As a stay-at-home parent, Alan East wanted to expand his skill set in preparation for the time when he would rejoin the workforce. Returning to a college environment can be intimidating as a middle-aged adult but at PVCC, Alan shared that he “found a welcoming environment for older students.”
“For me as a continuing education student, PVCC provided excellent and innovative classes,” Alan said. This aspect of PVCC is still, after all these years, Alan’s most impactful educational experience.
Alan is an avid proponent of PVCC. He said, “The classes provided and the culture of the campus is a jewel for North Phoenix.” The quality of the education received, whether a student is working toward a degree or taking classes for lifelong learning, benefits a person professionally and personally.
Upon reflection, Alan shares that faculty member Jon Storslee stands out among the instructors he had at PVCC. Alan found the computer classes he took from Professor Storslee to be “well-organized and relevant to the computer/programming industry of the time.”
Alan was a co-founding member of the Desperado LGBTQ Film Festival. For Alan, working with faculty member Dale Heuser was “one of the most profound experiences, not only of my time at PVCC, but also of my life. Paradise Valley Community College was incredibly supportive in getting our event off the ground, and I believe the film festival’s impact on the greater LGBTQ Phoenix community has been significant.” Desperado’s mission is to showcase quality films that are related to the experiences of the LGBTQ community. Since its inception, the goal was to create an event that is educational, enlightening, entertaining, and enjoyable.
Alan attributes his involvement in organizing an on-campus annual event with the opportunity to “tremendously strengthen” his leadership, speaking and organizational skills. Alan shared, “In fact, my time being involved at PVCC led me to look for a job in education.” After 15 years as a stay-at-home parent, Alan now works for a school district in California and is engaged in curriculum planning, instructor management, and course schedule development. Meanwhile. Alan continues to engage and support PVCC as he remains intricately involved in supporting PVCC’s Desperado LGBTQ Film Festival.