Alumni News

Three associate degrees launched one alum’s path to a STEM healthcare career.

For Sonja Tom, a desire to help her community led her to a career in medicine. Now she's entering the legal field with a little help from her Rio Salado degree program. Find out more about her inspiring journey on our blog.

After nearly 20 years away from school, Carrie Lee Graves returned to education with determination and discovered a path that changed everything. With Rio’s flexible online classes and weekly start dates, she built a foundation that led her to dual bachelor’s degrees and a bold new future.

Discover how Rio Salado alum Alysa Call balanced family, career changes, and returning to college over nearly 20 years. In this Wave Makers podcast episode, she shares how online learning, flexible scheduling, and determination helped her transition from teaching to nursing and build a meaningful new career in healthcare.

A former Rio Salado student who once needed support is now helping others find their path — all while pursuing her dream of becoming a lawyer.

Ajay Day-Coleman’s career reflects the power of lifelong learning. A 2006 Rio Salado graduate and now a 2025 Alumni Hall of Fame inductee, she has built a career centered on process improvement, mentoring, and empowering others to achieve their goals. Discover how Rio Salado’s flexible learning model helped her turn resilience into purpose— and purpose into impact.

Meet Lennon Audrain, Rio Salado College’s 2025 Alumni Hall of Fame inductee— an educator and innovator shaping the future of teaching.

At 75 years old, Rio Salado College alum Kim Smock proves it’s never too late to chase your dreams. After serving in the U.S. Navy and spending decades balancing work and family, he returned to college, earned his degree with honors, and launched a new career in graphic design—thanks to Rio’s flexible online learning and dedicated support team.

Meet Bryce Cristiano, one of this year's alum inducted into Rio Salado College’s inaugural Alumni Hall of Fame. From Arizona to China to New York, Bryce’s journey as a storyteller and journalist is grounded in truth, purpose, and connection—values he first discovered as a Rio Salado student.

Rio alumnus Alyssa Call left a career in teaching to start a second act in her professional life as a nurse. Find out more about Call's remarkable story of professional and personal transformation on our blog.

Celebrate Rio Salado College’s inaugural Alumni Hall of Fame on Nov. 14, 2025, in Tempe, AZ. Nominate outstanding alumni by Oct. 5 and RSVP by Oct. 27 for this free, inspiring event.

Rio Salado is launching a podcast series where we talk to alumni, students, business owners, and community leaders who are making big waves in their fields. Our first episode dropped this week and features a fascinating conversation with Rio alums Cordero Holmes and Beka Namachanja.