Celebrating Decades of Partnership and the Power of Education
For two decades, Helios Education Foundation has been a driving force in expanding educational opportunity in Arizona and Florida. With more than $350 million invested, their strategic efforts have impacted more than 2 million students and supported over half a million education professionals. Of that total, $45 million has gone directly to scholarships to help students pursue their postsecondary education.
Education Forward Arizona is proud to be a trusted partner in this work, administering scholarships and providing mentoring and advising to hundreds of Arizona students each year. Together, we not only directly support students, but also advocate for the policies and systems that make higher education more accessible for all learners.
On October 29, 2025, Education Forward Arizona will host An InspirED Evening, our annual celebration of changemakers and the transformative power of education. At the event, Paul J. Luna, President and CEO of the Helios Education Foundation, will be honored with the 2025 Luminary Award for his decades of leadership and commitment to equity in education, opportunity, and student success.
Honoring Two Decades of Impact
Since its founding, Helios has championed efforts that open doors for students from low-income and historically underrepresented communities. Its investments have supported initiatives spanning from early learning through postsecondary attainment, strengthened pathways to college and career, and expanded access to advising and mentoring, and advanced research and policy activities in areas most critical to student success.
A recently released 20-Year Interactive Timeline showcases the breadth of this impact—from expanding scholarships and advising, to developing the Arizona Education Progress Meter, to advancing policies that ensure more students have the opportunity to succeed.
A Shared Vision for Arizona’s Future
Education Forward Arizona and Helios share the belief that Arizona’s prosperity depends on ensuring every learner can pursue education beyond high school. Today, only 49 percent of Arizona adults hold a degree or credential—falling short of our state’s Achieve60AZ goal of 60 percent by 2030. To close this gap, Arizona must add more than half a million degrees and credentials to its workforce.
Meeting this goal will fuel stronger communities, a more competitive economy, and a brighter future for all Arizonans. Our 20-year partnership with Helios—and the leadership of Paul Luna—reminds us what’s possible when we align investments, policies, and student support services toward a shared vision of educational attainment.
Join Us at An InspirED Evening
We invite you to join us in celebrating the power of partnership, leadership, and impact at An InspirED Evening on October 29. The evening will highlight the stories of students, alumni, and partners whose lives have been transformed through education—and honor those who are working to make a lasting difference in our state.
Two other awards will be presented at the event, including the North Star Award for Arizona GEAR UP, a statewide initiative administered by Northern Arizona University that, for 25 years, has inspired and equipped tens of thousands of students from low-income and rural communities to achieve their college and career goals. NAU President José Luis Cruz Rivera will accept the award on behalf of the program. And the Stellar Achievement Award will be presented to Dr. Judy Robles, Associate Director in Sun Devil Athletics at Arizona State University, for her unwavering commitment to student success.
Together, we can continue building a future where every Arizona student has the opportunity to succeed, regardless of zip code and where our state prospers because of it.