College News

Jacquelina Reyes worked in corrections for 16 years, but her heart has always been to serve the Hispanic population in the medical field. With support from Arizona Career Pathways, Jacquelina is a Phoenix College (PC) Nursing Program student. “I know if I finish my nursing degree, I can help improve the lives of Hispanic people by communicating it’s good to go to a doctor,” she said. “In Hispanic culture, sometimes we don’t want to speak up because we’re embarrassed to ask questions, so I want to encourage this population to go from fearful to proactive because we’re all in it together to grow.”

Donna Gammage and Bryan Heckler are the fairy godparents many of us wished for as teenagers. Except they don't have a magic wand or indulge in fantasy. Their work as Job Developer and Lead Teacher in the Transitioning Learners to College (TLC) at Phoenix College (PC) is rooted in reality. Donna and Bryan provide special education students the needed life skills to become adults and the wrap-around support service for the college experience.

The sound of mariachi brings romping rhythms, lyrics of love and land, and respect for Mexico's natural and cultural heritage. The music celebrates the joys, struggles, and growth of the people. Though typically performed at baptisms, weddings, and holidays, live mariachi music delighted Phoenix College graduates and their families at the May 2023 Commencement , thanks to PC's––and Maricopa County Community College District's––first and only Mariachi ensemble, Osos del Valle.

Staff and faculty displayed excellence in the hours and days following convocation as they learned from each other in a new campus initiative, The Learning Sessions.

When Phoenix College (PC) Psychology faculty Dr. Debbie Webster heard MCCCD was selected to receive $6.8 million in federal funding from the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) to address behavioral health workforce shortages, she immediately stepped up as principal investigator for PC’s $1 million portion of the award. “I took this on for PC because I thought this was a great opportunity for our students. We need people in behavioral health. We’re excited to be a part of this.”

After Phoenix College (PC) Women’s Soccer claimed the NJCAA Division II national title at the champio­­­nship series in November 2022, a ring ceremony was held in Phoenix College’s Hacienda Room on Saturday, August 5, 2023 followed by a Women’s Soccer Alumni Exhibition game in Hoy stadium.

The historic passage of state legislation SB1453 in May of 2021, allowing community colleges to offer four-year bachelor's degree programs, has caught the attention of many, particularly the students flocking to sign up.

Three Phoenix College engineering students–Lorynn Garcia, Marco Portillo, and Michael Bittner–presented their research project on superhydrophobic surfaces at the 2023 New College Undergraduate Inquiry and Research Experience (NCUIRE) Symposium held at Arizona State University (ASU) on April 20, 2023.

Taking the stage of Bulpitt Auditorium to open the annual Phoenix College (PC) Fashion Show, Vie d’Ours Chique, musician Handsome Ron stepped out in gray bell-bottomed spandex with rainbow stripes down the side paired with a yellow and black blouse.

The roar of the crowd joined the thump of the electronic bass in a laser light show that followed the awarding of degrees to over 1,000 Phoenix College (PC) graduates with their families filling the Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum on Friday, May 12, 2023. As students streamed out of the coliseum in bright blue robes and caps flanked by PC faculty and administrators, many stopped to high-five, fist-bump, or hug a professor who nurtured their journey toward a college degree.

The Phoenix College (PC) Kodiak Robotics Team knows how to impress. A professional website: check. A polished twenty-page business proposal, complete. The Judge's award at the recent VEX U Robotic competition, Oh, yeah!

Tara Bethell, Human Resources (HR) professional for McKinney and Adjunct Faculty in the Phoenix College (PC) Business department, has been in HR for 18 years. Tara teaches the Wednesday night Management (MTG) 276, Personnel/Human Resources Management class, which is part of the Human Resources Certificate program, one of PC's Business Department's most popular programs.