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Terms such as "vision," "dream," and "hope" were frequently used when the SMCC Guadalupe Center opened its doors more than 18 years ago at the Guadalupe Mercado on Guadalupe Road and Avenida del Yaqui (Priest Drive).
That modest facility, consisting of three classrooms and office space, was a first step toward realizing a vision of the people of Guadalupe, according to Raul Monreal, center director. "SMCC responded with a clear message: 'We are here to stay and grow stronger roots, to fulfill the education and training needs desired by the residents of the community.' "
The SMCC Guadalupe Center started with 50 students and now serves about 500 year around, according to Monreal. The extended campus draws students from Guadalupe, Tempe, Chandler, Phoenix, Ahwatukee, and beyond.
Today, the center continues to meet the educational and training needs of students from all walks of life-- resulting, first, in the construction of a permanent building in 2000, and, next, a new physical expansion that doubles the size of the Guadalupe campus. And that expansion is just in time for summer 2008 classes.
Indeed, the new, expanded center stands poised to meet the educational needs of the East Valley, and beyond, Monreal notes.
New and renovated space totals almost 10,000 square feet -- including five new classrooms, a community room, three outdoor zones, and enrollment and student services area. (See attached news release for details).
A fun-filled grand opening is set for May 31 (Saturday) from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the center, 9233 S. Avenida del Yaqui (Priest Drive), just south of Guadalupe Road. (See attached release for details).
The expanded campus will provide one-stop enrollment for students -- assessing their skills and competencies, and providing advisement, registration, educational planning, financial aid and cashiering services.
"Years ago when some people from Guadalupe went to the president of South Mountain Community College and said, 'We would like to have a place that promotes higher learning for our young people,' they couldn't know where it would all go," Monreal adds.
He believes that personal attention is a hallmark of the Guadalupe extended campus.
"I am passionate about this campus and about helping the students -- and so are the other instructors," he says. "We are seeing more and more students get an associate's degree and more and more transfer to a university and get a bachelor's degree.
"Just think, almost 20 years ago, who would have thought that at our small facility, you would someday be able to complete a degree in General Studies, obtain an Associate of Arts or Associate of Business Degree, earn a Certificate of Entrepreneurship, take continuing education classes and prepare to transfer to a four-year college or university?"