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Photo illustration Eric Pajaka and Rebecca Straughmatt Mesa Legend
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| Red Mountain has much to offer to students of the East Valley. The campus has many amenities such as ample parking and small class sizes, but also offers all of the same services as the Southern and Dobson campus. It also offers students a more personal, even family oriented, academic atmosphere. |
A student's how-to guide for self-promotion
Zahid Arab
Mesa Legend
The fall of 2001 marked the opening of Mesa Community College’s multi-million dollar Red Mountain campus with the concept of “One College — Two Campuses”.
Although many first think of the Southern and Dobson campus when one mentions MCC, this trend has changed as more and more students are utilizing the hidden treasures that lie within the Red Mountain campus.
Students who attend the East Mesa site appreciate the various luxuries that Red Mountain has to offer. Bioengineering student, Greg Crane agrees, drawn to the campus for its many accommodating qualities. “Red Mountain is a very modern campus,” he said, “ it features top notch technology that is accessible and user friendly with the ‘small town’ feel.”
In addition to state of the art equipment, students can also enjoy the benefits of having a multitude of services at their fingertips. The “one-stop enrollment service” provides such services as admissions, assessment, advisement, financial aid, and cashier services, in one building; contrary to the Southern and Dobson campus, where students must walk to four separate buildings to complete these steps — cashier services being a walk of nearly 100 yards in the scorching heat.
Besides not breaking a sweat paying for classes, the ample parking that Red Mountain offers allows students to avoid the parking lot chaos that occurs each day at the Southern and Dobson campus. Although enrollment has jumped to approximately 3,900 students this fall, the cozy family environment has remained intact.
At this time, students are able to obtain all of the course work to earn an associate of arts or associate of general studies degree at Red Mountain. However, to earn an associate of applied science degree, students would have to take some of their course work at another site or campus. In most cases, they are able to obtain all of their general education courses for an AAS degree at Red Mountain, according to Jo Wilson, Acting Associate Dean of Instruction/Director of Red Mountain campus.
Students who wish to fulfill their general education requirements may do so, although class selection in some areas may be limited compared to the Southern and Dobson campus. However, the possibility does exist for students to only attend the Red Mountain campus for their first two years of college. Although students may be limited in some aspects, Wilson stresses the academic integrity of the campus saying, “The Red Mountain Campus provides the East Valley residents with access to a comprehensive college with the same quality of education and services offered at the Southern and Dobson campus of MCC.”
Another highlight of the campus is the weekend classes offered. For an eight-week session, students can chose from as many as 10 courses offered either on Friday night or Saturdays in the morning and afternoon.
Students also have the option to complete one or more classes in an eight-week session by only attending class one or two days per week, depending on how many classes are taken, said Jesse DeAnda, Senior Associate Dean.
Among the many extraordinary facets of Red Mountain is the Student Life Center. Program Advisor Alison Whiting, who oversees much of the student activities on campus, says participation in club activities has grown tremendously. Over the last year, club organizations such as the Latter Day Saints Student Association or LDSSA, Campus Crusade for Christ, Arizona Outdoor Adventure Club and Spanish Honor Society Sigma Delta Mu have become active. Activities once only held at the Southern and Dobson campus have now branched out to accommodate Red Mountain as well. From Clubs Carnival to Homecoming, both campuses are exposed to various ways to engage students in extracurricular activities. “ Red Mountain has all of the services and amenities of a large campus with the benefits of a family atmosphere,” says Whiting, who also cites other services that are provided, such as Job Inquiry, Service Learning and Legal Services.
MCC at Red Mountain extends over 98-acres, leaving plenty of room for expansion. Expansion plans may include the to initiation of possible programs that would make use of the desert land, like a daycare, if the demand exists, said DeAnda.
The design of the campus is unique and unparalleled compared to other colleges in the state. Crane, who spends much of his week on campus, agrees, professing how “ The colors of the buildings and landscape has its own way of creating a relaxing setting.” The desert highland has become an attraction to photographers around the Valley, DeAnda said.
Photographers enjoy the sunsets behind the buildings. Some of these photos are displayed both at Red Mountain and in the Kirk Student Center at the Southern and Dobson campus.
Although MCC at Red Mountain offers a vast amount of qualities to students, many still prefer the hustle and bustle of the larger Southern and Dobson campus, including Public Relations major, Paul Michael Mills, who enjoys attending class with a variety of people. “I prefer the Southern and Dobson campus because it is more of a melting pot of students,” he stresses, “and more importantly it’s closer to home and basically everything.”
Although the Red Mountain campus may not be for everyone, it has evolved into an oasis of prosperity for students and is constantly improving to help make MCC make its mark as one college with two outstanding campuses.
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