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
For Dion Brooks, earning an Associate in Applied Science in Beauty and Wellness from Mesa Community College is the first step toward his goal to become a leader in the beauty industry.
“I want to educate and prepare beauty professionals of the future to become highly impactful, successful and major contributors to the well-being of each and every person, and humanity collectively,”…
Atwood is One of the First Graduates of New Sustainable Agriculture Program
Elaine Atwood believes in the value of hard work, healthy food and the education she has received through the Sustainable Agriculture Program at Mesa Community College.
Atwood graduates this spring with two Associate in Applied Science degrees, one in Urban Horticulture and the other in Sustainable Agriculture. In fact, she’s one of the first graduates of…
Nick Magel, who composed all of the music for Antigone, Mesa Community College’s first feature film, will always be amazed at his successful accomplishments.
“Me composing music for Antigone really exemplifies the ‘throw the students into the fire and watch them do miraculous things’ nature of the training at MCC Theatre and Film Arts,” Magel said. “The faculty here are really good at…
Mesa Community College graduate Riley Weathersbee, age 19, said she would not feel as passionate and confident in her line of work without the college. She believes MCC is the best choice to start a journalism degree.
Starting at Chandler-Gilbert Community College, Weathersbee found out that MCC had the journalism classes needed to complete her degree. She enrolled at both schools,…
It’s been a long journey, but when Mesa Community College graduate Dawn McCumber, 50, walks across the stage to accept her degree this month, her daughter, MCC graduate Kiera Cowan, 24, will be accepting her own degree.
It took McCumber six years to complete her Associate in General Studies degree. She finished it in 2021 but couldn’t walk due to COVID restrictions. So, she and her…
Mesa Community College (MCC) has been an important part of Robert Rangel’s life for many years. Both of his parents, Ron and Tina Rangel, worked at the Southern and Dobson Campus most of his life. As a preschooler, Rangel attended the MCC Children’s Center.
“I remember the experience I had as a child exploring the campus,” said Rangel, who is now age 20 and a Tempe resident. “So, when…
Taylor Keeney is preparing to graduate from Mesa Community College this spring and plans to continue her education at Arizona State University, where she will pursue both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in social work over the next five years.
Keeney chose MCC for its accessibility and strong support systems, which helped make her educational goals attainable.…
First semester MCC Automotive Service student Charles Spencer is a third generation car enthusiast planning to follow his dad and grandfather into a career in the automotive industry. At 18 and barely out of high school, he was recently recognized by the national Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) for winning the Young Guns division of the Battle of the Builder competition at SEMA’s…
Journalism Student Finds Her Passion at MCC
Writing has always been a passion for Mesa Community College student Sydney Ritter. At a young age, Ritter, 19, had a pencil in her hand and was writing her own stories, even though she couldn’t spell most words. She grew up in a home where her father taught her that education was important and her mother pushed her to always do her best.
“I always wanted to write, but for years I didn…
MCC faculty encourages others to experience a world far beyond their own
Dennis Wilson, Ph.D., Mesa Community College Biology faculty, has traveled with MCC Study Abroad students into the wilds of Africa, the piazzas of Italy, and the jungles of Costa Rica, exploring amazing wildlife and breathtaking landscapes along the way.
Growing up in England, Wilson was mesmerized by the wildlife shows about Africa, but he was also troubled by the famines in Ethiopia…