The Challenge for Arizona
As the working world becomes increasingly more competitive, the adults of tomorrow will have to invest in higher education. But as the cost of tuition rises, more and more low-income students who want to pursue a successful career need access to the ever-shrinking pool of scholarship dollars. To fill this gap, the private sector is stepping up to the challenge to create funding for Arizona students in need.
- By 2018, 61 percent of all Arizona jobs will require some training beyond high school.
- Currently, 25 percent of Arizona adults possess a bachelor's degree or higher.
- Since 2007, the average tuition at Arizona's public four year colleges has increased more than 78 percent.
- In 2006, only 16 percent of children from Arizona's low-income families enrolled in college.
The ACSF Response
We can do better, for our state and for our high potential students.
The Arizona College Scholarship Foundation (ACSF) is a non-profit organization made up of concerned Arizona business and community leaders, elected officials and policymakers, philanthropists and foundations, education leaders and community service leaders...all of whom are committed to making college a reality for Arizona students through scholarships and mentoring programs to low income/high potential students. It's the state's most significant public/private collaborative effort to increase the number of baccalaureate degree holders in the state.
ACSF is a unique public/private collaboration that includes:
- Working with established and successful organizations that serve high-risk children and provide early mentoring such as Quest Scholars Program, Gear Up, AGUILA, JAG, and Upward Bound.
- Coordinating with other organizations that provide college preparatory training and application information for students as well as college mentoring
- Awarding scholarships to students based on their potential and their need.