04/30/2021
Yuma Multiversity Campus Corporation receives grant
from Arizona Community Foundation
Funding key to second phase of project including development of strategic plan to improve higher education access and outcomes
YUMA, Arizona -- Yuma Multiversity Campus Corporation (YMVC) today announced support from Arizona Community Foundation (ACF) for its planned phase 2 feasibility study. Phase two will include a strategic assessment and market analysis, to assess the present and future need for skilled workforce by regional employers.
ACF’s Arizona Venture Fund for Quality Education will assist YMVC’s collaboratively developed and actionable 5-year strategic plan. Primary regional employers, education leaders, elected officials, and non-profits focused on education and workforce development will be invited to participate in the project which is expected to take nine months to complete.
“As the state’s largest independent provider of college scholarships, ACF understands the importance of higher education,” said Steve Seleznow, ACF President & CEO. “But even more importantly, we understand the very necessary groundwork that is needed to enact system change for broad community impact. For those reasons, the YVMC study aligns perfectly with our vision for building a better Arizona.”
“We are proud to invest in a project that will have such a profound impact on Yuma’s future,” said Veronica Shorr, ACF of Yuma Regional Director. “This grant exemplifies one of the many benefits of working with the Arizona Community Foundation: leveraging statewide funding to support the unique needs of local communities.”
“We appreciate ACF’s deep commitment to seeing real advancement in higher education access and outcomes,” stated YMVC President/CEO Jim Schuessler. “We would not have made it this far with the Multiversity project without their initial commitment.” Schuessler noted that regional employers employ skilled workers requiring advanced degrees and would prefer to hire from people in the area provided that they have the skills necessary. “Our region’s high-tech employers desire to hire local talent; these jobs offer jobs that offer great wages and benefits.”
There appears to be a direct link between higher education access and degree attainment. Coconino County, home of Northern Arizona University, boasts 50% more adults with a bachelor's degree or higher as compared to Yuma County, even though their overall population is much smaller. Those advanced skills can lead to greater success in attracting high-tech employers. Flagstaff, located in Coconino County, recently announced a new $60 million vehicle components manufacturer that will ultimately bring 350 new jobs to the community. That project broke ground this month.
“While Yuma County’s population has increased nearly four-fold in the past 50 years higher education infrastructure has not kept up,” Schuessler noted. “While Arizona Western College significantly exceeds their peers in successful outcomes, students are often forced to leave Greater Yuma to complete baccalaureate degrees, which causes increased student costs and often leads to degree attainment incompletion.”
