When Sam decided to go back to school, she quickly realized that an onsite college experience would be nearly impossible for her. With her spouse in the military at the time, they moved frequently around the US, so the search was on to find an online school where she could receive an excellent college education at an affordable cost.
Sam selected MCC – though she didn’t reside in Arizona – and became a fully online student in 2016. Since then, her academic career has been nothing short of stellar, maintaining a 4.0 GPA for 5 years. Quickly distinguishing herself by becoming an honors student who made the president’s list every semester since 2016, and received two scholarships throughout her time at MCC. Sam was inducted into Psi Beta, a national honors society for psychology, her field of study, and Phi Theta Kappa, a prestigious honors society that recognizes academic excellence in two-year colleges.
While campus sports, clubs, and activities were out of the question, Sam attended virtual meetings of the Psi Beta Club. “It helped me gain a sense of community. I attend those meetings to this day,” she pointed out. She graduated MCC with an Associate of Arts with highest distinction and an Arizona General education certificate with highest distinction in 2020.
“When I started at MCC, I had no idea what I wanted to do after college because I had been out of school since I graduated at 16,” she said. “I was nervous to start school again.” Her professors quickly put her at ease. “The faculty member who had the most significant impact on me was Dr. Derek Borman. He created detailed video lectures that helped me succeed in a higher-level psychology course that I was a bit nervous about taking. His affability and profound dedication to both the field of psychology and the art of teaching was evident in every interaction I had with him.”
After completing her associates degree at MCC, Sam was able to transfer to the University of Northern Colorado. She continued to maintain a 4.0 GPA and received 4 commendations and awards there, including a full scholarship through the Stryker Institute for Leadership Development. Almost all of her MCC courses transferred seamlessly to UNC, so she only had to complete one year of courses there to graduate with a bachelor’s degree in May 2022. “The ability to complete three-quarters of my bachelor’s degree at MCC saved me so much time and money,” she adds. “It was a great experience to be able to continue my courses as we continued to move around the country."
In 2022, Sam was accepted into a prestigious APA-accredited PsyD program in the Pacific Northwest, and is currently a full time student there. She will fulfill her goal of becoming a Doctor of Clinical Psychology in 2028. “Ten years ago, I would have never imagined I would become a doctor. I am the first in my family to go to graduate school, and I’m so grateful to have found my passion for serving others through the study of psychology.”
She points out that the courses she took at MCC and the guidance of her professors helped her find this route and confirmed that it was the right choice. “I have gained so much confidence and knowledge that I will carry with me as I continue my journey,” Sam said. “What I achieved during my time at MCC was so rewarding and I will always appreciate my time there. Since then, I have not only achieved my original educational goals, but I was inspired to dream bigger than I ever had before. I want to say thank you to my professors and the staff that helped me every step of the way!”