Student Empowerment Summit 2026
Breaking Barriers. Building Futures.
Open to Current Students at any of the 10 Colleges!
Friday, February 20, 2026 | 8 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
South Mountain Community College
Discover Your Strength. Shape Your Future.
Get ready for a one-day experience designed to spark motivation, expand your support network, highlight valuable campus and community resources, and help you take charge of your educational journey.
The Student Empowerment Summit brings together students from across the 10 Maricopa Community Colleges for a day of inspiration, connection, and growth—all framed by this year’s theme, “Breaking Barriers. Building Futures.”
This isn’t just the tagline—it’s the heart of the summit, shining a light on the challenges many students face and celebrating the courage and resilience it takes to move forward despite them.
Whether you’re balancing school and work, navigating college as a First-Time-in-College student, returning after time away, serving as a student leader, or simply finding your footing, this summit is built to recognize your journey and fuel your next chapter.
What to Expect
Inspiring Stories
Hear from former students who’ve faced challenges head-on and pushed through to succeed. Their powerful journeys will give you insight, encouragement, and a reminder that your path is uniquely powerful.
Hands-On Workshops & Professional Development Sessions
Maricopa staff and professionals will lead interactive workshops and professional development sessions focused on:
- Student success strategies
- Personal development
- Plans for the future
These workshops and development sessions are designed to give you real skills you can use right away.
Networking With Purpose
Connect with students from across all 10 colleges, meet supportive faculty and staff, and discover campus and community resources that can help you thrive in college, your career, and life.
Why Attend?
The summit’s purpose is simple:
To inspire, educate, and empower you.
You’ll walk away with:
- New tools for academic and personal success
- Connections that support your goals
- Motivation to overcome barriers
- Confidence in your strengths and future
Keynote Speaker:
Dr. Ebony Anderson
Dr. Ebony M. Anderson is a Detroit native and an educational outreach and professional development expert with over a decade of experience teaching undergraduate students in the community college sector. She currently serves as a graduate professor at Trine University in the College of Business and Technology.
Dr. Anderson holds a Bachelor of Arts degree with a concentration in Communication, a Master’s degree in Business Management, and a Doctorate in Business Administration with a specialization in Strategy and Innovation. She brings extensive executive leadership experience and has contributed scholarly, published research to both the automotive industry and the field of education.
As the Dean of Student Engagement and Retention at GateWay Community College, Dr. Anderson’s passion and purpose are grounded in developing strategic initiatives that expand access, promote equity and inclusion, and strengthen student success in higher education. She is equally committed to cultivating employee competencies that foster an enriched, holistic, and supportive work environment.