Arizona Adult Education Advocate Receives National Award
Coalition on Adult Basic Education Honors PCC's Sara Haghighi
Tucson, AZ—Sara Haghighi, Refugee Education Program Manager at Pima Community College (PCC) Adult Basic Education for College and Career (ABECC), has received an award for Outstanding Local Excellence in Advocacy by the Coalition on Adult Basic Education (COABE), a national organization dedicated to advancing the field of adult literacy.
Over the past year, Haghighi met with eight state legislators to raise awareness about adult education, always showcasing students and program success stories. She has recruited diverse student ambassadors to join her in meetings with elected officials.
Sharon Bonney, the CEO of COABE, states, “I applaud Sara Haghighi for her outstanding contributions to our noble field of adult education! This award is granted for distinguished leadership, and this year's winner truly exemplifies the values described in this national award.”
During National Adult Education and Family Literacy (AEFL) Week, Haghighi helped to host an event at PCC El Rio Learning Center. She presented the COABE Adult Education Championship Award to Representative Grijalva and Mayor Romero. Haghighi secured three city-wide proclamations for the cities of Phoenix, Tucson, and Flagstaff during AEFL Week.
Haghighi has been an Instructional Manager in the Pima Community College ABECC program for over three years overseeing the Refugee Education Program. She served as the COABE 2021 Arizona State Advocate for Adult Education Fellow, which prepared her to advocate for adult education programs at the state and national level. She then mentored multiple advocate fellows from outside Arizona so they could become advocates in their states.
Haghighi helped to develop—and now co-hosts—COABE’s Advocast, an adult education advocacy podcast to raise awareness about the issues that matter to the adult education community and showcase student success.
CONTACT:
Mary MercadoPima Community College,
Adult Basic Education for College and Career
520-206-3550, mmercado8@pima.edu