When Ryan Dusek graduated from Cibola High School this past Friday, he walked the line with a Bachelor of Science in Applied Human Behavior to his name. Just two weeks prior, he'd earned his four-year degree.
Dusek's journey began in freshman year. He started taking dual and concurrent enrollment classes at Arizona Western College at Cibola and swiftly obtained an associate’s degree. At the end of his sophomore year, he enrolled in Northern Arizona University, where he began taking classes towards his bachelor’s degree.
“I started with maybe one or two classes and after that semester, I really kind of took off,” Dusek said. “I was motivated to continue and found the opportunity to be extremely beneficial just to get ahead.”
While at Cibola, Dusek was also involved in athletics and activities at school and in the community. He was captain of the CHS swim team, part of the CHS A-Team. He completed the Yuma Union High School District's nursing and firefighting career and technical education programs. And he was a lifeguard and lifeguard instructor, among other commitments.
“Ryan has always been one to go above and beyond with everything he does,” said Amy Dusek, Ryan's mom. “He has always worked incredibly hard and has committed a substantial amount of time to achieving these goals. While his peers were out doing fun stuff on the weekends, Ryan was writing papers and completing assignments that were due.”
Dusek is now in the process of applying for the NAU occupational therapy program to obtain his doctorate.
“Thanks to the strong partnership between YUHSD and AWC, our high school students have incredible opportunities to earn college credit,” CHS Director of Counseling Kari Lofton said. “Even for those who don’t complete a full degree in high school, enrolling in college-level courses offers early exposure to the academic rigor of university coursework. This experience better prepares students for the challenges ahead, helping them earn stronger academic marks and increasing the likelihood of college completion."
YUHSD students interested in early-college opportunities through dual or concurrent enrollment can talk to their counselor or visit their school website for more information.
