The Uber and Arizona State University partnership has passed a significant milestone — its 100th graduate.
To date, 118 drivers, delivery people and their family members have graduated from ASU Online through the program, which launched as a pilot in eight cities — including Phoenix — in 2018. The program went nationwide in 2019.
“The partnership with ASU is one way we are able to help support those working on Uber who want to further their education but don't want to go into debt in order to pursue their dreams,” said Carrol Chang, head of driver operations for the U.S. and Canada at Uber.
“We are honored to celebrate the 118 people who have graduated from this program, and we wish them continued success in the opportunities that lie ahead.”
The Uber and ASU partnership offers full tuition coverage for drivers, delivery people and their family members who pursue an undergraduate degree through ASU Online. More than 100 undergraduate degrees are offered entirely online, so students can fit higher education around their lives and continue pursuing work the way they want to. The partnership also covers upskilling courses in entrepreneurship or English language learning.
Nailah Williams, who drives for Uber, recently earned her degree from ASU Online.
Driver Nailah Williams completed her degree in urban planning this summer. She had already earned some college credits but decided to finish her education when Uber started the tuition coverage program with ASU Online.
Williams minored in sustainability.
“When I was younger, my mom used to work for a planning and development company in Atlanta, so I was inspired because I grew up in the industry,” she said.
“And that’s the way urban planning is going — sustainability.”
Williams, who lives in San Diego, loves being a driver with Uber.
“It gave me freedom to work when I want and earn money without any limits and to provide for my family,” she said. “And when they offered the opportunity to go to school, it was the ideal job.”
She enjoyed learning online.
“I loved CanvasASU's learning management system and how I could interact with classmates. I loved the discussions,” she said. “The professors did a really great job with all the information, and the way everything was organized really helped me with writing the papers.”
Williams is going to take a break before looking for a job in her field. Her advice to other Uber drivers considering the program is to go for it.
“They should figure out what their interests and passions are because there are so many programs at ASU,” she said.
Dennia Grant, whose husband drives for Uber, recently earned her degree through the Uber-ASU partnership.
Dennia Grant, whose husband is a driver with Uber, earned a degree in tourism and recreation management and recently landed a sales job with a major hotel brand.
“I worked full time prior to the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Grant, who lives in Los Angeles. “It was difficult to work, maintain a home and manage a full course load at ASU, but I had a goal and I was determined to see it through.”
Grant encourages those in the program to connect with others in the community through social media.
“We were able to ask questions and keep each other updated on program changes,” she said.
Nearly 2,000 drivers, delivery people and family members are currently pursuing their degrees through the program. The states with highest enrollment are California, Arizona, Illinois, Texas and Florida.
The most popular degree programs for enrollment are information technology, business administration, software engineering, psychology, liberal studies and organization leadership.
The Uber and ASU partnership is open to drivers who have completed at least 3,000 rides, and delivery people with at least 1,000 deliveries, who have achieved gold, platinum or diamond status through the Uber Pro rewards program. The Uber partnership is unique in that it allows drivers to pass tuition coverage to a family member — spouse, domestic partner, child, sibling, parent, legal guardian or dependent.
For more information on the program, visit uber.asu.edu.
Top image by SDI Productions/iStock
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