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Programs at Arizona colleges and universities that can help your students feel included

Welcome to part two of a three-part series on how you can help your students be college and career ready. Part one focused on college and scholarship applications, while today’s post focuses on specialty programs specific to Arizona colleges and universities. Specialty programs like the ones below help students feel included, which increases their engagement and success in college. Keep reading to learn more, Superheroes!

Arizona State University

Many first generation students call Arizona State University home because of programs such as the ASU Hispanic Mother-Daughter Program. ASU HMDP is an early-outreach program that focuses on assisting first generation Arizona middle and high school students with discovering and achieving their higher education goals. 

The ASU Next Generation Service Corps is a great program that challenges student leaders to solve complex problems such as education inequality and homelessness. Check out the ASU website to see what else ASU has to offer.

Maricopa Community Colleges District

The Concurrent Enrollment Program (CEP) at Maricopa Community Colleges is a great option for students interested in pursuing a career in healthcare. Students earn an Associate of Applied Sciences while simultaneously earning their BSN degree (Bachelors of Science in Nursing) through various CEP Partners such as ASU, NAU, Ottawa University and GCU. 

Maricopa Community Colleges group their degrees and certificates into Fields of Interest so students can easily identify potential career paths based on their future career goals. You can watch an overview video, or dive in and explore options on MCC’s website. Students can also use the MCCCD Pipeline Assessment to discover MCCCD programs that best align with their interests and passions.

Northern Arizona University 

As educators, we know firsthand experiences are crucial for learning. The Department of Educational Specialties at Northern Arizona University prepares aspiring teachers for a career in education through clinical, school-based partnerships with Praxis or Alhambra. Accepted students work with and learn from highly effective teachers, administrators and staff to become well-prepared teachers who use best practices to teach tomorrow’s leaders. 

The primary focus of the First Scholars Program at Northern Arizona University is to guide first generation students to become proactive, engaged and empowered. Accepted students receive a $2,000 scholarship as well as academic support and mentoring. First Scholars also partake in service-learning opportunities and academic success workshops. See more about NAU here

University of Arizona

The Blue Chip Leadership Experience at the University of Arizona offers four years of leadership development experiences and challenges that empower students to become stronger, more effective leaders. Students that complete all four years will earn a Minor in Leadership Studies and Practice. All Wildcats are eligible to join, too!

The Wildcat Mentor Society is another program that connects current Wildcats with alumni. Mentees will learn how to navigate college, career and personal experiences while also building their professional network. Check out this video to hear mentors and mentees share their experiences. 

Thanks to the many diverse programs offered by Arizona colleges and universities, every student can achieve their goals. 

Be sure to check out next week’s post, which will focus on helping our students use their passions as fuel to write personal statements. 


About the author

Ashley Burkart is a Senior STEM Teacher at Bioscience High School in Phoenix. STEM research was her first passion as she holds a Masters in Biomedical Science from Midwestern University. When she isn’t teaching tomorrow’s leaders, she is either hanging out with her dogs, Raven and Bailey, or hiking the beautiful mountains of Arizona. 

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