Brady Gardner

Associate in Arts

Brady Gardner grew up in Yakima and enjoyed a carefree childhood. As he grew older life became more challenging as he balanced school work, community service, and a part-time job. During this time his family also struggled financially, resulting in the loss of the family home. Gardner helped by covering some of the family expenses. As a high school junior he decided to enroll in YVC’s Running Start Program to get a jump-start on his education. “I signed up for Running Start so I could attend YVC full-time while still in high school. I would graduate not only with a diploma, but with ninety college credits and an associate’s degree,” stated Brady Gardner. “Running Start is a financially great decision. It seemed like too good of a deal to pass up, pushing me two years ahead of where I would have been otherwise,” he continued. “Overall, the two years I’ve spent in Running Start have cut my potential student loan debts by half, and makes my future look much brighter. I would love to see more high school students go through the Running Start program,” he concluded. Brady is working toward an associate in arts degree. He plans to transfer to a university and pursue a degree in computer science. Ultimately, he would like to have a career at Microsoft, Boeing, or Google and conduct research on next-generation technologies, such as quantum computers or nanotechnology.