City of Scottsdale launches new scholarship program for residents

PHOENIX — Scottsdale has launched a new scholarship program for students, which is now live and accepting applicants.

Scottsdale College Promise helps residents and people who have graduated from Scottsdale high schools pay for post-secondary education.

Stephanie Zamora, senior management associate with the city, helped create the program and says it will help uplift local economies.

“It’s sort of gap funding, between what they might receive with [other] scholarships and grants, and what they need for the rest of the payments toward pursuing post-secondary education,” Zamora said.

The Scottdale City Council made a $500,000 investment to get the program off the ground and has made a $100,000 commitment for its first year.

The program also represents a partnership between Scottsdale, Scottsdale Unified School District, Scottsdale Community College and the Maricopa Community Colleges system.

“So right now we have Scottsdale Community College as our anchor institution, but we’re also allowing students to expand on their educational reach by being able to attend any of the other Maricopa Community Colleges,” Zamora said.

She adds in future months, those using the program may also get internship opportunities at the city.

How else can Scottsdale new scholarship program help?

It also can help tackle another problem Arizona faces: A lack of workers with college degrees.

As advanced electronics, semiconductor fabs and other related industries make their way to the Valley, there’s a mounting concern that there’s not enough highly skilled local workers to fill those new jobs.

It’s even a problem Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne has made efforts to tackle in the past year.

“A more educated population means a better prepared workforce,” Zamora said. “And all of that adds to the economic vibrancy of a community, it all works together.”

Overall, she says it’s about more than the money: The Scottsdale College Promise can help make the city a healthier, safer place and uplift the community to be closer.

The program is open for applications now. For the time being, that’s being done through Scottsdale Community College.

Learn more by visiting their website.