Lisa B. Rhine

Yavapai College took a giant leap into next-generation learning earlier this month, with its first class taught in a virtual reality space.

Dr. Brandelyn Andres’s ART 201 students journeyed to a museum to analyze the compositional details within Renaissance and modern artworks. They discussed implied lines and biomorphic shapes long enough to make you forget that the museum was digital; the students were still in the classroom; and the entire lesson was conducted on their headsets and in their minds.

“So much of the study of art is interaction,” Dr. Andres said. “We lose so much when we project a slide onto a screen or look in a book. If you can move around it, you can understand the scale.” So, she created a digital gallery on the web. Her students, in virtual reality headsets, entered the gallery through avatars and then identified and discussed the basic design elements of each painting.

The lesson is part of a broad initiative Yavapai College introduced last spring when YC received a grant from Meta to develop Virtual Reality classes. Working with digital education provider VictoryXR, the college is honing an immersive virtual platform where students and teachers use synchronized headsets to learn in digitized environments.

I have a strong belief that virtual and augmented reality is going to change almost every industry, including education. YC plans to be on the cutting edge of that change.

It is an incredible way to learn to interact with material, your classmates and instructors. The technology allows students to learn things they could not in a traditional classroom. Things that are dangerous, like electrical instrumentation; impossible, like magnifying the brush strokes in a painting to analyze the artists’ techniques; counter-productive, like having to set up and use the multitude of tools needed to perform health-related training; or expensive, like the amount of material it takes to practice and master welding. Virtual reality allows us to provide high-quality training in areas while eliminating barriers.

Yavapai College will be launching other VR and AI-assisted learning opportunities, in fields ranging from health care to the skilled trades, across its six campuses and learning centers this fall. QCBN

By Lisa B. Rhine

Lisa B. Rhine, Ph.D., is the president of Yavapai College.

*Pending Higher Learning Commission Approval. This degree is not official and is not enrolling at this time.

In Feb. 2019, Dr. Lisa B. Rhine became the 10th president of Yavapai College, bringing to the institution more than 30 years of leadership experience across a number of leading colleges and universities in Ohio, Kentucky and Virginia. Dr. Rhine assumed this role with a commitment to advance the mission of the college while ensuring access and support to those for whom opportunities may have been historically limited or denied.

Yavapai College offers more than 100 degrees and certificates, student and community services, and cultural events and activities at six locations throughout Yavapai County, including campuses in Prescott and Clarkdale, and centers in Prescott Valley, Chino Valley, Sedona and the Prescott Airport.

On Jan. 10, 2023, Yavapai College announced that it would offer a Bachelor of Science degree in business, with a concentration in organizational management and leadership. Since that time, it has added concentrations in accounting and entrepreneurship.

It is the first baccalaureate degree to be offered at Yavapai College and the first baccalaureate to be offered by any rural community college in Arizona.

Since the launch of the degree, our faculty and staff have worked feverishly to ensure that this degree fulfills its intended purpose, which was to create access to baccalaureate degree options right here in Yavapai County that are affordable and attainable.

The Bachelor of Science in Business degree has a tuition price of just $155 per credit for the upper-level courses, a massive discount compared to other baccalaureate options. There are also no additional program fees and nearly every class uses open educational resources or zero-cost textbooks.

So far, the degree has been a massive success. A staggering 342 students have declared the B.S. in Business degree as their program of study and 260 students have registered for classes this fall.

Of the 342 students pursuing the degree, 88% reside in Yavapai County. This is a game changer for our communities.

What’s Next?

I am so thrilled at the initial success of the business degree. It proves that Yavapai College can be the place to fill the educational need of our county residents.

Despite the program’s success, we aren’t stopping with just one degree.

YC is deep in the process of launching its second baccalaureate degree, a *Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN).

We fully understand the critical need for health care in our communities and have been working closely with the hospitals and health organizations in Yavapai County to identify their needs and create actionable ways in which Yavapai College can help.

The proposed Bachelor of Science in Nursing is the first of those actionable items, and I hope we can share more details about this new degree soon.

Yavapai College is also exploring additional future baccalaureate degrees that will be beneficial for our communities.

I am truly proud of the education and service that Yavapai College provides to our communities. I am excited to watch our first cohort of bachelor’s degree students’ progress toward their goals. QCBN

By Lisa B. Rhine

Lisa B. Rhine, Ph.D., is the president of Yavapai College.

*Pending Higher Learning Commission Approval. This degree is not official and is not enrolling at this time.

In Feb. 2019, Dr. Lisa B. Rhine became the 10th president of Yavapai College, bringing to the institution more than 30 years of leadership experience across a number of leading colleges and universities in Ohio, Kentucky and Virginia. Dr. Rhine assumed this role with a commitment to advance the mission of the college while ensuring access and support to those for whom opportunities may have been historically limited or denied.

Yavapai College offers more than 100 degrees and certificates, student and community services, and cultural events and activities at six locations throughout Yavapai County, including campuses in Prescott and Clarkdale, and centers in Prescott Valley, Chino Valley, Sedona and the Prescott Airport.

On Jan. 10, 2023, Yavapai College announced that it would offer a Bachelor of Science in business degree with a concentration in organizational management and leadership. Registration for classes begins April 17, with classes starting Aug. 12.

It is the first baccalaureate degree to be offered at Yavapai College and the first baccalaureate to be offered by any rural community college in Arizona.

In May, Senate Bill 1453 passed into state law, allowing community colleges in Arizona to offer baccalaureate degrees.

After years of effort in this state, we are thrilled to receive this authorization. Yavapai College was at the forefront of the lobbying effort for SB1453 because we know how much of an impact it could have in our county.

Our goal in creating the degree was simple – we want to launch degrees that make sense for community members of all ages, demographics and occupations. Degrees that can instantly transform lives, help them reach a higher job level, increase their wages, start something new, grow something current, and most importantly, not be gouged with financial or travel burdens. We want our students to graduate from YC, and we want them to stay in Yavapai County.

The Bachelor of Science in business degree will have a tuition price of just $155 per credit for the upper-level courses, a massive discount compared to other baccalaureate options. There are also no additional program fees, and all classes will have open educational resources or zero-cost textbooks.

This is a game-changer for our communities.

Additionally, the degree is accessible. It will have an entirely online class option and can also be taken in traditional 16-week classes or in condensed eight-week semesters, significantly reducing students’ time to completion.

The Organizational Management and Leadership Concentration opens the door for this degree to be taken by almost anyone in any occupation.

I couldn’t be more excited that Yavapai College has embarked on this journey. Most importantly, I am thrilled to see the impact this degree will have on our students, communities, businesses and the overall growth of Yavapai County.

If you or someone you know is interested in enrolling in the Bachelor of Science in business degree at Yavapai College, visit www.yc.edu/bsb and fill out the information form so that our staff can reach out to get you started. QCBN

By Lisa B. Rhine

Lisa B. Rhine, Ph.D., is the president of Yavapai College.

In February 2019, Dr. Lisa B. Rhine became the 10th president of Yavapai College, bringing to the institution over 30 years of leadership experience across a number of leading colleges and universities in Ohio, Kentucky and Virginia. Dr. Rhine assumed this role with a commitment to advance the mission of the college while ensuring access and support to those for whom opportunities may have been historically limited or denied.

Yavapai College offers over 100 degrees and certificates, student and community services, and cultural events and activities at six locations throughout Yavapai County, including campuses in Prescott and Clarkdale, and centers in Prescott Valley, Chino Valley, Sedona, and the Prescott Airport.

The Early College Academy is a program in which high school students complete YC classes through concurrent enrollment at a YC campus in partnership with their high school while simultaneously fulfilling high school graduation requirements. Students have the opportunity to complete general education classes, an AGEC (Arizona General Education Curriculum certificate), or an associate degree while in high school. The high school partner pays the tuition for the YC classes and YC provides a space for the high school students to meet and complete their required coursework.

This fall’s pilot partnership is with Prescott High School and it has proven to be a resounding success. Currently, 17 seniors are enrolled in the Early College Academy. PHS is already looking to expand the program to more seniors and juniors next year.

Yavapai College is also working with other high school districts throughout the county to expand the Early College Academy to more high school students.

It is a tremendous opportunity for students to flourish, as shown by some current student testimonials:

“I decided to apply to the Early College Academy because I felt like I was lacking motivation and happiness at school, and I needed a change of atmosphere. I also liked the idea of getting ahead with some college credits.”

“I hadn’t expected to find a community of students equally as driven as myself. It’s made me realize that a person’s environment is everything, and I feel like I can truly be me here.”

The Early College Academy is just another way in which Yavapai College is working to provide accessible, affordable education to students of all ages and backgrounds. I am delighted that we are able to bring high school students to our campus to enrich their learning experience, reduce college costs and shorten time to degree completion. QCBN

By Lisa B. Rhine

Lisa B. Rhine, Ph.D., is the president of Yavapai College. In February 2019, Dr. Lisa B. Rhine became the 10th president of Yavapai College, bringing to the institution more than 30 years of leadership experience across a number of leading colleges and universities in Ohio, Kentucky and Virginia. Dr. Rhine assumed this role with a commitment to advance the mission of the college while ensuring access and support to those for whom opportunities may have been historically limited or denied.

Yavapai College offers over 100 degrees and certificates, student and community services, and cultural events and activities at six locations throughout Yavapai County, including campuses in Prescott and Clarkdale, and centers in Prescott Valley, Chino Valley, Sedona and the Prescott Airport.