"As I continue to expand my knowledge through higher education, I constantly reinforce the thought that community college was the right first step towards accomplishing my goals. Community college provides a variety of departments and staff that are focused on guiding and helping students. This more affordable alternative also provided an environment that encouraged me to continue learning."

"Studying at a community college has given me more opportunities to progress as a student since it allows me to be more involved and build a better connection with my professors. Additionally, with smaller class sizes, you are able to build more rapport with your classmates and will see them in future classes if you have similar majors. Finally, community college are more affordable than a traditional 4 year university,  while all offering a path to move to the university after graduation and the receiving of your associate's."

"Studying at a community college was the best decision for me. The financial affordability allowed me to pay for my entire schooling through scholarships and grants. The smaller class sizes helped with the transition from high school. One of my favorite parts about studying at a community college was getting involved on campus through clubs and employment. I have created amazing friendships with phenomenal people and experienced mentorships with passionate professors and staff. I will always advocate for community colleges and recommend them to my students in the future."

"Starting at a community college was one of the best decisions I've ever made in life. I received a lot in return financially, academically, and personally. The cost of classes and books was very convenient. I received more guidance and help from my professors compared to the ones at the UofA. As far as social life goes, I got involved in clubs and made numerous great friends. But I also learned how to collaborate with others when working on projects and other real world stuff. So basically AWC gave me opportunities that I didn't get in high school. I called it a new hope. Therefore, I recommend to any incoming college freshman to start at a community college and work their way up. It will be an easier transition from high school to college."

“Yavapai College has been absolutely unlike anything I ever expected. The connections, the number of professors with doctorate degrees who are so involved in student lives and dedicated to seeing their students succeed -- I would not have thrived as much as I have at another school or university,” Kari said, adding, “Yavapai College has pushed me to really go as far as I could go and I’m still going.”

I’ve wanted to be a nurse since I was a little girl and I traveled a lot of other paths to get here. This community college has been everything for me, as far as helping move me forward in a career I care about.

"EMCC helped me begin my journey. I never thought I would make it to a university. EMCC helped me by getting me started, getting scholarships to help pay for my classes, and helped me understand the steps I needed to take in order to transfer to Arizona State University. EMCC made that goal seem more accomplishable."

“Other colleges don’t have anything on Estrella Mountain Community College when it comes to the family environment, the community, giving students opportunities to grow and flourish, Estrella has that big time.”

“When my fiance found a new job in San Diego, I planned to transfer to a school in California, but after doing some research, I couldn’t find any schools remotely close to where I was going to be living that had even half of the curriculum that EMCC has. No schools had that National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense accreditation that I thought was so valuable. So there was every reason to put up with a nine-month separation while I finished my degree.”

“Estrella Mountain Community College taught me a lot about responsibility and really set me up for success when I went on to get my Bachelor’s Degree at Northern Arizona University. My internships at EMCC were amazing because I got to live and breathe and see what different positions do and that really helped set me up for a profession in law enforcement.”

Nelda Achee, mother of three, grandmother of seven, served in the U.S. Coast Guard for 21 years, retiring as a Chief Petty Officer. She decided to use the G.I. Bill to go to Coconino Community College and study business. She wants to bring her expertise back home, particularly to serve veterans. “Right now, I do a lot of things with the veterans already,” she said. She is the commander at the Shonto Chapter, secretary and treasurer for the Western Navajo Agency and serves on the Advisory Council for the Office of the President and Vice President of the Navajo Nation.

CCC science student Shawna Greyeyes has the goal of continuing her studies at Northern Arizona University for a degree in Environmental Science. “I want to get my degree and go back to my community (Shonto) on the Navajo Nation to educate the youth about the environment and how important it is while also helping with the land there,” she said, adding that her focus will be the effects of uranium mines, water quality and drought. Greyeyes, the first in her immediate family to go to college, gravitated toward the sciences at an early age. “It explains how the world works, in a way, and that appeals to me,” she said.

Page resident Lacey Nez knew she wanted to go into a law enforcement career after a field trip to the Arizona Law Enforcement Academy in Phoenix. “It really changed the way I thought about law enforcement,” Nez said. A mother of three, Nez is on her way to her goal of being a forensic psychologist. Currently, she’s studying Administration of Justice at CCC and plans on completing her studies at Northern Arizona University. “I want to become a part of the law enforcement family,” she said. “As of right now, I am aiming at becoming an officer, which would help me in my future career of becoming a psychologist.”