At Paradise Valley Community College (PVCC), student success begins with meaningful personal connection. For student Beau Johnson and his grandparents, Cher and Tom Reetz, one of the first, and most impactful, connections they made was with Annabelle Acosta, a dedicated staff member in PVCC’s Admissions and Records office.
What started as a routine advisement meeting quickly evolved into a relationship built on trust, care, and encouragement. Today, the Reetz family calls Acosta their “guardian angel.”
Acosta has worked in PVCC’s Admissions and Records office for two years, supporting students and families who find the college experience overwhelming and often don’t know where to begin. She meets them with compassion and clarity, whether they’re high school graduates just beginning their college journey or adult learners returning to pursue a new career. Her role spans a wide range of responsibilities including helping with registration, class prerequisites, testing, financial aid, and academic planning.
“I consider myself a jack of all trades,” Acosta said. “If a student comes to me and I can’t help directly, I’ll make sure they’re connected to someone who can. I just want them to feel supported and not lost in the process.”
That hands-on, caring approach left a strong impression on Cher Reetz.
“Annabelle was incredibly friendly and immediately understood what we were trying to do for our grandson,” she said. “She had all the inside information to guide our decisions…I’d say she’s the primary reason we’ve been successful at PVCC.”
Reetz affectionately described Acosta as their "checks and balances." “We provide Beau with our input, Beau gives his perspective, and Annabelle makes sure we’re on the right track. She makes everything go smoothly.”
The family originally toured both Scottsdale Community College (SCC) and PVCC—two schools in the Maricopa County Community College District—before choosing PVCC. While Johnson’s uncle had attended SCC, Johnson and his grandparents agreed PVCC was the perfect fit for their grandson.
“I couldn’t believe the culture, the environment, the resources, the friendliness,” Cher Reetz reflected. “It was like one big bundle wrapped up in a bow.”
And the cherry on top for Johnson? PVCC has a golf team.
Johnson, a 2024 graduate of Desert Mountain High School, only began playing golf in his senior year, yet has already emerged as a natural talent. Now a scratch golfer, he lives and breathes the game. “My happy place is out on the golf course. Any chance I get, I’m out there hitting balls,” Johnson said. He is currently competing in local tournaments to gain experience and exposure, and hopes to join PVCC’s golf team in the near future and one day perhaps play on the PGA Tour.
If Plan A doesn’t work out, Plan B is law.
Johnson is currently pursuing an Associate of Applied Science degree in Business Administration, with future aspirations of studying business law and eventually earning an MBA or attending law school. “I’ve always been a people person… I enjoy talking and writing, and really want to help people. I think working in law would be a really great career path.”
Stability, Support, and the Power of Community
The Reetz family’s belief in the community college system runs deep; they know the power of smaller class sizes, individualized support, and an environment where students feel seen and valued—everything they found at PVCC.
For Johnson, that support was embodied by Acosta, who recently completed her master’s degree in educational leadership and administration from Northern Arizona University (NAU), further strengthening her ability to connect with and advocate for students.
“She’s always trying to give you that inside information—those personalized bits of advice to help you make the best decisions.She even uses her own experiences as a student,” he said.
To Acosta, Johnson and his grandparents are more than students and family members.
“They became my friends, like family. They’re amazing.”
The relationship between Johnson, his grandparents, and Acosta is the kind of connection PVCC strives to foster every day: one built on trust, mentorship, and genuine care.
As Cher Reetz said best, “Annabelle made everything go smoothly once we got to PVCC. She really is our guardian angel.”
To learn more about PVCC, visit our website.