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GateWay Community College received the 2026 Excellence in Mental Health and Well-Being Award from Insight Into Academia magazine. The Excellence in Mental Health and Well-Being Award is a measure of an institution’s individual programs and initiatives that significantly advance core values of student and employee mental health and well-being through programs, initiatives, and other campus priorities deserving of this national recognition.

To meet the increasing demand for diagnostic imaging technologists across Arizona, Maricopa Community Colleges is expanding its Radiologic Technology (Rad Tech) program. The Higher Learning Commission has accredited new programs at Estrella Mountain Community College (EMCC) and Paradise Valley Community College (PVCC). Both colleges will welcome their first cohorts in Fall 2027, while GateWay Community College (GWCC) will receive upgrades to its existing facilities.

Maricopa Community Colleges has officially surpassed the 10,000-student mark as record enrollment in the Valley’s most affordable bachelor’s degree programs continues to grow. With the fall semester quickly approaching, the system is preparing to welcome back bachelor’s students across 11 programs.

2027 is already set to be a big year for Maricopa Community Colleges, as the system prepares to introduce three new bachelor’s degree programs — Exercise Science, Health Services Leadership, and Law and Legal Studies — all slated to welcome students beginning Fall 2027. The new degree programs are part of a multi-year effort to increase access to high-quality, workforce-aligned bachelor’s pathways across the 10-college system, helping meet the needs of students and employers while addressing labor shortages in growing industries.

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.