We’re excited to welcome Zackery (Zack) Jenner to our team as Fiscal Director. In this role, he oversees financial strategy, reporting, and stewardship of resources that support student success and community impact for the Maricopa Community Colleges Foundation.
Zack brings a strong background in financial management and leadership. Before joining the Foundation, he served in the United States Marine Corps and retired as a Master Sergeant. During his service, he held leadership roles with the 1st Marine Division, 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit, Recruiting Station Phoenix, 9th Marine Corps District, and 1st Marine Logistics Group, managing personnel, logistics, and complex operations.
Since transitioning from military service, Zack has focused on budgeting, forecasting, and strengthening organizational performance. He’s known for improving financial transparency and helping teams make informed, data-driven decisions.
Zack is passionate about supporting the Foundation’s mission to expand educational opportunities and help students succeed across our District.
Please join us in welcoming Zack to the team! Contact information can be found at mcccdf.org/our-team.
“Receiving this scholarship will greatly relieve the financial burden on my household, allowing me to focus more fully on my studies and to be a more present and engaged mother to my children.“
Tonya, a South Mountain Community College student and recipient of the East Valley Women’s League Scholarship, is currently in her second year of an undergraduate degree in Behavior Health Sciences. A single mother of four, Tonya plans to earn a master’s degree in counseling, as her goal is to become a therapist. Learn more.
To read about other students on their way to achieving their educational success, click here.
Maricopa Community Colleges has reached a significant milestone in its bachelor’s degree programs, with the number of students admitted increasing nearly 15 percent year-over-year. The system anticipates surpassing 10,000 enrolled students this year across its 11 affordable bachelor’s degree programs as it advances a multi-year expansion of baccalaureate offerings.
“In just two years, we have seen extraordinary growth with our bachelor’s degree programs, which is undoubtedly associated with the lower per-credit-hour cost,” said Dr. Steven R. Gonzales, Chancellor of Maricopa Community Colleges. “As many Arizonans weigh the decision of earning a bachelor’s degree, Maricopa Community Colleges continue to provide the most affordable and accessible path to higher education for all.”
Click here to read the full story, and be sure to check out this video to discover how earning a bachelor’s degree through the Maricopa Community Colleges is a better value.
Our students’ success is made possible by the partners who share our belief in the value of education and the opportunities it creates. Their support helps us build programs that prepare students for careers in high-demand fields and help them move toward brighter futures.
Some of our most recent collaborations include:
- The City of Phoenix leading the support of Venture Cafe Phoenix with a Legacy Founder Sponsorship
- Generous support from the Garcia Family Foundation for the Maricopa Promise Program, basic needs support to help students directly as they go through a financial crisis and for scholarships for low-income students pursuing workforce ready certifications.
- A STEM Grant from SRP to support Go Get IT – a program designed to foster curiosity and career awareness in IT and CIS fields, basic needs, activities and instructors at the Phoenix Forge Makerspace.
To learn more about these and other strategic collaborations and how you can partner with us, visit our Community Support page and fill out the interest form.
There’s still time to be EmpowerED! Join the Foundation and all ten Maricopa Community Colleges as we work to bridge the gap between potential and opportunity for students across our state. EmpowerED for Student Success helps remove barriers to higher education by directing funds toward scholarships and stipends, basic needs support, workforce development, and innovative programs.
With more than $18.7 million raised so far, we’re closing in on our $20 million goal by June 2026. The success of this campaign is made in part due to the generosity of individual and corporate donors including State Farm whose “Empowered for Student Success by State Farm” grant supports almost 440 students across five key programming and scholarship areas including, Dual Enrollment Scholars, STEM summer camps and bridge programs for K-12 students, State Farm Emergency Funds, State Farm Cyber/AI/Automation Scholarships and Pathway for College Success Scholarships.
Click here to learn more about the campaign and how you can make a difference and join the movement today.
A planned gift is a meaningful way to support students for generations to come. When you include the Maricopa Community Colleges Foundation in your estate plans, you help ensure that future students have access to affordable education and career training that can truly change lives.
Our planned giving website makes it easy to explore options that fit your goals. You can learn about different ways to give, calculate the potential benefits of your gift, and see how joining our Legacy Society allows you to make a lasting difference.
Visit mcccdf.org/planmylegacy.org to learn more, or contact Nilam Patel, Chief Development Officer at the Maricopa Community Colleges Foundation, if you have any questions.
The Maricopa Community Colleges Foundation’s FY 2024–2025 Annual Report, Removing Barriers and Unlocking Potential Through Community Collaboration, showcases a year of transformative impact and meaningful achievements in support of Maricopa Community College students. The report highlights our continued focus on expanding access to higher education and removing the obstacles that stand in students’ way.
Together with our community partners and generous donors, we broadened opportunities through scholarships and program support, creating clear pathways to meaningful careers and strengthening our community in the process.
Thank you for your trust, your continued support, and your unwavering commitment to changing lives through education. We look forward to building on this momentum and deepening our impact in the year ahead.
Read or download the report here.
