Pursuing His Passion

A 2017 graduate of East High School, Anthony Arroyo took a much different path to DMACC than most. Heading into the fall semester of his freshman year of college, the former standout athlete was set on attending Grand View University in Des Moines and playing football. But as the season grew closer, Anthony decided he was ready to hang up his cleats and try something different.

It wasn't until just before classes started that he considered enrolling at DMACC.

"I had never been to campus and didn't know anything about DMACC," says Anthony, who takes classes at both Urban Campus in Des Moines and at the Ankeny Campus. "But as soon as I got here, I was like, ‘Whoa!'"

He says he enjoys the environment at DMACC and the fact that his fellow students are "comfortable with the path they're on." During his time at DMACC, Anthony has benefitted from a number of scholarships, including the Rob Borsellino Journalism Scholarship, named after the former Des Moines Register columnist.

The scholarship honors Rob's legacy by providing $1,000 to a student enrolled at DMACC with journalistic abilities and an interest in social change. The scholarship is open to writers for a DMACC student newspaper or other students interested in the field of journalism and is awarded on a competitive basis. Anthony specializes in digital media as a staff member of DMACC's Campus Chronicle. He says his career goal is to tell stories with his photography.

"I do a lot of freelancing right now and I want to continue to do that," he says. "I want to work with really cool people and really cool brands."