MOHAVE COUNTY – Engineers invent, design and build things to solve problems, and Mohave Community College is the place where future engineers can get started.
Students studying engineering at MCC get hands-on experience by practicing with micro-computers, 3-D printers, an acoustic tractor beam, wind generators, a cell phone-controlled robot and more.
“Engineering is for people who have one of two skills, math or creativity,” said Engineering Instructor Dr. Russell Cox. “If someone lacks one of those skills then they have the chance to learn it in college. Obtaining those two skills is what will make them thrive as an engineer.”
Engineers have the opportunity to work many different industries. The average annual income for engineers is $91,000, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor statistics.
The college offers an Associate of Engineering degree that is designed to get students on an affordable path to a lucrative career. The associate degree will transfer to a university where the student can finish their bachelor’s degree. By starting first at MCC and finishing at a university, the student can save up to $30,000 on tuition, room and board.
Dr. Cox said MCC engineering class sizes are small, which allows for a lot of individual instructional time for the students.
Students in the program take a trip every semester to Arizona State University to see the opportunities ASU offers its engineering students. The MCC and ASU partnership also includes a unique scholarship opportunity.
The college engineering students can apply for the Academic Success and Professional Development Scholarship, which could cover the entire cost of their associate degree. The scholarship is made possible by a grant through ASU and supported by the National Science Foundation.
The scholarship provides recipients with awards up to $6,000 spread over three semesters to help pay for tuition and fees at MCC.
Students who qualify for this scholarship must have completed one semester at MCC, have a 3.0 cumulative GPA, be a full-time student (12 or more credit hours), demonstrate financial need, FASFA submitted, and be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen.
