Weekend College Business Program Designed for Working Adults

Think it's impossible to fit college into a busy schedule?  Think again...Mesa Community College Business Program's Weekend College can make it a little easier to fit college classes and the pursuit of a business degree into a busy life.

Weekend College is an assortment of classes scheduled from Friday evening through Saturday. The program offers the slate of courses required for students to earn their Associate of Business – General Requirements degree, the most popular Business transfer degree offered at MCC.

"The Weekend College is a great opportunity for students who desire to improve their job skills, earn a degree and further their education in preparation for transfer to a 4-year university, but who may have family obligations, jobs and other factors that prevent them from going to college during the week," said Preston D. Cameron, General Business Program Director.

Linda Collins, Chair of the Business and Information Systems Department, said the classes are identical to those offered in the regular college class schedule, including laboratory time, curriculum materials, and quality of instruction. The only difference will be longer class periods made necessary by the weekend schedule. Just like regularly scheduled classes, Weekend College classes can be used to earn credit toward an eventual degree or certificate.

“The Business and Information Systems Department strives to provide our students and the community with quality educational opportunities in a variety of program opportunities,” Collins said.

Cameron explained that the program is a way to obtain maximum flexibility in getting an education.

“At MCC, our mission is to help every student succeed, no matter the circumstances,” Cameron said.  “For some, attending classes during the work week isn’t an option right now. Others are hesitant to jump in to an online education program.  That’s why we offer a wide variety of weekend classes that are taught Fridays and Saturdays in the morning, afternoon and evening.”

This unique cohort program is designed to immerse students in intensive classroom experiences with students in a similar situation, individuals who are putting their career and family responsibilities on hold for those two days in order to assume the role of being full-time college students.

Students will attend smaller classes that allow for personalized instruction from MCC faculty. They will be stimulated by cohort classmates who share their own degree of enthusiasm and their own level of life and work experience.  In those two days they lay the groundwork for absorbing concepts and acquiring skills they fear they do not have time for in a traditional week-day college.

“The Weekend College is not an accelerated program,” Cameron said.  “It is instead a complete college experience, based on a traditional curriculum whose content has been refashioned to fit the needs and schedules of today's working adults over the course of a weekend. It is designed for men and women, part-time or full-time students, and for those who bring with them transfer credits from other colleges as well as students who are just beginning their college education.”

The Weekend College cohort program begins with the Spring 2013 semester.  For more information on the Weekend College Program, interested students can contact the Business & Information Systems Department directly by visiting the department website at:  www.mesacc.edu/business

About Mesa Community College

Mesa Community College provides outstanding transfer and career and technical programs, workforce development, and life-long learning opportunities to residents of the East Valley area of Phoenix, Arizona. MCC excels in teaching, learning and empowering its more than 40,000 students to succeed in a local and global community.  Mesa Community College is one of ten colleges that comprise the Maricopa County Community College District.

Please direct media inquiries to Angela Askey at angela.askey@mesacc.edu or Sally Mesarosh at sally.mesarosh@mesacc.edu  or the Office of Institutional Advancement at 480-461-7445.  IA website:  www.mesacc.edu/ia.

Source Details

Publication Date: 
Friday, November 2, 2012