Press Releases News

On Thursday, May 14, 2026, 19 students from GateWay Community College Registered Nurse to Bachelor of Science in Nursing (RN-BSN) program will cross the commencement stage. They will join 1,100 nursing graduates from across Maricopa Community Colleges, including registered nurses and licensed practical nurses (LPNs). The 2026 cohort marks a milestone moment for GWCC, as they prepare to confer some of Arizona’s first RN-BSN bachelor’s degrees to students from a community college.

This week GateWay Community College celebrated its ongoing partnership with Johnson Controls during a special event highlighting the impact of the Johnson Controls Institute on the College’s Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) program.

Family and friends gathered at GateWay Community College today to dedicate the James K. Wright Simulation Lab. James (Jim) Wright taught in GateWay’s nursing department and retired in 2014. Jim was proud to have been instrumental in the development of the first Nursing Simulation (SIM) Lab at GateWay Community College.

At GateWay Community College, student success often depends on more than what happens in the classroom. This quarter, the college received a meaningful boost thanks to the generosity of 100+ Women Who Care Valley of the Sun, whose collective donation will directly support GateWay students facing unexpected financial challenges.

This April, Maricopa Community Colleges joins institutions nationwide to celebrate Community College Month. Observed annually, this year’s theme, “The Smartest First Step. The Strongest Next Step,” reinforces the 10-college system’s role in providing Arizonans with an accessible, affordable, high-quality education that leads to successful, high-wage careers.

Every college journey starts somewhere, and for more than 140,000 learners, it begins at one of the 10 Maricopa Community Colleges. Keeping pace with national trends, the system’s enrollment continues to climb, with the Spring 2026 semester experiencing a 4% year-over-year increase. As public sentiment toward community colleges rises, the system’s continued commitment to affordability, early college offerings, and direct connection to industry is drawing students in.

GateWay Community College recently welcomed students from Universidad de Guanajuato and Universidad de Sonora for a weeklong educational exchange in Arizona focused on water sustainability, environmental science, and workforce development.

GateWay Community College announced the launch of a new suite of online Cannabis Career Certificate programs, developed in partnership with Green Flower, the leader in cannabis education.

Maricopa Community Colleges has reached a significant milestone in its bachelor’s degree programs, with the number of students admitted increasing nearly 15 percent year-over-year. The system anticipates surpassing 10,000 enrolled students this year across its 11 affordable bachelor’s degree programs as it advances a multi-year expansion of baccalaureate offerings.

On October 31, GateWay Community College had the honor of hosting international delegates participating in the Advancing U.S.–Philippine Relations for American Semiconductor Supply Chains project.

North America’s largest microelectronics exhibition, SEMICON West, is being held in Phoenix, Arizona for the first time in its 50-year history. From today to Thursday, October 7–9, the Phoenix Convention Center will host what is expected to be the largest SEMICON West in two decades, with over 1,500 booths, 860 exhibiting companies, and an estimated 33% more attendees than last year.

GateWay Community College is proud to announce its selection as a Top Community College for the 2025-2026 academic year by Education Insider, a magazine covering a comprehensive variety of K-12 through higher education topics for educators, parents, students, and policymakers.