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
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…
Nancy Esparza, age 54, a Tempe resident, began taking classes in 2014 along with her two daughters, but had to stop taking classes in 2016 to work full time. When her son, Vicente Esparza Ortiz, started attending MCC, he encouraged her to go back.
"He helped me pay for classes and kept pushing me to complete my degree so we could graduate together," Nancy said.
Vicente, a…
When Mesa Community College graduate Ebony Koger receives her associate in arts degree this month, it will be the first step in her quest to become a librarian. It’s taken 20 years to overcome the challenges she’s faced to complete her degree, but Koger is excited about continuing her education and earning a master’s degree.
“It’s surreal,” said Koger, 43, of Mesa. “My two sons will be…
MCC Graduate Believes in Contributing to Community
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…
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…
When things got tough for Mesa Community College student Kenna Graff, 20, of Mesa, simply getting out of the house helped tremendously.
"Some days, I wanted to stay in bed and put off all my work, but I made sure to at least go to the library and complete the assignments for that day, maybe work ahead if I had motivation," Graff said. "My struggles with mental illness impacted the way…
Marvin Scott pays forward his MCC joy of music student experience
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…
What Inspires Artist Shachi Kale?
MCC alumnae Shachi Kale’s artwork causes people to stop and look a little closer at all the delightful details hidden in her paintings. You’ll find caterpillars in the corners, birds in the borders, and all types of patterns that give life to her creations.
She’s a visual storyteller, graphic designer and children’s book illustrator. Locally, her work has appeared at the Mesa Arts Center…
MCC Student Wants to Inspire Youth
Mesa Community College student Cynthia G. Walker knows what it takes to succeed in a challenging world. As she prepares to graduate with an associate’s degree from MCC this month, she would like to encourage others to pursue their education.
“If I can reach just one individual, they can take that information and teach others,” said Walker, who is a member of the Diné and Cochiti tribes…
Renae Blackwater, 23, of Mesa, can’t say enough about how the MCC American Indian Institute helped her shape her future.
She spoke at the recent American Indian Institute’s anniversary celebration, telling others how the institute provided assistance and direction at a time when she needed it. Growing up in the Tempe/Mesa area, she was a first-generation college student and didn’t quite…