TruWest Partners with Mesa Community College

Locally-based Financial Institution Provides Scholarships to First Generation College Students

TruWest^® Credit Union and Mesa Community College Announce Partnership

Tempe, AZ – August 13, 2019 — TruWest® Credit Union and Mesa Community College (MCC) are excited to announce their partnership to support success in higher education and financial literacy of students. The Tempe-based credit union has donated $25,000 to the MCC First Year Experience program, providing scholarships to first-generation college students, and will teach financial literacy classes this fall.

“Helping students achieve their educational and financial goals is extremely important to us at TruWest,” said President and CEO of TruWest Credit Union Alan Althouse. “We believe in what the First Year Experience offers participants and are proud to support MCC as they develop these students’ skills. This is only the beginning of TruWest and MCC making an impact together.”

The MCC First Year Experience is a year-long college program focused on providing first-year students with the services and support needed to successfully transition to college.  Participants must have attended one of six high schools in the Mesa Public Schools system and come from a family where neither parent earned a bachelor’s degree.

Along with monetary support for MCC students, TruWest representatives will deliver two financial literacy trainings for program participants and their parents, and have committed to sponsoring the college’s food pantry and clothing closet.

“It is tremendous that TruWest wants to provide scholarships for First Year Experience students. However, they wanted to do more.” said Dr. Richard J. Haney, MCC president. “TruWest is also giving of its time and expertise to help teach financial literacy and it plans to help stock shelves in the Mesa Market, our student food pantry, and aid in the development of a space usable for the college to establish a clothing closet so students may ‘dress to impress’ for job interviews.”

Learn more about the MCC First Year Experience program at mesacc.edu/students/foundations-student-success/first-year-experience. For more information about TruWest Credit Union visit truwest.org.

TruWest^® Credit Union is headquartered in Tempe, Ariz., and operates as a cooperative providing its members with a lifetime of quality financial services and a culture of caring for its members, employees and communities. TruWest is a strong and sound financial institution with more than 92,000 members and assets totaling more than $1.2 billion. TruWest^® Credit Union has 13 branch locations – nine in metro Phoenix and four in Austin, Texas. For more information visit truwest.org.

Mesa Community College is nationally recognized as an Aspen Prize Top 150 U.S. Community College and is known for service learning, career and technical programs, civic engagement and innovative approaches to education. The college serves as a resource for career readiness, transfer education, workforce development and lifelong learning. Host to more than 30,000 students annually, MCC offers degree and certificate programs online, at its two campuses, the Mesa Downtown Center and additional locations. Through the implementation of Guided Pathways with Integrated Support Services, MCC is transforming ways it champions student success; college completion, university transfer and career attainment for all students. MCC is a Hispanic Serving Institution. The diverse student body includes more than 400 international students representing over 60 countries. Award-winning faculty are dedicated to student success, providing the education and training to empower MCC students to compete locally and globally. Located in the East Valley of Phoenix, Arizona, MCC is one of the 10 colleges in the Maricopa County Community College District. Learn more at mesacc.edu.

Mesa Community College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC).

The Maricopa County Community College District (MCCCD) is an EEO/AA institution and an equal opportunity employer of protected veterans and individuals with disabilities. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, or national origin. A lack of English language skills will not be a barrier to admission and participation in the career and technical education programs of the District. MCCCD does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability or age in its programs or activities. For Title IX/504 concerns, call the following number to reach the appointed coordinator: (480) 731-8499. For additional information, as well as a listing of all coordinators within the Maricopa College system, visit www.maricopa.edu/non-discrimination.