Tonight, Alexandria Woodruff will walk across the stage as a Desert Vista High School graduate in the Tempe Union High School District.
But earlier this month, she put on a Rio Salado College cap and gown to celebrate earning three associate degrees during the college’s commencement ceremony on May 8.
Woodruff was inspired by her oldest sister, Vanessa, who joined Rio Salado’s Achieving a College Education (ACE) program and completed an associate degree while in high school.
"Because of her, my other sisters followed. I wanted that opportunity, too," Woodruff said.
By junior year, she was all in— managing multiple college-level courses while juggling sports, clubs, and leadership roles.
Woodruff graduates this week with an Associate in Arts, Associate in Science, and General Studies degrees. Through her high school Career and Technical Education courses, she is also biotech certified and has completed an OSHA workplace safety certification.
“I want to have a job in a lab during college,” she said. “I can get one since I’m already certified and have a degree in it.”
Woodruff was able to manage the expense of community college dual enrollment credits through a variety of funds, including the high school ACE program, tuition assistance and a Tempe Tardeada Scholarship.
After weighing dozens of university options and maneuvering through acceptance letters and financial aid offers, Woodruff decided to stay close to home and attend Arizona State University this fall. She plans on majoring in interior design and business, and hopes to complete her degree in 18 months thanks to the credits she completed at Rio Salado.
“Rio helped speed things up. I already finished my general education classes, so I can focus on courses that interest me,” she said.
Her advice for students? “Take as many credits as you can. Dual enrollment is affordable and sets you up early.”
Her roots at Rio Salado, already deep because of family ties, grew further this academic year as she completed an internship with the college’s Institutional Advancement team, focusing on content creation, social media and marketing.
“I loved my internship,” Woodruff said. “Being an intern helped me grow because I was not thinking about the full project, but steps. It was a growth mindset. I kept on pushing my abilities and trying new skills. I felt throughout this internship that I gained a lot of new skills with encouragement.”