Alumni News

Help us celebrate outstanding Rio Salado graduates by submitting a nomination for the 2027 Alumni Hall of Fame by Oct. 8.

Amy Gentry turned one class at a time into a journey of accomplishment, career growth and leadership.

After putting college on hold to raise a family and build a career, Rio Salado graduate Leslie Gibson proves that dreams don’t come with deadlines—and neither does education.

For Class of 2026 Rio graduate Zach Harvey, a future in cybersecurity is brighter than ever. Through hard work, patience, and flexible class schedules he was able to balance his duties as a father, worker, and student to earn his degree at Rio. Find out more about his inspiring story on our blog.

For Rio graduate Irene Gomez, her long academic journey brought her to an unexpected but delightful milestone: graduating in the same month from college as her son graduated from high school! Find out more about Gomez, her inspiring life story, and her future plans on our blog.

It takes dedication and a strong work ethic to practice law. Class of 2026 paralegal graduate Zoe Annika Barton is proving she has the grit to hang tough and succeed in a highly competitive field. Find out more about Barton's time at Rio on our blog.

Class of 2026 Rio Salado graduate Pualani Hockenhull has faced a lot of adversity in her life but her tenacity and desire to help others has kept this hard-working mother on the path to academic success. With over half a dozen credentials to her name, Hockenhull is eager to make a difference in public safety. Find out more about her remarkable life story on our blog.

Jacob Pieczynski graduated as a dual student from Rio at age 16. He's come a long way since then, racking up impressive academic and professional accomplishments. Find out more about Pieczynski and his career pivot from aerospace engineering to accounting in our blog.

From recovery to recognition, one Rio Salado graduate is turning her journey into purpose—and national opportunity.

Three associate degrees launched one alum’s path to a STEM healthcare career.

For Sonja Tom, a desire to help her community led her to a career in medicine. Now she's entering the legal field with a little help from her Rio Salado degree program. Find out more about her inspiring journey on our blog.

After nearly 20 years away from school, Carrie Lee Graves returned to education with determination and discovered a path that changed everything. With Rio’s flexible online classes and weekly start dates, she built a foundation that led her to dual bachelor’s degrees and a bold new future.