M A R I C O PA COMMUNITY COLLEGES FOUNDATION
Changing Lives. Building Futures.
In This Issue Heroes of Education
page 1
CEO Message
page 2
Campaign Update
page 3
Looking to the Future
page 3
ACE All the Way
page 4
Student Spotlight
page 5
Sony Scholarship Recognition
page 5
New Board Members
page 5
New Employees
page 6
Scholarship News
page 7
APS Supports Student Success
page 7
SRP Supports Maricopa Students
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The Maricopa Community Colleges Foundation 2419 W. 14th Street Tempe, Arizona 85281 mcccdf.org 480.731.8407
Request an on-line edition of the newsletter from leticia.grahamcorona@domail.maricopa.edu
M A R I C O PA COMMUNITY COLLEGES FOUNDATION
Your Donor Newsletter Summer & Fall 2014
2014 Hero of Education Makes Huge Splash at Awards Ceremony The Heroes of year’s event was held April 10 Education award is at the Sheraton in Downtown given out each year to Phoenix. a champion of public education in Arizona. Roig took to the stage to make The individual who his remarks, and then made earns this recognition an announcement no one was has a proven personal expecting. and professional commitment to “I would like to announce a support Maricopa new Helios investment of $2 Community million in partnership with the College students Maricopa Community Colleges,” Vince Roig, 2014 Hero of Education and educational Roig announced proudly while opportunities. That’s why it was easy to select this giving his remarks after receiving his award. “This year’s recipient. partnership is to help Latinos get degrees.” Vince Roig, the Founding Chairman of the Board of the Helios Education Foundation, was honored for his decade’s long leadership in helping thousands of students succeed in completing their higher education goals at the April 10 event at the Sheraton in Downtown Phoenix. The Helios Education Foundation is dedicated to creating opportunities for individuals in Arizona and Florida to succeed in postsecondary education. The Heroes of Education event not only recognizes a champion for education in the community, but proceeds from the event go towards student scholarships. With more than 650 community and business leaders in attendance, the Maricopa Community Colleges Foundation (MCCF) raised more than $250,000 through sponsorships. This
Roig expressed a concern about the growing disparity with the academic achievement of Latino students. “The education gap between Latino kids and the non-Latino kids is a real critical issue for the state of Arizona” he said. “It’s something that needs to be addressed both aggressively and quickly.” The ultimate goal will be to help students start and finish their degrees at a Maricopa Community College and prepare them for the workforce. “This event was one of our largest and our hero was outstanding,” said Dr. Steve Helfgot, CEO of MCCF. “Needless to say the surprise $2 million from Helios made the night. We are now going to be able to significantly help students, and help bridge the achievement gap among Latino students.”
“Our colleges are valued, respected, depended upon and loved. They are the anchors and the centers of their local communities and that is clearly reflected in the support they receive, not just from the 10 College Heroes selected for 2014, but from a myriad individuals like them in every community across the Valley.”
MCCF Board of Directors Executive Officers Chair Heidi R. Schaefer Director, Corporate Taxes Salt River Project Vice Chair Russell Johnson President & CEO Merchants Information Solutions, Inc. Secretary Lydia A. Aranda Co-Founder BASC American Group
Dear Friends, In April we hosted our 9th Annual Heroes of Education dinner. It was, as always a wonderful evening, and in many ways a microcosm of what 2014 has been about for the Maricopa Community Colleges Foundation so far.
Treasurer Alexander Jamison President Mediation & Ombudsman Resolutions, ETC
We began the evening with recognition of 10 “College Heroes,” one individual, company or organization selected by each of our colleges for the outstanding support and partnership they provide to that college. This was the second year that recognizing College Heroes was a part of our program and it was—like year one—a wonderful ceremony. As I listened to the award citations each college had submitted for its Hero, I was moved and I was excited by the level of commitment to and support for each of our colleges in its own community. Our colleges are valued, respected, depended upon and loved. They are the anchors and the centers of their local communities and that is clearly reflected in the support they receive, not just from the 10 College Heroes selected for 2014, but from a myriad of individuals like them in every community across the Valley. My thanks and congratulations go to each of the 2014 College Heroes.
Immediate Past Chair Antonio Hampton Operations Director, Southwest Region Xerox Corporation
As for the “main event,” it too was a wonderful success. Our Hero, Vince Roig, the Founding Chair of the Helios Education Foundation, attracted a crowd of more than 650, making this one of our largest dinners ever...all to the benefit of our students. In his comments accepting the award, Vince Roig—who is one of our community’s most passionate voices in support of education and truly a Hero—told the story of his own journey to success and the powerful role of education in that success, from entering school speaking only Spanish, to the creation of the Helios Education Foundation, with a value of hundreds-of-millions of dollars. Vince spoke with his usual passion about the achievement gap for Latinos in higher education. He articulated clearly and powerfully and persuasively that much of our community’s future depends on our ability to solve this problem. He did more than talk about it though. He demonstrated both his commitment and that of the Helios Foundation to solving this problem by announcing a $2 million grant to the Maricopa Community Colleges Foundation for the Maricopa Community Colleges to find ways to close the achievement gap for Latino students. It was at once, the largest single gift to our Campaign for Student Success, to date; a powerful statement in support of student success and a call to all of us to lead the way in solving a problem that needs solving— for the good of us all. Across the District and across the Foundation we are excited by the Helios gift. We are excited by its generosity, to be sure, but we are excited even more by the opportunity it gives us to do the work about which we so deeply care—to help students be more successful. We are grateful for the opportunity and we are grateful to Vince Roig, to our College Heroes for the heroes of education in our midst: our donors, our friends, our supporters. Thank you all.
President & Chief Executive Officer Dr. Steven R. Helfgot Maricopa Community Colleges Foundation Board of Directors Richard L. Boals President & CEO BlueCross BlueShield of Arizona *Dr. Donald R. Campbell (Honorary Life Member) Retired Governing Board Member Maricopa Community Colleges Jessica Catlin Director, Development Greater Phoenix Economic Council (GPEC) *Dr. Paul Dale President Paradise Valley Community College *Dr. Paul A. Elsner (Honorary Life Member) Chancellor Emeritus Paul Elsner Associates Los Vientos, Inc.
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Ashley Kasarjian Attorney Snell & Wilmer LLP Michael Kelly Manager Kelly Consulting David P. Kohne Manager KPMG LLP Kirk McClure Director of Business Development, McCarthy Building Companies Inc. Tammy McLeod Vice President & Chief Customer Officer Arizona Public Service Company Chery Milovich National Account Manager/Business Development Univision Radio *Dennis E. Mitchem (Honorary Life Member) Kevin Moran Principal, Moran Strategies LLC Dr. Loanna Morfessis President, IO.INC. Gregg A. Ostro President & Executive Producer, GO Media Companies/GOCO, Inc. *Dr. Shouan Pan President, Mesa Community College Rodolfo Parga, Jr. Managing Shareholder Ryley Carlock & Applewhite Linda B. Rosenthal Retired Governing Board Member Maricopa Community Colleges *Dana Saar Governing Board Member, Maricopa Community Colleges
LeRoy M. Gaintner CPA/Managing Partner Gaintner, Bandler, Reed & Peters PLC
Misha Patel Terrazas Metro East Area President, Wells Fargo Arizona
Les M. Gin Comerica Bank
Wendy Villa Arizona Public Service Company
Alfredo Gutierrez Governing Board Member, Maricopa Community Colleges *Dr. Eugene Giovannini President, Maricopa Corporate College *Dr. Rufus Glasper Chancellor, Maricopa Community Colleges
Steven R. Helfgot, EdD President and CEO
Cathey Joseph Attorney Cathey Joseph P.L.L.C.
Edmundo Hidalgo President & CEO Chicanos Por La Causa, Inc.
Deb Vosler Community Member Staff Mary O’Connor Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer Colleen Peterson Vice President for Development * Ex Officio
Join Us on Our Quest for Success! The Maricopa Community Colleges Foundation (MCCF) wants to continue to ensure that students have the resources they need to succeed. By contributing to this campaign, you are a part of our students’ success and our community’s enrichment. Share our Message! You can become more involved with this campaign. Share our message with your friends, family and co-workers. You can direct them to our website at www.mcccdf.org/join or have them call us at 480.731.8400. You can also participate in our Capture My Arizona project, at capturemyarizona.com, where we are encouraging people to upload photos that resonate with them in the categories of “School” and “Campus Life.” Our hope is that we will gain a wonderful gallery of photos from those who may have attended a Maricopa Community College, are currently attending one or have other photos to share that fit within these categories. We would love to see what you have to share with us!
Look for us! We will be showing up in a variety of places, sharing our campaign message and inviting Maricopa County to join us in investing in student success. • Check out our commercial on PBS during primetime and on weekends! • Look for our ad in the July issue of Phoenix Magazine! • Listen for our commercials on Hot 97.5/103.9 Trending Radio! • Look for Jeremy Holmes in The Arizona Republic to learn about his educational journey.
Looking to the Future Brittany Valdes of Ahwatukee said she has had the study of psychology on her mind since she was in middle school. “Middle school was the worst time of my life,” she said. “I was always fighting with my parents and no one understood me. Everything would have been better if I had more resources and someone to talk to. I want to be that person for struggling adolescents today.” Brittany Valdes Originally from Texas, Brittany said she moved to Arizona for a fresh start. She said she didn’t want to be out of school, but that being an out-of-state resident limited her options. “Going to a university was going to take a long time because it cost so much as an out-of-state resident,” she said. “Then I found Scottsdale Community College (SCC) and it was very cost effective.” Brittany said she encountered a number of hardships, but that SCC was with her every step of the way. “In terms of finances, they definitely worked with me to find
options,” she said. “They were also really encouraging and had informational packets and helped me find where to get my books and parking information.” She added that SCC provided a good learning experience as well. “The classrooms were small and the teachers were friendly,” she said. “They were always there to help and they really cared.” After three years in the Maricopa Community College (MCC) system, Brittany transferred to Arizona State University (ASU) via the University Transfer program offered by MCC to pursue her Bachelors of Science in Psychology. Brittany graduated with her Bachelor of Science in Psychology from ASU this spring. Brittany said she would like to work with adolescents in a school district as part of her career plan. “There are a lot of kids that need a lot of help and can’t talk with their parents,” she said. “I’ve seen kids who really have it hard, are of low socioeconomic status and without privilege. Kids just want to be heard and not judged.” However before she can work in a school district, she will need to get her master’s degree; something she plans on pursuing soon. “I want to work in case management when I graduate to get my foot in the door,” she said. “Then I want to take some time to focus on family before starting graduate school.”
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Ahead of the Curve
ACE All the Way
Iris Avila is a 17-year-old graduate from GateWay Early College High School (GWECHS). Avila is the first and only junior from the high school to walk in the graduation ceremony. She also just received her Associate’s in Arts and Iris Avila Associate’s in General Studies from GateWay Community College this spring.
Williams Field High School sophomores Liliana Ramirez, Yulissa Martinez and Karen Jimenez. Photo courtesy Higley Unified School District
Hundreds of high school sophomores will enter the ACE program at all 10 Maricopa Community Colleges this summer.
She has been working on earning her associate degree since the summer before starting high school. Avila was part of the Junior ACE (Achieving a College Education) Program at Phoenix College. She was then accepted into the ACE program.
The ACE (Achieving a College Education) program is designed to ease the transition to college. Students in this program take two classes each summer, plus one course on Saturdays in the fall and/or spring of their junior and senior high school years.
The ACE program is designed to help students who may not consider going to college as a goal and help them make a smooth transition from high school to an accredited community college. Avila started taking summer and Saturday college classes through Junior ACE, which she then continued into her high school career. She has been taking one Saturday class ever since and takes two high school classes as part of her curriculum in GWECHS. “I knew coming here I would be able to do it,” said Avila. She credits coming to GWECHS to helping her receive an associate’s degree before her high school diploma.
Karen Jimenez, Liliana Ramirez and Yulissa Martinez, of Williams Field High School, have been accepted to the Chandler-Gilbert Community College ACE Plus program. They will take their first college courses this summer, which could help them complete 24 college credits before graduating from high school. More than 16,000 students in 89 high schools in Maricopa County have participated in the ACE program since its inception in 1988.
Avila also completed the Spanish CLEP Test, and has received 16 credit hours of Spanish. The credits cover Spanish 101, 102, 201 and 202. She has enjoyed her time at the high school and believes it has given her more opportunities to learn than if she had attended a different high school. “I think that because it is smaller we are able to get more one on one time with teachers,” Avila said. Her classes typically have 22 students in them at the high school. She also feels that her ability to have taken college classes has made it easier to learn in her high school classes. Avila credits her mother as inspiration to get a college degree. “My mom set her foot down and said go to college. It was not as easy for her to attend college. She has always encouraged me to keep going.” Avila is planning on continuing her college education and hopes to transfer to a university. “It was not as hard as I thought it would be,” Avila said about getting two college degrees before graduating high school. She said she has not yet chosen a major for her bachelor’s studies.
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2014 Employee Recognition Program The Maricopa Community Colleges Foundation sponsors an annual program to recognize employees within the Heidi Schaefer, Daniel Corr, John Bradley, Greg Silcox, Trino Sandoval, Maricopa Gene Heppard, Rufus Glasper, Steve Helfgot County Community College District (MCCCD) who have made outstanding contributions to advance the mission of the District. Each year, five $1,000 awards are given to an individual or team of employees, awarded in the recipient’s name as a scholarship to a MCCCD student. This year’s recipients are:
• John Bradley – Estrella Mountain Community College • Dr. Daniel Corr – Scottsdale Community College • Gene Heppard – Phoenix College • Dr. Trino Sandoval – Phoenix College • Greg Silcox – Paradise Valley Community College
Sony Electronics Supports Recognition of Students and Faculty
Heidi Schaefer, Rhasaan Kimbrough, Rebbecca Malvin, Chris Nielsen, Logan Dillow, Kamberly Wilbourne, Rufus Glasper, Steve Helfgot
Sony Corporation sponsors a technological scholarship for five Maricopa Community College students each year who do not have access to a personal computer and two faculty members who are doing outstanding work using technological resources for themselves and their students. This year was fifth and final year of the scholarship awards by Sony. We are extremely grateful for the wonderful partnership we have had with them and how it has benefited students. Faculty: • Dr. Donna Gaudet - Scottsdale Community College • Chris Nielsen - Glendale Community College Students: • Sonya Cellucci - Scottsdale Community College • Logan Dillow - Mesa Community College • Rhassan Kimbrough - South Mountain Community College • Rebbecca Malvin - Paradise Valley Community College • Kamberly Wilbourne - Phoenix College
Welcome New Board Members! Kirk McClure | Kirk McClure is the current Director of Business Development for McCarthy Building Companies Inc. His primary focus is on higher education, municipal and commercial construction projects. Kirk has engaged in a broad range of business development and project management positions throughout his career, most recently as Vice President of Business Expansion for the Arizona Commerce Authority, the state’s leading economic development organization. Kirk serves on the board of directors for the Arizona Association of Economic Development and is also a member of the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties. Misha Patel Terrazas | As Metro East Area President for Wells Fargo Arizona, Misha is responsible for 884 team members and 65 banking stores with $3.5 billion in deposits. Prior to her current position, Misha was area president for southern Arizona, responsible for 552 team members, 42 banking stores and $2.4 billion in deposits. She has served as Community Banking District Manager for the east valley central market and south metro and Tempe markets, as a teller, a personal banker and a service manager for Wells Fargo stores in Tempe.
The Power of Determination Dominique Hunter is a young woman determined to succeed. After her plans of attending the University of Saskatchewan fell through due to unforeseen and unfortunate circumstances, she quickly formulated a second option. Mesa Community College (MCC) became her second chance of achieving a higher education; an opportunity made possible through scholarships. She is now one semester away from finishing her associate’s degree and transferring to Arizona State University, where she will study Therapeutic Recreation and American Indian Studies. Her ultimate goal is to begin impacting Native American families through counseling and other therapeutic methods. Dominique Hunter
Go Green. Send an email message today to Leticia.graham-corona@domail. maricopa.edu We’ll add or update your record, and you’ll start receiving newsletters and the annual report electronically. We will continue to find ways to move more correspondence to paper-free platforms now and in the future.
“With the help provided by scholarships, from many generous donors, and delineated through the Maricopa Community Colleges Foundation, my dreams are an active and present reality,” she said. “As my goals are already beginning to be achieved even during my education at MCC, I’m now able to participate in and co-coordinate community events such as social and human rights themed art shows that directly help Native American people right here in Maricopa County.”
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Welcoming our Newest Employees! We are proud to introduce our latest additions to the Foundation Family. We’re so excited that they are part of our team. Here’s why:
Kalena Tucker: Kalena is
the Senior Accountant at the Maricopa Community Colleges Foundation. She graduated early from high school after taking honors and advanced classes from East High School in Anchorage, Alaska. She moved to Phoenix with her high school sweetheart and enrolled in the accelerated Accounting program at Devry University. She received her B.S. degree in Accounting from DeVry in less than 3 ½ years. Kalena has more than 10 years of experience working as an Accountant at companies like Bechtel Corporation and the State of Arizona. She soon discovered that she was looking for more than just being an Accountant: she wanted to be part of an organization that she felt helped support the community and helped to make the community a better place for families. Because of this, she is very proud to be a part of the Maricopa Community Colleges Foundation and she hopes to learn a lot from her coworkers and help continue the growth of the organization. Kalena’s hobbies include taking road trips to San Diego, flying to her favorite city of San Francisco, traveling to Hungary and Romania to visit husband Felix’s hometown, and shopping for bargains with her daughter.
Alma Padilla, trying on her new retirement beach hat
Cindy Zimmer: Cindy
grew up in Park Ridge, Illinois and has spent the past 29 years living in Mount Prospect, Illinois with her husband, Dieter, and their two sons, Cody and Christopher. Cindy spent 15 years working as an Administrative Assistant to David Schawk, President and CEO of Schawk, Inc. She earned her Associates of Science in Marketing Management from Oakton Community College in Des Plaines, Illinois while working for the Continuing Education Department and the Business Institute. She worked for them for 10 years. In 2008, she moved to William Rainey Harper College in Palatine, Illinois where she worked for the Educational Foundation for five years as a Foundation Assistant, and later as an Associate Advancement for Donor Relations. Cindy and her husband always dreamed of moving to Arizona. When she was offered the job as Scholarship Coordinator at the Foundation, she was ecstatic knowing that their dream would finally come true. Cindy loves riding her bike through the streets of Scottsdale during her spare time and finished her first mini triathlon this past spring. As the Scholarship Coordinator at the Foundation, Cindy assigns reviewers to scholarship applications, scores applications, and awards scholarships to hundreds of students. She enjoys reading student applications and knowing that she plays a big part in making a difference in their lives.
Retirement Congratulations!
Save the Date
We would like to extend hearty congratulations to Alma Padilla on her May retirement! Alma has worked for the Maricopa Community Colleges for 41 years, 31 of those years at the Foundation. We wish her the very best as she starts this new chapter in her life!
2015 Heroes of Education Recognition Dinner
April 16, 2015
5:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m. Sheraton Phoenix Downtown Hotel | Valley of the Sun Ballroom 340 N. 3rd Street, Phoenix, AZ 85004 For sponsorship opportunities and information, please contact Letty at: Leticia.graham-corona@domail.maricopa.edu, or call 480-731-8399.
Chandler-Gilbert | Estrella Mountain | GateWay | Glendale | Mesa | Paradise Valley | Phoenix | Rio Salado M A R I C O PA COMMUNITY COLLEGES FOUNDATION
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Scottsdale | South Mountain | Corporate College | Maricopa Skill Center | SouthWest Skill Center
APS Supports Student Success Arizona Public Service Foundation will create a $300,000 fund at the Maricopa Community Colleges Foundation to support the i2Teach program at Rio Salado College. The intensive program establishes mentor relationships for Teacher-in-Residence interns, who have a bachelor’s degree in a non-teacher education area, to achieve teacher certification while being employed as a preK-12 teacher statewide. Preliminary research of this model has proven to increase job retention within the first two years of preK-12 classroom teaching. The Arizona Public Service Foundation funds will give priority preference to those teaching Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subjects. The Foundation and the Maricopa Community Colleges District are engaged in a $50 million student success campaign. The contribution from Arizona Public Service is an example of corporations recognizing the significant role that the District and its colleges have in training the workforce. The Maricopa Community Colleges Foundation, the fundraising arm of the Maricopa Community Colleges, ensures access and opportunity to a quality education to students throughout Maricopa County. “We support students and programs at the 10 Maricopa Community Colleges,” said Dr. Steve Helfgot, CEO of the Maricopa Community Colleges Foundation. “With the generosity from supporters like Arizona Public Service, we are truly able to offer more resources and opportunities to our students.” “Developing well-trained teachers in the STEM area is an important part of the future of our workforce and our community,” said Julie Coleman, Foundation Executive Director.
Scholarship Update The Maricopa Community Colleges Foundation is pleased to announce two new scholarship funds for fall 2014. Salt River Project Scholars Fund will award 10 students a $2,500 scholarship for 2014-2015. These awards are available to students majoring in STEM related fields at any of the Maricopa Community Colleges (MCC). Another new scholarship opportunity is for students interested in the SPOT 127 program. SPOT 127 is a facility and an innovative program at Rio Salado College designed to empower high school students to develop skills in digital media, radio, and journalism. Thanks to a gift from the Carstens Family Fund, each scholarship consists of $2,500 per academic year for tuition and a $1,000 per year stipend for each student to use for textbooks and/or general school supplies. Deborah Carstens was recently awarded the Rio Salado College Hero award for her dedication to education. She and her family have ensured that young students with an interest in media will be able to make their dreams come true with this new scholarship fund. The STARS Online scholarship database reopened from May 15, 2014 to June 15, 2014. Students were able to submit applications for these new and exciting scholarship opportunities, as well as for additional existing scholarships that still had funds available. Awards for the 2014-2015 are currently being made and students will be notified via email regarding their scholarship status. Students should check the status of Foundation scholarship applications by visiting our website at www.mcccdf.org and clicking on “Check your application status”. For scholarship related questions, please contact Erica Outcalt at 480.731.8406.
SRP Supports Maricopa Students
Salt River Project (SRP) has created a Scholars Fund at the Maricopa Community Colleges Foundation to recognize and assist outstanding Maricopa students who are studying a variety of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) related programs. SRP is making a $250,000 contribution that will be provided to the Foundation over the next six years; it will grant renewable scholarships to qualifying students. The scholarships will be awarded starting in fall 2014. SRP will also donate an additional $20,000 - $10,000 each to ChandlerGilbert and Estrella Mountain Community Colleges – for a total of $270,000. These donations will establish a Get into Energy fund for students pursuing an energy-related career at each school. “We support students and programs at the 10 Maricopa Community Colleges,” said Dr. Steven R. Helfgot, CEO of the Maricopa Community Colleges Foundation. “With the generosity of supporters like the Salt River Project, we are truly able to offer more resources and opportunities to our students.” “SRP’s mission when evaluating any scholarship opportunity is to enhance the value added to our community and provide financial assistance to outstanding students. We look forward to this opportunity to partner with Maricopa Community Colleges and hope to, in turn, generate a pipeline of highly skilled potential employees,” said Kellee Zavala, SRP Manager of Talent Acquisition.
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M A R I C O PA COMMUNITY COLLEGES FOUNDATION
NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION US POSTAGE PAID PHOENIX, AZ PERMIT NO. 449
2419 W. 14th Street Tempe, Arizona 85281 www.maricopa.edu/foundation
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Chandler-Gilbert Community College
Mesa Community College
Scottsdale Community College
Estrella Mountain Community College
Paradise Valley Community College
South Mountain Community College
GateWay Community College
Phoenix College
The Maricopa Community Colleges Foundation is a 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization designated by the Maricopa County Community College District to receive and manage gifts on behalf of its 10 colleges. It acts as a trustee for donations to assure that gifts are distributed in the manner specified by the donor. Federal I.D. #86-0327449. Contributions are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.
Glendale Community College
Rio Salado College