Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Helios Education Foundation?

Helios Education Foundation (Helios) is a public charity focused exclusively on Arizona and Florida. Helios was founded on four fundamental beliefs (community, equity, investment, partnership) and with one purpose: To create opportunities for individuals in Arizona and Florida to succeed in postsecondary education. For nearly 20 years, we have never wavered in our commitment to educational excellence for all students, and especially to closing the achievement gaps for those underrepresented in education success.

What are the Foundation’s priorities?

We are focused on improving outcomes for low-income and historically underrepresented students in Arizona and Florida. To increase college graduation rates for these students—and use what we learn to increase achievement for all students—we believe the following three key drivers are essential to getting these subpopulations on track for college attainment:

Ensure that students are reading proficiently by the end of third grade
Increase college enrollments
Increase attainment of two- and four-year college degrees

We are focusing on these three drivers because we believe they provide the best leverage for ensuring that students are prepared for and on the path to a college degree. Ultimately, we seek to ensure that all children in Arizona and Florida have the full potential to succeed in an educational pathway that will take them where they want to go.

Who works at Helios?

Paul J. Luna has been Helios’ president & CEO for the existence of our organization. Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Barbara Ryan Thompson, and Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Stacy L. Tucker also serve in Executive Leadership roles. There are five teams at Helios that span to Arizona and Florida including Leadership, Arizona Community Engagement, Florida Community Engagement, Finance and Accounting, and Communications.

How was Helios created?

Helios Education Foundation was created in 2004 through the conversion and reorganization of the nonprofit Southwest Student Services Corporation (Southwest), a student loan provider and servicer in Arizona and Florida, and its affiliates, led by Southwest’s President and CEO, Vince Roig. At the time of the reorganization, Southwest was the eighth-largest holder of federally insured student loans in the country. Southwest was sold to SLM Corporation in October 2004 for more than $500 million, the net proceeds funded the endowment of Helios Education Foundation.

Why the name “Helios”?

Helios Education Foundation was named after the Greek mythological God of the Sun, Helios. The name was recommended by one of our founding board members because Helios serves Arizona and Florida – two of our nation’s sunshine states.

Why does the Foundation serve only Arizona and Florida?

Helios Education Foundation was created through the conversion and sale of Southwest Student Services Corporation, a student loan products and services company. Southwest had affiliates in Arizona and Florida, and the Foundation’s founding board wanted to give back to those states.

How does Helios fund its investments?

Helios does not actively fundraise but has a substantial endowment funding our efforts. Designed to exist in perpetuity, Helios uses interest income from the endowment to fund our organization and community impact strategies.

How do you get funding from Helios?

Helios Education Foundation funding is by invitation only. Our staff actively seeks potential partners and investment opportunities. Learn more about Helios’ funding strategy and student scholarships on our Grants and Scholarships page.

How much money does Helios invest each year?

Helios Education Foundation does not have a set figure to be invested annually. The performance of our endowment’s investment portfolio, our Board of Directors, and other business-planning activities determine our investment amount.

LEARN MORE ABOUT HELIOS