Scholarships Unlock Opportunities for Dual Students

Friday, August 1, 2025
College
Dual Enrollment graduates at Rio Salado's 2025 Commencement

George Washington Carver once said, “Education is the key that unlocks the golden door to freedom.” Rio Salado College is proud to have served as a “locksmith” for students since 1978, helping learners from all walks of life craft the keys they need to open the barriers standing between them and a path to future success. One of the groups Rio has opened doors for is high school students who dual enroll in the college to earn credits and associate degrees that can help them get a head start on their four-year education.

A recent report from the Community College Research Center (CCRC) found that dual enrollment students exhibit a higher rate of college-going and academic completion when compared to students who don’t participate in dual enrollment. There is a catch, though: studies have also found that accessibility to dual enrollment can be an issue for students from under-represented or low-income families. This is why the availability of scholarships for high school students interested in dual enrollment is so important: it creates a more level playing field, granting access to students who otherwise could not afford to take advantage of the opportunities that dual has to offer.

In order to help students close this accessibility gap and overcome other “educational barriers,” Rio Salado College joined with the Maricopa Community Colleges and Maricopa Community Colleges Foundation to launch a fundraising campaign earlier this year called EmpowerED for Student Success. The campaign’s goal is to raise $20 million by 2026. This money will be used to fund scholarships, workforce development programs, and emergency financial aid to assist students experiencing great need. These scholarships include dual scholarships for high school students.

Rio Salado College has a record number of high school dual enrollment students on track to complete their associate degrees this year: 408! More than 200 of them were honored at Rio’s 2025 Commencement ceremony in May. This milestone marks a nearly 30% increase in dual enrollment completion compared to last year. For many of these dual graduates, scholarships and other forms of tuition made their academic journey possible.

Desert Vista High School graduate Alexandria Woodruff earned three associate degrees as a dual student at Rio Salado. Woodruff’s remarkable academic achievement was possible in part due to access to a variety of funds, including tuition assistance, the high school ACE program, and a Tempe Tardeada Scholarship.

“Dual enrollment is affordable and sets you up early,” Woodruff said. “ Rio helped speed things up. I already finished my general education classes, so I can focus on courses that interest me.”

For students looking to open that golden door with a bachelor’s degree-shaped key, dual enrollment offers a cost-effective way to jumpstart your education by completing your general education requirements at Rio Salado before transferring to your university. With help from the kinds of scholarships that EmpowerED could fund, that adds even more potential savings for dual students and their families.

"It's a great way to receive college associate degrees and earn credits for college, especially with in-state universities," said Desert Vista High School sophomore Nika Bella Nabavi. "This will allow me to complete an undergraduate degree faster so I can start a master’s degree and pursue a doctorate.”

How You Can Help

Interested in helping us reach our goal to help more students with life-changing scholarships and programs? Donations can be made through Rio Salado College's EmpowerED online portal. Every contribution made supports scholarships, emergency funds, and innovative educational programs.

Donate Today

Hear From Our Students

Want to learn more about dual enrollment? Check out these success stories from our dual students:

 

 

Article by Austin Brietta

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