2.5 Million Available to Students @MCCCDF.org

Need help paying for college? The Maricopa Community Colleges Foundation (MCCCDF) will award more than $2.5 million in scholarships during the 2018-2019 school year! The deadline to apply is Oct. 14.

Apply now: mcccdf.academicworks.com.

Look for exclusive opportunities for Rio Waves like the James P. Hornburg Memorial Scholarship for students majoring in Law Enforcement and Corrections and the Dr. Linda M. Thor Scholarship, which is geared toward helping single moms. Veterans, there are also exclusive scholarships for you.

Do the Math! 
The streamlined process, which only requires one general application, will make it well worth your time! Don't discount those small scholarships. The few hours you spend on a scholarship application will be a good investment. At the very least, you'll gain valuable practice in mastering the application process.

Celebrate Banned Books Week!

September 22-29 is Banned Books Week, an annual event celebrating the freedom to read! 

Typically held during the last week of September, it highlights the value of free and open access to information. Banned Books Week brings together the entire book community — librarians, booksellers, publishers, journalists, teachers and readers of all types — in shared support of the freedom to seek and to express ideas, even those some consider unorthodox or unpopular. The Rio Salado Library is proud to support this celebration.

Exercise your liberty! 

Check out the following resource for more information, including common reasons books are banned and links to banned books that you can check out from Rio Salado and other Maricopa Community Colleges libraries: libguides.riosalado.edu/banned_books.

Happy Voter Registration Day, Queen Creek

Today is National Voter Registration Day! Be a good citizen and register to vote. Democracy depends on you!

"Democracy cannot succeed unless those who express their choice are prepared to choose wisely. The real safeguard of democracy, therefore, is education." Franklin D. Roosevelt

20% CLEP Exam Discount & Contest Ending Soon!

Rio Salado Tempe Testing Staff Member Angelina Valencia
                                                     

Take advantage of a 20% discount on all College Board College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) proctoring fees and enter CLEP’s Back-to-School Student Success Story Contest!  Discounts expire Sept. 30.

What are CLEP exams? 

They test a student’s proficiency in a field of study and give students a chance to earn college credits for what they already know. For example, Spanish CLEP test-takers can earn up to 16 college credits.  There are 33 different examinations, which are accepted by more than 2,900 colleges and universities.

Learn more about CLEP exams and the services available to you at Rio Salado’s Testing Centers at www.riosalado.edu/testing.

The College Board has recognized Rio Salado as a Top 100 CLEP® testing center since 2002.

Take Part in Student Success Story Contest!
CLEP will award a $500 gift card to a test-taker with the most unique student success story during this back-to-school celebration! CLEP student success story submissions, which can include narratives, images and videos, should be sent to clep@collegeboard.org by Friday Oct. 5, 2018. To learn more about this contest, visit this CLEP web page.

CLEP will also recognize college testing centers which achieve the highest number of CLEP exams administered nationally, the highest number of CLEP exams administered to DANTES funded candidates and other achievements.

MCCCDF Scholarships = Free Money

The Maricopa Community Colleges Foundation (MCCCDF) has awarded thousands of scholarships through the years! It literally pays for you to apply! Choose from dozens of scholarship opportunities now at mcccdf.academicworks.com.

There are several scholarships specifically for Rio Salado College students and employees, including the James P. Hornburg Memorial Scholarship for students majoring in Law Enforcement and Corrections degree programs at Rio Salado and the Dr. Linda M. Thor Scholarship, which is geared toward helping single moms. There are also scholarships just for veterans.

Do the Math!
The streamlined process, which only requires one general application, will make it well worth your time! Don't discount those small scholarships. The few hours you spend on a scholarship application will be a good investment. At the very least, you'll gain valuable practice in mastering the application process.

How to apply
Students must have a valid MEID and password to apply and complete a General Scholarship Application to be considered.

Maricopa Community Colleges Education & Transfer Fair Sept. 19 Includes 20+ Universities

Interested in advancing your education or transferring to a university after you complete your program of study with Rio Salado and the Maricopa Community Colleges? 

Talk to representatives from 20+ universities about bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degree programs during our Education & Transfer Fair, Wednesday, Sept. 19, 4-6:30 p.m. at the Rio Salado College Conference Center.

This event is free and open to Maricopa Community Colleges students and employees.

The colleges represented include:

• Argosy University
• Arizona State University
• Ashford University 
• A.T. Still University 
• Benedictine University 
• Mesa Columbia College 
• DeVry University 
• Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University 
• Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising 
• Grand Canyon University 
• Huntington University
• Midwestern University 
• Northern Arizona University 
• Ottawa University-Arizona 
• Park University 
• Prescott College 
• Southern New Hampshire University
• University of Arizona 
• University of Dubuque 
• University of Phoenix 
• Wayland Baptist University

Education & Transfer Fair
Wednesday, Sept. 19

4-6:30 p.m.
Rio Salado Conference Center
2323 W. 14th Street
Tempe, AZ 85281

Join Rio Salado College for Constitution Day & Enter Essay!

Rio Salado College invites you to celebrate Constitution Day, September 17-- and enter its Constitution Day Essay Contest for a chance to win a $75 gift card!

Constitution Day commemorates the inception and signing of the United States Constitution on Sept. 17, 1787. The holiday serves as a strong reminder that our rights as citizens and the structure of our government were founded upon the guiding principles in this document—and that freedom and liberty require civic engagement and sacrifice.

Rio Salado takes pause each year to honor and reflect upon the importance and meaning of the United States Constitution and to encourage students and the communities we serve to join us.

Express Yourself! 
Enter the Rio Salado Constitution Day Essay Contest!

The contest is open to all currently registered online students at Rio Salado, and all GED® test prep, English as a Second Language (ESL) and English Language Acquisition for Adults (ELAA) students who take classes at the Rio Salado locations.

To enter the contest, students should address the Constitution Day topic in either written or multimedia form.

TOPIC: Describe how the First Amendment of the Constitution enhances diversity in the United States.

The deadline to enter the contest is 5 p.m. on Friday, Sept.21, 2018. Winners will be announced on Monday, Oct. 1.

Rio Salado created this web page, which includes details about the contest, a resource guide, thoughtful essays and more to get you into the Constitution Day spirit: www.riosalado.edu/constitutionday.

It also includes a music video featuring Rio Salado Library Assistant Christopher Orf performing a song he wrote called The U.S. Constitution Talking Blues-- to inspire you to read and think about how the Constitution affects your life.

Get in the Spirit with Chris Orf singing The U.S. Constitution Talking Blues

Stay Safe with the Maricopa Community Colleges Rave Guardian Mobile App

Safety at your fingertips!

Take advantage of our free Rave Guardian mobile app. Let’s work together to create the safest possible environment at our Maricopa Community Colleges.

Register now: getrave.com/login/maricopa-community.
Download the Rave Guardian app from the Apple App Store or Google Play.

Rio Salado staff, faculty and students are automatically opted in to receive RAVE Alert Text Messaging about college incidents. Please take the time to confirm that your current mobile phone is listed and that it is tagged as a cell/mobile device to ensure you receive messaging. Students should use My.Maricopa.edu and staff should use HCM to confirm their status and to make updates.

Celebrate Constitution Day with Maricopa County Recorder Adrian Fontes

Join Rio Salado and the Maricopa Community Colleges as we celebrate Constitution Day on Monday, Sept. 17 with Maricopa County Recorder Adrian Fontes, who will host a live discussion about the Constitution via live stream from the Rio Salado Tempe Conference Center.

Recorder Fontes will share information about the U.S. Constitution and field participant questions. You can join us as a member of the audience or tune in for the discussion 10 - 11 a.m., via this Youtube channel.

Students, faculty, and staff are encouraged to join in on the conversation. 

Celebrate Constitution Day

with Maricopa County Recorder

Adrian Fontes

September 17

10 - 11 a.m.

Rio Salado Conference Center

2323 W. 14th Street

Tempe, AZ 85281

Live stream link: www.youtube.com/watch?v=WuCFM9weUpQ

Constitution Day commemorates the September 17, 1787 signing of the United States Constitution and also serves as a day to recognize those taking steps towards U.S. citizenship. 

Join Rio Salado College for a 40th Anniversary AZ DBacks Celebration, Sept 21!

Rio Salado College is hosting a 40th anniversary celebration at the Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Colorado Rockies game on Friday, Sept. 21 at Chase Field in downtown Phoenix and we want you to join us! 

Tickets are $16 (discounted from $22). To purchase the discounted tickets, go to dbacks.com/Rio40th and use the discount code RIOFORTY.

Game time is 6:40 p.m.

Join Rio Salado staff, students, alumni, family and friends for this family-friendly gathering. We will be sitting together in a reserved section.

Show your Rio Salado School Spirit! 
We encourage Rio Salado staff to wear their 40th Anniversary t-shirts or other college attire. Nothing to wear? Visit our Bookstore for options: www.riosalado.edu/bookstore.

We sure hope you’ll take lots of photos and share them with us using #RioSaladoCollege40th.

For accessible seating or groups of 10 and larger, please contact Kris Morrow at (602) 462-4243 or kmorrow@dbacks.com.

Additional questions? Please email Murray Inman, murray.inman@riosalado.edu.

#NeverForget911

We join you in remembering 9/11, in memory of the victims and in honor of the compassion and courage that has helped our nation heal. 

#RioGivesBack as Part of 40th Anniversary Celebration

Rio Salado College staff members are working to fulfill 40 acts of community service in the next few weeks as part of their year-long 40th anniversary celebration. 

Look for the latest news and photo shares about their efforts via this 40th anniversary web page.

Here’s a look at what staff members have done so far!

The Rio Salado executive team and support staff volunteered their services to Paz de Cristo kitchen on Aug. 23 to prepare dinner and make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for the homeless and others in need. The group also served the meal and cleaned up the kitchen. More than 180 people were served a hot meal that evening. Pictured here: (L to R) David O'Shea, Tamara Rinck, Todd Simmons, Bill Shedd, Cortney Mesaros, Delynn Bodine, President Kate Smith, Patti O'Brien, Lisa Widowski, Kevyn Miller and guests.

The Maricopa Corporate College team volunteered at Feed My Starving Children to pack meals for children in Cambodia. They helped pack 30,000 meals in less than two hours. Pictured here: Emilio Cabrera, Patti O’Brien, Kendall Washington, Vanessa Plummer, Alex Coleman, Sumy Joy and Dana Macke-Redford.

The Computer Technology team volunteered on Aug. 28 with Feed My Starving Children to pack 128 boxes, which provided 27,648 meals for children in the Philippines. Pictured here are Mimi Planas, Zhi Kistler and Nate Korp.

The KJZZ Soundbite team took to the road this summer to serve those who serve us by visiting police and fire stations across the Valley with #PressCoffee and #RolloverDonuts. Visit kjzz.org/weserve to learn more about this initiative and to hear the conversations the crew had with first responders. Pictured here is KJZZ General Manager, Development KJZZ/K-BACH & Sun Sounds Arizona Linda Pastori with police officers Steven McGhee & Michael Cole.

Check out other event photos in this Facebook photo album.

Save Big with Maricopa Community Colleges' Perkspot Student Discount Program!

Looking for a bargain? Check out Maricopa Community Colleges' Perkspot Student Discount Program!
Perkspot provides all Maricopa Community Colleges students with access to thousands of exclusive discounts and offers! Learn more about this program at my.maricopa.edu/tools/student-perks.

It's free! Sign up and start saving now: maricopastudents.perkspot.com.

Full, Canceled or Dropped Class? No Problemo! Rio Salado College Can Help You Stay on Track!

At Rio Salado College, we help thousands of students all across the country and around the globe stay on track with 600+ online classes, flexible Monday start dates, 8-week and 16-week options and credits that easily transfer. 

Explore your options now www.riosalado.edu/Schedule. 

The seating capacity is unlimited and we never cancel an online class—ever!

Rio Salado provides distance-education options to students in all 50 states as a proud member of the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA). 

Learn more about SARA and the classes available in your state, by visiting this web page.

Create New Possibilities with Rio Salado College's Nanotechnology Program!

Nanotechnology is everywhere! Learn how to use it—to create new possibilities for yourself and your community with Rio Salado’s Nanotechnology program! 

Classes start most Mondays and we can arrange for you to apply what you learn at Arizona State University's NanoFab and other ASU research facilities-- at a time that’s convenient for you!

Learn more and enroll today at www.riosalado.edu/nano.

Current projections indicate the need for more than two million entry-level technician positions in the nano/micro-fabrication industry and related manufacturing industries. This is a cross-disciplinary program combining elements of material science, chemistry, physics, engineering and electronics. The multidisciplinary design of this program will provide graduates with the skills to enter a wide range of materials-based industries in Arizona and across the United States.

Learn more about ASU's NanoFab: nanofab.engineering.asu.edu

Happy Labor Day!

We are closed today in honor of Labor Day.

Happy Labor Day, Queen Creek!