Rheanan Heller
Michelle Meadows
Alivia Proctor
By Mira Radovich, Senior Contributing Writer
Rio Salado College’s 2024 commencement ceremony is one for the history books.
Bachelor’s or Bust
Rio students Rheanan Heller and Amanda Jansen are among the first graduates to earn bachelor’s degrees through the Maricopa Community Colleges following legislative approval in 2021 allowing community colleges to confer four-year degrees.
Heller, 24, a paralegal, new mother, and newlywed, was the first bachelor’s degree candidate to walk the stage at the commencement ceremony on May 2, 2024, at the Arizona Financial Theater in Phoenix. She completed a Bachelor of Applied Science in Public Safety Administration.
“No one in this day and age is able to put everything on hold to go back to school,” Heller said in an interview with AZFamily. “What they can do is set aside some time between working hours and on the weekends while they are also being a mom, a wife, a dad, or a husband.”
“It feels amazing and a long time coming,” Heller said. “I am definitely excited to walk the stage as one of the first to get a bachelor’s degree from the Maricopa College District.”
There are more than 2,800 students enrolled in bachelor’s programs across the 10 colleges that make up the Maricopa County Community College District. Six students - including Heller and Jansen - are receiving their degrees this year.
Graduating Class Overview
For the 2023-24 academic year, Rio Salado College graduates earned:
- 3,061 Certificates of completion
- 688 Associate degrees
- 138 Post-baccalaureate Teacher-in-Residence certificates
- 45 Academic certificates
- 22 Traditional post-baccalaureate teacher certifications
- 2 Bachelor’s degrees
Student speaker Michelle Meadows touched on the eclectic mix of Rio Salado College graduates in her commencement speech.
“When I look out into this crowd I see an incredibly diverse group of students,” Meadows said. “There’s no stereotype that fits us. We come from places all over the world. We’re different ages and races, but we’re all bound together by our hard work.”
She recounted her personal struggles, and how she decided to forgo an education to raise her two daughters.
“I decided that watching them grow and succeed would be enough for me,” Meadows said. “School wasn’t part of my plan for many years.”
When the pandemic hit, Meadows found herself restless and lonely.
“I was in need of a massive change,” Meadows said. “I started therapy, and eventually decided to try for a degree, even though I wasn’t sure this was something I could accomplish at almost age 40.”
She found her footing with online classes at Rio Salado.
“Going to Rio, I would learn I could do school at my own pace which was ideal for me,” Meadows said. “Today I graduate with an associate degree in history and have a goal to earn a justice studies degree.”
She enthusiastically encouraged future students to have the courage to explore their potential.
“Wherever you may be - in the audience, attending live online, or watching a recording months from now - if you want to better your opportunities, just try,” Meadows said. “Go back to school even if you think it sounds impossible. Have the fortitude to find your path and follow it through.”
It’s Cool to Dual
Continuing a recent tradition, hundreds of local high school seniors celebrated earning a college associate degree or certificate before receiving their high school diplomas.
Of the 688 Rio Salado associate degrees awarded in 2024, 303 were for dual enrollment high school students.
Rio partners with 47 area high schools to offer dual enrollment classes. High school students can earn college credits for classes taken at their school, while saving time and money. Classes are taught by qualified teachers using a college-level curriculum.
Mountain Pointe High School senior Alivia Proctor was one of this year’s dual enrollment graduates.
“I wanted to see how far I could go in earning college credits while I was in high school,” Proctor said. “I never realized how important this program was until my department head told me I would be starting university as a sophomore.”
For more images from commencement, visit our Facebook photo album.