Maricopa Community Colleges award first bachelor’s degrees. More 4-year programs are coming

Rheanan Heller walked across the stage last week during an especially celebratory graduation season for several Maricopa Community College students.

Heller, 24, was the very first graduate from the community college system walking the stage to receive a bachelor’s degree after a decades-long effort to ensure their availability for community college students in the Valley. More than 2,800 students from the system are currently enrolled in classes on their way toward four-year degrees — more than half are first-generation college students.

“It was — at the same time — overwhelming and absolutely glorious,” Heller said of the May 2 commencement.

In 2021, former Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey signed a bill allowing the system to offer bachelor’s degree courses. Heller, who was already studying at Rio Salado College, said she saw the move as an opportunity to continue her education at an institution where she felt supported. After completing her associate’s degree, she began on her bachelor’s in public safety administration. She joined several colleagues from across the system graduating with inaugural bachelor's degrees.

The journey wasn’t always easy, she said. Heller started the last year of her bachelor’s program soon after her first child was born.

“She was part of the reason I was doing this,” she said. “Not only can I be a good influence but I can make sure she has a stable future.”

Heller, who has epilepsy, said the ability to be flexible on when and where she took her classes was critical for getting her degree. She also worked part-time as a paralegal throughout her schooling and hopes to enroll in law school after taking the LSAT this summer.

Maricopa Community College District Chancellor Steven Gonzales said Heller and others graduating this month will leave “an everlasting mark on Maricopa’s history.”

"I am extremely proud of what we, as a system, have been able to accomplish in only a few years,” he said in a release.

Several more degrees will become available in the coming semesters including the Bachelor of Science in nursing and degrees in artificial intelligence and accounting. For Heller, she said she’s excited to see higher education become even more accessible and to see the program expand.

“Making it accessible, I feel like a lot of people feel that pulls away from their achievements,” Heller said. “But it certainly doesn’t.”

The bill passed in 2021 came from years of advocacy from the Maricopa Community College District, including the efforts of former Board President Marie Sullivan. At the time, the Arizona Board of Regents opposed the bill.

“They’ve been working on this longer than I’ve been alive,” Heller said of district leadership.

Rio Salado College President Kate Smith said the move allowed community colleges to strengthen workforce development for the county.

“Offering bachelor's degrees at community colleges transforms the educational landscape,” Smith said in a release. "These graduates are not just earning degrees; they’re making history."

Roughly 60% of students enrolled in the bachelor’s programs are current or former students from the system.

Helen Rummel covers higher education for The Arizona Republic. Reach her at hrummel@azcentral.com. Follow her on X, formerly Twitter: @helenrummel.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Maricopa Community Colleges award first 4-year bachelor’s degrees