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Mikel Cassara did a lot of living before adding Yavapai College student to his cache of experiences. Between cross-country tours with a blues band, the multi-instrument playing singer-musician helped manage and maintain his grandfather's Chino Valley commercial property.

"I had a lot of fun. I got to go to cool places. These things did happen along the way. I don't know if they would have if I had gone straight to college after high school," said the now 34-year-old California native who moved to Chino Valley 12 years ago to be of service to his World War II-veteran grandfather.

Mikel recalls his grandfather asking as they worked alongside each other one day, "What do you want to do?" Mikel's response: "I wouldn't mind going to college." The elder man asked Mikel what he planned to study. "Science," Mikel said. "That sounds good. Then I don't have to worry about you," Mikel recalled his grandfather saying.

His intent to enroll in college solidified by his grandfather's approval, Mikel discovered YC driving by the Prescott campus. "I would drive by with my grandfather when we would go to town. I'd look at it and make a mental note that it was there."

In 2015, he enrolled in the Emergency Medical Technician program. His success in the rigorous program sparked a desire to take more classes. "I thought if I could accomplish this, I could accomplish anything."

Mikel next found success in English where, encouraged by now retired Professor Mary Verbout, he discovered he could write well. "She had a way of just kind of showing me the door. I think that just kind of laid a foundation to be successful as I moved forward."

His knowledge quest later drew Mikel to the physical and social sciences, where he continued to excel. Fast forward a few years to the present – fall 2020 – and Mikel is now dual-enrolled at Arizona State University studying a subject he learned to love at YC – anthropology. That love was inspired in large part by Professor Mike Ruddell who, Mikel said, taught him to think for himself and better understand humanity.

"Mike (Ruddell) got me to open my eyes to see things that I've never seen. He led me to a lot of windows." Ruddell described Mikel as a "passionate" student with a "very strong" quest for knowledge. "Most importantly, he learns from his mistakes. If you have heard any of his guitar playing, you will see he has no trouble baring his soul for all to see."

Mikel will graduate from YC in December and plans to pursue a doctorate in anthropology at ASU en route to possibly teaching the subject he loves. "I feel like the Hobbit. I'm going to go on this long journey and education is the road there."

Mikel's grandfather is proud of his grandson's higher education journey – the first in the Cassara family for generations. Mikel is proud, too, of charting a course far removed from the one he set out on after high school. "I was a lazy young man. I'm not going to lie. Early on I was capable, I just wasn't motivated," he said adding that while traveling with the band and during stays with his grandfather, he would satisfy an innate curiosity with books. "I've always enjoyed reading. I finally realized college is where I could find more knowledge."

Yavapai College's quality faculty, personalized instruction and start-to-finish support all factored into Mikel's student success. "At Yavapai, I always just felt welcome. If you make an attempt as a human being here, it was given back."

Mikel believes his pre-college life experiences gave him better thinking and creative skills, ultimately making him a better college student. He also believes college is invaluable for everyone, whenever and wherever it fits into their lives.

"Like anybody you've got to dream. If you don't dream, what are you on this earth for?"