Arizona Western College Marks Decade of Transformation March 3 in Yuma

Arizona Western College marked ten years of institutional growth March 3 at the Schoening Conference Center on the Yuma campus, presenting program development, state-leading enrollment growth and record numbers of graduations while previewing a leadership transition. The free public event ran 3:30–5:00 p.m., included light refreshments, and Azwestern warned that seating was limited and reservations were available online.

The program combined multi-media elements with a fireside chat featuring AWC President Dr. Daniel Corr, facilitated by Dr. Kristina Diaz, president of Onvida Health Medical Group. Dr. Corr told KYMA, “I’m inspired by our students, their passion, their perseverance, their grit, they show up and they grind and they achieve some amazing things. I draw inspiration from our students, and today really it's about them and their accomplishments that we’re celebrating.” Dr. Diaz, identified as the community partner facilitator, said she looked forward to “the increased offerings that we’ll have for our community to train, and medical skills that will then translate very quickly to jobs at onvida.”

Azwestern framed the gathering as a moment to “look back on ten years marked by program development, state-leading enrollment growth, outstanding student achievements, and impact across Yuma and La Paz Counties,” and to “look forward to the next ten years,” according to the college press release. KYMA coverage echoed those themes, reporting that AWC has seen “record enrolment, record numbers of graduations, and increased their facilities” and describing the college as “an engine for workforce development” for healthcare and law enforcement across Yuma and La Paz County; Dr. Corr said, “We're an engine for workforce development, we're training the next generation of healthcare workers, and law enforcement, across the board, so to truly measure the impact of AWC, it's impossible, its everywhere in Yuma, and the La Paz County.”

The event also addressed AWC leadership change. Lorraine Stofft, vice president of advancement and executive director of the AWC Foundation, said the gathering was a chance to hear how the college “has been transformed, through the efforts of our faculty and staff” and to “take a peek at what’s on the horizon for Arizona Western as Dr. Corr nears retirement and Dr. Reetika Dhawan prepares to step into that leadership role.” Dr. Corr told KYMA he plans to “step aside in June and Dr. Dhawan comes on as the 10th president of Arizona Western College,” making the March 3 program both a retrospective and a staged handoff.

Azwestern promoted the event on social media, including a LinkedIn post that listed the Schoening Conference Center location and noted the college’s 15,612 followers on that platform; an Instagram post from AWC channels described 2025 as “a year of quiet yet powerful transformation.” For media or RSVP follow-up, Azwestern listed Michelle Struck, Executive Administrative Assistant for the Office of Advancement and AWC Foundation, at michelle.struck@azwestern.edu and (928) 317-6250. The college’s campus address is 2020 S Ave 8 E, Yuma, AZ 85365.

March 3 framed AWC’s next decade around workforce pipelines and an incoming president, but the college has not released specific enrollment or graduation figures or an exact start date for Dr. Reetika Dhawan beyond Dr. Corr’s June comment; those details remain avenues for follow-up reporting.