Arizona senior Senator Kyrsten Sinema announced $4,256,738 for Phoenix College’s Connecting Minority Communities Program.
The funding will be used to expand high speed internet access and build careers in broadband, closing the digital divide, increasing connectivity, and delivering real results.
“Over the past few years, we’ve all seen how critical internet access is for families’ careers and students’ education. Today’s investment is a large step towards closing the digital divide, increasing connectivity, building careers, and delivering real results for ordinary, everyday Arizonans in all corners of our state,” said Sinema.
The investment expanding broadband access for Phoenix College follows Sinema’s announcement of more than $99 million for broadband infrastructure and deployment throughout Arizona – ensuring everyday Arizonans can access high-speed internet for their careers, educations, connections with loved ones, and more.
Sinema also led negotiations on the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which invested a historic $65 billion in broadband buildout for unserved and underserved communities across Arizona and the United States and in programs to lower the cost of internet access for Arizona families.
The Connecting Minority Communities Pilot Program helps enable Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs), and Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs) to improve historically underserved students’ access to internet services. The program was created and funded through the Sinema-backed Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021.