THEIR SCHOLARS, OFTEN REMINDING THEM THAT THEY WERE CHOSEN FOR THIS SCHOLARSHIP BECAUSE COLLEGE SUCCESS ARIZONA BELIEVES IN THEM AND THEIR FUTURE. SINCE ITS INCEPTION IN 2005, THE SUCCESS SERVICES PROGRAM HAS PRODUCED OVER 630 GRADUATES. WE CURRENTLY HAVE A CUMULATIVE 6-YEAR GRADUATION RATE OF 73% AND A FRESHMAN RETENTION RATE OF 90%. APPROXIMATELY 70% OF OUR STUDENTS ARE FIRST GENERATION COLLEGE STUDENTS. THESE OUTCOMES COMPARE FAVORABLY WITH ALL STATE UNIVERSITIES IN ARIZONA. THE SUCCESS SERVICES PROGRAM ALSO HOSTS AN ANNUAL LEADERSHIP SYMPOSIUM FOR OUR SCHOLARS EACH JANUARY. THIS ALL-DAY EVENT IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR SCHOLARS TO MEET AND NETWORK WITH FELLOW STUDENTS FROM OTHER COLLEGE CAMPUSES, HEAR FROM INSPIRATIONAL SPEAKERS, PARTICIPATE IN TEAMBUILDING ACTIVITIES, AND ATTEND VARIOUS WORKSHOPS FOCUSED ON PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE. THE COLLEGE ACCESS COMPONENT TO OUR PROGRAM, AZCAN (ARIZONA COLLEGE ACCESS NETWORK), CURRENTLY HAS 962 MEMBERS, COMPRISING 2,266 PROFESSIONALS IN THE FIELD OF COLLEGE ACCESS AND SUCCESS. THIRTY PERCENT OF OUR MEMBERS PARTICIPATED IN ONE OR MORE AZCAN BENEFITS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, INCLUDING NETWORKING EVENTS, WEBINARS, OR DATA COLLECTION THROUGH NATIONAL STUDENT CLEARINGHOUSE. DURING THE YEAR WE ALSO DELIVERED PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT MODULES TO 223 PROFESSIONALS IN THE FIELD WITH 38 EARNING CERTIFICATES AS ARIZONA COLLEGE ACCESS PROFESSIONALS. AZCAN EXPANDED THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE NEW COMMUNITY-BASED COLLEGE READINESS TEAMS IN AUGUST 2020 AS PART OF THE HELIOS EDUCATION FOUNDATION'S COLLEGE KNOWING & GOING INITIATIVE (CKG). THESE TEAMS MADE UP OF HIGH SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION, COUNSELORS, TEACHERS, AMERICORPS MEMBERS, POSTSECONDARY PARTNERS, COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND CKG COORDINATORS COLLABORATE TO IDENTIFY EFFECTIVE STRATEGIES FOR INCREASING COLLEGE READINESS AND ACCESS AND STRENGTHENING THE COLLEGE-GOING CULTURE IN WAYS THAT ARE SPECIFIC TO THE NEEDS OF THEIR COMMUNITIES. AZCAN LAUNCHED YEAR 2 OF THE ADVISEAZ AMERICORPS PROGRAM ON SEPTEMBER 1, 2020, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH EARN TO LEARN PLACED 69 AMERICORPS MEMBERS IN 33 HIGH SCHOOLS STATEWIDE. THE GOAL OF ADVISEAZ IS TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WHO ENROLL IN AND COMPLETE A POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION. THIS NEAR-PEER ADVISING MODEL PLACES AMERICORPS MEMBERS IN SCHOOLS TO HELP STUDENTS NAVIGATE THE COLLEGE GOING PROCESS TO ASSIST WITH THE COLLEGE APPLICATION PROCESS, COMPLETING THE FAFSA (FREE APPLICATION FOR FEDERAL STUDENT AID), HOUSING AND ENROLLING IN COLLEGE. THESE MEMBERS PROVIDED SERVICE TO MORE THAN 2,700 UNDUPLICATED STUDENTS AND WERE EXTREMELY SUCCESSFULLY EVEN AS THE PROGRAM HAD TO PIVOT DUE TO THE CLOSURE OF SCHOOLS DUE TO THE PANDEMIC. COLLEGE SUCCESS ARIZONA TOOK A MAJOR STEP FORWARD IN OUR ONGOING EFFORTS TO HELP MORE STUDENTS ACCESS AND AFFORD A COLLEGE EDUCATION, THROUGH A MAJOR CROSS-SECTOR PARTNERSHIP CALLED PROJECT BENJAMIN. THROUGH A COALITION OF 9 PARTNERSHIP ORGANIZATIONS - THIS INITIATIVE IS WORKING TO BOOST FAFSA (FREE APPLICATION FOR FEDERAL STUDENT AID) COMPLETION RATES IN ARIZONA HIGH SCHOOLS STATEWIDE AS PART OF A STRATEGY TO HELP 10,000 ARIZONA FAMILIES INCREASE THEIR ANNUAL INCOME BY $10,000.PROJECT BENJAMIN NICKNAMED "ASK BENJI" IS THE FIRST ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI) POWERED FAFSA CHATBOT, FOCUSED ON SUPPORTING HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS' PATH TO A POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION. ASK BENJI IS A CHATBOT TOOL THAT ASSISTS STUDENTS IN COMPLETING THE FREE APPLICATION FOR FEDERAL STUDENT AID (FAFSA). IN THE SECOND YEAR OF PROJECT BENJAMIN, ASK BENJI SERVED 35 SCHOOL DISTRICTS THROUGHOUT ARIZONA IN 134 HIGH SCHOOLS SERVING 40,600 STUDENTS. THE GROWTH THAT WE HAVE SEEN IN YEAR 2 HAS BEEN EXPONENTIAL AMIDST THE CURRENT PANDEMIC AS WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH SCHOOLS IN A REMOTE ENVIRONMENT.BENJI DELIVERS TIMELY, PERSONALIZED NUDGES, PROMPTS, AND INFORMATION TO STUDENTS ACROSS ARIZONA, INCLUDING NEXT STEPS FOR FAFSA COMPLETION, INVITATIONS TO COLLEGE READINESS EVENTS BY SCHOOL, DISTRICT, OR REGION, AND GENERAL COLLEGE-GOING INFORMATION. RESEARCH INDICATES THAT TEXT-BASED OUTREACH INCREASED TIMELY ENROLLMENT FOR NON-FAFSA COMPLETERS BY A STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT MARGIN OF 20 PERCENTAGE POINTS.THROUGH THE END OF DECEMBER 2020, WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO CONTACT MORE THAN 33,000 STUDENTS WITH ACTIVE PARTICIPATION. WE HAVE SENT 112 OUTGOING CAMPAIGNS DELIVERING 801,000 MESSAGES WHICH GENERATED MORE THAN WITH 33,000 INCOMING MESSAGES AND QUESTIONS AND NOW ARE IN 10 OF THE 15 COUNTIES. COLLEGE SUCCESS ARIZONA CONTINUED ITS COLLABORATION WITH ACHIEVE60AZ TO SUPPORT THE STATEWIDE COMMUNITY-OWNED ATTAINMENT INITIATIVE, COMPRISED OF AN INDEPENDENT ALLIANCE OF COMMUNITY, BUSINESS, PHILANTHROPIC, NONPROFIT AND EDUCATION ORGANIZATIONS. THE MISSION OF ACHIEVE60AZ IS TO ADVANCE THE POSTSECONDARY ATTAINMENT OF ARIZONANS BY ACTING AS A CATALYST FOR COLLABORATION, PUBLIC AWARENESS, PUBLIC POLICY, AND DATA-INFORMED PLANNING AND MEASUREMENT. THIS STATEWIDE ATTAINMENT GOAL OF 60 PERCENT OF ADULTS AGE 25 TO 64 HOLDING A PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATE OR COLLEGE DEGREE BY 2030 IS SO IMPORTANT TO FUTURE PROSPERITY OF THE STATE. COLLEGE SUCCESS ARIZONA RELEASED TWO POLICY BRIEFS THAT ADVANCE OUR POLICY AND ADVOCACY AGENDA OF SUPPORTING THE ACHIEVE60AZ STATEWIDE ATTAINMENT GOAL. IN MARCH 2020, COLLEGE SUCCESS ARIZONA RELEASED THE POLICY BRIEF: "COLLEGE ACCESS AND SUCCESS ARE ABOUT MORE THAN ACADEMICS: HOW SUPPORTS THAT BUILD NON-ACADEMIC KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS IMPROVE COLLEGE READINESS AND PROMOTE ATTAINMENT" WHICH DESCRIBES THE CRITICAL IMPORTANCE OF NON-ACADEMIC SUPPORTS - INCLUDING INFORMATION ABOUT COLLEGE OPTIONS, MENTORING, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL SKILLS DEVELOPMENT AND RESOURCES - FOR INCREASING COLLEGE READINESS, COLLEGE SUCCESS, AND, ULTIMATELY, ATTAINMENT IN ARIZONA. WE ARGUE THAT ENSURING STUDENTS HAVE ACCESS TO SUCH NON-ACADEMIC SUPPORTS IS A RESPONSIBILITY SHARED BY THE K-12 SYSTEM AND INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION. WE ALSO EXPLAIN THE FORMS THAT SUCH SUPPORTS CAN TAKE AT THE K-12 AND HIGHER LEVELS, USING THE EXAMPLE OF COLLEGE SUCCESS ARIZONA'S OWN SUCCESS SERVICES PROGRAM AS AN EXEMPLARY MODEL FOR WHAT WE KNOW WORKS. NOTABLY, WE'VE INCORPORATED STUDENT STORIES/QUOTES INTO THE BRIEF AS A WAY OF INSTANTIATING AND BRINGING TO LIFE THE VERY REAL WAYS THAT NON-ACADEMIC SUPPORTS (MENTORING, IN PARTICULAR) HELP STUDENTS SUCCEED IN COLLEGE.IN DECEMBER 2019, WHEN WE BEGAN DEVELOPMENT OF THE BRIEF AND THE CORRESPONDING RELEASE PLAN, THE INTENSITY AND IMPACT OF THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC WAS NOT PART OF OUR CONSIDERATIONS. AS IT TURNS OUT, THOUGH, THE WAY THAT THE CONVERSATION ABOUT K-12 AND HIGHER EDUCATION HAS SHIFTED TO FOCUS ON THE WAYS THAT SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES/UNIVERSITIES SUPPORT THEIR STUDENTS BEYOND ACADEMICS, HAS PRESENTED US WITH AN OPPORTUNITY TO ADD A NEW DIMENSION TO THAT CONVERSATION.IN OCTOBER 2020, CSA RELEASED THE POLICY BRIEF: "EDUCATIONAL EQUITY AND OPPORTUNITY GAPS: THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC HAS INCREASED THE NEED TO STRENGTHEN SUPPORTS FOR ARIZONA STUDENTS". THE BRIEF PRESENTS INFORMATION AND INSIGHTS THAT CAN HELP ADVANCE EFFORTS IN ARIZONA TO UNDERSTAND HOW THE PANDEMIC AFFECTS EDUCATIONAL EQUITY AS IT PERTAINS TO COLLEGE ACCESS AND COLLEGE SUCCESS. IT HIGHLIGHTS SOME OF THE KEY ISSUES COLLEGE STUDENTS ARE FACING AS A RESULT OF THE PANDEMIC, HOW HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS ARE HINDERED BY LACK OF ACCESS TO COLLEGE INFORMATION, AND THE IMPLICATIONS OF THESE IMPACTS FOR ARIZONA'S FUTURE. THE STATISTICS IN THE BRIEF SHOW THAT BARRIERS TO COLLEGE ACCESS HAVE INCREASED, CONFIRMING WHAT WE FEARED AT THE OUTSET OF THE PANDEMIC. AT COLLEGE SUCCESS ARIZONA, WE'VE BEEN WORKING TO MITIGATE THE EFFECTS OF THE PANDEMIC ON OUR STATE'S MOST VULNERABLE STUDENTS THROUGH OUR ARIZONA POSTSECONDARY STUDENT RESILIENCY FUND, WHICH PROVIDED GRANTS TO MORE THAN 1,250 LOW-INCOME COLLEGE STUDENTS ACROSS THE STATE.GeographiesNot indicatedDatesJan 1, 2020 – Dec 31, 2020Source990No causes providedNo populations provided–$4.6MEducation Forward Arizona Advocacy
EDUCATION FORWARD ARIZONA STRIVES TO INCREASE SUPPORT FOR EDUCATION, RECOGNIZING ITS IMPORTANCE IN IMPROVING ARIZONA'S ECONOMY. ACCORDINGLY, EDUCATION FORWARD ARIZONA ADVOCATES FOR AND ACTS ON EDUCATION IMPROVEMENTS THAT ADVANCE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ALL ARIZONANS.OUR ORGANIZATION'S HIGH-LEVEL GOALS ARE AS FOLLOWS:DEVELOP SUPPORT FOR IMPROVED OUTCOMES ON ARIZONA EDUCATION PROGRESS METER INDICATORS. REACH THE STATE ATTAINMENT GOAL BY 2030, WORKING THROUGH THE P-20 CONTINUUM.CLOSE ACHIEVEMENT GAPS AT ALL LEVELS.ADVOCATE FOR STATE-LEVEL FUNDING ALLOCATED TO THOSE MOST IN NEED. (CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O)GeographiesNot indicatedDatesJan 1, 2023 – Dec 31, 2023Source990No causes providedNo populations provided–$5.8M
Copyright 2026. All rights reserved to Chario Inc. (d.b.a. Impala)