MESA, Arizona -- Dec. 4, 2020 -- The Santander Consumer USA Inc. Foundation (“SC Foundation”) awards a $50,000 grant to the Maricopa Community Colleges Foundation to support low-income and underrepresented student entrepreneurs enrolled in the Mesa Community College Green Flag program during the 2020-2021 academic year.
Small businesses are the backbone of our economy. However, across the nation, nine out of 10 business startups fail within three years due to lack of capital, mentoring and the structural resources needed to prosper.
“Santander Consumer USA invests in the future of aspiring entrepreneurs by providing financial support and lending time and expertise to impact the lives of students who are starting their entrepreneurial journey. We want to help prepare tomorrow’s innovators to be career-ready in whatever paths that they choose and we want to do that in our home community of Mesa,” said Santander Consumer USA executive and Arizona resident, Sandra Broderick, Head of Operations for Santander US.
The SC Foundation’s support of the East Valley helps eliminate major financial barriers to business startup costs and provides educational stipends for up to 15 low-income and underrepresented MCC student entrepreneurs. The grant increases equity and access to the tools, training and seed money required to launch new small businesses and grow career opportunities in the East Valley.
“The Santander Consumer USA Inc. Foundation grant is the third leg of the stool,” said Richard L. Toler, Jr., Ph.D., MBA, chair of the MCC Business Department. “The MCC Green Flag program provides the first two legs for MCC student entrepreneurs. The program supports students with guidance, academic advisement and support to help them successfully complete required classes. Education and training from MCC expert educators and the business acumen and connections provided by businesses in the East Valley through the Mesa Chamber of Commerce form a foundation for success. Santander’s financial support, the third leg of the stool, is the energy that fuels the success of our students’ and small businesses; brightening the overall economic future of our community.”
“We are committed to teaching, learning and empowering individuals to succeed in our local and global community,” said Dan Piercy, director of the MCC Green Flag program and Business faculty. “The majority of brilliant business ideas introduced by students rarely materialize due to inexperience, limited capital and lack of resources.”
Entrepreneurs may learn more about this program and apply at mesacc.edu/green-flag.
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Media contacts:
Dawn Zimmer, Mesa Community College, dawn.zimmer@mesacc.edu, 480-461-7892
Laurie Kight, Santander Consumer USA, mediarelations@santander.us
Santander Consumer USA is committed to being a part of the communities in which we do business by participating individually and collectively in activities and organizations which make a positive impact. The Santander Consumer USA Inc. Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit entity established in 2004, collaborates with and invests in agencies and organizations that provide positive social and cultural change in communities where we do business. Visit santanderconsumerusa.com to learn more.
The Maricopa County Community College District Foundation (MCCF) was established in 1977 as the 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization designated by the Maricopa County Community College District to receive and manage gifts on behalf of its 10 colleges. We boldly impact the community through innovative and strategic partnerships for the growth and benefit of the Maricopa Community Colleges, its students, faculty, and staff. Visit mcccdf.org to learn more.
The Green Flag Program, established in 2017, is a partnership between MCC and the Mesa Chamber of Commerce. It serves as an entrepreneurial and small business accelerator, raising the socio-economic outlook for Mesa and the East Valley. Learn more at mesacc.edu/green-flag.
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 has served as a resource for career readiness, transfer education, workforce development and lifelong learning throughout its 50-year history. Host to more than 30,000 students annually, MCC offers degree and certificate programs online, and at its two campuses and additional locations. Through Guided Pathways with Integrated Support Services, MCC is transforming the ways it champions student success, college completion, university transfer and career attainment or advancement. MCC is a Hispanic Serving Institution and more than 50% of its students are the first in their family to attend college. Its American Indian Institute serves 22 federally recognized Arizona tribes and more than 30 out-of-state tribes. 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 that empowers MCC students to successfully compete in the workforce. Located in the East Valley of Phoenix, Arizona, MCC is one of 10 colleges in the Maricopa County Community College District. Visit mesacc.edu to learn more.
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.