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
Student Overcomes Odds to Complete Degree
Aron Mixson, 27, of Mesa, has overcome great odds to complete his Associate in Arts degree at Mesa Community College. But he’s not quite finished. In the fall he will transfer to Arizona State University to pursue a bachelor’s degree so he can achieve his goal of becoming a software engineer.
During his early childhood, Mixson’s mother struggled with drug…
When Mesa Community College student Josh Malone was diagnosed with a learning disability, he never dreamed he’d be able to succeed in college-level honors classes such as calculus, chemistry and biology. But thanks to his determination, coupled with assistance from MCC professors, tutors and peers, he will graduate in May with a nearly 4.0 grade-point average and a solid plan to…
As a software developer at Glendale Community College (GCC), Karri Sisson believes in continuous learning. “Any programming class improves your skills as a developer because you can always pick up new concepts or ways to apply them to your current work,” she says.
So, when Sisson first heard about Pega Systems Architect Essentials, she was intrigued.
Wanting to learn more,…
When it looked like it might be necessary to change professions because of physical limitations, MCC provided Sean with the opportunity to excel and grow without veering from his chosen career path.
An Arizona native, Sean attended MCC from August 2018 to May 2021 earning an Associates of Applied Science degree in Construction Management. Before earning the degree “I worked in the field…
Alumna follows passion for furniture design
Nancy Donsbach believes every piece of furniture has its own personality. As an avid do-it-yourselfer for many years, she constantly spotted ways to breathe new life into old chairs and tables. Her passion for furniture design eventually led Donsbach to Mesa Community College, where she earned a Certificate in Mechanical Drafting in 2006. While finishing up her schooling, she acquired a full-…
When Mesa Community College graduate Debbie Seals walks across the stage at commencement this month, she’ll celebrate her persistence at overcoming many obstacles that stood in her way. But in addition to her own success, Seals has also made a difference in the lives of others she helped along the way.
Seals decided to return to college when the youngest of her three children turned 10.…
MCC Alum Channels Passion for Art Through Photography
Granville Carroll never considered pursuing art as a career path until a coworker encouraged him to take a photography class after seeing some landscape photos he took on his cell phone. Granville kept that thought in the back of his mind until he began classes at Mesa Community College (MCC) in pursuit of a psychology degree.
Today, Granville is a visual artist and recent Masters of…
Joshua Sykes’ MCC experience began at the age of 3
Not many alumni can say that their relationship with MCC started before preschool. But, Joshua Sykes can. Joshua was just 3 years old when his father, Arlen Sykes – now a very active alumni board member – was taking classes at Mesa Community College (MCC) and enrolled him in the MCC Children’s Center.
As he grew, Joshua attended and volunteered at alumni events, such as MCC Homecoming…
Mesa Community College graduate Trent Cortazzo, 20, of Mesa, found a fresh start at MCC after a less-than-stellar academic history at Red Mountain High School.
“I was always the kid that teachers said had potential,” Cortazzo said. “I did just enough to get by, ending up with a 2.9 GPA in high school. Since I didn’t have a plan, my dad thought I was a bad investment…
MCC Red Mountain Student Writes her own Ticket to Travel the World of Life
Hannah Somerville has distinguished herself through service. Her passion for volunteering started at the age of six when she coordinated a “Pennies for Stuffed Animals’’ drive for sick children. Fast forward to March of 2017, Somerville has logged more than 300 hours of community service in the last 2 years.
In March of this year, under the leadership of…