Stories of Success
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Do you know of a Mesa Community College student or alum doing great work? Are you one of them? Please let us know.
For more than half a century, thousands of students have charted their path to success at Mesa Community College. Here we feature a compendium of their inspiring stories and reflections. Check back occasionally to see new stories featuring the impact MCC has had on lives and the communities we serve.
Successful Thunderbirds List
Dr. Charles A. Finch
Dr. Charles A. Finch, an MCC Alumnus, Gives Back Through Mock Emergency Scenario
Emergency Medicine (EM) physician Charles A. Finch of Scottsdale Emergency Associates, who works at the HonorHealth Scottsdale Hospitals, recently lent his EM expertise to Mesa Community College students amidst gunshot wounds, burn victims and mental health “patients.”
Finch, an MCC alumnus and medical director of the Fire Science Paramedic and EMT Program, attended the college in 1985…
Gramma Goes to College
Bonnie J. Brockway, a 72-years-young great-grandma and soon-to-be college graduate, was a bit worried when she went back to school at age 70. She wondered if the professors and students at Mesa Community College would think of her as merely an old lady taking a break from her knitting, not a serious student.
She soon learned, however, that she had no need to…
Skylar Melancon, 17, of Mesa, comes from a single-parent household with two family members who are disabled. When she was 10, Skylar and her family relocated to Arizona from New Orleans due to Hurricane Katrina.
“Although I was only ten, this experience made me realize that you can lose a lot of things in life, like money, homes, possessions, and more,” Melancon said. “An…
MCC Student Overcomes Health Issues to Forge Better Life
Mesa Community College’s Angela Coleman refuses to allow her health issues to keep her from success.
A former cosmetologist who had to give up her business because she could no longer stand, Angela suffers from rheumatoid arthritis, hypoglycemia, neuropathy, and other ailments, including a failing right kidney.
Angela lived in Seattle…
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…
You might describe Christian Armanti’s first day of classes at Mesa Community College (MCC) as a jaw-dropping experience. Not for him, but for his professors and classmates. Armanti, a 12-year-old homeschooled student, said in one class he could hear a pin drop when he opened the door.
“The first week was awkward, but as time passed, the students were very welcoming... The professors,…
MCC Alumnus Finds Way Back to Campus Through Service and Lifelong Learning
Nearly four decades after graduating from MCC, alumnus and retired elementary school teacher Mike Rague is back on campus, this time as a volunteer, lifelong learner and advocate for giving back.
Rague’s path to higher education was initially off to a bumpy start. After graduating high school in…
Forecasting Success: Ian Schwartz’s journey from college newsroom to TV weatherman
Whether he's reporting the weather, "hunting down happy hour deals" or sharing stories about children in need of foster and adoptive families, MCC alumnus and 3TV, CBS 5 Arizona's Family meteorologist Ian Schwartz says his job is rewarding.
Reporting news and weather for the past 19 years, Schwartz got his start at MCC, attending from 1999 to 2002.
"Yes, I'm a proud T-Bird, and I…
MCC home of lifelong learning for Wayne Balmer
The Wayne Balmer learning affair with Mesa Community College began in the early 90s when he was community development manager for the City of Mesa. He says he studied to refresh his mind and focus on something besides his job, choosing those classes of interest that could fit into his work and life schedule.
Named Williams Gateway Area Manager in 2001, Balmer became the project manager…
Studying Abroad and Learning Languages
Growing up surrounded by diversity and different languages inspired MCC graduate Madelyne Dhimes. As she grew up, cultures from all over the world surrounded Dhimes, 22, and she was inspired to become engaged in other cultures.
“My passion for language and culture led me to MCC,” Dhimes said. “MCC has a variety of foreign languages to choose from. I chose French, as it is a very global…