Rio Salado's Student Services Add to Student, Graduate Success!

Graduating from college is a major accomplishment. It marks a new chapter in life as students transition to professionals. But before they join the workforce, the graduates need to go through the not so-fun process of resume writing and interviewing. For some graduates, resume writing and interviewing are not a problem. For others, it can be a daunting task.

For all graduates and current students, help is available. "Just because a student has graduated it doesn't mean the door at the college has closed behind them," said Melaine Abts, faculty chair of Counseling at Rio Salado College. "Our student services are open to current students and graduates to help them with every aspect of career planning."

Every day, Rio Salado's counselors help people set personal, educational and career goals. Counselors are on hand to help students when they are experiencing obstacles that are interfering with their academic performance such as: lack of motivation, relationship issues, study skills, test anxiety, time management and stress. Additionally, the counselors are available to students and graduates when they need assistance with job-search skills, resume writing and interview preparation.

"We want students and graduates to be successful, and that means helping them with their resumes and preparing them for interviews, too." Abts said. "The counseling services at Rio Salado College are an integral part of the total educational process, and this includes after graduating, too."

For current and future students, Rio Salado offers three classes, which are geared toward helping students choose the career path that is right for them. "Whether you're new to college or online learning, we'll give you tips on how to be a successful student," Abts said. "We help develop study plans, identifying learning styles, and set personal and academic goals."

The Career Exploration class focuses on current occupational trends and outlooks and is designed to assist students as they make informed career decisions. Learn more about Rio Salado College at http://www.riosalado.edu/.

Source:  Arizona Republic (November 2010).

Communiversity Gets Involved in New Economic Development Committee

As part of the Arizona Artists Guild's fall exhibition, which attracted 85 artists from 17 Arizona cities, an Award of Excellence went to Lawrence Carter, of Sun City West, and a Merit Award went to Jean Dibner, also of Sun City West. A Merchant's Award went to Woodard Mackie, of Surprise. The Surprise Regional Chamber of Commerce will be making economic development one of its key areas of focus over the next year having just entered a multiyear service agreement with the city of Surprise.


The new economic development committee will be guiding the chamber's activities as it begins to play a more significant role in aiding its five constituent communities in growing the region's economic activity. The committee is made up of the following individuals: Bill Pupo, former city of Surprise City Manager, currently of Bill Pupo Consulting and chairman of the committee; Scott Phillips, vice president of Carefree Partners; Joe LaRue, president and CEO of Sun Health; John Harrington, CEO of Banner Del Webb Medical Center; Latonya Finch, regional manager of economic development for BNSF Railway; Todd Hornback, director of community life at DMB Associates; Dr. Todd Aakhus, director of Rio Salado Community College/Communiversity at Surprise; and Rich Marchant, vice president of operations for Crescent Crown Distributing.

For more information on the Surprise Regional Chamber of Commerce Economic Committee, contact David Moss at 623-583-0692. Information about the Communiversity @ Surprise, go to www.azcommuniversity.com.

Source: Sun City Independent Newspaper