Congratulations to Riccardo Kessesshak, a biology major and recent Citrus College graduate, who is attending the University of Southern California this fall.

After graduating from Glendora High School in 2022, Riccardo enrolled at Citrus College. As a local resident, he was familiar with the campus and had heard about everything it offered. "I chose Citrus College because of the transfer benefits and the programs available for students, like the honors transfer program," he said.

While Riccardo's path to community college was more traditional, he says his academic journey itself was "eventful." Not only was he active in the honors transfer program, he also participated in student government and created his own club with the help of his friends from Pathways to STEM, called Future of STEM. "Nora Sullivan was my instructor and the advisor of the club," Riccardo said. "With her assistance, we built a bond that has reached beyond the college campus."

According to Riccardo, this wasn't the only time a faculty member made an impact on his academic journey. "Instructor Terry Miles pushed me in class with problem sets and labs. This helped me to learn and grow," he said. "Instructor Sullivan, Instructor Miles and all of my other instructors played a big role in how I learned in and out of the classroom."

This support made all the difference for Riccardo. He went on to receive a STEM/Edison Scholarship, the Phi Theta Kappa Nevada/California Region's Literary Non-Fiction Award and a Betty Holt May Memorial Scholarship, and he was also named a finalist for the Citrus College Service Leader of the Year Award.

Next on Riccardo's agenda is earning a bachelor's degree in human biology. His ultimate goal is to become a doctor. "The key to achieving a goal is perseverance and tenacity," he said.

Best of luck, Riccardo! The Citrus College community knows you will achieve great things in the future!