Student Ambassadors represent Paradise Valley Community College (PVCC) in all community and college outreach activities. Orientation Leaders serve as guides for new students, who are making the transition from their previous environment to the diverse academic, intellectual and social culture of Paradise Valley Community College. If you are interested in becoming an Orientation Leader/Ambassador download the Orientation Leaders/Ambassadors application.

---

Name: KC (Kaitlin Cobb)

Major (or career direction):
Fine Arts: Dance

Where are you from/Hometown:
Conway, S.C.

High School graduated from:
Academy for the Arts, Science and Technology

Co-curricular activities you are involved in?
Orientation Director and Student Christian Association

Favorite Movie:
Rent!

Favorite Sport:
Dancing (and yes, it is a sport!)

Favorite Food:
Any kind of pasta... Preferably cheesy pasta! :)

What do you like to do during your free time?
Spend time with my friends or go swimming.

Favorite Music:
Anything from the Beatles to Etta James to Miranda Lambert (There's a pretty wide variety)

Favorite Candy:
Skittles, all the way!

What foreign country would you like to visit and why?
Kenya, because it's beautiful and I'm fascinated by the culture!

Favorite Quote:
"Remember to play after every storm." Matti Stepanik

If you were on a deserted island, what three things would you take with you?
1. Life Jacket
2. Sleeping bag
3. And Chris Porro for comic relief!

Most important piece of advice for new students:
Your college experience is what you make it so get excited about it! Take risks! Have confidence and follow your dreams. If you don't like who you were in the past, now is the time to evolve! You can be whoever and whatever you want to be and this is your chance to make that happen!

---

Name: Chris Porro

Major (or career direction):
Speech Communication

Where are you from/Hometown:
Phoenix, AZ

High School graduated from:
I was home schooled and completed my GED.

Co-curricular activities you are involved in?
I’m highly involved with Honors. Last year I was part of the alternative Spring Break. I’m also involved with Peer Mentors, and Diversity Inc.

Favorite Food: Does anything count?
I’m a foodie, it’s my #1 comfort.

What do you like to do during your free time?
Hang with friends, meet new people, play games, watch movies. Really, I just like to sit back and relax.

Favorite Music:
I listen to just about everything but country. 

Favorite Candy:
Not much of a candy person, but I could totally go for a Big Hunk right now.

What foreign country would you like to visit and why?
Argentina. The southernmost city in the world actually exists there, and is known as “The End of the World.” There’s just something that intrigues me so much about that trip.

Favorite Quote:
“Don’t take life too seriously, you’ll never get out alive.”

If you were on a deserted island, what three things would you take with you?
People! I’d go insane without them.
A good book… shelf.
A rescue boat!

Most important piece of advice for new students:
Get to know your fellow students and some faculty! If things ever start to fall apart during your college experience, these are the people who will support you, keep you going, and help you remain successful! They are integral to your success!

---

Name: Adriana Ramirez

Major (or career direction):
RN and Forensic Nurse

Where are you from/Hometown:
Anaheim, California

High School graduated from:
Shadow Mountain High School

Co-curricular activities you are involved in?
Volunteer at John C. Lincoln North Mountain Hospital

Favorite Movie:
My Name Is Khan, Kites, Taken, and Lord of the Rings Trilogy

Favorite Sport:
Boxing

Favorite Food:
Chile Rellenos

What do you like to do during your free time?
Spend time with my daughter, go to the park, go shopping, swim

Favorite Music:
Reggae, Latin, Hip-hop  

Favorite Candy:
Valentine Candy Hearts 

What foreign country would you like to visit and why?
Thailand because I would like to see the Buddha temples, swim at the beach and relax in their spas. I also would like to visit New Zealand for it’s wonderful landscapes that appear in the movie ‘Lord of the Rings’

Favorite Quote:
“Imagination is the eye of the soul” Joseph Joubert

If you were on a deserted island, what three things would you take with you?
1. My daughter and family
2. My Ipod
3. Food and water

Most important piece of advice for new students: Continue with your education; never give up no matter how hard it seems.

---

Name: Alexandra Lopez

Major (or career direction):
Public Relations or Business

Where are you from/Hometown:
Phoenix, Arizona!

High School graduated from:
Cactus Shadows

Co-curricular activities you are involved in?
New Student Orientation, dance as a hobby.

Favorite Movie:
Godfather

Favorite Sport:
Basketball, by far. (:

Favorite Food:
Greek

What do you like to do during your free time?
Dance, spend time with family and friends, listen to music and laugh.

Favorite Music:
I like everything.

Favorite Candy:
I don’t like candy, but I like chocolate. Almond Joy. (:

What foreign country would you like to visit and why?
Thailand or New Zealand... Can’t pick… I’m in love with diverse nature and things that are not so Americanized.

Favorite Quote:
“Act without expectation” Lao Tzo

If you were on a deserted island, what three things would you take with you?
1. Knife
2. Bible
3. Family

Most important piece of advice for new students:
Be confident and don’t ever lose focus. Once you see your dream, go after it. Remember to enjoy this journey and seize the day!

---

Name: Chris Whitaker

Major (or career direction):
B.I.D. in Psychology and Communications and then an M.A. in Counseling

Where are you from/Hometown:
I've lived everywhere across these great states

High School graduated from:
North Canyon '06 

Co-curricular activities you are involved in?
Peer Mentors, Emerging Leaders, Peak Leadership Institute, Honors, Film Club

Favorite Movie:
Star Wars, Christopher Nolan's Batman Series, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, The Majestic 

Favorite Sport:
Football is my favorite to watch, soccer is my favorite to play

Favorite Food:
There are way too many awesome foods out there that you can't pick just one!

What do you like to do during your free time?
Anything that sounds like a good idea at the time

Favorite Music:
I can go from Taylor Swift to Hollywood Undead to Bob Marley and everything in between

Favorite Candy:
Gummy Bears!!!

What foreign country would you like to visit and why?
Nepal, so that I could climb Mount Everest

Favorite Quote:
"Do...or do not...there is no try." Yoda, The Empire Strikes Back, 1980

If you were on a deserted island, what three things would you take with you?
1. A really good sandwich
2. An iPod with all the music ever created on it
3. A helicopter that can never run out of fuel

Most important piece of advice for new students:
Forget everything you think you know. Go out and learn something new about the world and about yourself.

---

Name: Missa Krueger

Major (or career direction):
Psychology

Where are you from/Hometown:
Born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona

High School graduated from:
North Canyon; Go Rattlers!

Co-curricular activities you are involved in?
This, for now!

Favorite Movie:
Grease, Titanic, and Dirty Dancing

Favorite Sport:
Football. Saints and LSU to be specific J

Favorite Food:
All types of food. Mostly Cajun or Italian because that’s what I grew up on.

What do you like to do during your free time?
Hang out with friends and family

Favorite Music:
Lady Gaga always but right now I’m on a country kick right now with Jason Aldean being at the top of the list.

Favorite Candy:
Dessert is my favorite part of every meal. And Snickers/Sixlets are my favorite

What foreign country would you like to visit and why?
Sicily because that’s where my great grandmother came from and I’m sure it would be beautiful.

Favorite Quote:
Work hard, Play Harder!

If you were on a deserted island, what three things would you take with you?
1. Costco bundles of food, mainly Cheez-its and Twinkies J
2. Family
3. Friends (I’ll need someone to talk to!)

Most important piece of advice for new students:
Don’t stop believing! As cheesy as it sounds, it’s true. You can achieve anything you put your mind to. Good luck!

---

Name: William Payton Bayuk

Major (or career direction):
Associates in Business, Bachelors in Finance at W.P. Cary School of Business at ASU.

Where are you from/Hometown:
Woodstock, Illinois

High School graduated from:
Cactus Shadows High School

Co-curricular activities you are involved in?
Paradise Valley Veterans Association/Club President & VA work-study

Favorite Movie:
Forrest Gump

Favorite Sport:
Running & Swimming

Favorite Food:
Sushi

What do you like to do during your free time?
What free time?!

What foreign country would you like to visit and why?
England, Italy, Greece, Germany, & Spain. I love the history of these nations!

Favorite Quote:
“A man who dares to waste one hour of time has not discovered the value of life.” Charles Darwin

If you were on a deserted island, what three things would you take with you?
1. A library
2. A Swiss Army Knife
3. A fishing pole

Most important piece of advice for new students:
Look for opportunities, participate in at least one club, don’t be too proud to utilize financial aid, and apply for scholarships.

---

Name: Oshea Chaudhary

Major (or career direction):
Biological Sciences

Where are you from/Hometown:
Phoenix, AZ

High School graduated from:
Sandra Day O’Connor High School

Co-curricular activities you are involved in?
Student Leadership Council, Phi Theta Kappa, Honors Program

Favorite Movie:
N/A

Favorite Sport:
Volleyball and Swimming

Favorite Food:
Salsa and chips

What do you like to do during your free time?
Hang out with family, friends; travel; church; sing; read

Favorite Music:
Any type, except rap (it needs to be understandable!)

Favorite Candy:
Kit Kat

What foreign country would you like to visit and why? Australia, because it’s one place I haven’t been to that seems really fun

Favorite Quote: "If circumstances stand in your way then find another way to achieve your goals." Leonardo Da Vince

If you were on a deserted island, what three things would you take with you?
1. A good book
2. An emergency kit
3. A blanket

Most important piece of advice for new students:
To all the new students, whether young or old, if you have any questions or concerns ASK or get them clarified because everyone wants to see you succeed!