September 28, 2020

“I feel like it’s so easy to stay in touch with my professors. Whether it’s an email question or an online or video chat, or face to face….they understand what we’re going through, and they always take the time out of their schedules to help us.”

Biological Sciences

Qiayra Randolph wants to be an orthodontist. Her younger brother, Xzavier, has his eyes fixed on a degree in zoology. The siblings from Rochester both chose Great Bay Community College as the first step on their academic pathway because of Great Bay’s reputation for delivering on the limitless possibilities of science.

“When you study science, there is just so much you can do,” said Qiayra, who is studying biological sciences and is on track to earn her associate degree in 2021. She plans to transfer to the University of New Hampshire, where she will continue to study biology with a long-term goal of becoming an orthodontist.

She considered enrolling in a dental school but opted for the community-minded focus of Great Bay. It saved her a lot of money and resulted in a more personal education. “At Great Bay, the class sizes are so small I feel like I am getting all the attention I need. I looked at one of those big, beautiful schools, but the idea of jumping into a university with 200 students and one professor per class very much scared me,” she said.

“Great Bay is not intimidating. The caliber of the professors is very high, and I feel like they genuinely care.”

Her brother, Xzavier Randolph Fleming, followed her to Great Bay. He is studying biology, as well, with a goal of transferring to UNH to study zoology. For both students, Great Bay offers a foundation of science classes that will serve them in whatever career they enter.

“We chose Great Bay for a lot of reasons. We looked at all our options and talked to a lot of people,” Xzavier said, “and it was obvious Great Bay made the most sense, academically and financially. The classes are small, the teachers are great and I’m going to graduate without any student debt.”

Their decision has been reaffirmed during the Covid crisis, with Great Bay’s smooth transition to online and remote learning. “I feel like it’s so easy to stay in touch with my professors,” Xzavier said. “Whether it’s an email question or an online or video chat, or face to face, the professors have been very helpful and considerate. They understand what we’re going through, and they always take the time out of their schedules to help us.”