Eric Pemberton evolved from reluctant student to Rogue Scholar
Pemberton began college figuring he would detest it—as he had high school— but could tough it out long enough to complete his one-year Construction Technology certificate. He'd dropped out of high school, earned his GED through Rogue in 1998, and worked a range of jobs, including movie theater manager and wild lands firefighter. more...
RCC prepared Dan Lebowitz for success
Dan Lebowitz went from working as a peer tutor at Rogue Community College to being hired as a part-time math teacher. His education at RCC also set him on the road to a career as an actuary. more...
Veteran applied military skills toward earning degree
"Teamwork. Being responsible for someone other than just me. Timeliness." Donna Kimrey counts these qualities among the essential life skills she gained while serving in the U.S. Air Force as an aircraft crew chief. more...
Study abroad unforgettable for Lisa Perry
From the moment Rogue Community College student Lisa Perry heard about the Study Abroad trip heading to Costa Rica, she knew she had to go. "I said, 'That's me!' I was determined to make it happen," she explained. more...
RCC helped couple move up ladder of success
Shana and Josh Ogle love life these days. “And we owe a lot of that to RCC,” Shana explained. She and husband Josh studied at Rogue Community College before transferring to Southern Oregon University where they both earned bachelor’s degrees. more...
RCC training helps student land job
In late September, RCC student Scott Rettinger received some exciting news. Out a field of 150 candidates, he'd been hired by Lincoln City to work in their wastewater treatment plant. For Rettinger, acquiring the skills to gain employment in a water treatment plant has been more than the means to a good job — it's also a chance to work closely with an element he admires and appreciates. more...
Althea finding a new future both personally and professionally
Althea Godfrey believes that the Bright Futures program at Rogue Community College is well named. The program's instructors helped Godfrey clarify her goals and rebuild self-awareness and confidence during a stressful time in life. This fall she begins the Ph.D. program in social science at the University of Colorado. more...
Frank Hamilton building new career at RCC
Hamilton began attending RCC in fall 2008 after a 17-year career as a residential carpenter. “Work was slowing down, and I was nearing 40, so I decided it was time to move on,” said Hamilton, who chose Rogue for its programs, affordability and convenience. more...
Program lets RCC graduate transfer more credits
Being able to apply many of the credits she earned at Rogue Community College was an incentive for Barbara Brown to enroll in a new degree program at Southern Oregon University. more...
Graduate praises RCC experience
Caffin, who earned an Associate of General studies degree and graduated in June with honors, says RCC gave her the opportunity to reinvent herself after her world “turned upside down.” Shortly after moving to southern Oregon, her two young sons were diagnosed with autism, her marriage ended, and she needed to become self-sufficient. more...
Dislocated worker 'reinvents' himself at RCC
Looking back, Craig West says the upheavals in his life three years ago turned out to be “blessings in disguise.”more...
Returning to school right decision for Lindsey Wright
For Lindsey Wright, the opportunity to gain new skills in an upbeat atmosphere was a key factor in selecting Rogue Community’ College’s Automotive Technology program. more...
Education improved childcare provider's expertise
When it comes to teaching children, Shalayn Allen has observed that knowledge leads to expertise. “The field of childhood education is continuously changing,” she noted. “The more you know, the better you can reach children because they all learn so differently.” more...
Natalia Fear: Young, smart, headed for success
Try as he might, math instructor Dennis Kimzey has never been able to stump 17-year-old Natalia Fear with a calculus question during the two years she's been at Rogue Community College. more...
RCC helped McNairy find the answers
When Samantha McNairy graduated from Rogue Community College this spring, she had successfully aced her major goal: gaining acceptance into the Oregon Health Sciences University nursing program at Southern Oregon University. more...
Victoria Bencomo began her road to success at RCC
Education, to Victoria Bencomo, means far more than personal financial gain. It's about freedom, she says, and helping other people move forward in life. more...
RCC Grad Josh Williams
Beginning at an early age, Josh Williams would often peer down at his bicycle frame and carefully check out the welded connections. “I always knew I wanted to learn how to put those materials together,” Williams said. more...
Former Marine takes on challenge of teaching
“I’d always wondered what I was going to be when I grew up,” Jarrod Goode recalls, laughing. Turns out he’s going to be a grade school teacher. more...
Veteran cultivates interest in landscaping
Shawn Phillips' zeal for learning new landscape skills just keeps growing. "I really want to learn more about how to be a professional landscaper," said Phillips, who recently became the first student to complete Rogue Community College's reinstated Landscape Technology program. more...
RCC helped Annie Morgan create a new life
When Annie Morgan first arrived at Rogue Community College, she was raring to launch a brand new phase of her life and fulfill some long-held educational dreams. more...
Latino Programs Coordinator 'pays it forward'
In his new role as coordinator of Latino Programs at Rogue Community College, Filiberto “Fily” Bencomo is helping Hispanic students gain a college education. more...
Bright Futures put Manny Pacheco on road to success
RCC graduate Manny Pacheco feels positive about the future he’s working toward. In June, Pacheco will earn a master’s degree in mental health counseling from Southern Oregon University and later that month will marry his partner of seven years. They met in 2003 when Pacheco was beginning his educational odyssey at Rogue Community College. more...
Author David Snell's skills honed at RCC
Snell, whose second novel, "Demon Days," came out in December, has doggedly pursued his goal of a writing career since graduating from North Valley High School in 2000. He began creating stories and fantasy worlds back in third grade. Snell recalls how he dove right into RCC. more...
Amanda Holbrook discovered her own power at RCC
"Hard work really pays off, and education is power."
Those lessons in tenacious effort and the meaning of education, says Amanda Holbrook, were her biggest takeaways from Rogue Community College. more...
College helps veteran move beyond barriers
For veteran and Rogue Community College student Marty Miller, the finest thing about working with metal is the myriad possibilities it presents.
And for Miller, who served in the U.S. Army and was wounded in Iraq, the best thing about college is how it’s helping him move beyond physical and mental barriers. more...
Military gave student Bryan Studebaker skills to succeed
When Bryan Studebaker was discharged from military service in August 2007, attending Rogue Community College was a natural next step. Wanting to further his education, Studebaker chose RCC based on location, cost and availability of the programs he was interested in: Fire Science and Emergency Medical Technology. more...
College gave Jamie Smedley technical skills and courage to succeed
Meeting Jamie Smedley, it would be hard to guess that shyness had ever held her back.
For the past two years, this ebullient, outgoing Rogue Community College graduate has worked as a marketing specialist for Fire Mountain Gems. more...
Healthcare mission inspires Brazilian Marcos Cordeiro
No matter the challenges, RCC graduate Marcos Cordeiro stays focused on his goal — delivering medical services to remote Amazon jungle villages. more...
RCC Manufacturing Technology graduate Shane Loveland
Shane Loveland completed the RCC Manufacturing Technology program and went right to work for a White City manufacturing company that produces gunsmithing tools and gun parts. more...
Criminal Justice student Matt Kruger shows juveniles road to redemption.
Matt Kruger is helping youngsters in the juvenile justice system become productive members of society. “I am exactly right where I wanted to be when I came back to school,” Kruger said. “I love my job, and I couldn't be happier.” more...
RCC Certified Nursing Assistant graduate Faith Kindell
Now working as a certified nursing assistant, Faith Kindell recalls how she felt drawn to the health care field all her life. “My mother had some serious medical issues, so we spent a lot of time in hospitals, and I feel comfortable in that setting,” she said. “My heart is huge — I like helping people.” more...
Lori Kainer RCC Computer Science student
“Online classes are great because
you have freedom to do
the work any time day or night.” Hard work and a focus on academic success have earned Lori Kainer a 2009 Outstanding Student Scholar award from the Oregon Community College Association. more...
RCC gave Ellen Johnson career basics
Working as development manager for Options for Southern Oregon has allowed former RCC student Ellen Johnson the opportunity to blend her expertise, beliefs, and experience into a meaningful livelihood. more...
RCC fulfills Mike Hicks' need for knowledge
Over the past 20 years, Mike Hicks has come to know Rogue Community College well, having been both a student and an instructor. “RCC is a great place to learn and teach. There’s a very flexible, wide selection of classes,” said Hicks, a self-described lifelong learner. “Instructors are down to earth and helpful. If you put forth the work, they really make the extra effort." more...
Kelly Gustafson RCC graduate
Kelly Gustafson combined her education, longtime interests, and life experiences to create a livelihood she truly enjoys—landscape design. “I knew I wanted to do something that involved botany,” she said. “And I’m very interested in sustainable building and design practices.” more...
Mike Costello meets obstacles head on
Perseverance and resilience have kept Mike Costello moving forward through life’s challenges, setbacks, and losses, both big and small. more...
Fire Department Mechanic Richard Copenhaver trained at RCC
Serving as chief mechanic, Copenhaver maintains the agency’s sizeable fleet of ambulances and fire trucks — even lawnmowers. “I love what I do for a living,” he said. “When crews save the day, you get personal satisfaction in knowing you played a role. A truck on the repair rack is useless, so I’m motivated to get it back on line. more...
Early college credit gave Kelsey Biencourt a head start
By the time Kelsey Biencourt finished high school, she’d already earned enough college credits to enter Rogue Community College as a third-term sophomore. more...
