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The �����Թ� has been awarded a $1.1 million grant from to support the AZ Comeback Initiative, a new effort targeting students with some college credit but no degree. This program aims to boost re-enrollment and help these individuals achieve their educational goals while strengthening personal, community and economic development in �����Թ�.

Supported by the state’s three public universities — �����Թ� State University, Northern �����Թ� University and the University of �����Թ� — the project will identify, pilot and evaluate evidence-based strategies to reduce barriers to re-enrollment and degree completion. Facilitated by ABOR, each institution will implement tailored approaches to assist as many as possible of the nearly 770,000 �����Թ� students who left college without completing their degrees.

“The AZ Comeback Initiative will make a profound impact on the lives of thousands of �����Թ�ns who may have thought their educational journey was over. By providing more resources and developing more accessible pathways to re-enter our institutions, we can help rekindle the dream of earning a degree and achieving career goals," said ABOR Chair Cecilia Mata. "This grant from Helios Education Foundation is a significant investment in �����Թ�'s economic future, and we're proud to have our public universities leading this effort.”

It's estimated that by 2030, nearly 67% of jobs in �����Թ� will require postsecondary education and training beyond high school. However, despite the needs of the workforce, less than half of working-age adults in �����Թ� have completed a postsecondary degree or certificate, according to the �����Թ� Education Progress Meter. If the current attainment rate remains stagnant, the state could face an annual shortage of more than 26,000 unfilled quality jobs. Additionally, individuals who earn postsecondary credentials benefit from greater lifetime earnings, increased economic opportunities, and improved health and well-being.

“The AZ Comeback Initiative represents a bold, collaborative effort to re-engage thousands of �����Թ�ns who have made progress toward a degree but haven’t yet crossed the finish line,” said Paul J. Luna, president and chief executive officer of Helios Education Foundation. “By investing in this initiative, we’re not only supporting individuals in reaching their goals, but also helping to build a stronger, more prosperous �����Թ� for everyone.”

The initiative aligns with Helios Education Foundation's commitment to improve educational outcomes for all students in �����Թ� and ABOR’s promise to increase attainment and develop the next generation workforce.

The AZ Comeback Initiative will track key metrics, including direct student and educator participant numbers, geographic site data and success stories. It will also establish a community of practice, featuring quarterly meetings with cross-institutional teams to share updates on outreach, re-enrollment efforts and other notable project developments. ABOR will deliver annual interim reports, along with a final report detailing project implementation, challenges and outcomes.

ABOR will also partner with — a nonpartisan, nonprofit research, development and service organization focused on improving learning — to provide evaluation consultation and develop a comprehensive playbook that outlines the pilot program's findings, lessons learned and recommended practices to optimize the quality of re-enrollment efforts. The AZ Comeback Initiative playbook will then be broadly disseminated among �����Թ�’s higher education leaders to encourage adoption of the most promising strategies statewide.

As part of the pilot program, ASU will build on the success of its previous strategic communications campaigns, "Project Start Back" and “Project Finish Now.” These initiatives effectively combined targeted, workforce-aligned messaging with personalized coaching and scholarships to re-engage students and increase re-enrollment efforts.

At NAU, the pilot will enhance the initiative, which has already achieved considerable success in re-enrolling students. As part of the Comeback Initiative, Jacks on Track will offer an upfront, guaranteed financial incentive to a select portion of Lumberjacks who have not yet completed their degrees. Students re-enrolling through the Jacks on Track program will also benefit from a success coach, individualized support and tutoring resources. 

The U of A will draw from the success of its program, which enables students who left the institution in good academic standing to return seamlessly with no application fee or administrative barriers. Additionally, U of A plans to incorporate insights from ASU and NAU’s successful programs to develop the first iteration of a centralized re-engagement pilot. This program will focus on identifying �����Թ� residents with some university credits and guiding them toward completing their degrees through �����Թ� Online.

“We believe in the power of our state’s public universities joining forces to re-engage �����Թ�ns to complete their degrees,” said Roxanne Murphy, ABOR director of postsecondary attainment, who leads statewide efforts to increase degree completion and will serve as the grant’s lead facilitator. “By reigniting the dreams of �����Թ�ns ready to finish their degrees, we’re not just opening doors — we’re building a brighter future for every student and community in our state.”

For more information about the AZ Comeback Initiative, please the �����Թ�.