Catholic Education Arizona and Xavier College Preparatory are two institutions that value the education of young people across Arizona. These institutions work in tandem to ensure that every student who is academically qualified can receive funding for their education.
In this podcast episode, Amy O’Sullivan, the Director of Advancement at Xavier College Preparatory meets with Deb Preach, the Chief Development Officer at Catholic Education Arizona. O’Sullivan discusses the tuition tax credits that benefit Xavier Prep, as well as scholarship impact and community partnerships.
History of Xavier College Preparatory
Having majored in nonprofit fundraising during her time at Arizona State, Amy has had a long history of helping folks in need. Amy shares that the mission of the school is what drove her toward this career. Upon meeting Sister Jones, who is involved with Xavier, Amy learned that the number one goal of the institution is to offer education to any student who academically qualifies, regardless of their financial situation. Since then, she has been working tirelessly to secure major funding via tuition tax credits. The impact of the scholarships provided by Xavier via tax tuition credits is generations old. There is a long and rich history of many families who have all received their education from Xavier. This was made possible for many by the funding that Amy has continuously secured throughout the years.
Amy shares that with over 1,200 students enrolled at Xavier College Preparatory, their diversity has increased significantly over the years. The tax credit tuition funding allows girls from across the diocese to attend Xavier. This has allowed students to meet other girls who they may have never crossed paths with if it was not for the scholarship program at Xavier and tuition tax credits from generous contributors. Deb Preach describes Xavier as one of the strongest alumni programs in the Phoenix Diocese. Amy shares a saying: “You are a Xavier student for four years, but you’re an alumna for life.” This family-style attitude rings true across Xavier Preparatory.
Impact of Contributing to Catholic Education
O’Sullivan often has to reach out and contact corporations. As a nonprofit, it can be difficult to secure funding from corporate contributors. However, Amy never shies away from a challenge. She shares that corporate tax credits are her favorite to fundraise for, although it is the most difficult. She typically explains to the company why it may benefit both them and the institution to direct tax dollars towards Xavier.
The tax credit tuition is a dollar-for-dollar tax credit. Amy often asks potential contributors if they would like to just give their money to the state or if they would like to see it used to help these young girls achieve their goals. The decision to redirect tax credits is completely free. In Arizona, you have the power of choice. Amy frames this conversation to focus on the long-term impact of these young girls. Once she has secured a corporate contributor, Amy is typically able to keep them on board for the years to come. She will often share stories with the contributors to allow them to see how their dollars have changed the lives of young women in the Catholic schools of Arizona.
Proudly, Amy discusses the ways that women at Xavier are constantly breaking barriers due to their opportunity for education. Through the power of scholarships and funding like tuition tax credits, Xavier has secured a 100% graduation rate. This is, of course, incredibly comparable to the 99% graduation rate across Catholic schools, according to the Center for Education Reform. Beyond an education, Amy shares her love for the moral compass of the institution, praising the morals and character that Xavier helps young women establish.
If you are interested in making a difference in the lives of young people who are hoping to better their lives through education, please reach out to us at Catholic Education Arizona. We would love to chat with you about how you can direct your tax dollars to benefit children in Arizona.
