Our next student is a re-careering married mother of three, named Jennifer who attends Paradise Valley Community College. Recently, she said goodbye to life as an executive assistant. Now, she’s gonna share with us her desire to go into nursing and how she’s going about it at PVCC. Okay Jennifer, take us through your story.
– Thanks, Alex. Hello, everyone. I grew up in the Seattle area and moved out to Phoenix at the beginning of 2019 with my husband and three kids who are 15, 4 and 2. I’m currently re-careering after spending the past eight years in executive type assistant roles, I’m finally pursuing my dream of becoming a nurse. Since my first child was born with a cleft lip and palate I particularly wanted to work in the NICU department, but I simply didn’t have the resources back in Washington state. That all changed once I heard about Paradise Valley Community College. As a mother and wife, I needed a college that wasn’t just affordable but one that would help me succeed as a working parent. And that’s exactly what I found here. Shortly after the pandemic began in 2020, I felt a need to check back into my options pursuing a career change. I reached out to a mom’s community board on Facebook and heard about Maricopa’s amazing nursing program. I contacted a few colleges in my area, but Paradise Valley was the most responsive. Their counselors were calling me and helping me that same day, setting up a plan that worked best for me. It’s been a year since that initial phone call and I’m on my last prerequisite class. Their online curriculum has made it possible for me to learn while working and taking care of my children. College has always been a big priority to me. I graduated with a generic business degree through an online program, but I felt like their curriculum was not well structured. Paradise Valley’s curriculum just feels different. My professors actually care about my goals and everything was built to help keep me on track. The nursing program is coming up for me in just a few months and because of Paradise Valley’s prerequisite classes, I know I have the foundation down for what’s next. Because of this amazing Community College, I’m finally pursuing my goal and will be working in the NICU department within the next couple of years. Thank you. Back to you, Alex.
– Wow, Jennifer, that is a phenomenal story. Your goal to work in neonatal intensive care is admirable and heartwarming. And it’s awesome that PVCC is helping you make steady progress in your goal. And we’ve got no doubt you will reach it. Good luck and keep up the hard work.
Okay, everyone, now we’re gonna go out to Paradise Valley Community College, home of the Pumas to meet Jeremiah who is the embodiment of diversity and inclusion. Seeing himself as the ultimate outsider, he’s gonna tell us how his time at Paradise Valley gave him a fresh perspective. Jeremiah, the floor is yours. Let’s hear your story.
– Awesome intro Alex. What’s up everyone? I’m a first generation graduate here at Paradise Valley and an aspiring transfer student majoring in dental hygiene. I begin my time here at Paradise Valley in spring of 2017, after relocating from Mississippi. Being an African American and part of the LGBT community, I never imagined a place where I truly belong. The faculty and staff helped me create memorable moments. Even the students here made me feel like I was a part of a big family. Now I consider this place, my home away from home. During my journey here, I was a part of organizations like Desperado and LGBT Film Festival club, emerging leaders, a program where upcoming leaders work together to solve critical problems followed by a three day retreat, and I was given the opportunity to share my impact story on the importance of following your dreams. I’m an interpersonal kind of guy, that’s why I enjoy the small class sizes and being able to interact one on one with my instructors for a quality learning experience. Worried about finances? Don’t. This campus has hundreds of grants and scholarship opportunities. I know because I was awarded both Rainbow Scholarship and the Warren and Jo Buxton Scholarship Funding just for signing up and getting involved. Attending PVCC has been an amazing experience. I got a chance to make great connections, give back to the community and find my passion in dentistry. I then knew it was more than just me getting an education, it was for me to start a path to my future. Your dream starts somewhere, so why not start here? Because here at Paradise Valley Community College, no student gets left behind. So come on out and show your Puma pride. Right back at you, Alex.
– Jeremiah, you’ve got a great story and are definitely an inspiration. Your ability to stay true to yourself and find your home away from home at Paradise Valley Community College is awesome. Good luck in your future as a dental hygienist and keep being you.
Okay, folks, next up we’ll be hearing from current Estrella Mountain Community College student and future journalist, Kayden. A passionate communicator, she’s using her time wisely at EMCC as a stepping stone to university and a career in journalism. Let’s go to Kayden and get her report on her time at college and how it’s preparing her for the future.
– Thanks, Alex. Hi, everybody. Throughout my whole life, I’ve been trying to find an outlet to speak on topics that I’m passionate about. In high school, I found that outlet in drama club, where I met some of my best friends and highlighted aspects of the human experience through acting. From there, I knew I wanted to study journalism. Estrella Mountain Community College is a great stepping stone to the start of my college journey. Even though I’m only a freshman here at EMCC, I’ve already found so many great opportunities to write about things that are important to me, even in just a basic English class. Another thing that’s important to me is to have as much time as I can in courses tailored to my major. I can get all of my prerequisites for my degree done and still take classes that are informative, interesting, and enjoyable. My goal is to transfer to a university in two years and thanks to my advisor and the great classes available here at EMCC, it’s possible. Estrella is not only affordable, but also offers a comfortable learning environment. My voice is heard and I’m comfortable participating in classes. This semester, I’m taking three classes in person and find that I spend the most time here at Estrella Hall where I can comfortably study and get my homework done. I never knew that even just a semester of college could help prepare me for my future. Thankfully, through the help of my advisor, I have a plan for the next two years so that when I do transfer to a university, I’m fully prepared and I don’t have to worry about any of my credits transferring over. I look forward to learning so much more about my major here at Estrella. That’s all from me. Back to you, Alex.
– Great stuff, Kayden. Your Estrella Mountain Community College instructors are preparing you for a bright future in journalism. Hopefully one day soon, we’ll see your name in the byline or catch you delivering a news report. Keep up the hard work and much success
Now we’re gonna meet Shawn, a student from Estrella Mountain Community College located in the West Valley. Shawn has had a lifelong passion for filmmaking, but college and film school wasn’t for him or so he thought. Let’s get the detail straight from Shawn. Ready? Action.
– Thank you, Alex. Growing up in Chicago, I loved everything film. I loved dressing up and costumes and performing for my family. Ever since I was five years old, I knew it was the one thing that made me genuinely happy. At 18, I dropped out of high school to shoot a feature film as a lead character. Ever since that experience, my desire to do films heightened more. I eventually got my high school diploma and decided to take my mom’s advice and try college out for a year. Estrella Mountain Community College made sure I felt secure in my decision to go back to school at the age of 21, and made sure I had every resource available to help me enjoy my freshman year. After picking my classes with my advisor, I was actually surprised at how much I was looking forward to my upcoming school year. Estrella does a great job at showing how fun college can be for students, such as myself. We used to think otherwise. I find myself looking forward to classes and to hearing from my teachers about the projects we were working on. Estrella’s Art Center lives right across the street from the main campus where there are tons of plays and short films created by students. This is an amazing community for those who’ve taken interest in anything that has to do with film or acting. In the past, there have been many schools that have overlooked art programs, but Estrella makes sure to include this Art Center because they understand the value of letting students be creative. Estrella Mountain Community College has taught me to never be afraid of trying something new. As mentioned before, I wasn’t too keen about the idea of going to college. I put it off as something that was not for me, but attending Estrella Community College helped boost my confidence. It helped me connect more with my peers and it let me see just how engaging school can be when I enjoy each of my classes. Well, that’s my story. Back to you, Alex.
– Shawn, it is awesome how attending Estrella Mountain taught you to get out there and experience life and not hold back, particularly when it comes to your art. We can’t wait to see you at a film festival or on the red carpet someday soon. Good luck Shawn, and we’ll be watching.
Okay, now let’s meet Isaac, a student at Glendale Community College whose love is music, and a passion he wants to be able to share with others. For school choice, Isaac went bold and he is gonna explain what led him to select GCC’s music program over that of a four year university. Isaac, you’ve got the spotlight, my friend. Take it away.
– Thank you, Alex. And welcome, everyone. I have been so honored to call this campus home for the past year. My major is in music education because I love teaching music and sharing what has made me so passionate. Glendale Community College was my first choice after a lot of deliberation, as a tuition is lower than that of a university and the music program and instruction is comparable to a four year school. Coming here in the beginning was a little nerve-wracking, but very soon after the first day, I found my footing in this campus. The added bonus of the Community College size is that each relationship with my professors is individualized. If any subject is a struggle for me, I can easily ask and get instruction or advice on just about any topic. My father also attended Glendale to get his music endorsement, and there’s a few of his instructors that we have in common. I think it’s amazing to see his instructors become my own and we frequently talk about how exceptional each staff member is. The music program offers all varieties of instruction and degrees. My specific plan is in music education and my classes vary from music theory and academic courses to music performance, such as various jazz and classical groups. In addition, the college also offers music recording, production and performance for all walks of musicians. My instrument is a saxophone, but all vocalists, guitarists, strings, pianists, winds, and percussionist are more than welcome in the program. The department also covers different aspects of the Performing Arts, such as dance and musical theater. The decision to come here for music education has been one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. The instruction has been invaluable and the tuition is a fraction of a cost of any of the universities in or out of state. My professors are all amazing and are super valuable to me and I’m sure many others moving forward. Thank you Alex, back to you.
– Phenomenal stuff, Isaac. your love of music and passion for teaching others really comes through. It’s amazing you and your dad had some of the same exceptional instructors and can bond over that shared experience. It’s definitely unique. Appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us, Isaac. Take care.
Let’s head to Glendale Community College, an integral part of the community since 1965 and home of the Gauchos. We’re gonna hear from Anyell, a first generation student with a passion for electrical engineering. He’s a real go-getter with an exciting future. We can’t wait to hear more about what he’s been up to. Bring us up to speed, Anyell.
– Thanks, Alex. Hello there. I am a first generation electrical engineer transfer student here at Glendale Community College. My passion for electrical engineering has enabled me to develop exciting connections, participate in the NASA funded program and create projects where I apply my learning. I was unsure what I wanted to be when I started looking forward to college. Then one day I visited GCC’s enrollment center where the advisors were able to on the spot compile my first semester courses, apply my dual enrollment credits, and cover my affordable tuition with the President’s Scholarship. After that visit, I decided that Maricopa Community Colleges would be the best option for me. I found that taking classes at the Community College level was more hands on than university. I was also able to find others with the same passion for engineering in GCC’s engineering club. As a president of the club, our group met virtually to complete many projects, promote career development, and share concepts. Through this collaboration, I help design a model rocket acceleration project and host an atmosphere profiling workshop, similar to NASA’s ASCEND program, which allows students to collectively build a payload designed to collect data at a hundred thousand feet in the atmosphere. Through this experience, I’ve made connections with some of the most passionate and helpful students and faculty from GCC, other Maricopa Colleges, and neighboring universities. The technology building here at GCC hosts numerous resources including a supervised engineering lab, available tutors, and more. Instead of merely learning in the classroom, students have the access and ability to gain hands on experience. Factor in the diverse learning formats, affordable tuition, delightful student to professor ratio, and you’ll have no issues achieving your goals. For me, being at GCC, I built a stable foundation to pursue a university degree or gain certifications to enter my field. Make it happen here at Maricopa Community Colleges. That’s all for me, Alex, take it back.
– Great stuff, Anyell. GCC’s enrollment center really helped you hit the ground running and you never look back. You can’t go wrong pairing up a scholarship and affordable tuition, your club activity, hands on experience in the lab, and on campus networking is preparing you for the next step. Thanks for sharing.
Next up, we’re talking to South Mountain Community College student, Briana. She’s already had a year of university under her belt when she transferred in, but was feeling a lack of motivation. Let’s hear how her experience at South Mountain helped her get back on track. Briana, please take it away.
– Thanks for that intro, Alex. And what’s up everyone. I am so excited to tell you guys about my college journey today. Growing up, I always knew I wanted to be part of the medical field, but what I didn’t know were the alternatives available to help me get there. Prior to coming to South Mountain Community College, I have some doubt on whether or not I would have the ability to take courses at this school. I came in as a sophomore university transfer who was struggling to find motivation to continue their degree. Luckily, I found South Mountain right on time. Here, I was able to be transferred in as a student fast and efficiently. They offered several different types of learning formats and classes that are flexible for my hours. From this, I was able to achieve other goals on my life, such as becoming a phlebotomist and earning hours for my physician assistant school. In addition, I was able to take a number of classes that added on to my physiology degree. South Mountain offers a multitude of classes that can grant anyone the opportunity to start or continue their career path. Something I really appreciated coming from a university to a community college were the smaller class sizes. This allowed me to create more in-depth connections all over campus. South Mountain Community College has given me the second chance to keep pushing towards my degree. With their flexibility, I’m able to participate in activities that help support my future career. And with their support, I have the motivation to keep going. Thanks, everyone. And back to you, Alex.
– Thanks, Briana. It’s fantastic you are able to refocus on your medical education and keep pushing forward towards your degree. Those smaller class sizes and the added flexibility of the learning formats seem to have done the trick and help get your mojo back. Good luck and keep at it.
Now, let’s go to South Mountain Community College whose founding mission is to promote social and economic change in South Phoenix, and get to know Manas who has an international background and marches to the beat of his own drum. All right, Manas, we’re ready to hear about your time at South Mountain, take it away.
– Thanks, Alex. And hello, everyone. I was born in a Muslim country to a Hindu family on Christmas with a complicated sense of belonging and a predisposition to break the mold. Attending college was always a non-negotiable and my family was willing to support every single one of my educational goals. However, due to some residency complications that limited my access to financial aid, I had to find quality higher learning that was affordable. When I chose South Mountain Community College, I didn’t have a clear direction of what I wanted to do, but the college made sure I received the proper amount of attention I needed to be successful in any program. Even through my indecision and self-doubt, the college always offered me a place where I could be myself and fit in. I’ve taken an array of classes from biology to abnormal psych, to Chicano literature, all of which have had outstanding professors and a diverse student base with amazing perspectives. My professors have always offered extraordinary leadership and mentorship. Being that SMCC is in a diverse community where many of the students are first generation college students, the staff directly sees the impact they’re making on the community. This makes for an inviting and fulfilling environment of collaboration. Also, breaking the stigma that comes with being a community college. After a long hiatus, I am back to finish my degree and transfer to a bachelor’s program. SMCC has programs that can directly transfer to any of the four year universities in Arizona. South Mountain Community College has shown me how to break the mold by being a small college with huge values and dedication to its students and its community. That’s my story. Back to you, Alex.
– Manas, you are definitely breaking the mold, my friend. It’s awesome that you found the right environment at South Mountain Community College to excel in with the support of your professors and you’re sure to inspire others. Good luck on your journey to getting that bachelor’s degree. Take care.