TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Data from LinkedIn shows Tucson as the fastest-growing city for recent college graduates with bachelor’s degrees.
Now, local leaders are launching a new program to keep that momentum going.
The initiative, called Hello520, is a collaboration between the City of Tucson, Pima County and Tucson Young Professionals.
It aims to attract business and entrepreneurial talent to the region, particularly those who might not have considered Southern Arizona as a destination for their careers.
“When we do economic development, we have to think about our workforce,” said Barbra Coffee, the City of Tucson’s director of economic initiatives.
Hello520 targets four key groups: remote workers, nonprofit professionals, people who grew up in Tucson or attended the University of Arizona and moved away, and solo entrepreneurs or small business owners.
“We’re specifically looking at four target areas which are remote workers, nonprofit professionals, people who grew up here or went to the U of A and left for a period of time, [and] also solo entrepreneurs or small business owners,” said Jessica Sueskind, executive director of Tucson Young Professionals.
Organizers hope to promote the area’s lifestyle, culture and climate as major draws.
“We have amazing people and amazing food and great weather. We have amazing places to go hike,” Sueskind said.
The concept is based on a similar initiative, Remote Tucson, which launched in 2020 and was credited with generating nearly $2.5 million in economic activity for Pima County.
“When you bring that type of capital into the community, you’re also bringing a connection that serves our nonprofit capabilities, our philanthropic and volunteer opportunities,” said Coffee.
The new program’s reach extends beyond Tucson’s city limits, with the support of Pima County allowing outreach across the region.
“What we see happening in Marana, Oro Valley, the town of Sahuarita, the city of South Tucson and unincorporated jurisdictions — and the fact that the program can reach out to all of those jurisdictions — that was a huge selling point,” said Heath Vescovi-Chiodi, the county’s economic development director.
Applications for Hello520 opened in early May. Interested applicants can apply through the programs website, here.
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Eddie Celaya is a multimedia journalist at KGUN 9. Born in Tucson and raised in the Phoenix area, Eddie is a life-long Arizonan and graduate of the University of Arizona who loves the desert and mountains and hates the cold. Previously, Eddie worked in print media at the Arizona Daily Star. Share your story ideas with Eddie at edward.celaya@kgun9.com, or by connecting on Facebook or Instagram.
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