The Maricopa County Community College District (MCCCD) is proud to announce that it has reached a historic milestone and a new era by awarding Arizona’s first-ever community college four-year Baccalaureate Degrees during the 2024 commencement season. Each of its ten colleges held commencement ceremonies to celebrate the academic achievements of over 10,000* graduates. In another historic first, Mesa Community College (MCC) was honored to welcome the First Lady of the United States, Dr. Jill Biden, as its keynote speaker during the commencement ceremony held on Saturday, May 11, 2024.
This marks Dr. Biden’s third visit to support initiatives and events connected with Maricopa Community Colleges, with ten colleges and 31 satellite locations strategically located throughout the Valley. In 2023, Dr. Biden joined MCC to support the Mesa College Promise program, and in 2009, as the Second Lady of the United States, she visited GateWay Community College. In addition to Dr. Biden, elected officials attending commencement ceremonies across the system included Representative Lorena Austin, Mesa Mayor John Giles, Chandler Mayor Kevin Hartke, and Gilbert Mayor Brigette Peterson.
“On behalf of the Maricopa Community College Governing Board, we are thrilled and grateful to highlight our students at these historic commencement ceremonies and watch them take the next step in their professional career,” Governing Board President Susan Bitter Smith said. “We are deeply honored to have First Lady, Dr. Jill Biden with us to celebrate these graduates and appreciate her leadership for community colleges around the United States,” President Bitter Smith continued. “This honor is a testament to the dedication and hard work of our faculty and staff ensuring these young leaders were provided the most affordable and competitive skills necessary to start the next chapter of their lives.”
Listed in alphabetical order are the first recipients of Maricopa Community Colleges Baccalaureate Degrees, which include two students from Rio Salado College (Rio Salado) and four students from South Mountain Community College (SMCC).
- Noah Matthew Cook, Behavioral Sciences (BS), SMCC, with an anticipated term of completion of Summer 2024
- Rheanan Heller, Public Safety Administration (BAS), Rio Salado, with an anticipated term of completion of Summer 2024
- Amanda Jansen, Public Safety Administration (BAS), Rio Salado, with an anticipated term of completion of Spring 2024
- Taylor Janae Logan, Behavioral Sciences (BS), SMCC, with an anticipated term of completion of Spring 2024
- Diana Torres, Behavioral Sciences (BS), SMCC, with an anticipated term of completion of Summer 2024
- Marissa E. Wright, Behavioral Sciences (BS), SMCC, with an anticipated term of completion of Summer 2024.
“This commencement season has been one for the history books, as we welcome U.S. First Lady, Dr. Jill Biden, to celebrate the academic excellence of the Class of 2024,” said Dr. Steven R. Gonzales, MCCCD Chancellor. “We are immensely proud of the achievements made by students across our system, including our six graduates who have made history by receiving Arizona’s first community college bachelor’s degrees. The dedicated work of our faculty, staff, and administrators has the power to transform a student's life—consistently upholding the community college promise of delivering accessible, equitable higher education to the diverse communities we serve.”
The journey toward offering bachelor’s degrees at Maricopa Community Colleges began when SB1453, a landmark legislation that allowed Arizona’s community colleges to offer limited four-year degrees, was signed into law by Governor Ducey in 2021. In spring 2023, students attending Maricopa Community Colleges were able to register for 300- and 400-level courses for the initial seven high-impact, high-demand, and high-wage bachelor’s degree programs. These upper-level courses officially began in the fall of 2023, and since then, over 3,000 students have actively enrolled in classes, eager to pursue their bachelor’s degrees at one-third of the cost of Arizona’s in-state universities.
As Arizona’s largest workforce development provider, MCCCD alumni currently employed in Maricopa County’s workforce amounted to $6.4 billion in added income according to an economic impact study conducted by Lightcast for the fiscal year 2021-22. With ten colleges and unlimited opportunities, Maricopa Community Colleges remains steadfast in its commitment to people over profits, offering over 600 certificate and degree programs, including bachelor’s degrees. Maricopa Community Colleges ensures access to affordable, high-quality, postsecondary education is within reach for everyone. Learn more at Maricopa.edu.
*Commencements and convocations are optional, and some students do not participate. Total number of graduates reflects the total awards for the 2023-24 academic year through the fall semester and a projected number based on applications for the spring semester.