Stories Stick
Inspired by the adage Everybody Loves a Good Story, PVCC’s story-inspired CHM295 courses are designed to enrich chemistry understanding in those who love, use, or teach science at any level. Special focus is given to how chemistry intersects with biology, physics, earth science, engineering, medicine, history and culture. The courses’ rich (and raucous!) science stories can be adapted for use in classrooms, libraries, museums, home schools, summer camps, and more. There is no math.
Affordable Professional Development
These are academic courses related to a subject taught in Arizona public schools. After successful completion, the course will appear as college credit on an official transcript from Paradise Valley Community College, an accredited institution. Each credit is equivalent to 15 hours of professional development.
Arizona Teaching Certificate Renewal Information
Residents of Cochise, Coconino, Gila, Graham, La Paz, Mohave, Navajo, Pima, Pinal, Santa Cruz, Yavapai, and Yuma counties pay the same tuition rate as Maricopa County residents. Maricopa College adjunct faculty may be eligible for a tuition waiver.
Residents of Alaska, California, Colorado, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah,Washington, Wyoming, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands who meet the eligibility requirements may apply for the WUE tuition rate.
Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) Program Information
Maricopa Faculty Professional Development
Maricopa Community College faculty members are invited to join these courses to experience how stories can be a secret sauce to student engagement in STEM classrooms.
Residential and adjunct faculty may be eligible for a tuition waiver.
Residential faculty pursuing academic salary advancement for this 200-level course should connect with their college’s FPG representative to submit their application for pre approval.
Frequently Asked Questions
We plan to offer each course at least once every two years.
We’re currently planning to offer these courses in the Spring and Summer of 2025:
- Atombombe: Recounts the allies’ efforts to sabotage Nazi Germany’s nuclear weapons program
- Malevolent Molecules: Explores the world of poisons
- Ion Dynasty: Explores the peculiar superpowers of metal ions
- Hot Commodity: Explores the scientific and cultural history of ice
If your question isn’t answered here or on the PVRefresh website, you can reach out to me:
Julie Olander julie.olander@paradisevalley.edu
About the Artist
PVCC Student and Peer Mentor Martin Macariola
What brought you to PVCC and what are your academic goals?
PVCC stood out among other community colleges. As a transfer student from San Diego, I truly resonated with their mission: To educate the whole person. This aligns perfectly with my aims to become a doctor of osteopathic medicine. As a DO, patients are seen more than just their symptoms ᅳ the focus is on the whole person, their unique backgrounds, emotions, and diverse experiences. Currently, I'm pursuing a pre-med track at PVCC, aiming for a degree in Medical Studies, with plans to transfer to ASU for my baccalaureate degree. Additionally, as a Peer Mentor, I am privileged and committed to support fellow PVCC students academically, navigating personal challenges, and also cultivate a community spirit. I am committed to their holistic growth.
What advice would you give to someone who aspires to work as an artist?
For anyone who aspires to work as an artist, my number one advice would be to stay curious and inspired. Never limit yourself to one artistic path and always be willing to learn. I would also advise anyone to create something every day whether it be doodling, painting, or dabbling in digital art. Working as an artist today also means knowledge in business and marketing, and as a professional, it is a multifaceted role. All of this propels you forward to your artistic goals.
What inspired your work on this particular project?
I can only begin to accurately answer this question by framing it as “who” inspired me rather than “what”. Professor
Olander’s imagination and the artistry of her storytelling served as my north star for this project. As I studied and fleshed out the work, I have come to find that the courses she envisioned were brimming with artistic content — a dream come true for any artist. I started to visualize surrealistic references as a foundation for the imagery and keeping chemistry and storytelling as the focal point, but her ideas were what animated life into my work. I found her a joy to work with and fueled my artistic passion and creativity, and am truly grateful for this opportunity.