Premier Alliances Inc. recently celebrated the fifth year of its Founders Scholarship program, awarding $23,000 to 12 Cochise County residents. Each recipient was eligible to receive up to $2,000 to support their educational goals.
A small celebration was held at the Premier Alliances Bisbee Campus on Friday, June 6, to honor those selected to receive the scholarship, with CEO Derek Jordan, Board President Joel Evans, and Vice President Mignonne Hollis in attendance. Five recipients were present, along with their friends and families, and were invited to share updates on their current studies and future educational goals.
The Founders Scholarship is open to Cochise County residents who have a disability or are caregivers for someone with a disability. Premier Alliances began over 60 years ago with a focus on education for children with additional needs, and this scholarship reflects the board’s dedication to returning to those roots as the organization has expanded to focus on employment opportunities, said Derek Jordan, CEO of Premier Alliances.
“Premier Alliances was founded on the principle of improving the lives of people with disabilities through education. While our focus has evolved over the years – from the Little Red School House to Cochise County Association for the Handicapped, and now to creating meaningful employment opportunities – this scholarship allows us to return to our roots. By supporting the education goals of individuals with disabilities and their caregivers, we’re also investing in their long-term career success,” Jordan said.
Board President Joel Evans shared his own educational journey, recalling that he was once told he would never finish high school due to his disability. Today, he works at Cochise College and is actively pursuing his master’s degree. “I’m telling you – you can do anything you want to do,” Evans said to those gathered. “My favorite part of being on the board is reading the scholarship applications. You have so much courage and perseverance. Just keep going. It doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks – follow your path.”
Erica Reed, a current Instructor of English at Cochise College and doctoral student at Arizona State University was awarded the scholarship to help support her studies toward education, leadership, and innovation. “My research combines self-regulated learning theory – like planning and time management – with universal design for learning, a framework created for students with disabilities. My goal is to empower all students regardless of the challenges they face. As a person with disabilities myself, I can relate to my students’ experiences and let them know they’re not alone on their journey. I truly love supporting them in my classroom,” Reed said.
