Twenty-five Mesa Community College students received top awards at the 23rd Annual Artists of Promise celebration held on March 6 at Phoenix College, according to an April 13 announcement from the college. The event recognizes winners from Maricopa Community Colleges’ student competitions in areas such as dance, fashion and costume design, film, animation and media arts, instrumental music, theatre, and visual arts.
The recognition highlights the achievements of MCC students across a wide range of artistic disciplines. These awards provide a platform for emerging artists to showcase their talents and gain exposure within the broader artistic community.
Among this year’s honorees were Hawke West (first place in poetry), Kallie Johnston (first place in costume design), Marco David Ramirez (first place in acoustic/classical music), Isaac Facio (first place in instrumental solo), Sarah Salmi (first place in scenic design for theatre), Makenna Cunningham (first place in theatre acting/performance), and Isaac Tyson (first place in 2D visual art). Jaiden Weid received both third place for theatre acting/performance and was honored with the Albert and Lola Chatinsky Scholarship for outstanding artistic promise.
The Artists of Promise program is sponsored by Maricopa Community Colleges as a districtwide competition to encourage student achievement. It has been a cornerstone initiative supporting creative expression for over two decades by providing opportunities for recognition and connection among student artists.
Mesa Community College serves more than 25,500 students annually across its campuses. Nearly half its students are first-generation college attendees, with MCC also supporting one of the largest Indigenous student populations among Maricopa County Community College District colleges. The institution is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
