Coconino Community College — A quick word from the President, more news

Education with Purpose!

Commencement is such a wonderful time to celebrate the achievements of our students with their families and friends, and with our colleagues all across the College. I know how important it is for our students—you can see it in their eyes as they cross the stage. And that is what makes it important to me. So, it is with a heavy heart that I acknowledge this will be my last community college commencement ceremony before I retire from serving our students. Yet, my heart is full of joy knowing that I get to finish out my career at Coconino Community College- somehow I must have saved the best for last!

I have enjoyed my tenure as CCC’s president more than you can possibly know, and I will deeply miss serving the communities of Coconino County. However, I know that our District Governing Board will select a new president who is passionate about the community college mission and who will serve our students and communities with dedication and a love of learning in the coming years.

And in the meantime – the work continues. In May, voters will decide whether or not to reset the primary property tax rate for Coconino Community College. In the coming months, a proposed student/workforce housing project will get underway on CCC property in Page. New academic, workforce and lifelong learning programs will continue to be added to CCC’s affordable, quality roster of offerings to help our students achieve their educational and career goals.

I am certain CCC will move confidently into the future with strength, and I will make sure to keep track of the amazing achievements of our students as I step into this new phase of my life with my husband.

Be well, and … Onward! Náás! Adelante!

Colleen Smith, PhD

There will be two ceremonies on Friday, May 6: 10 a.m. for the Arts and Sciences graduates; and 2 p.m. for the Career and Technical Education graduates.

Student speakers this year will be:

·    Meghan Belmares

·    Natalie Rodriguez

·    Naomi Adisa

·    Kenneth Carr

The ceremonies take place on the Lone Tree Campus, 2800 S. Lone Tree Road. To view the ceremony live, visit the CCC YouTube page.

After two virtual ceremonies during the COVID-19 pandemic, Coconino Community College will be celebrating the Nurse Pinning Ceremony, Thursday, May 5, beginning at 6 p.m. at the Lone Tree Campus, 2800 S. Lone Tree Road, in Flagstaff.

The 30 graduates will hear an introduction from Provost Dr. Nate Southerland, a welcome by President Dr. Colleen Smith and then class representatives Danielle Connell and Melanie Wright will make remarks.

All graduates will receive their Nursing pin, and then will take the Nightingale Pledge before closing remarks.

For more information about the CCC Nursing program, visit the website.

new Native American Success Center

Everyone is invited to attend and welcome to join CCC at the Page Center for food, fun and community information about your college. At 5 p.m. we will begin our Native American Success Center Ribbon Cutting Ceremony.

The Open House will include Student Support Services to help with Summer and Fall 2022 Admissions and Registration, Academic and Career Advising, Financial Aid Assistance, Student Success and Access Services, High School Programs, Community Education: CPR/First Aid, and the National Park Service.

Presentations Include: Financial Aid Assistance and Scholarships anytime from 4-7 p.m., and High School Programs-Free Summer Tuition Presentation from 5:30-6:15 p.m.

For more details, please contact CCC Page Center CoordinatorShannon.Garrison@COCONINO.EDU, or call (928) 645-3987.

The funding is intended for programs requested by employers and communities:

·    Continuing to expand career and technical education programs

·    Developing new programs to support veteran training for civilian jobs

·    Expanding scholarship programs

·    Enhancing educational services throughout Coconino County, including communities such as Page, Tuba City and Williams

The college is pursing a primary property tax reset in order to offer the same opportunities as other community college districts in Arizona.

health psychologist

Witzig is a CCC2NAU student, and she said that “I have my own CCC2NAU advisor,” adding that they help her figure out the courses she needs to complete at CCC to receive her associate degree and transfer to NAU.

The CCC2NAU program helps students save money and accomplish their educational goals both at CCC and NAU. The program offers a seamless transition process that will help transferring students.

Witzig stated that when it comes to the CCC2NAU program, “I really like how for me it was a slow start, because I have friends that go to NAU and they are overwhelmed with it.”

CCC PR and Marketing Intern

CCC PR and Marketing Intern

The next session begins May 17 at the Page Center in Page.

The CAMT program helps students refine their apartment maintenance skills and gets them ready for their future career. Not only do the CAMT program instructors teach students from textbooks but also from personal experience and real-life scenarios in the newly renovated shop at the Fourth street campus. They can teach the students wiring, plumbing, construction, and HVAC by reproducing scenarios in the lab.

“The book is great, but it is always great to have that on-hand experience,” said Mark Crawford Roanhorse, a CCC electrical instructor and CCC alum who received his construction management degree in 2008. “It’s nice to see the shop remodeled. Now we have state-of-the-art equipment for students to learn with.”

To read the rest of the story, visit us here.

The marathon, after being on a short break, returned last year with the new mission of supporting the Coconino Community College Cross Country Comets running program.

The Flagstaff Marathon is a completely off-road course in the Coconino National Forest. It is known as one of the most challenging courses in the country because it is at more than 8,000 feet in elevation, and there is nearly 1,900 feet of climbing on the course. In addition to the marathon, there are also half marathon, 10K and Kids Kilo events.

Before the marathon began supporting the CCC Cross Country Comets, it was held each year to support North Country HealthCare.

For more information about the Flagstaff Marathon, visitflagstaffmarathon.com, or follow on Facebook and Instagram.

In total, the Foundation awarded 122 scholarships for a total of $216,245 to students.

Nursing student Monika Freeman, who works full time at Flagstaff Medical Center’s behavioral health unit, received two scholarships to help her complete her studies at CCC. She will then make the leap to Northern Arizona University to complete requirements for her bachelor’s degree in Nursing.

“The scholarships will help with books and help me navigate my transfer to NAU,” she said.

Coconino Community College student Shayla Haskan, who hails from the Navajo Nation, is currently taking classes at the Page campus. After volunteering with EMS services on the Navajo Nation, she decided to get her EMT certificate to help on her Emergency Medical Services career path, with the end goal of becoming a flight paramedic.

Shayla drives a total of two and a half hours to attend class and another two and a half hours home after the course is over. “Driving the ambulance from 12 p.m. to midnight prepared me for driving late at night,” she said.

When asked why she wanted to get into a career in Emergency Medical Services, Haskan answered, “because I’ve seen family members go through things that they shouldn’t have gone through,” adding that if she had the EMT training at that time she would have been there to help them.

Her daughter is another driving force. “She was about 4-5 years old when she had a seizure from high fever, and I didn’t know much about it,” Haskan said. “What I know now, even though it’s basic, would have helped a lot.”

CCC PR and Marketing Intern

For questions, comments or feedback, please contact PR Manager Larry Hendricks at larry.hendricks@coconino.edu.