Paradise Valley Community College (PVCC) continues its EmpowerEd for Student Success campaign this December, inviting the community to rally behind students whose futures hinge on access, opportunity, and support. PVCC serves as a pathway to higher education, career advancement, and lifelong learning. Yet many students who walk through PVCC’s doors are the first in their families to attend college, often juggling coursework with jobs, caregiving, and financial uncertainty.
EmpowerEd aims to change that. By investing in scholarships and student support services, donors directly help students stay enrolled, succeed academically, and achieve their long-term goals. Every contribution – large or small – opens doors, brightens futures, and strengthens the workforce that fuels our community.
Eight Ways to Make an Impact
Throughout December, supporters can choose from eight targeted priority areas, ensuring their gift aligns with the causes they care about most:
- Student Success Scholarship and Support Fund
- Puma Empowerment Food and Clothing Center
- Student Emergency Fund
- Bachelor’s Degree Scholarship
- Athletics Scholarship and Support Fund
- Fine and Performing Arts Scholarship Fund
- Dreamer Scholarship Fund
- PVCC Promise Program
Alumni Share Why Your Support Matters
Erin Spark, who earned her associate degree in accounting, recalled how significant her scholarship was in shaping her path. “The emotional impact I felt in receiving a scholarship was relief. I was able to supplement not having to work while I attended school,” she said, adding that giving at the community college level is crucial because “students attending here are from Arizona, and they’re the same students who are going to stay in the Valley and be the workforce for the Valley.”
For Oscar Ortiz, now working in the Arizona Attorney General’s Office after earning his associate degree and eventually a master’s, PVCC was the foundation on which his future was built. “Scholarships are important at the community college level because you get that confidence you need to get across the finish line,” he said. “It’s about keeping the American dream alive. Scholarships give young people motivation; they show them that we care about them. When you see the goodwill of the community, it connects with everyone – that pride of being a Puma.”
PVCC Alumni, Jeremy Walk, studied social work and was a recipient of the All-Arizona Academic Team and Nina scholarships, says donor support reshaped not only his future but also how he mentors his daughters. “The scholarships gave me a reason to stay and to aim higher,” Walk said. “I’m trying to teach my daughters the magnitude of what’s available to me by role modeling what’s possible. I hope they can become second-generation college students.”
Walk added, “People like me, who don’t have access to additional resources and support – our long-term completion of higher ed probably wouldn’t be as likely. I can say that emphatically from my own experience.”
Make a Difference Today
Every gift to EmpowerEd creates opportunities that ripple throughout families, neighborhoods, and the greater Phoenix community. When donors invest in PVCC students, they invest in Arizona’s future workforce, economy, and leadership. To learn more or contribute, visit: EmpowerEd PVCC – Maricopa Community Colleges Foundation