Critical thinking, exemplary writing and outstanding speaking skills are what graduates of the Classical Studies Program at Phoenix College will take with them as they pursue additional educational opportunities. The program is designed for students who want to be active learners, and is the only program of its kind at the Maricopa Community Colleges. Over the years, graduates have elected to continue their education at universities like Stanford, BYU, Yale, Berkeley, University of Chicago and many other well-respected schools.

The Phoenix College Classical Studies Program, which was established in 1990, is a rigorous program that many would expect from only the top universities. It helps train students to think critically and express themselves through speech and writing.

This challenging program focuses on intensive reading and writing, and classics students are encouraged to participant in learning and social activities outside of the classroom. For example, the Phoenix College Classical Studies Program hosts six community seminars a year. These seminars/lectures are designed to be intellectually stimulating and the subjects usually focus on current events. Previous seminars have highlighted a wide range of topics including "Mexican Wolves: Extermination, Reintroduction and the Battle to Survive" and "Airports and Neighborhoods: The Sky Harbor Experience."

Phoenix College Classical Studies Director, Dr. Alan Haffa believes that the program has many unique features, which offer students a challenging, yet rewarding curriculum. This rigorous program is opening many doors for students to attend top universities across the country.

"Our curriculum is very well respected by the colleges to which our students transfer, and that is reflected in their transfer success rate and the breadth and quality of colleges that accept our students," said Haffa. Classics students are not only required to take all honors courses, which range from Western Civilization to American Studies, but they also take an active role in community involvement. For example, one of our goals in the Classical Studies Program is to educate our local community and offer them opportunities where they can seek out intellectual and/or cultural events."

Classics students benefit from much smaller classes - a maximum of 25 students per class - which helps prepare them for upper division coursework. The program encourages students to learn to think for themselves, as opposed to memorizing everything they read in textbooks. Upon graduation, students possess a professional vocabulary and have a confident speaking style.

"It's important to note that our students are not necessarily interested in becoming professional classicists, but they are interested in how the past informs the present," Haffa added. "Many of our students go on to major in a variety of subjects and are generally aided with generous scholarships."

As the program director, Haffa has seen a number of students finish the program with high scores.

"Many of our Latino immigrants have done very well in this program," he said. "With Latin being the mother tongue of Spanish, we hope to appeal to more Hispanic students…showing them that they can succeed in our program."

This year, the Phoenix College Classical Studies Program will graduate six students: Leslie Arko, Kellie Flanagan, Lourdes Gonzalez, David Hunsdon, Claudia Lopez and Lindsay Saunders.

With a rigorous schedule - balancing their educational career with a full-time or part-time job - these six graduates have maintained a 3.8 G.P.A. or higher throughout their college career. They each have unique stories and their aspirations for the future are high.

Leslie Arko (3.8) Arko will attend Arizona State University and study english literature this fall. Her honors and awards include the President's Scholarship, National Dean's List and All-Arizona Academic Team Scholarship.

Kellie Flanagan (3.82) This fall, Flanagan will study English and History at Arizona State University West. She aspires to become a high school english teacher. Her honors and awards include the National Dean's List, President's List and President's Scholarship.

Lourdes Gonzalez (3.8) Gonzalez will move to California to study film and television at the University of California, Santa Cruz. Her honors and awards include the President's Scholarship, Hispanic Heritage Award for Journalism/Literature, Cross Country Scholarship and Acknowledgment.

David Hunsdon (3.8) Hunsdon will study Music at Northern Arizona University in the fall. He graduated with honors and aspires to be a percussion teacher.

Claudia Patricia López (3.8) López will study at Arizona State University in the Fall. She hopes to one-day practice immigration/civil rights law. Her honors and awards include the Presidential Scholarship and the Genesis Scholarship.

Lindsay Sanders (3.95) Sanders is currently examining various possibilities and will most likely study Philosophy. Her honors and awards include the Maricopa Community College District Foundation Scholarship and AAGR. She graduated with honors.