Mesa Community College Visit Report

AET 55512/9/13

Brooke AmickPatricia Blanton

Founding of Mesa Community College (MCC)

• MCC was founded in 1965• It is part of the Maricopa Community College

District (MCCD)– MCCD was founded in 1962– Now boasts 10 colleges in total

• Mesa Community College was founded shortly after the creation of the MCCD and was a part of addressing the original need which led to the establishment of our community college system.

("Mesa Community College", 2013)

Campus Layout & Ease of Navigation

• 2 Main campus locations– Dobson & Hwy 60 Campus (Main Campus)– Power Rd & McKellips Campus (Newer, Smaller Campus)

• Large open campuses• Parking on the perimeters • Registration, Advisement, Placement Testing, and many

other student services available at both locations – Impressive to have so many services at the smaller site– Buildings are easy to find and well labeled– Website has interactive maps giving information on each

location on both campuses("Mesa Community College", 2013)

Admission & Registration

• Step-by-Step Instructions and Checklists• Can be done in person or online– Some aspects such as taking placement tests

require a trip on campus• Advisement is easily available– In-person (both walk-in and by appointment)– By phone– Via Email

("Mesa Community College", 2013)

Admission & Registration Checklist Steps:

1. Welcome

2. Explore Programs

3. Pre-financial Planning

4. Create Student Account

5. Be Admitted to MCC

6. Fill out your FAFSA

7. Take Placement Tests

8. Seek Academic Advisement("Mesa Community College", 2013)

9. Obtain Financial Aid & Scholarships

10. Register for Classes

11. Register for Orientation

12. Pay Tuition & Fees

13. Set Up Your Student Email

14. Buy or Rent Textbooks

15. Get Your Student ID Card

16. Attend Your First Class

Student Population

Gender:• Female 50.7%• Male 48%• Undeclared 1.3%

Ethnicity:• White 53.7%• Hispanic 20.5%• Black /African Amer 7.4%• Asian 5.2%• Native Amer 4.1%• Not specified 8%

("Mesa Community College", 2013)

Age:• 15-19 = 26.4%• 20-24 = 33.3 %• 25-29 = 15.4%• 30-39 = 13.3%• 40-49 = 6.6%• 50-59 = 3.7%• 60+ = 1.2%• Undeclared = 0.2%

Academic Load:• Full-time 32%• Part-time 68%

Student Services

• Graduation • Children’s Center

– Child care for parent-college students

• Disability Services• Veteran Services• International Education• EARS – Early Alert Referral

System• American Indian Center• ESL Support Services• Early College Programs

• Multicultural Affairs• Tutoring• Counseling• Academic Advisement• Career & Re-Entry Services• Library & Librarian Assistance • HelpCenter

– Technical Support• Financial Aid Office• Bookstore• Security

("Mesa Community College", 2013)

Degrees and Certificates

• More than 180 areas of study• Degree check sheets available to keep

students on track with their course progression

• MCC prides itself as a transfer school and the majority of degrees from MCC transfer to the three state universities

("Mesa Community College", 2013)

Transferability

• Information regarding the transferability of degrees at MCC is easily found– One of the main section headings on the home

page of the school’s website is “Prepare to Transfer”

• List of 41 Partnerships Universities & Colleges– The schools listed are university partners who will

accept credits earned at MCC– Includes all three state universities as well as many

out of state colleges and universities("Mesa Community College", 2013)

Modalities• On Campus– MCC Southern & Dobson Campus– MCC Red Mountain Campus– MCC Downtown Center– Phoenix Mesa Gateway Center

• Online – 35 online degree & certificate programs

• Hybrid– Students can take both online and ground courses to

meet their program requirements("Mesa Community College", 2013)

Online Support Services

• Online Orientation

• HelpCenter

• Online Tutoring

• Online Library Resources

• Video Training in Canvas, MCC's Learning Management System

("Mesa Community College", 2013)

Community Relationships & Partnerships

• According to "Mesa Community College" (2013), "Commission on Excellence in Education – “was formed to act as a liaison and to foster open communication between the local business community and the community college (Partnerships). ”– Commission is made up of representatives from

the community to help advise college leaders("Mesa Community College", 2013)

Other Information• Website: http://www.mesacc.edu/• MCC is the largest of the 10 Maricopa Community

Colleges• Average class size at MCC is 22 students

("Mesa Community College", 2013)

• Mission Statement: – According to "Mesa Community College" (2013), “MCC excels

in teaching, learning, and empowering individuals to succeed in our local and global community. We serve as a resource for college and career readiness, transfer education, workforce development, and life-long learning (Mission Statement).”

Conclusion• With it’s size, available services, and economical

community college tuition and fees it boasts many of the amenities of a 4-year university with the economical and support benefits of a community college.

• Very impressive array of student services and supports for students who are struggling, both academically and with the application/registration part of college attendance.

• As with most community colleges MCC will continue to expand it’s limited online selection of courses, making it an even more attractive educational choice.

References

Maricopa Community College District. (2013). About Maricopa Community College District. Retrieved from http://www.maricopa.edu/academic/AARO/Accreditation/About.html

Mesa Community College. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.mesacc.edu/