Gates foundation makes contribution to MCC
Michael Culpepper
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has awarded the city of Mesa a $3 million grant to help combat the community’s low college completion rate.Being one of only four cities to receive the grant, the city of Mesa, in addition to MCC and Mesa Public Schools, are working in a joint effort to help curb the constantly growing number of low-income drop-outs at the college level.
Currently, eight percent of low-income residents in Mesa obtain a degree by age 26.
MCC, the city of Mesa and MPS are working on how they can have this rate doubled within the decade.
They have named this joint initiative “Mesa Counts on College.”
Sonia Filan, the director of Institutional Advancement at MCC, is convinced that the partnership will reach its goal.
The partnership is developing an awareness campaign that communicates the importance of college or certificate completion to the entire community, according to Filan.
She also explained how they are working to reach their goal with the help of other outside organizations.
“Mesa Counts on College, through the Workforce Development Alliance, will provide a link between education and workforce development, ultimately enhancing the city’s economic base, Filan said.
The city received a $250,000 grant last year to start developing a plan; the plan is actually what helped earn this grant, which will span over the course of the next three years.
Education outreach efforts, such as the strategically located Latino Portal, will also offer education access and readiness resources and services.
Filan said if Mesa doubled the number of low-income students who graduate from college, there would be an additional $40 million a year from wages to boost the faltering Arizona economy.
