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As you read this, Yavapai College students will be in the home stretch of the Spring 2015 semester, and hundreds of them will be preparing to receive degrees and/or certificates at ceremonies in May, as noted on page 3 of this issue. If there’s a common theme to our students’ stories, it’s that they’ve overcome obstacles with the help of others—“others” such as the many generous donors who fund scholarships through the Yavapai College Foundation.
If you’ve ever wondered if such donations make a difference, please look at page 10 of this issue to read what some of the scholarship recipients have to say. Then watch the related video that is posted on the Foundation web page (www.yc.edu/foundation). Bring tissue.
Adding detail to the canvas are some interesting facts about our students:
Looking ahead, we have four new certificate programs that promise to serve both the education and economic needs of Yavapai County residents: Culinary Arts Fundamentals, Hotel and Restaurant Management, Enology, and Integrated Systems Engineering Technician. All are scheduled to
start in the Fall 2015 semester, and the first three will be administered from the College’s Verde Valley Campus in Clarkdale. Integrated Systems Engineering Technician, because of its technology and equipment requirements, will be based at the College’s Career and Technical Education Center (CTEC) near the Prescott airport. The District Governing Board has also approved new certificate programs in bookkeeping, advanced bookkeeping, and basic tax. Yes, we’ve been busy.
Meanwhile, the preliminary state budget that
Gov. Ducey introduced promises to lower Yavapai College’s State support to less than 1% of our
total budget. In response to previous reductions
in State support, Yavapai College has reduced its operating costs, which are below the national average community college cost per student. Despite these cuts, we have remained good stewards of taxpayers’ dollars with a rigorous preventive maintenance program that extends the life of our facilities
and lowers taxpayers’ total costs of ownership. Nonetheless, we may have to consider other ways
of increasing revenue for FY 2016 in order to meet residents’ education, economic, and cultural needs while maintaining a balanced budget.
Through it all, we hold a special place in our hearts and our thoughts for those who go above and beyond to help our students. To echo their words, “Thank you.”
Penelope H. Wills, Ph.D. Yavapai College President
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79% report that Yavapai College was their first choice for college.
67% of our full-time/first-time degree/certificate- seeking students receive some form of financial aid.
79% of YC students attend part-time.
The average age of YC for-credit students (i.e., not counting OLLI and Community Ed students) is 36; by comparison, the average student age at community colleges nationwide is 28.
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• www.yc.edu/ycf