By Antonio Dabeet

The way you reach a 4.0 and be on the President’s list requires dedication, and almost always, asking for help, according to some MCC students who made the list last term, and the instructors who taught them.

The Calumet interviewed some award-winning students, along with our President Naomi and other faculty members about reaching 4.0 perfection.

Here are their experiences.

Delaney Clark: Extra credit and proofreading

Delaney Clark earned her 4.0 GPA by turning in homework before the due date. She studies a lot before each exam. For one of her classes, she has to write papers and let someone proofread each paper to be free of errors.

Clark’s advice to get a 4.0 is to take advantage of all the extra credit opportunities that the instructors offer.

She tutors in the library and she is happy to help anyone. Her advice as a tutor is to study for exams and have your papers proofread.

“If you have any questions about anything use your professor’s office hours to get help,” says Clark.

She feels happy to be on the President’s List because the last time she made it was in high school.

“Try your hardest and don’t give up. Even if you start the class with a B that doesn’t mean you’re not gonna get it up to an A. Never give up,” says Clark.

Steve Harfst: Learn what your instructor expects

Steve Harfst’s, an Engineering Tech teacher at Muscatine Community College, advice to students on how to get a 4.0 GPA is that it ultimately comes down to how you communicate with your instructor.

“If you don’t understand what your instructor wants from you it’s easy to screw up,” says Harfst.

Your teacher is not trying to make the class hard for you. They are simply trying to teach students how to remember the material, he said.

“I love to help my students and work on questions they may have. Don’t expect a definite answer to your questions,” said Harfst.

“I recommend students take breaks and not to burn yourself out. Don’t make your schedule hectic. Try to stay ahead and do what the teacher wants from you,” said Harfst.

President DeWinter: Study groups and office visits

Muscatine Community College President Naomi DeWinter called a 4.0 GPA, “an amazing accomplishment. “It really means they have given it all sitting those classes.”

DeWinter advises students to be clear at the beginning of the class about the instructor’s requirements. Look at the syllabus, talk to the instructors and make a plan to accomplish those goals.

“It’s also a good idea to create study groups so students can be successful to teach and learn from each other,” said DeWinter.

Students should take advantage of the resources such as the Success Center or the Writing Center and use tutors to help for any assignment.

DeWinter said many instructors have told her, “my students don’t talk to me or come into my office hours and I wish they would come and ask me for help.”

Sara Mitchell: Don’t skip classes

When Sara Mitchell got a 4.0 GPA, she said, “It feels pretty good. I do my work and studying and it takes a lot of effort to get good grades.”

Mitchell got her 4.0 by studying and making sure she was prepared for the class. “I try not to miss any classes,” said Mitchell.

Mitchell’s advice?

“If you need help with something, don’t be afraid either ask the teacher or go to the Success Center for help because it’s a lot easier to understand things and get your work done on time. Also, be prepared with a notebook for what the teacher is going over in class.”

“Don’t be afraid to ask for help and don’t be afraid of taking hard classes just because you think you’re not going to do very well. You will get help from others,” said Mitchell.

President’s List

(4.0 Grade Point Average/six or more credit hours)

Iowa

Blue Grass

Raeann Pape

Andrew Van Nice

Columbus Junction

Jordan Tiffany

Davenport

Katie Atwater

Alix Crawford

Durant

Eliana Berry

Kerrigan Johnson

Kody Koberg

Anthony Mundt

Jack Voss

Mallory Warner

Paige Werthmann

Eldridge

Faith Mosher

Fruitland

Trenton Brewer

Bryanna Burkey

Karson Cantrell

Mariah Pugh

Isabelle True

Grandview

Kyle Avis

Benjamin Chaney

Iowa City

Thomas Jensen

Letts

Dailyn Garrett

Katie Hearn

Annette Solis

Lone Tree

Dillion Sasina-Hanson

Maquoketa

Delaney Clark

Moscow

McKenzie Pallischeck

Muscatine

Emily Adcock

Jose Alba

Jacob Bean

Abraham Bello

Kaylah Carter

Laura Ceniceros

Brian Chick

Ryan Collupy

Johnny Connor

Antonio Dabeet

Deana Dawson

Rolando Garcia

Lorin Gould

Shane Hanssen

Spencer Harden

Courtney Hendershot

Jacob Hillard

Komla Hounou

Cody Hull

Donald Jackson

Jacob Jones

Margaret Koehler

William Kolehmainen

Kali Lange

Lindsay Le

Teresa Lindstrom

Sara Mitchell

Mark Myers

Omar Ocampo

Patrick Pendleton

Sabrina Shoemaker

Archna Singh

Dana Stalkfleet

Paul Volkl

Karen Yohe

Stanwood

Alyssa Oberholser

Tipton

Jason Duncan

West Liberty

Adrian Jacobo

Maribel Montelongo

Brady Putney

Wilton

Chris Dorris

Kortney Drake

Daniel Fitzpatrick

Linsey Ford

Falloyn Grunder

Emily Lange

Grace Longlett

Jerome Mays

Jared Townsend

Colin Weih

Illinois

Illinois City

Jennifer Wolfe

New Boston

Andrew Phillips

Seaton

Craig Smith

Taylor Ridge

Wifredo Acevedo

Oronoco, Minnesota

Jonathon Brushaber

Laguna Vista, Texas

Allyshea Stewart

Dean’s List

(3.5 Grade Point Average or higher/six or more credit hours)

Fpo, AE

Madison Whittaker

Iowa

Albia

Jeffrey Tratchel

Atalissa

Chelsea Lamar

Brittney Rock

Bennett

Samantha Guill

Jonah Werth

Peyton Wiese

Bettendorf

Aubrionna Scholbrock

Blue Grass

Ryan Gillespie

Columbus Junction

Angel Rodriguez

Davenport

Mattie Fadiga

Alyson Owens

Meghan Pierce

Hailey Reth

Lynnette Specht

De Witt

Ryan Ketelsen

Durant

Jacob Benischek

Allison Bosten

Logan Callison

Haleigh Carnes

Hannah Happ

William Iossi

Collin Merschman

Isabelle Rockow

Andrew Schemmel

Erin Shelangoski

Autum Sterner

Fruitland

Nicole Bowers

Kaitlyn Koppe

Kalli Leach

Meagan Miller

Victoria Roenfeldt

Grandview

Amanda Crumly

Teresa McNulty

Nicole Salek

Mitchell Schweitzer

Rebecca Townsley

Iowa City

Ashly Ibarra Valencia

Alexandra Perez

Letts

Joseph Browning

Mallory Hohenadel

Lone Tree

Shelby Eden

Sierra Wright

Long Grove

Amanda Raleigh

Moscow

Marcie Coss

Natalee Pallischeck

Muscatine

Kossivi Afetse

Dede Amouzou

Avery Arp

Afi Awoussi

Whitney Baars

Gabe Bender

Tammie Blaesing

Jordan Bottoms

Jocelyn Boynton

Morgan Brown

Rachel Burkamper

Danielle Burns

Ashlynne Carrington-Parker

Jacob Cawiezell

Monica Chavez

Tyce Christensen

Megan Church

Margaret Compton

Mason Compton

Herlinda Coulter

Heather Cox

Jasmine Cuellar

Lakin Curry

Hunter Daniels

Alondra De Leon

Olivia Deen

Quyen Do

Riley Eichelberger

Lisa Ellsworth

Alaric Evans

Sam Flanders

Kurt Freese

Tarseh George

Aklesso Gnankissa

Javier Gonzalez

Alexandria Gray

Lani Griffin

Elijah Heath

Taylor Hendrix

Beth Holt

Melanie Honts

Meghan Houghton

Anthony Ibarra

Kendi Jones

Fiona Juniku

Keaton Kurriger

Kaitlyn Lathrop

Elaina Lee

Zachary Lick

Brian Lueth

Mason Martin

Julia Maylone

Evelyn Mc Cormick

Jed McCleary

Jasmine Mejia

Marissa Mendoza

Shelley Meyer

Lauren Michaelsen

Hannah Millett

Brandon Mueller

Jessica Newman

Rylie Paul

Trey Pierson

Elyse Reyna

Shane Ross

Allison Ryan

Chasity Spitznogle

Mitchell Teitsworth

Richard Thurston

Trei Tovar

Arleny Villanueva Ruiz

Melissa Whitlock

Hannah Whitworth

Chris Wiegand

Joseph Williams

Lilly Wyatt

Estelle Zaho

Nichols

Madison Law

Tipton

Kyle Bentley

Melissa Segebarth

Walcott

Jordan Giese

Jake Goering

Washington

Natally Guzman

West Liberty

Melanie Gomez

Shantel Lopez

Aneth Roman

Nadia Vazquez

Wilton

Corey Anderson

Rebecca Ball

Lief Clevenger

Bethany Garland

Nathan Kroeger

Collin McCrabb

Kamryn Meyer

Nicole Mizer

Dylan Ormsby

Aubrey Putman

Jacob Said

Ronen Santiago

Whitley See

Hallie Speed

Ashton Stoelk

Brayton Wade

Illinois

Aledo

Nicole Stubbs

Coal Valley

Thomas Clifton

Illinois City

Abby Horton

Little York

Alexis Foster

Monroe Center

Kolton Myrvold

New Boston

Faith Douglas

Jessica Smith

Nicole Wadden

North Henderson

Kealy Simkins

Reynolds

Shannon Beasley

Taylor Ridge

Logan Crawford

Oregon

Portland

Margaret Ormsbee

Salem

Alexandria Welch

Oak Harbor, Washington

Amy Magana