Jerod Focht is a hands-on type of student, however, when the pandemic hit during the end of his senior year of high school, many of his classes were online. He was accepted at Texas A&M and planned to study Biological and Agricultural Engineering, and he still does, but he realized many of his classes would be online, so he decided to change his plans.
Focht enrolled in the welding program at Mesa Community College (MCC). He’s been interested in welding since high school. What intrigued him was that he’d still be able to get out of the house. His welding classes were in-person and his general education courses were online.
Although the pandemic changed his education plans, it certainly did not slow him down. An archer since high school, Focht represented MCC at the 53rd USA Archery Indoor Nationals tournament January 29 and 30 in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Although MCC does not have an official archery team, Focht contacted MCC athletics director John Mulhern and asked to represent MCC in the collegiate competitions. “As far as I know I’m the only archer on campus,” he says. “I shoot an Olympic Recurve bow and I came in first for Collegiate and second for my age group for the region. Overall, I ended up 54th in the nation for my age group and 27th for Collegiate archers.”
Focht also joined the honor society, Phi Theta Kappa (PTK), Omicron Beta Chapter. But he didn’t just join, he became the president. He’s involved in two upcoming projects. The first is a kindness rock painting event. “It’s a get together for students to hang out and paint kind messages on river rocks to spread around campus for other students and staff to find and give them a positive message, especially the week before finals.”
Another project PTK and Focht are working on is helping the Diaper Bank of Central Arizona collect women’s hygiene products. “I gave this project to a member in order to incorporate the members of PTK into an initiative to help the community,” he says. Collections boxes will be set up on campus to collect donations for women in need, he added.
Focht will graduate with an Associate in Applied Science in Welding. “My favorite experiences of being a student at MCC so far has been the ability to delve deeper into my career field and meet industry professionals,” he said. “The welding program allowed me to practice my craft and learn new skills that I previously did not have, such as learning to use new welding processes and techniques. This will allow me to be more competitive in the job market once I am out of school.”
Next, Focht plans to transfer to Texas A&M University to study Biological and Agricultural Engineering. He wants to work for a large tractor company in design and research development and design tractors to use less fuel. But before he graduates, there’s one more thing on Focht’s to-do-list. He will lead the students at graduation, he’s the student marshal, an honor bestowed as a result of his leadership role within PTK.