Helios Invests $2.5 Million in NAU to Help Students Persist in Their Pursuit of a College Degree
FLAGSTAFF, ARIZ. — Helios Education Foundation has invested $2.5 million in Northern Arizona University over three years to expand equitable access for students and provide wrap-around support to advance academic momentum.
Building on years of support, Helios’ recent gift advances NAU’s comprehensive vision for postsecondary access, making higher education more attainable by reimagining the high school experience and strengthening financial aid, peer mentorship, career pathways and high-impact academic practices. With these funds from Helios, NAU will expand opportunities for high school students and help current students persist in earning a degree.
It’s a critical partnership not just for the students but also for the state, which has a critical demand for skilled workers. Nearly 70 percent of Arizona jobs require education beyond high school, but fewer than half of the state’s high school graduates pursue college. Helios’ support will help eliminate financial barriers to higher education, creating future-ready pathways for students.
“Helios has been an extraordinary partner in advancing NAU’s efforts to ensure that students not only access college, but also persist, graduate and excel in their careers,” NAU President José Luis Cruz Rivera said. “This investment strengthens the student-centered programs and services that define an NAU education, supporting students as they complete their degrees and prepare for meaningful careers that contribute to Arizona’s workforce and economy.”
A Three-Prong Approach to Support
Helios’ investment targets three core areas at NAU:
- Scholarships: Helios’ support provides one-time Helios Access and Persistence Scholarships of up to $3,000 for low-income Arizona residents to help cover essential costs beyond tuition such as housing, meals and past-due balances, reducing financial barriers that can disrupt enrollment.
- Arizona Institute for Education and the Economy (AIEE): To help lead transformative initiatives statewide focused on redesigning secondary education and AI integration in schools, funds from Helios will allow AIEE to hire a full-time AI director and an education innovation director to guide the Arizona AI Alliance and the H5 High School Redesign Coalition.
- Comprehensive support: A portion of Helios’ gift is allocated to three interrelated components that support student persistence and success: Career Development, the Peer Jacks Mentoring Program and the Course-based Undergraduate Research Experience (CURE). Capacity will be increased for all three programs, enabling enhanced service to students through career-related experiential learning opportunities and expanded peer mentoring statewide. By expanding CURE, NAU can award more faculty grants to develop and implement research-integrated courses in general education.
“Building on the university’s commitment to Arizona resident students, these new funds from Helios will extend support to room and board expenses, which can hinder progression toward degree completion,” NAU Vice President of Student Affairs Margot Saltonstall said. “Thanks to Helios and their investment in the Helios Access and Persistence Scholarships, more than 40 lower-income Arizona students will receive funds to assist in addressing housing and/or meal plan costs and help ensure that completing their degree is not interrupted.”
A Partnership Rooted in Expanding Educational Access
Helios has been a partner to NAU for nearly two decades and has helped create the Yuma Educational Success Program (YES) and AZ Ahead Program. YES helps Yuma-area community college students transfer to NAU-Yuma through financial and advising support, while AZ Ahead partners with community colleges across northern Arizona to help students transfer to NAU to earn bachelor’s degrees. To date, the two programs have helped more than 600 students. Helios’ continued investment strengthens Arizona’s attainment goals by addressing the state’s projected shortfall of approximately 26,000 bachelor’s degrees needed to meet the demands of its growing economy.
“Helios’ longstanding partnership with Northern Arizona University reflects our shared commitment to expanding educational opportunity for Arizona students,” said Paul J. Luna, president and CEO of Helios Education Foundation. “Together, we’ve worked to remove barriers, strengthen student support and create pathways that lead to meaningful postsecondary success.”
“We are so grateful to Helios for their investment that encourages degree progression starting at the high school level and drives momentum to commencement,” said Nick Lobejko, CEO of the NAU Foundation and vice president of NAU Advancement. “Their wrap-around support at NAU demonstrates a true partnership model and is making an impact on our students by helping address and tackle educational access to improve student outcomes.”
The impact of Helios’ gift will take effect beginning in January, with Helios Access and Persistence Scholarships opening to eligible NAU students beginning Fall 2026.