The university expands its Maricopa County presence with the new Scottsdale Center
More than 100 prospective students and parents from the Maricopa County area attended a "How to Pay for College" event at the Scottsdale Center. Hosted by the Office of Admissions, the event addressed the process for securing financial aid, merit aid and scholarships.
The new University of Arizona Scottsdale Center is becoming a busy hub for meetings, conferences and collaborations involving U of A colleges, faculty and staff, alumni, and business and community organizations.
Located in the center of Old Town Scottsdale, the facility was developed as part of the university's Strategic Plan and aims to advance the U of A's statewide reach. With a focus on community engagement and collaboration, the center offers modern, conveniently located space for community meetings, workshops, admissions and alumni events, as well as a place for U of A employees to work.
The University of Arizona Foundation purchased the space to help the university expand its presence in Maricopa County.
"The Scottsdale Center is a gathering space for prospective students, faculty and staff members, alumni, and community and business leaders in Maricopa County," said Sara Fleury, the center's executive director. "For the first time in Maricopa County, we have a dedicated space to bring together internal and external partners to exchange ideas, collaborate and advance initiatives that extend the university's mission throughout Arizona."
Sara Fleury is executive director of the Scottsdale Center.
The center houses staff members from several essential offices based at the Tucson campus, including Undergraduate Admissions, Government and Community Relations, Alumni Relations and Research, Innovation and Impact.
"The University of Arizona's Scottsdale Center has revolutionized our Undergraduate Admissions team in Maricopa County," said Kasey Urquidez, vice president for Enrollment Management and dean of undergraduate admissions. We can host outstanding admissions events that bring students closer to the Wildcat Family right in their own backyard. This center is a true hub of opportunity."
Among the dozens of organizations that have used the Scottsdale Center since beginning its activity earlier this year are the Arizona Department of Agriculture, the Scottsdale Chamber of Commerce and the Arizona Tech Council.
The center has been the location for collaborations, such as a National Science Foundation Engines Workshop hosted by Research, Innovation and Impact, and the inaugural symposium of the Eller College of Management's Consortium for Environmentally Resilient Business, and it will host an upcoming conference for the Center for an Arizona Carbon-Neutral Economy.
"The Scottsdale Center was designed to promote interconnectedness in theory and in practice," Fleury said. "It facilitates in-person and online connections among Maricopa County-based university employees and is an ideal place to convene with community, industry and public sector partners in a location that's easily accessible for out-of-town participants."
In the heart of downtown Scottsdale's tourism hub, the center offers free parking and is minutes from Sky Harbor International Airport. The center's full suite of accommodations includes a main event space that offers classroom-style or theater seating for up to 140 attendees, five smaller Zoom-enabled meeting rooms, office hoteling spaces and huddle rooms.
Finalists for Arizona's prestigious Flinn Scholarship attended a reception at the Scottsdale Center, where they met representatives from the W.A. Franke Honors College.
"Faculty and staff with flexible work arrangements or who travel to the Phoenix area are welcome to book the center, either for meetings or to use one of the hotel offices for a few hours or a day," Fleury said. "Access to Wi-Fi makes it an easy remote work option, and there is no cost for U of A faculty and staff."
Those who are interested in booking the facility can contact Sara Fleury, or for larger event requests use the form on the Scottsdale Center website.
In addition, the center includes:
Bear Down Conference Center – This large, open space allows for traditional theater and classroom-style meetings, collaborative roundtable meetings, expos and standing receptions. A door separates the event space from other offices and rooms, allowing for privacy and minimal disruptions.
Five meeting rooms – The rooms can accommodate up to 12 people each and have full conferencing capabilities.
Huddle rooms – These spaces, which fit two to five people, have plug-and-play technology that allows visitors to join remote meetings and collaborate online.
For more information, visit the Scottsdale Center website.