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   Karianne Feltes has gone from not-so-serious high school student to a serious Yavapai College scholar and a “Leader of Promise” in the space of a year in which she chose to start her educational journey at a community college instead of a university. 

    Karianne became the serious student on her own. The Coca-Cola Foundation and Phi Theta Kappa deemed her a “Leader of Promise,” awarding her a $1,000 scholarship this summer to complete her associate’s degree at YC 

    One of just 200 community college students nationwide to earn the “Leaders of Promise” scholarship, Karianne is the 13th YC student in 2020 to earn a financial award from the beverage giant and PTK, a national community college honor society. The other 12, awarded last spring, were transfer scholarships to Arizona universities. Karianne’s award is aimed at helping her complete an associate’s degree while simultaneously honing her leadership skills. 

    Leadership is an important component of PTK, said Denise Woolsey, a YC business professor and PTK advisor. “How do they bring about future leaders? They give them money to be in college and be involved in PTK at the college level.”

    For her part, Karianne is thrilled that the three days she spent putting together the PTK scholarship application paid off. She’s also happy to be less-reliant on student loans and to continue focusing on her studies while engaging in YC PTK chapter leadership, community service and research projects. 

    An administration of justice student from Phoenix who dreams of someday working in government, Karianne said she was introduced to YC during a downtown Prescott parade she attended with her grandparents. The decision to enroll and resulting change of environment were life-changing, she said. 

    “I chose YC because of the small class sizes. It felt like a private school at a very affordable price. I liked the sense of community, the resources available to help me succeed, and the knowledge that people would actually know who I am and that I would not just be a number. The faculty has been so helpful answering my questions, ensuring my success in my classes. The learning center was critical to my class success and they had never-ending patience when helping me.” 

    While Karianne was experiencing what she described as a “complete 180” as a student at YC, she lamented that friends who did well in high school and earned scholarships to universities wound up either dropping or flunking out. “I can honestly say, it’s a completely different ballgame for me.” 

    Karianne  highly recommends community college for anyone who isn’t ready for the cost or the size of a university right out of high school. “YC has also allowed me to grow and mature after high school before going on to complete my undergraduate degree. I feel like I have had the benefit of a private education without the financial burden.”