Older students enjoy MCC experience
Frank Berta
Though 80 percent of the students at MCC are from 17 to 30 years old, the other 20 percent are in the “over 30” crowd. Of that group, 10 percent are 31 to 40 years old, six percent 41 to 50 and four percent over 50.Some of the older students decided to go back to school to accomplish a goal they abandoned years before: earning a college degree.
Such is the case of Patricia Ivey, a 60 plus student, who retired from a job with the state of New Mexico, before moving to Mesa in 2003.
She has been attending MCC part time since the spring semester of 2005, pursuing her Associates of the Arts in general studies.
“I’m retired, and I just want my associate’s degree, which I never got in the beginning,” Ivey said.
She said she loves the school and that everybody is really helpful.
She also said she thinks the teachers are great.
One of the goals of other older students is to keep their mind active, which is the why Antonio Lucero, 61, is coming back to school after working for SRP for over 30 years.
A Vietnam veteran, Lucero works with several non-profits, including the Veterans’ Upward Foundation.
At MCC, he works with disabilities resources taking notes for students who are unable to do so and helps disabled students get to their classes.
Jamie Spencer, 52, who has worked as a professional graphic designer, has two reasons for attending college.
His first is to keep up with the current changes and trends in the graphic design field, and his second goal is to get his AA in graphic design.
Spencer left school many years ago to pursue his career as a visual artist and musician, and eventually ended up working in the graphic arts field.
He currently attends both MCC and Phoenix College, and was the recipient of the Adobe Web Award for best website design in the 2008 fall student art show at MCC.
Spencer also works as a lab assistant, helping students with their computer problems.
Some older students fall into the continuing student category, such as Kee Rash, 58, who recently retired from the Arizona Republic after a 38 year career with the newspaper.
Rash has been a continuing student for many years both in the community college system, and at ASU. He likes to work on developing new skills and takes classes mainly in the arts.
Rash has also worked as a freelance artist over the years.
Rash feels comfortable around the younger students, saying, “I like being part of it. I like the tremendous mix of students, all ages and from everywhere…one of the really appealing parts of it is the mix.
