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.
For Stacy Luster, a soon-to-be Mortuary Science graduate from Mesa Community College, the completion of his degree is an accomplishment that was 18 years in the making.
Luster’s dream for many years was to pursue a career in mortuary science, but the birth of his premature son 18 years ago forced him to put his dream on hold until he could reach that goal. He worked as a carpenter by trade and... Read more about Stacy Luster
As a software developer 1 at Uber Eats, now living in New York City, Karl McPhee focuses on backend development and machine learning–sophisticated skills he learned as a Mesa Community College student and intern.
“At the time I started taking courses at MCC, I was enrolled in Arizona State University’s Master of Science program and had experience with programming in Java and Python,” said Karl... Read more about Karl McPhee
Mesa Community College graduate Elizabeth Ward just completed her first step toward her lifelong goal of becoming a judge, she just graduated with two degrees and two certificates at MCC.
Coming from a family of lawyers and judges in Houston, Texas, the criminal justice field had always appealed to Ward.
“I want to see justice and equality for everyone,” said Ward, of Chandler. “I want to work... Read more about Elizabeth Ward
Spina bifida may have robbed Mesa Community College’s Tom Kusek of the ability to walk, but it couldn’t suppress his drive to succeed.
A 2005 graduate of MCC and now the college’s Disability Resources Manager, Tom was already walking with a cane at age 21. A birth defect where there is incomplete closing of the backbone and membranes around the spine, spina bifida affects up to 20 percent of the... Read more about Tom Kusek
Michael Nuccio, 30, graduated from Mesa Community College (MCC) with a 4.0 grade point average and scholarships covering tuition to attend Barrett, the Honors College at Arizona State University (ASU), in the fall.
This is an admirable accomplishment, especially for a man who until recently had no formal education past the first grade. In 2013, nearly two decades after leaving the public school... Read more about Michael Nuccio
Believing that music has the power to change lives, Marvin Scott has focused his career on connecting kids to the joy and magic of making music, which was his student experience in the Mesa Community College Music Department. Prior to attending MCC, Marvin was enrolled at Arizona State University. In the fall of his freshman year studying in the ASU College of Music, some friends recommended the... Read more about Marvin Scott
Mesa Community College alumnus Brad Hull recently experienced the thrill of walking the red carpet at the Country Music Awards as a member of the country trio Due West.
Hull, who began his career in music at MCC, said he and his band had a hard time believing they were at the awards show as artists, not just fans.
“To be on the other side was surreal,” Hull said. “We have all been big fans for... Read more about Brad Hull
Shannon Poppell's dream of graduating from college alongside her two sons, Jeffrey and Kevin, is about to come true. When they receive their diplomas, it will be the culmination of time spent juggling many obligations. Shannon, 52, of Mesa, said to accomplish these goals, she recognizes the importance of having support and guidance through the college experience and beyond. She said she found... Read more about The Poppell Family
Jessica Siegel will be graduating from Mesa Community College as an International Certified Tutor and a Certified Herbalist. She intends to pursue further education toward becoming a Naturopathic Doctor, a career in which she strongly believes.
While at Mesa Community College, Siegel was a dedicated honors student; she is a Presidential Scholar and an active member of Psi Beta and Phi Theta... Read more about Jessica Siegel
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 language... Read more about Madelyne Dhimes