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.

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Name: Phil Hart

Major (or career direction):
Non-Profit Leadership and Management

Where are you from/Hometown:
Muskegon, Michigan

High School graduated from:
State of Michigan

Co-curricular activities you are involved in?
Phi Theta Kappa, Diversity Inc, Honors, Orientation Leaders, Student Leadership Council, Student Public Policy Forum (SPPF)

Favorite Movie:
Any comedy special – I can laugh forever….

Favorite Sport:
Hockey

Favorite Food: Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwiches

What do you like to do during your free time?
Spend time outdoors hiking, biking, etc…

Favorite Music:
Adult Contemporary

Favorite Candy:
Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup

What foreign country would you like to visit and why?
I cannot choose just one, I would love to spend a month or two in Europe checking out all of the architectural and natural marvels

Favorite Quote:
“You can live life propelled by Faith or Fear, the choice is entirely yours” – Anon.

If you were on a deserted island, what three things would you take with you?
I would take a solar-powered radio, a hammock, and a solar-powered tablet loaded with as many fiction and non-fiction books as possible.

Most important piece of advice for new students:
There is no magic recipe for success in college. It takes hard work, sacrifice, and desire to see your goals through to the end. Get involved in campus clubs/organizations, make friends, and do not be afraid to ask your professors for help, they truly want to see you succeed.

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Name: Marissa Vandervort

Major (or career direction):
Communications/Interdisciplinary Arts & Performance (ASU)

Where are you from/Hometown:
Bend, Oregon

High School graduated from:
Homeschooled

Co-curricular activities you are involved in?
Phi Theta Kappa and Performing Arts Department

Favorite Movie:
Anything with Reese Witherspoon

Favorite Sport:
Soccer or Volleyball

Favorite Food:
Ice Cream (specifically Vanilla)

What do you like to do during your free time?
Spend time writing or composing music and be with my family.

Favorite Music:
Josh Wilson, Tenth Avenue North, Tori Kelly, John Mayer, Paramore (I love all types of music – I’m a big music junkie!)

Favorite Candy:
Chocolate 

What foreign country would you like to visit and why?
 Australia, because I would love to visit Hillsong and see the Sydney Opera House.

Favorite Quote:
“We are told to let our light shine, and if it does, we won’t need to tell anybody it does. Lighthouses don’t fire cannons to call attention to their shining – they just shine.” – Dwight L. Moody

If you were on a deserted island, what three things would you take with you?
1. My Bible
2. A guitar (to keep myself very occupied!)
3. A helicopter (to get me off the island haha)

Most important piece of advice for new students: Enjoy your time at PVCC. Don’t rush through classes, but take time to enjoy the journey. Build relationships on campus. Most importantly - get and stay involved!

Name: Adam Makonnen

Major (or career direction):
Medical (endocrinologist)

Where are you from/Hometown:
Phoenix

High School graduated from:
Pinnacle High School 

Co-curricular activities you are involved in?
Playing basketball, working out, playing Xbox, & watching sports. 

Favorite Movie:
Titanic, Love & Basketball, and Alpha Dog. If I have to pick one, Love and Basketball. 

Favorite Sport:
Basketball

Favorite Food:
Lasagna

What do you like to do during your free time?
I enjoy playing basketball, working out, going to the movies, and going on hikes. 

Favorite Music:
J.Cole 

Favorite Candy:
Starbursts

What foreign country would you like to visit and why?
Ethiopia, because it is my home country

Favorite Quote:
"You can't concern yourself with standards when your chasing greatness"- Bei Maejor 

If you were on a deserted island, what three things would you take with you?
The 3 things I would take would be my family, my dog, and a tv. 

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Name: Megan Fritz

Major (or career direction):
Criminology (Detective)

Where are you from/Hometown:
Scottsdale

High School graduated from:
Pinnacle High

Co-curricular activities you are involved in?
Ex-Lacrosse player and member of Phi Theta Kappa Honors Society at PVCC

Favorite Movie:
Transformer movies and/or anything suspenseful

Favorite Sport:
To Play: Lacrosse. To Watch: Basketball.

Favorite Food:
Chinese!!

What do you like to do during your free time?
Play lacrosse, horseback ride, kayaking, and hanging out with friends

Favorite Music:
Country and Eminem!

Favorite Candy:
Twix, Kit Kat, and anything sour

What foreign country would you like to visit and why?
Spain! I strive to become bilingual someday and hope to study abroad!

Favorite Quote:
“Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.” –Hilary Cooper

If you were on a deserted island, what three things would you take with you?
My cat, my iPod for music, and my mom J

Most important piece of advice for new students:
Don’t stress, and to take one day at a time!

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Name: Jerry Raburn

Major (or career direction):
Public Policy, History, Law

Where are you from/Hometown:
Born overseas in Bangkok, Thailand and raised in Orange County, Southern California

High School graduated from:
Marina High School in Huntington Beach

Co-curricular activities you are involved in?
Volunteer at St. Vincent de Paul, Various political rallies and town halls.

Favorite Movie:
Billy Elliot

Favorite Sport:
Water Polo

Favorite Food:
Thai Food

What do you like to do during your free time?
Movies, bars, theatre, musical performance, listening to music, swimming, read periodicals

Favorite Music:
Everything except heavy metal.  I love hip hop and country dance music.

Favorite Candy:
Mochas from See’s Candies

What foreign country would you like to visit and why?
Turkey because there is a lot of history and archaeological sites.

Favorite Quote:
"Let honor be to us as strong an obligation as necessity is to others"- Finny the Elder

If you were on a deserted island, what three things would you take with you?  
A cruise ship, water, and a GPS

Most important piece of advice for new students:
Keep track of your academic progress, follow your syllabus, and participate in class.

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Name: Amber Fennell

Major (or career direction):
Recreational Therapy and Special Education

Where are you from/Hometown:
Glendale, AZ

High School graduated from:
Arizona Agribusiness and Equine Center (AAEC)

Co-curricular activities you are involved in?
Emerging Leaders, Club Ed, Diversity Inc.

Favorite Movie:
Alice in Wonderland

Favorite Sport:
Kickball!

Favorite Food:
Mexican

What do you like to do during your free time?
Sing, Dance, Draw, Read, Cook, Play Video Games

Favorite Music:
Adult Alternative & Folk

Favorite Candy:
Anything with Peanut Butter

What foreign country would you like to visit and why?
New Zealand; it is said to be the world of worlds.

Favorite Quote:
“Everything you are learning is preparing you for something else.”
― Marjorie Pay Hinckley

If you were on a deserted island, what three things would you take with you?
My scriptures, a friend, and a hatchet.

Most important piece of advice for new students:
Don’t be scared to lose yourself, because sometimes that’s the only way to find yourself. Try things that scare you, things that you would never suspect you’d like, and you’ll be surprised the things you learn about yourself. And, you’ll make a lot of friends along the way.

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Name: Amanda Nolan

Major (or career direction):
I plan to be a Physical Therapist but I am also majoring in Mathematics.

Where are you from/Hometown:
I was born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona and have lived here all my life.

High School graduated from: 
I have been homeschooled for all of my schooling minus college.

Co-curricular activities you are involved in?
I run a charity yard sale through the Valley Home Educators home school group. I also volunteer at Horses Help, a therapeutic riding center for special needs children and adults.

Favorite Movie:
The Disney movie Mulan

Favorite Sport:
Although I don’t play any sports I like swimming because my sister is a competitive swimmer.

Favorite Food: 
warm brownies with ice cream and raspberries.

What do you like to do during your free time? 
Hang out with friends, work with horses, swim or bead.

Favorite Music:
I like all music except heavy metal and rap.

Favorite Candy:
Reese’s Pieces!

What foreign country would you like to visit and why?
I would like to visit Ireland because of its green landscape and because my ancestors were from Ireland.

Favorite Quote:
“Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted” -Albert Einstein

If you were on a deserted island, what three things would you take with you?
I love to read so I’d take books, water, and for company I’d bring my dog.

Most important piece of advice for new students: Use your resources and take full advantage of what PVCC has to offer. The library and tutoring centers are great places to do homework at and the professors are more than happy to talk to you during office hours.

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Name: Danielle (Dani) Pomroy

Major (or career direction):
Fine Arts - Dance

Where are you from/Hometown:
Phoenix

High School graduated from:
North Canyon HS

Co-curricular activities you are involved in?
Dancing with my entertainment group, The Newbreedz.

Favorite Movie:
The Goofy Movie

Favorite Sport:
Basketball

Favorite Food:
Italian Food!

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

Favorite Music:
Hip Hop

Favorite Candy:
Skittles

What foreign country would you like to visit and why?
Italy because of the culture, food, language, and scenery.

Favorite Quote:
“A New Day, A New Life, A New Breed”

If you were on a deserted island, what three things would you take with you?
Dog, rope, and my stuffed bear.

Most important piece of advice for new students:
Focus. You may have more freedom than in high school or than being solely at home and work but be sure to focus on your school work. Do whatever you can to keep your grades up, whether it’s tutoring, communicating with your teacher, or joining a study group; anything helps! There’s always someone willing to help!

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Name: Dinae Begay

Major (or career direction):
Be a diplomat for the United States working in the areas of Education and Health.

Where are you from/Hometown:
Born in Phoenix but Whitecone is where I was raised when I was little.

High School graduated from:
North Canyon High School. Rattlers!!

Co-curricular activities you are involved in?
I help out with child care at my church.

Favorite Movie:
Across the Universe (Beatles inspired!!)

Favorite Sport:
Basketball (I have the height for it.)

Favorite Food(s):
Scones, Sushi and Kimchi

What do you like to do during your free time?
I like to draw, read, write, hang with friends, clean (if I’m dying of boredom, lol) and play with my cat. J

Favorite Music:
Everything including Country, Dubstep, Asian, and European.. Classical.. EVERYTHING!!

Favorite Candy:
Asian Candy and Nerds and Chocolate.

What foreign country would you like to visit and why?
I would love to visit England because of the history, food and culture and the fact that the Beatles were born there and everything. Also, I would love to visit Japan and Korea.

Favorite Quote:
“The love you make is equal to the love you take.” ~ The Beatles

If you were on a deserted island, what three things would you take with you?

• People I love so I would have company.
• Radio with solar power charger so the music never has to end, lol.
• (Cheating here) A survival kit!!

Most important piece of advice for new students:
Make goals for the week and follow them. When they are completed, you will feel great about finishing it, whether it’s for class or outside of class.

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Name: Angelo Da Silva

Major (or career direction):
Screenwriting

Where are you from/Hometown:
I was born in Monterey, California but was raised in Phoenix!

High School graduated from:
Barry Goldwater

Co-curricular activities you are involved in?
I work at JC Penney

Favorite Movie:
Pain and Gain, all the Batman movies and anything Will Ferrell or Will Smith are in!

Favorite Sport:
Baskteball and Soccer. My favorite team for basketball is the Knicks and Suns! And for soccer I love Manchester United and Flamengo!

Favorite Food:
I like everything except spaghetti, peanut butter

What do you like to do during your free time?
In my free time I like to play basketball, soccer, listen to music or write. 

Favorite Music:
I listen to almost anything! Anything from Tame Impala, Passion Pit or Phoenix all the way to Kendrick Lamar, Kid Cudi or Lecrae

Favorite Candy:
RED VINES!!!!

What foreign country would you like to visit and why?
Australia and Japan. For some reason I think those would be cool places to visit

Favorite Quote:
“Imagination is more important than knowledge”

If you were on a deserted island, what three things would you take with you?
My laptop, my family and my friends

Most important piece of advice for new students:
The most important advice for new students is to not be afraid to get involved with the school and try something new.

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Name: Ian Jeffs

Major:
Undecided, but leaning towards something in the history or international studies field(s).

Hometown:
Phoenix, Arizona

High School graduated from:
Shadow Mountain High School

Co-curricular activities you are involved in:
Campus Job (information/advising desk)

Favorite Movie:
Right now, it is Star Trek: Into Darkness.

Favorite Sport:
Soccer

Favorite Food:
I like most food, but my fav. types have to be Mexican, Italian and Indian cuisine.

What do you like to do with your free time:
Hang-out with friends, movies, read, swim (in the summer).

Favorite Music:
Folk-rock, Folk, Alternative, Alternative-rock, EuroPop, Electronic (I like a lot of different types of music).

Favorite Candy:
Cadbury’s

What foreign country would you like to visit and why?:
I have a few, but the main ones are Spain and Italy because I want to experience and see the culture, people, food, history, languages and places in those nations.

Favorite Quote:
“Be curious, not judgemental.” -Walt Whitman (American Poet).

If you were on a deserted Island, what three things would you take with you?:
I would bring with me: a small plane to get off the island, fuel for the plane and navigating equipment.

Most important piece of advice for new students?
Don’t be afraid to branch out and experience new things and people! You won’t regret it.