MOHAVE COUNTY – Nearly 550 students will graduate from Mohave Community College and are preparing for the next step in their educational journey or their career.
Many graduates will continue their education by transferring to MCC’s university partners to complete their bachelor’s degree.
Among the graduates, five of them are 2020 All Arizona Academic Team members and will be transferring to state universities where they will work toward their bachelor’s degree. Their recognition as academic team members for MCC also means tuition for them is waived at the state’s three public universities.
The team members are Taschia Salas, a nursing student, Christina Henslee, a general studies student, Jennifer Jaimes Gomez, an elementary education major, Jimi Hammond, a social and behavior science major and Kyran Benedict Soriano, a mathematics student.
MCC 2020 Student Speaker Erika Hiestand, was a 2019 All Arizona Academic Team member. Hiestand is a Physical Therapist Assistant student and is continuing her education to earn a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology at Arizona State University.
She decided to attend MCC because of the great program, affordable tuition, smaller class sizes and the one-on-one attention between students and instructors.
“I have learned professionalism in the workforce and academic setting. I have also learned that it’s possible to get an amazing education with smaller class sizes and affordable tuition rates,” Hiestand said.
After high school she decided to attend college because she knew she wanted to work in health care and thought MCC’s Physical Therapist Assist. program was the right place to “get her feet wet.”
“Ultimately choosing to move on to higher education has been very rewarding and has truly shown me the passion I have for physical therapy and helping people in need,” Hiestand said.
Physical Therapy Assisting is one of many MCC Allied Health programs. Others include Dental Hygiene, Dental Assisting, EMS-Paramedic, Medical Assisting, Healthcare Information Technician, Registered Nursing, Nursing Assistant, Practical Nursing and Radiologic Technology.
Among the graduates, many will earn degrees r certificates from the Allied Health programs and Career and Technical Education programs, which focus on teaching students the skills needed to land good paying local jobs.
CTE programs prepare student for careers that require specific technical skills. CTE programs at MCC are Auto Collision Repair, Auto Service Technology, Computer Information Systems, Culinary Arts, and Truck Driving.
MCC’s online recognition ceremony will premiere at 3:00 p.m. May 15 on its Facebook page (www.Facebook.com/MohaveCC) and YouTube Channel (www.YouTube.com/MohaveCCVideos).
The college is currently enrolling students in summer and fall semesters. Applying at MCC is free and can be done online at www.Mohave.edu, and anyone needing assistance can call 1-866-MOHAVECC, or 866-664-2832.