A Path Forward: How ASU SupportLA Was Sparked Through Connection and Community Response
When disaster disrupted the lives of thousands of LA students, Studios helped catalyze a response that put college back within reach.
In early 2025, wildfires devastated communities across Los Angeles, displacing families and shuttering schools. For many high school students, the road to college suddenly felt uncertain.
But within days, ASU responded—with customized support for students whose educational journeys were disrupted. And ASU Studios was there at the center, helping to connect partners, convene conversations, and amplify solutions.
The result was SupportLA, a university-wide initiative offering:
- Guaranteed pathways to admission for affected students
- One-on-one college guidance for applications, financial aid, and deadlines
- Access to ASU Prep Digital, Universal Learner Courses, and no-cost learning resources through ASU for You
ASU has been inspired by the LA-area families who are doing all they can to recover and move forward. It's part of our university charter to help the communities we serve, and this is one small way that we can assist Angelenos. Everyone deserves access to high-quality education no matter their circumstances.
Michael CrowPresident, Arizona State University
Built on Relationships. Powered by Purpose.
This rapid response wouldn’t have been possible without deep and ongoing partnerships across Los Angeles. Thanks to Studios’ work convening education leaders across LAUSD, LACOE, CAIS, Pasadena Unified, and other networks, ASU was already embedded in the region—ready to listen, mobilize, and act.
What started as an urgent call for help has become a model for educational partnership in crisis: proactive, people-centered, and scalable.
What's Next
As recovery continues, ASU Studios remains committed to:
- Amplifying student needs and family voices
- Advancing access to higher education and digital learning tools
- Partnering with schools and systems to build more resilient pathways to the future