Mesa Community College’s First Year Experience program, a supportive year-long engagement with first-year college students, was recently recognized as a Program of Promise by the National Organization for Student Success.

The recognition is given to programs using effective and promising practices promoting student success and development, according to a release.

The MCC First Year Experience is identified as an exceptional program exemplifying the NOSS mission to assist education professionals in making a positive difference in the lives of students, as well as engaging in promising practices and demonstrating positive outcomes.

“The First Year Experience team is excited to receive this honor from NOSS,” Melissa Carpenter, director of MCC Foundations for Student Success, said in the release. “We couldn’t have done it without our partners at TruWest Credit Union, who helped with FYE student scholarships, ambassador stipends and presented financial literacy workshops.”

MCC was recognized during the virtual NOSS conference June 17-18. Melissa Carpenter, faculty member Leanna Hall and former MCC learning facilitator Bianca Altamirano Kelly presented First Year Experience: Dealing a Better Hand to First Generation and Foundational Students session during the conference. The MCC team will be honored at a reception in Atlanta, Georgia, in March when NOSS in-person conferences resume.

Go to mesacc.edu/students/foundations-student-success/first-year-experience.