NAU-Yuma Achieves Graduation Milestone

University Graduates 2,265 Students in just 5 years

YUMA, Ariz.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Northern Arizona University-Yuma, which has been providing more than 30 years of academic excellence in the U.S.-Mexican border for a primarily Hispanic, first-generation student population, achieved a major milestone with its fall graduating class. The school reached 2,265 graduates — undergraduate and graduate degrees — in just five years.

This milestone underscores NAU’s commitment to providing social and economic mobility for diverse, largely first-generation student populations across the State of Arizona.

“We know that many families may think that attending college is out of reach for them, but we’re here to say that it is closer than they think,” said NAU-Yuma Campus Executive Officer Associate Vice President Michael J. Sabath, PhD. “We emphasize career integration into our curricula, so students graduate, ready for their professions. Our graduation numbers should give first-generation families confidence that their students are set up for success.”

Underscoring Dr. Sabath’s claim is NAU’s launch of Access2Excellence, a program whereby first-time, full-time college students from families with household income under $65K can attend NAU tuition-free.

Nearly half of the degrees bestowed at NAU-Yuma have been bachelor’s in business administration and leadership, followed by undergraduate degrees in psychology, education, nursing, and social work. NAU-Yuma will soon launch a mechanical engineering program, adding it to more than 25 degree-granting programs at the campus.

“Our new mechanical engineering program is in response to changes in the job market as well as requests from local business leaders needing trained engineers,” Sabath said. “It is a reflection of one of our goals which is a commitment to economic and social development in the region.”

He noted that most graduates remain in the area, contributing to the Yuma economy and elevating income levels in the community.

About NAU-Yuma

Yuma has been designated as a Branch Campus of Northern Arizona University by the Arizona Board of Regents. Although located several hours south of the main NAU campus, its standards are the same. The purpose is to provide an outstanding undergraduate education strengthened by scholarship, graduate and professional programs, and innovative methods of delivery in Yuma and the surrounding region.