BizEDUCATION
Left to right - Lourdes Rivera, PCC Student Services Advanced Specialist, student Salena Ashton, Math Instructor Tal Sutton
Student Sabrina Cereceres
Student Tisha Cruz
Student Achievers
PCC Provides Opportunity Toward an Education It’s been nearly half a century since Pima Community College relocated some cacti and creosote bush west of Interstate 10 and built the original PCC West Campus on 267 acres near Speedway Boulevard and Anklam Road. In the intervening decades, thousands of students have passed through those portals and other locations throughout the community. These are the stories of three students who currently are making the most of their opportunity at Pima. Tisha Cruz
Though she’s too young to know about Rosie the Riveter, Tisha Cruz, a 2015 graduate of Sunnyside High School, is on her way to the title of Tisha the Welder. She is leaning toward a future in the field of creative arts worked into the world of welding when she graduates next May. “Welding will be the right career choice for me because I’ve watched other family members make businesses and careers out of it,” Cruz said. “I‘m just amazed at what you can create when you combine the science of welding with an artistic flair.” Already employed in the industry as an apprentice welder, and the only woman in the shop creating metalwork for the mining industry, she also finds time to be creative with welding projects for herself like making a new table top. 98 BizTucson
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Winter 2019
“Pima has treated me well. I’ve learned the world of welding, how to apply it in today’s world, and I’ve earned certificates in four different types of welding processes. I’m hopeful for a career in welding that will allow me time for some artistic expression on the side.” Selena Ashton
Selena Ashton is an older-than-usual college student who has walked the academic aisles before earning a previous bachelor’s degree in family studies. She is enrolled at Pima to build up math and science requirements so she can apply for graduate school at the University of Arizona to work toward a doctorate in physics or applied math. “Haven’t decided which yet, because I want to do both,” Ashton said. “Maybe I’ll end up doing mathematical physics where you focus more on the math side of physics rather than the science side.” In the interim, she’s enjoying the current learning. “As an older student, I’m much more serious about my studies. I chose to go to Pima for a couple of reasons – primarily because I knew the classes would be smaller and I’d have more one-on-one time with the teachers – and I’ve found that to be true.” Sabrina Cereceres
Sabrina Cereceres is one of those Energizer-Bunny students, balancing school and two jobs along with ex-
tracurricular and volunteer activities thrown into the mix. She’s got it all under control. “My planner is color-coded so I can see my different obligations and my phone calendar is updated at all times,” she said. “With so many obligations, I’ve learned to concentrate on the task at hand. I plan every day to keep my schedule organized and my mind ready for upcoming events. But when I’m working on one thing, I’m not thinking about other to-dos – classes, jobs, events. I stay focused.” She had to reorient her focus moving from Ohio to Tucson and looking at the possibility of enrolling at the University of Arizona. For a variety of reasons, she was headed toward taking a year off from school, but her grandmother convinced her otherwise and she applied at Pima to pursue a liberal arts education. “They have knowledgeable instructors, lots of programs and classes to choose from, and are easily accessible because of their different campuses,” she said. “In nearly every class I’ve taken, I’ve connected with my professors in positive ways and they’ve helped me get to where I am today. Applying to Pima was definitely the right choice for me – educationally and personally. The experiences there have shaped my life and prepared me for my next steps.”
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PHOTOS: COURTESY PIMA COMMUNITY COLLEGE
By Lee Allen