Cochise College Foundation launches virtual 'Pathway to 150K' fundraiser to support scholarships

The Cochise College Foundation is asking community members to join its sixth annual virtual fundraiser, the 'Pathway to 150K Challenge,' to raise money for student scholarships and academic programs.

Denise, representing the Cochise College Foundation, told KWCD’s First Watch that the foundation manages roughly 150 scholarship funds and awarded about 700 to 750 individual scholarship awards last academic year, with total scholarship dollars "in the 600-and-something-thousand dollars" range (Denise supplied this as an approximate figure). The foundation also supports programmatic projects such as the college's residential construction 'project houses.'

Details of the fundraiser: The Pathway to 150K is a virtual run/walk/cycle/wellness event during March. Participants register through cochise.edu/give, which redirects to RunSignUp, and track activity using a phone app or personal device. Registration costs $40 per person; teams of up to four are allowed. As participants hit distance milestones they are entered into prize drawings; early registrants receive a long-sleeve event shirt if they sign up before the foundation submits its shirt order.

Senior scholarship specifics: Denise described a 'senior scholarship' (about $500 for the academic year) offered to students who graduate from Cochise County high schools and enroll at Cochise College the semester after graduation. Denise said the program awards roughly 300 of these scholarships annually and that some scholarships are endowments while others are annual awards.

Sponsors and prizes: Denise enumerated sponsors supporting the challenge, including Helios Education Foundation (platinum), Copper Queen Community Hospital, Cox Communications, Sierra Vista Golf Center, Arizona G&T Cooperatives (gold), Sierra Toyota, Alo Fiber, Freeport-McMoran (silver), and Southeast Arizona Federal Credit Union, De Peso Realty and The Country Lawyer among bronze and prize sponsors. Prize items include a Fitbit, walking poles, reflective gear and other wellness items.

How to participate: Register via cochise.edu/give (link to RunSignUp) and follow the registration prompts; those who register by the foundation's shirt-order deadline will receive the event shirt. Denise emphasized the event uses an honor system for mileage entry and noted mobile signal limitations may affect automatic recording in remote areas.

What’s next: The foundation will continue promoting registrations through early March and thanked sponsors and community donors for supporting scholarships and student programs.