Southern Arizona College & Career Night Connects Students and Families with Pathways After High School
September event at the Tucson Convention Center connected over 1200 attendees with 126 college, career, community options
TUCSON, Ariz. — Students and families explored education, training and career opportunities at Southern Arizona College and Career Night on September 29 at the Tucson Convention Center. The free event was organized by the Southern Arizona Education Council and Tucson Unified School District, with the partnership of Vantage West Credit Union.
The event drew over 1200 attendees, with 445 using the event’s digital engagement platform, StriveScan, and recording 2,453 interactions with exhibitors and 515 follow-up connections sent. More than 125 colleges, universities, nonprofit organizations and employers had registered to participate.
“College and Career Night put opportunity in one room,” said Rocque Perez, president and chief executive officer of the Southern Arizona Education Council. “Students and families could compare pathways, ask questions and make connections with people who can help them take their next step. We’re grateful to the exhibitors and partners who made those conversations possible.”
Attendees spoke with representatives about admission, financial aid, training programs and employment opportunities. Registered attendees also had the opportunity to enter a raffle for $1,000 scholarships from Vantage West Credit Union.
The event is part of a broader effort to help more students plan for education after high school and complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA. The Education Council has adopted a 50% FAFSA completion goal for Pima County’s Class of 2027, complementing Arizona’s 50% by Fall initiative. Figures previously reported through the Arizona FAFSA Dashboard showed completion rates of 47.11% statewide and 43.62% in Pima County for the Class of 2026.
“Financial-aid support matters most when students can connect it to opportunities they can see for themselves,” Perez said. “College and Career Night complements the work happening in schools by helping families turn questions about what comes next into conversations and plans.”
The event also aligns with the Prosperity Initiative, a regional partnership working to reduce generational poverty. Its priorities include expanding access to postsecondary education, strengthening workforce development for underserved populations and improving financial capability. The Southern Arizona Education Council is a joint body of Pima County and the City of Tucson that brings local governments together with education and community partners to expand opportunity throughout the region.
About the Southern Arizona Education Council
Created jointly by Pima County and the City of Tucson in 1990 as the Metro Education Commission, the Southern Arizona Education Council is a joint public advisory body and nonprofit that convenes education, government and community partners. Its mission is to empower a more educated and engaged community by connecting learners to opportunities to thrive with purpose through expansive academic and civic empowerment programs.
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Rocque Perez
