I did it! Shanan Davey

Those three little words, “I did it!” mean a lot for Casper College students, like Shanan Davey, who graduated from CC and set herself on a path of further accomplishment and goal completion.

Davey hails from the small community of Olathe, Colorado. A 2018 Casper College graduate, she earned two degrees during her two years: an A.S. in animal science and an A.S. in agribusiness.

Because students can transfer their credits earned at Casper College, Davey could easily move on to the University of Wyoming that fall to work on her bachelor’s in animal science with minors in ag business and farm and ranch management. When asked how attending Casper College helped her transition to UW, she said, “It helped me learn how to communicate with professors and form relationships. I realized how important it was to make connections with other students, too. It helped me to get a grasp on how college classes operated, and that prepared me for the more challenging classes at UW.

Davey’s graduated this past spring, and this fall started work on “ … my master’s in genetics and breeding specifically looking at high altitude disease in cattle at the genetic level. Casper College helped set the foundation for my education at the University of Wyoming. I was able to get a quality education from personable professors,” said Davey. Those “personable professors” included Jeremy Burkett, Ph.D., agriculture instructor and livestock judging coach, and Heath Hornecker, agriculture instructor.

“Those instructors made an impact on me at Casper College. Jeremy Burkett was my livestock judging coach and served as a role model for me on how to be respectful, go through tough times and still be a better person afterward,” noted Davey. “Heath Hornecker also impacted me because he always pushed me to think about things in a unique way that would apply to the real world and never let me settle for anything less than my best in school or outside of it,” she added.

While at Casper College, Davey was busy with not only her studies but a variety of extracurricular activities, including ag club secretary, a sophomore representative in student senate, vice president of student leadership for Phi Theta Kappa — the honor society for community colleges, participation on the fitting and showing club, and a member of the livestock judging team for two years. “The education and connections made through the judging team allowed me to get where I am now,” she said. Thanks to her time on the livestock judging team, Davey is assistant coaching the UW Livestock Judging team while working on her master’s degree.

Davey, who graduated from Delta High School in Delta, Colorado, in 2016, decided to attend Casper College because, “ … I had several friends from home that attended and loved it, and Dr. Burkett also gave me an opportunity with the judging team.” Would she recommend Casper College? You bet! “I will always recommend students in high school to go to a junior college before a university, because you get to meet some of your best friends, and also get a great education for a (lower) price than jumping straight into a university. This made my transition to a bigger school easier. I loved my experience at CC.” For many of our students, that same sentiment holds true. They come to Casper College because it provides them with a strong foundation to pursue their dreams, just like Davey.

Davey can already say, “I did it!” with her two degrees from Casper College and her bachelor’s from UW. But, she is reaching even farther as she works on her master’s degree. Davey expects to graduate with her master’s in the spring of 2022. Following graduation, “I plan to work on developing new genetics for cattle producers to improve their herds. I did a lot of work this summer with the U.S. Meat Animal Research Center and think there are a variety of opportunities working with them,” Davey said.

You, too, can say, “I did it!” by starting your educational journey at Casper College. You’ll discover that not only will you receive a quality education that will help you in your future endeavors, but you will also save a considerable amount of money by attending a community college first. That saved money can then be used toward your continuing education at a university.

Casper College really is the steppingstone for you to begin the pursuit of your dreams and aspirations. Casper College provides you, our student, with a low instructor to student ratio, which means that you will be attending classes with a small number of students and not a large lecture hall with a sea of endless faces. As Shanan Davey noted, our instructors get to know their students, and our students get to know their instructors. And, asking for help is never an issue. Each instructor is ready to help. Plus, Casper College provides other avenues for our students, including the Student Success Center, counseling services and various tutoring and study resources like the Writing Center and the STEM Learning Center.

Students who graduate from Casper College with either a degree or certificate find they can easily go to the next level, whether that is at a university or entering the job market.

Still looking for a little more guidance? Check out these two articles: “Proven ways to attend college for free or nearly free” and “Is college right for me?”