The month of May will be an important one for Asmera McNeace, 18, of Mesa. That’s when he will graduate from both high school and college.

McNeace was homeschooled and chose to attend MCC because it was close to his home.

He said he learned many things during his quest to complete his educational goals.

“There weren’t too many obstacles that I had to overcome during my education, but it did teach me many good lessons,” McNeace said. “I learned time management, commitment and perseverance.

“Time is one of those things that you will never get back, so being able to use time as efficiently as possible can be a great skill,” he added. “Regarding commitment, things in life will most likely become challenging at some point, so staying true to yourself and your goal is crucial. Without commitment, you can never truly become successful. Perseverance can go hand in hand with commitment. Perseverance is having the ability to keep doing something over and over, even when it's hard.”

McNeace said he had many days when he struggled. During those times, he relied upon his belief in God and his parents to help him get through the hard times. “My parents set me up to be very successful and they gave me everything I needed,” he explained.

He said he reminds himself of his goals and vision constantly.

“I know that life is going to be challenging,” McNeace said. “Challenges don’t make us who we are, it's how we react to them that makes us who we are. We should all look forward to challenges, because challenges make us stronger, better individuals.”

McNeace’s next career step is to join the United States Navy where he plans to earn his bachelor’s degree.

He said during his time on MCC’s Southern and Dobson campus, he met many excellent people and professors who wanted him to succeed.

“All the memories I made at MCC are things that I will keep with me. I would definitely recommend MCC to other students.”