Education Forward Arizona, Freeport-McMoRan Expand Partnership
The Freeport-McMoRan Foundation announced a $6 million investment to increase access to higher education for 200 Native American students as part of an expanded partnership with Education Forward Arizona.
This partnership expansion will support two cohorts of 100 Native American students, providing scholarships up to $6,000 annually and support services to help them pursue and complete a postsecondary certificate, associate degree or bachelor’s degree by 2026. The first cohort will be selected this fall and the second cohort in the fall of 2023.
“We are pleased to expand the number of scholarships so significantly from 23 in 2021 to 200 for 2022-23 and beyond,” said Freeport-McMoRan Foundation President Tracy Bame. “We are proud of our continued work with Education Forward Arizona and see the tremendous impact this partnership can have in creating resilience for individuals, families and Native American communities at large as graduates return to serve their communities in impactful ways.”
Eligible students must be an enrolled member of one of the qualifying Tribal Nations, which include Hualapai Tribe, Navajo Nation, San Carlos Apache Tribe, White Mountain Apache Tribe and Tohono O’odham Nation. While priority will be given to students from these five tribes, enrolled members of nine additional Tribal Nations are also eligible.
As the scholarship administrator, Education Forward Arizona will manage the application process, select and award the scholarship recipients and distribute the funds to each school.
In addition to the scholarships, each recipient will receive support from Education Forward Arizona success advisers, which are key to ensuring students can successfully navigate their path through higher education and graduate with a degree or credential. These support services include mentoring sessions, enrollment counseling, academic tracking, financial aid advice, peer networking and professional development.
“This year, more than any other year, students need as much support as possible as they pursue their postsecondary education,” said Education Forward Arizona President and CEO Rich Nickel. “The scholarships help them start the process and the success advisers help ensure they persist to completion. Partnerships are also critical to the work we do. We are grateful for our partnership with the Freeport-McMoRan Foundation, which has helped to broaden our services statewide during the past several years.”
