All earn Associate degree of Applied science

Earlier this month, thirteen Yavapai Community College graduates were awarded their Associate of Applied Science degrees during a traditional evening pinning ceremony held on the Prescott campus.

In the College’s May 28, 2025, press release, Yavapai Community College President Dr. Lisa Rhine addressed the graduates with the following words:

“Graduates, you’ve mastered all the skills necessary. You are the first step in a diagnosis. You’re the eyes behind the scenes. Your images help detect fractures, tumors, pneumonia, swallowed coins, and — on at least one occasion — a Barbie shoe. You literally get to see it all. We celebrate not just what you’ve learned, but what you’ve become: professionals, caregivers, and experts.”

The list of honorees includes: Carley Astraus, Tracy Bates, Mariah Begaye, Hannah Delbridge, Isabel Garcia, Michael Gehman, Stephanie Hudzinski, Bailey Nelson, Sierra Snyder, Daniel Tisdell, Amanda Wachs, Sarah Yeager, and Danielle Zimmerle.

You may read the entire press release by clicking here.

A Trailblazer: The First Community College in the Nation to Launch a Degree of Its Kind

Yavapai Community College has unveiled a groundbreaking offering: a three-year bachelor’s degree in Applied Science and Business. This initiative marks the college as the first community college in the nation to offer a bachelor’s degree that can be completed in just three years.

According to Yavapai Community College President, Dr. Lisa Rhine, the program requires students to complete only 92 credit hours—approximately 30 credits fewer than a traditional bachelor’s degree. “It’s built for speed, flexibility, and career readiness, enabling students to graduate in just three years,” Dr. Rhine said.

Tuition for the program is set at $169 per credit hour for the fall 2025 semester—significantly lower than the cost at most colleges and universities. Moreover, the program is designed to be highly affordable, with no textbook costs and no student fees.

Registration for the program is now open, with classes beginning on August 18.

You may view Dr. Rhine’s announcement of the program on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ZvCn_sOjB4.

This all online baccalaureate degree joins other online  B.A. offerings in in business and nursing; first rural community college to offer such a program in Arizona

At the March meeting of the Yavapai College District Governing Board, President Dr. Lisa Rhine announced that the Higher Learning Commission has approved the College’s third baccalaureate degree program: a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science (BSCS).

Students may complete the degree in as little as 2.5 years with full-time enrollment, or take up to six years on a part-time basis. The program also allows for up to 60 credits of prior learning to be applied toward the degree, accelerating time to completion.

This marks the third baccalaureate degree offered by Yavapai Community College. The institution was the first rural community college in Arizona to offer baccalaureate degrees.

Dr. Rhine praised her team for the successful launch of the program, noting, “It really takes a village” to achieve such a result. A video clip of her announcement at the Governing Board meeting is available below.

According to the College, the fully online BSCS program is “designed to equip students with the technical knowledge and practical skills needed to thrive in today’s fast-evolving technology landscape. This fully online program is led by industry-expert faculty and aligns with key industry certifications, ensuring graduates are career-ready.”

National employment trends support the relevance of the degree. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 12% growth in computer and information technology occupations between 2023 and 2033—much faster than the average for all occupations. This growth is expected to generate approximately 356,700 job openings annually over the next decade.

Says by 2031 39% of all jobs in Arizona  will require a bachelor’s degree

The Phoenix Business Journal ran a story in its March 3 edition, written by Maricopa Community Colleges, promoting Scottsdale Community College’s newly created Bachelor of Business Administration in Management (BBA) degree. The article emphasized the program’s flexibility, offering both in-person and online classes.

It cited a report by the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce, which projects that the number of new jobs in Arizona requiring postsecondary education and training will grow by 372,000 between 2021 and 2031. The report also stated that by 2031, 39% of all jobs in the state will require a bachelor’s degree, highlighting the increasing demand for highly skilled business professionals.

The Scottsdale program appears to compete with Yavapai Community College’s  Bachelor of Science in Business degree. Unlike SCC’s in-person and online options, Yavapai’s program is entirely online. It offers flexibility by allowing students to enroll on a full-time or part-time basis.

You may read the full article by posting the following link in your browser:  https://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/news/2025/03/03/scottsdale-community-college-bachelor-business.html

In a press release, says it is the first and only college in the nation to collaborate with the USPTO on this eight  week  training program

On January 15, the Regional Economic Development Center (REDC) at Yavapai Community College announced a training partnership with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO. It says in a press release that it is “the first and only college in the nation” to collaborate with the USPTO on such an eight week  training program.

The partnership training program has a goal of providing  participants with comprehensive knowledge and skills essential for navigating the intellectual property world. The eight week course hopes to instill in its participants a deep understanding of the patenting process, strategies for innovation protection, and the role of patents in fostering technological advancements. It will also  offers critical insights into brand protection, trademark registration, and enforcement.

Taught by Professor Philip Reid, the Artificial Intelligence course is part of an improved, two-year Associate of Arts & Sciences Degree

Yavapai Community College, in partnership with Intel, has introduced a new course titled “Understanding Artificial Intelligence” (CSA 250) as part of its two-year Associate of Arts and Sciences Degree. This three-credit course leverages Intel’s AI for Workforce platform to teach students the fundamentals of AI, including its applications, ethics, implicit biases, and regulatory and professional expectations.

Computer Science Professor Philip Reid explains, “It will take students through the full gamut of what Artificial Intelligence is, how it is used in the workplace, and how students can apply it in their careers.”

Professor Reid emphasizes the importance of viewing AI as a tool: “Think about the days when we didn’t have the calculator. Today, the calculator has become a staple in everything we do, right? You give your kids a calculator to do complex numbers. That’s what AI is going to be.”

CSA 250 is a component of the two-year, 60-credit A.A.S. degree program designed to prepare students for careers as software professionals by training them in Computer Systems Management. “They will learn things like the system development lifecycle and programming in Python – which a lot of data scientists use,” Reid says. “The degree is centered around giving each student a realistic chance of obtaining a good job right out of the gate.”

You may learn more about the course by viewing a YouTube video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TYxBzDKPj3w.