Meet Aspire Scholars
Crystal Kubby, 2017 Payson High School Graduate
Crystal Kubby was a part of the first Aspire Scholars cohort. As a 2017 Payson High School graduate attending Arizona State University the following semester, she was grateful for the opportunity to take a handful of dual credit courses and get a head start on college. The dual credit classes gave Crystal the advanced content that she needed to bridge the gap between high school and college.
“I needed Calculus before going to Arizona State University to be successful and without Aspire that class would not have been available to me,” said Crystal. “I was learning higher-level college content, but I had the safety net and support from my teacher that you generally do not get from a traditional college professor.”
Crystal took the dual credit program a leap further by not only taking dual credit courses at Payson High School, but also taking dual credit classes at Gila Community College. It was eye-opening for her as a younger student to interact with college students and gain diverse perspectives and stories that are not typically encountered in a high school setting. It also helped her adjust to college norms. “I remember I raised my hand to go to the bathroom in my ENG101 class at the community college, and was told by the professor and my peers that college students don’t do that. The level of responsibility and expectations were different.”
Crystal’s advice for students:
If you are nervous or unsure about college: try dual enrollment. It helps you transition from high school to college and gives you a safety net to explore college curriculum. If you plan to pursue university education, then take the leap and sign up for a dual credit class at the college campus. It will open your eyes to what to expect when you get to the university. “I want to let donors know that your little bit of an investment is a life altering and lifelong benefit to students. I’m still so appreciative of the one year I had in the Aspire program before I graduated. It has had a lasting impact on my education and career.”
Crystal earned her Bachelors of Science in Geology from Arizona State University. She is currently working as a full time Geologist at Freeport McMoRan’s Bagdad mine.