Carmella Baldwin, 19, of Chandler, said she will never forget her experience as a student athlete at Mesa Community College. She decided to attend MCC when Coach Dan Pescador reached out to her and offered her an athletic scholarship for cross country and track.
“The athletic department staff and my coach cultivated an environment where I felt comfortable and was encouraged to reach my athletic potential,” Baldwin said. “I did not have this experience in high school.”
Baldwin will graduate from MCC with an Associate in Arts with an emphasis in journalism and new media studies. Her career goal is to become a lawyer.
While attending MCC, Baldwin said she learned to overcome poor time management.
“I juggle sports, school and family responsibilities, so there are plenty of times when things overlap,” she said. “I learned to set priorities and manage my time as best as possible.”
She said when things got tough, she communicated with her teachers.
“Oftentimes, they were very understanding and helped me out,” Baldwin said.
Baldwin received the Presidential Honors Scholarship that covered her tuition.
She said she is extremely pleased with the experience she’s had at MCC.
“MCC showed me what a positive athletic experience is and allowed me to continue to compete collegiately.”