Our Giving Day Priorities
Del & Jewell Lewis Endowed Chair in Educational Leadership Fund
During 2025, 14% of teachers in Arizona left the profession, leaving students without quality, sustainable instruction in many communities, including particularly high-poverty urban and rural schools. Many school districts are struggling financially.
As the Del and Jewell Lewis Endowed Chair in Educational Leadership, Dr. Rose Ylimaki has embodied the vision for the endowment with a number of initiatives to develop leaders that contribute to academic learning outcomes, student wellbeing, and quality of life for all students in Arizona schools. Dr. Ylimaki provides two years of AZiLDR support with her endowment fund.
In one rural Arizona school, the principal, teachers, students and community members were struggling with academic outcomes and student wellbeing. Academic achievement and engagement were low. After working in AZiLDR, the principal and her leadership team have developed and sustained a positive school atmosphere, vision, collaboration organizational changes, and improved instructional practices aligned with data and accountability measures as well as needs of the community. Now when you enter the school, you see and hear children’s excitement in their learning as well as teachers’ excitement about teaching in the school. Children and teachers have confidence in their abilities to grow and learn together.
Your gift to the fund above elevates Dr. Ylimaki's impact on Arizona schools. Join our mission through your support of the Del & Jewell Lewis Endowed Chair Fund on Giving Day.
Preparing Indigenous Teachers for Arizona Schools (PITAS)
The PITAS program began in 2022, but from year to year, funding for the program has been unreliable. In 2024, the College of Education committed to continuing the PITAS program because of its positive outcomes and impacts. So far, the Arizona Teachers Academy (ATA) has been to fund students' tuition. However, our Indigenous scholars still need laptops, textbooks, and travel expenses to support their two-week summer residency at NAU.
This year, PITAS is recruiting 24 participants to begin the Early Childhood Education/ Special Education degree/certification program in Summer 2026, and 24 participants to begin the Elementary Education degree/certification program in Fall 2026. Your support to this fund will help us continue on our mission.
Just imagine the impact of your donation for the future of education in Arizona!
Ernest McFarland Citizen’s Chair in Education Fund
Already, through this TVT/NAU McFarland partnership, we created a $10,000 Gift of Literacy which includes gifting a book vending machine and books for a Tucson area elementary school. The partnership is just beginning and we plan to expand and grow our programming to include additional resources for schools and teachers!
Thank You for Elevating Education
Thank you, sincerely, to teachers and leaders everywhere. Thank you as well to all who elevate and celebrate the teaching profession.
And finally, heartfelt thanks to those who have generously supported the funds above.
