Helios Education Foundation celebrates 20 years with $500,000 in scholarships and student supports for 20 Arizona transfer students

Organization marks more than $350 million in investments supporting student success through the years

PHOENIX, AZ — Helios Education Foundation honored two decades of commitment to educational excellence on May 7 with a community reception at its campus in Phoenix, where 20 outstanding transfer students were each awarded a scholarship worth up to $20,000 to support their college journey.

The Helios 20th Anniversary Pathway Scholarship, facilitated in partnership with Education Forward Arizona, honors Helios’ two decades of impact and commitment to postsecondary success for all students, including those from low-income, historically underserved communities and those forging nontraditional paths. A total of $500,000 in scholarships and student supports were awarded to 20 Arizona transfer students to help them pursue and complete their bachelor’s degrees.

Since its founding, Helios has invested more than $350 million in transformative initiatives and forged strong partnerships across Arizona and Florida to create lasting change in education. These investments have:

• Impacted nearly 2.4 million students
• Supported over 520,000 education professionals through professional development and training
• Awarded more than 41,000 scholarships to students pursuing postsecondary education

“Our journey over the past two decades would not have been possible without the numerous partners we’ve collaborated with over the years,” said Vince Roig, Founding Board Chair of Helios Education Foundation. “Our commitment to ensuring postsecondary success for all students remains just as strong as it was when we began — and will continue for generations to come."

Many of the 20th Anniversary Pathway Scholarship recipients are the first in their families to attend college. Some are juggling school with parenting and/or full-time jobs while others have faced obstacles that forced a pause in their education journeys. 

What unites each of them is the shared determination to persevere and complete their postsecondary education. They’re pursuing bachelor's degrees at Arizona State University, University of Arizona, Northern Arizona University, and Maricopa Community Colleges, which now offer four-year degree programs.

“At Helios, we believe reaching the Achieve60AZ goal requires supporting all students, including transfer students who are often overlooked but demonstrate extraordinary persistence,” added Helios Education Foundation President and CEO Paul J. Luna. “These students are often parents, workers, and adult learners, and their success is critical to Arizona’s future.”

The Arizona recipients of the Helios 20^th Anniversary Pathway Scholarships and the schools they’re attending include: