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The Comet — Coconino Community College’s Stellar Newsletter — New Faces at CCC

by Community Contributor • August 6, 2019 • Comments Off

Coconino Community College’s Stellar Newsletter

Sharing the news throughout northern Arizona about what’s happening at your Community College.

Coconino Community College: Education that works for you.

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A quick word from the President

Summer is winding down, and we are excited for the return of our students to the halls and classrooms of Coconino Community College.

As your community college, we are here to serve you – whether it be for a future transfer to a university, for immediate training to enter the workforce, or for the love of lifelong learning. This summer, we presented the community with several noncredit courses in the arts and on topics ranging from the stars and planets to the history of northern Arizona.

This fall, you will see some new faces at CCC with the return of early childhood education, a new Dean of Students, and new faculty in the areas of Early Childhood Education, Physics/Engineering, Nursing, and English. All of these positions were due to retirements or were funded by reallocations from other areas of the College’s budget.

The CCC Foundation, now headed up by Steve Peru, is poised to help dozens of students with scholarships to attend college, some who might not find a way to attend otherwise. The Foundation’s Annual Meeting, where the community is given an opportunity to meet some of our scholarship students and hear an update on the work of the Foundation is just around the corner on September 6.

CCC is a great place to be. Onward!

Colleen Smith

Flagstaff Community Band holds Museum Fire benefit concert at CCC

All donations go to help United Way of Northern Arizona and Coconino Humane Association

The Museum Fire began on July 21, and area residents immediately got busy lending a hand to help others affected by the fire.

On Wednesday, July 24, the Flagstaff Community Band held a benefit concert at CCC’s Lone Tree Campus to raise donations for the United Way of Northern Arizona and the Coconino Humane Association. Monetary donations went to the United Way, and pet supplies went to the Humane Association.

More than 100 residents and volunteers attended the event, filled with the sounds of “Stars and Stripes,” “Mary Poppins,” Les Miserables,” and even “Star Trek.”

For more information about the Flagstaff Community Band, visit them here.

Nat White, CCC District Governing Board member and trombone player for the Flagstaff Community Band, did his part to fill the evening with memorable music.

See more photos of the concert

Noncredit offerings continue to grow at CCC

Coconino Community College continues to grow noncredit offerings for the lifelong learner in all of us. The Summer Art Workshops that wrapped up in July are an example. For more information about CCC Community Education, visit us here. For more videos of students, programs and more at CCC, visit our YouTube channel.

A garden grows at CCC

Nichole Gregory (left), CCC’s Testing and Tutoring Coordinator, sits with Janan Scott, Purchasing Specialist II, in the CCC garden, which is now a Master Gardener site.

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The CCC garden is officially a Master Gardener site

The garden at Coconino Community College bursts with color from native plants and flowers and the pollinators buzz among the rich plant life. The thriving botanical garden happened, thanks largely to the efforts of CCC employees Nichole Gregory and Janan Scott.

And the garden’s blossoming fate is about to improve even more because the garden was recently approved as a Coconino Master Gardener Association site.

To commemorate that achievement, there will be a Volunteer Day at the garden, open to master gardeners and community members, on Saturday, Aug. 10, 8 a.m. to noon.

“The CCC garden is an educational space with native wildflowers for pollinators, experimental beds and traditional raised beds for vegetable gardening,” said Scott, who is a Purchasing Specialist II at the college and a Master Gardener.

Gregory, Testing and Tutoring Coordinator and a Master Gardener, said, “The space is finally coming to life in all the ways we had originally dreamed it would.”

Volunteer offers services to CCC’s veterans

Eric Eikenberry of Citizen Soldiers for Life to offer workshops this fall

Eric Eikenberry uses his experience in higher education and the military to assist Arizona Army National Guard soldiers at Camp Navajo with employment, education and financial planning.

This fall, he will be bringing those skills to all student veterans and their families by offering workshops at CCC’s Veterans Center on a regular basis. He works for Citizen Soldier for Life, a program that “prepares and connects service members with financial and employment services in an effort to enhance readiness and boost resilience,” according to CSFL program information.

“I’m doing it anyway, so why not?” Eikenberry said. “I can help any vet get what they need.”

Classes, which he tends to deliver with large doses of humor, will be about 50 minutes and will cover topics such as: cover letters and resumes, job interviews, job searches and financial literacy.

Eric Eikenberry (right) of Citizen Soldiers for Life and Charli Hausam, CCC’s Financial Aid and Veteran Advisor, stand in the Veterans Center at CCC.

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CCC student develops creative eye for graphic design

Delmy Payne returns to school to to satisfy her passion for graphic design

Delmy Payne, mother of three children, decided to go back to college after her youngest child started kindergarten in Flagstaff.

“I was bored at home and decided to try Coconino Community College with just one class,” she said and laughed. “It went well. I really liked being back in school and enjoyed learning again in a classroom setting.”

So, she enrolled full time at CCC, and, in May, she received a certificate in Graphic and Web Design. Now, she’s on track to get her Associate of Applied Science in Graphic and Web Design in May 2020. She currently volunteers as a creative services intern with Discover Flagstaff, Convention and Visitors Bureau and a graphic design intern at CCC.

When asked if she would offer any advice to a person considering a return to college, or considering a career change, she said, “I would say it’s never too late to learn new things and try to follow your dreams.”

Delmy Payne decided to return to school to learn more about graphic and web design.

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CCC news around the county

CCC Summer Learning wraps up

Above: Dr. Nat White, Ph.D., astronomer and District Governing Board member, shows a community member how to measure distances to stars during the Summer Learning Series. Below: Children enjoy the Career Camp in Page.

Career camps for children in Flagstaff, Page a success

The Summer Learning Program, an enrichment series to support education, was held this summer over a four-week stretch, with a total of 24 talks given on a variety of subjects by presenters who are experts in their fields. Topics included: Creativity and the Arts; Myths and Facts of Our Night Sky; Northern Arizona History and more. The program was the idea of a few CCC Champions members and grew from an idea to a wonderful program.

Springboarding off the success of the Career Camps for middle-school children in Flagstaff, CCC offered a Career Camp in Page. Jeff Jones, Dean of Learning Services, offered “Coding, Drones and Cool Computer Stuff” to a full camp.

For up-to-date listings of Community Education offerings, visit us here.

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CCC Foundation Annual Meeting fundraiser for student scholarships is Sept. 6

Please save the date for the Coconino Community College Foundation Annual Meeting, Alumni and Awards Breakfast, 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m., Friday, Sept. 6, 2019, in the CCC Lone Tree Campus Commons, 2800 S. Lone Tree Road. Don’t miss the annual event where the CCC Foundation recognizes supporters of CCC, alumni and student scholarship recipients. Click here, or the above image to purchase tickets today. For details, contact, Nicole.Honanie@coconino.edu, or (928) 226-4348.

Early Childhood Education courses

return to CCC this fall

Quality preschool education is currently a major area of focus in Coconino County, and CCC is stepping up to provide much-needed training, said Dr. Nate Southerland, CCC Provost. LAUNCH Flagstaff, a collective effort of local organizations devoted to creating a “culture of world-class education for children,” is leading a community effort to increase the number of certified early childhood educators in the county.

“CCC is committed to supporting this goal,” Southerland said. “With a certificate in Early Childhood Education that can be completed in as little as one semester and results in the national recognized Child Development Associate credential, CCC will serve those already employed in daycares and preschools and those seeking employment or starting their own programs throughout Coconino County.”

He added, “We are excited to be a part of this important effort.”

Learn more about CCC’s Early Childhood Education certificate here.