Free and open to the public, the 140-acre Mesa Community College Arboretum was upgraded to Level II Accreditation by the ArbNet Arboretum Accreditation Program and The Morton Arboretum, for achieving particular standards of professional practices deemed important for arboreta and botanic gardens. Initially accredited in 2018, the MCC Arboretum, located at the Southern and Dobson Campus (1833 W. Southern Ave.), was the first in Arizona to be awarded the designation.

The arboretum is home to the Southwest Desert Plant and Sonoran Desert Plant sections, the Xeriscape Garden, Outback Arbor, Arizona Riparian Tree area, and the world renowned Rose Garden at Mesa Community College, the largest in the desert Southwest. Maintenance in the arboretum is performed by college grounds staff, volunteers, and subcontractors.
Some of the arboretum’s other achievements over the past year include:

• Recognition from the Arbor Day Foundation for the second consecutive year as a Tree Campus, awarded at the Arizona Arbor Day celebration at the State Capitol
• A $40,000 irrigation improvement grant from the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management to install new irrigation systems and upgrade existing ones
• Recruitment of more than 100 volunteers during six arboretum-sponsored events, essential for achieving the arboretum's goals like planting trees, maintaining the grounds, and improving the irrigation system
• 27 new trees planted by volunteers
• Creation of a second monarch butterfly waystation providing habitat and food for this endangered species in partnership with the Arboretum Committee and the Center for Civic and Community Engagement; and the dedication of two new waystation signs designed and built entirely by students

Visitors are welcome to explore it free of charge during regular school hours (6 a.m.-10 p.m.). An interactive online map may be viewed on any computer or mobile device.

The City of Mesa, MCC, and the Mesa-East Valley Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Committee (MLK) hosted an inaugural Juneteenth Celebration, Rooted in Resilience, on June 19, 2024, at the Southern and Dobson Campus. The free event was attended by approximately 300 community members. A brief program included a City of Mesa proclamation commemorating Juneteenth.

The theme of the event, Rooted in Resilience, embodies the strength, determination, and perseverance of Black communities throughout history, also acknowledging the challenges Black communities have overcome and the progress they continue to make. By embracing resilience, we honor the legacy of those who fought for freedom and justice while recognizing the ongoing struggles for equality and equity.

In 2016, Arizona became the 45th state to observe Juneteenth and declare it a holiday. In 2021, it became a federal holiday when President Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day into law.

The Halloween Extravaganza at the Red Mountain Campus, a safe alternative to house-to-house trick-or-treating, returned on Oct. 31, 2023 after a four year hiatus. More than 1,500 attendees participated in the festivities.

The Extravaganza featured themed booths hosted by student groups, departments, and classes. Treats and candy were donated by MCC employees.

The 2024 Extravaganza will again be held on Halloween, Oct. 31, 2024, at the MCC Red Mountain Campus.

Our biggest fan, Thor the Thunderbird, joined his mascot pals aboard the “Fiesta Bull” float during the VRBO Fiesta Bowl Parade.

Joining Thor were Cody the Coyote (Chandler-Gilbert Community College) and Bumstead the Bear (Phoenix College), Spirit (Fiesta Bowl), Sparky (Arizona State University), Thunder (Grand Canyon University), Big Red (Arizona Cardinals), and Baxter (Arizona Diamondbacks).

This was an incredible opportunity for MCC to be recognized in the community. Children, parents, and passersby chanted Thor’s name, and Thor pumped up the crowd during the entire parade route. He made sure everyone who asked got a picture, high-five or a wave.

Students from the MCC Disc Jockey program performed on the Mesa Mural stage during the Mesa Music Festival in April 2024.

Several students took center stage in group performances, featuring a diverse array of DJs, live vocalists, and visual artists. "The Mesa Music Festival represents a pivotal moment for our students to demonstrate their skills and passion for music entertainment," said James Gaspar, DJ team coordinator. "Through this immersive experience, our students gain valuable real-world training that prepares them for successful careers in the industry…These performances not only highlight the creativity and technical expertise of our students, but also serve as a testament to the program's dedication to nurturing emerging talent."

The MCC Associate in Applied Science in Disc Jockey Techniques is the only accredited program of its kind. The program provides students with the opportunity to earn degrees or certificates in DJ performance. Its innovative curriculum is designed to equip students with the skills and knowledge necessary to thrive in the dynamic world of music entertainment.

The Fashion Program hosted the Future of Fashion in April 2024, featuring more than 100 pieces prepared by MCC students in the program.

Several student designs were also presented on the runway of the Mesa Fashion Forward, a production by the Mesa Chamber of Commerce at Superstition Springs Mall (JC Penney Court).

The 2024 show, in addition to showcasing student’s creative talents, pattern-making and sewing skills, incorporated skills from the Fashion Show Production class and student volunteers from the Merchandising classes behind the scenes, providing valuable work experience for those planning for careers off the runway.

MCC offers degrees and certificates in Fashion Design and Fashion Merchandising.

As part of its Evening Lecture series, the MCC Psychology Department presented John Bul Dau, one of the Lost Boys of Sudan, in April 2024 at the Performing Arts Center. The lecture, titled “Finding Hope in Adversity,” was based on Dau’s experiences from surviving war atrocities and famine, to earning a degree from university, then going on to found a nonprofit and become an inspirational speaker. Dau continues to celebrate the power we all have to persevere through challenges we may face. Dau shared his message of hope and resilience: “There have been many impossible situations in my life, but I keep trying. My family in Sudan thought I was dead and I feared they were dead, but 20 years later, we were reunited. You can’t give up.”

Author of the memoir, “God Grew Tired of Us” and featured in the award-winning documentary of the same title, Dau has received many prestigious awards including the National Geographic Emerging Explorers Award; a Volvo for Life finalist in the Quality of Life category which carried a financial contribution to the John Dau Foundation; a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader for 2008; and, together with former Secretary of State, Gen. Colin Powell, he received a Most Caring Award from the Caring Institute. Through the John Dau Foundation: Saving Lives in South Sudan, he has raised more than $6 million to build and run Duk Lost Boys Clinic and 10 other clinics in his home village of Duk Payuel and Jonglei State, South Sudan.

This presentation was funded through the Maricopa Behavioral Health Grant (HB2691), a sponsorship by the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System and the Maricopa County Community College District.

Mesa celebrated its first anniversary as an International City of Peace at MCC’s Rose Garden in September 2023. The city joins a list of more than 400 cities worldwide designated as an “International City of Peace.”

In 1981, the United Nations General Assembly declared September 21 as the day devoted to strengthening the ideals of peace, a call-to-action that recognizes individual and collective responsibility to foster peace. The first MCC Peace Pole was dedicated on the Southern and Dobson campus in 2013. According to the International Cities of Peace website, the City of Mesa’s mission is, “To create a community that is caring, compassionate, respectful, inclusive and equipped to serve its citizens, the surrounding communities, and the world.”

Speakers included City of Mesa Vice Mayor Francisco Heredia; Kevin Pitts, Rotary District 5495 District Governor; D.L. White, author and educator; Dr. Ruth Tan Lim, pediatrician, Homeopathic MD, veteran of Desert Storm, Rotarian, and Mesa Woman of the Year 2011; and City of Mesa Councilmember Jenn Duff, District 4. Soo-San Stevens-Clarke, Chandler Horizon Rotary Club, led the rededication of the Peace Pole ceremony by facing east, north, west, and south and saying in each direction, “May Peace be in our homes! May peace be in our schools! May peace be in our community! May peace prevail on Earth!”

The finale was communicated in sign language by Karen Palmieri; in Chinese by Dr. Ruth Tan Lim; Hebrew by Dr. Mittman; Spanish by Zarco Guerrero; Greek by Christos Chronis; German and Luganda by Dame Precious Namazzi; and Arabic by Aeda Alkindi. 

The International Cities of Peace organization’s goal is to designate 1,000 Cities of Peace by the year 2030.

For more than 30 years, the community has joined MCC for Empty Bowls, an event that helps combat food insecurity. For a donation of $10, attendees receive a handcrafted, one-of-a-kind ceramic bowl and a meal of soup and bread donated by local restaurants.

Over the past 30 years, MCC’s Art Department has collaborated with local artists, organizations, and businesses to host Empty Bowls. This event has raised more than $140,000 for the Paz De Cristo Community Center, a nonprofit providing support for the East Valley’s various underserved communities, including the unsheltered, unemployed, and working poor and their families.

Sponsors for the fall 2023 event included: Laguna Clay, Mesa Arts Center, MCC Art Department, New Frontiers for Lifelong Learning, Pita Jungle, Red White & Brew, Dobson High School, and Desert Ridge High School.

MCC Empty Bowls 2024 will be held at the Red Mountain Campus on Nov. 5 and at the Southern and Dobson Campus on Nov. 13. Each event will run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.