REACH: Reaching Engineering and Artificial Intelligence Career Heights Grant
The REACH program, funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF), started in Fall of 2023 and is currently looking for a new cohort of students starting in the Fall of 2026.
The recipients of the Reaching Engineering and Artificial Intelligence Career Heights program at Chandler-Gilbert Community College will receive scholarships up to $5000 per semester, individual academic mentorship, and professional activities with our industrial partners.
The goal is to help you complete your Engineering associate degree!
Benefits
* The REACH Grant application for Spring will reopen on February 16, 2026 and remain open through March 31, 2026. Apply during this window to be considered for Fall 2026.
Criteria to apply:
Benefits:
The REACH recipients will receive financial support based on their unmet financial needs, one-on-one academic mentorship with monthly progression meetings, and industrial experiences with our professional partners. The academic mentors are faculty in Engineering, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, Maths, and Chemistry.
The recipient will get the privilege to be part of the REACH cohort and will get support from their peers.
Eligibility Requirements
- Based upon NSF guidelines, you need to be a US citizen, an alien admitted as a refugee, or an alien admitted to the United States for permanent residency. This program is only open to students pursuing an Associate in Science (AS) or Associate in Applied Sciences (AAS) degree in Engineering or Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning. These include 2 degrees at Chandler-Gilbert Community College:
- 8607 Associate in Science, Emphasis in Engineering
- 3187 Associate of Applied Sciences, Engineering Technology
- Based upon NSF guidelines, the applicants must demonstrate financial need as determined by a current FAFSA on file. Your financial eligibility depends on your SAI and other factors reviewed by the CGCC Financial Aid Office. If you haven’t completed the FAFSA, visit www.studentaid.gov or Chandler-Gilbert Community College’s Financial Aid office.
Applicants must:
- Be enrolled in courses at CGCC required for their degree at least part-time (6 credit hours).
- Have at least 2.75 or higher GPA and maintain at least a 2.75 cumulative GPA.
To Apply:
- Provide High School transcript and/or CGCC/MCCCD transcript
- Provide 2025-2026 FAFSA Student Aid Report
- Provide a degree progress report, available in SIS
- Attach a 200-500 word essay answering the following:
- Describe why you are pursuing a career in engineering and strategies to successfully complete course work in the program. (500 words limit).
- Describe how the scholarship award would improve your quality of life to direct your focus on your educational aspirations. (250 words limit)
- Describe one academic challenge you faced and which strategies you used to overcome it. (250 words limit)
- This award includes academic mentorships, and professional activities with industrial partners. Describe how these experiences could support your academic journey? (250 words limit)
- Any other documentation to support your application (letter of recommendation, proof of commitment to previous activities).
REACH
This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 2220959. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation. By participating in the REACH Program you are contributing to research focused on student success in the STEM fields.