This article appears for archival purposes. Any events, programs and/or initiatives mentioned may no longer be applicable.
Dr. Ioanna Morfessis, the 2017 recipient of the Maricopa Community Colleges Foundation (MCCF) Heroes of Education Award, will be honored for her outstanding contributions to the field at the Heroes of Education Recognition Dinner on April 26 at the Sheraton Phoenix Downtown Hotel.
Heroes of Education award winners are champions of Arizona public education, providing leadership and support for numerous initiatives that support Maricopa Community College students.
“Ioanna is an ally and an inspiration to all those who believe in the power of education, which makes her the ideal recipient of the Heroes of Education distinction,” said Christina Schultz, President and CEO of the Maricopa Community Colleges Foundation.
Morfessis is the President of IO.INC and has devoted 30 years to helping businesses, institutions, and communities create and execute change and growth strategies. She is regarded as one of the nation’s top economic development visionaries, founding and leading three U.S. economic development organizations, including the Greater Phoenix Economic Council. Her work contributed to 300 successful business locations and expansions that generated 250,000 direct new jobs and over $30 billion in private capital investments.
She has been internationally recognized for her innovative work in life sciences and technology-based developments and programs, and for her ability to forge enduring and effective private-public alliances between business, government, and education.
“This is an incredibly humbling honor for me, and I am deeply thankful to be included among the Heroes who have gone before me,” Morfessis said. “In our region and state, there is no educational resource more precious and more impactful than the Maricopa Community Colleges for helping individuals obtain the education and training they need to participate in the workforce and realize a better quality of life for themselves and their families.”
The Heroes of Education Award Dinner is a fundraising event that has raised more than $1.5 million in scholarship funds for Maricopa Community College students since 2006. More than 500 community and business leaders are expected to attend.
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About the Maricopa County Community College District
We are the Maricopa Community Colleges. We are 10 colleges, 2 skill centers, and numerous education centers, all dedicated to educational excellence and to meeting the needs of businesses and the citizens of Maricopa County. Each college is individually accredited, yet part of a larger system - the Maricopa County Community College District, which is one of the largest providers of higher education in the United States.
About the Maricopa Community Colleges Foundation
The Maricopa Community Colleges Foundation is a 501© (3) non-profit organization designated by the Maricopa County Community College District to receive and manage gifts on behalf of its ten colleges, two skill centers, and multiple satellite centers. The Foundation actively seeks contributions from a variety of public and private sources including individuals, corporations, and other foundations. It acts as a trustee for donations to assure that gifts are distributed in the manner specified by the donor.