I am proud that I have never missed a commencement in my 41 years of working for community college students. I was so disappointed that during the height of the pandemic we had to hold two of our ceremonies in a virtual format, and I am thrilled that we are all planning to be together in person for commencement 2022! I enjoy telling people in all the communities served by CCC that “the story of our college is the story of our students.” They arrive at CCC and before long, they are graduating … [Read more...] about Retiring CCC President Says She Will Miss Commencements
Colleen Smith
Empowering the Native American Voice at CCC
Is it any wonder that people from all over the world draw, paint and shoot photographs of the natural beauty of Northern Arizona? Iron reds and oranges of sandstone contrast wonderfully with blue skies and green pine, juniper and sage. It is land that is rich in geological stories and steeped in a sacred importance to all of us who live here. Coconino Community College is located in the middle of the land’s magnificence. More than 20% of our students at the college are Native American, and … [Read more...] about Empowering the Native American Voice at CCC
Community Colleges Join Recovery Push for Arizona
I can see the beautiful aspen trees quaking in the wind outside of my office window. The signs of the approaching summer are with us everywhere in Northern Arizona. Here at Coconino Community College, we have celebrated our 512 recent graduates with a commencement ceremony held virtually in order to keep everybody healthy and safe during the pandemic. It is our hope of hopes that vaccinations are doing their job and we can all, once again, celebrate our graduates’ achievements in person next … [Read more...] about Community Colleges Join Recovery Push for Arizona
Valuing People at Coconino Community College
What a difference a year makes. Last spring semester, when classes began at Coconino Community College, students were busily passing through the halls of our campuses on their way to classes. Their attention was on their studies and on achieving their educational goals. Then, just before Spring Break, the world started to take notice of the virus that was making its way across the globe – COVID-19. The world went on lockdown to try to halt the spread of the virus. Safety measures were put … [Read more...] about Valuing People at Coconino Community College
CCC Responding to Industry Needs
Community colleges like CCC are poised to be nimble and quickly respond to industry needs. Here at CCC, we are dedicated to serving the local communities and our labor force by offering courses relevant to current career trends. Here are some highlights: The Arizona Commerce Authority announced an initiative with Amazon Web Services Inc. with a goal of training and certifying 5,000 students in Arizona for entry-level cloud computing careers in the next two years. CCC is joining … [Read more...] about CCC Responding to Industry Needs
Moving Forward at CCC
Even during this challenging period in our lives, Coconino Community College is making amazing things happen in Coconino County. The semester is off to a great start, and even though enrollment may not be quite where it was before, faculty and staff across the entire district are working hard to help the semester be a great experience for our students. This year, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, we at CCC have chosen remote delivery methods for most of our courses, in the interest of the … [Read more...] about Moving Forward at CCC
Honoring the Power of ATHENA
Colleen A. Smith, Ph.D., believes it’s extremely important to support women in their professional interests and career choices, especially in male-dominated fields. “This support demonstrates to our society that there are options for women that both women and men may have never considered possible until they see women succeeding in these areas. We need to tell these stories so that we continue to change the narrative around how people view gender and the world in which we live.” Smith, … [Read more...] about Honoring the Power of ATHENA
CCC Preparing for New Career and Technical Education Programs
Coconino Community College will be rolling out three new Career and Technical Education programs, and we hope to have a fourth one on the way soon. The new programs are Cyber Security, Marine Maintenance Technician and Veterinary Technician. The CCC District Governing Board approved the programs during its December meeting, and we are busy working with industry partners to develop curricula. These programs meet long-discussed public needs in Coconino County, and even though CCC remains … [Read more...] about CCC Preparing for New Career and Technical Education Programs
Honoring New Beginnings
It is the season of mortarboards and robes. The air on campus shimmers with excitement, joy and, maybe, even a little fear of the unknown. Graduation at Coconino Community College is upon us. Our ceremonies – two of them now – are Friday, May 10, beginning at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., at the Lone Tree campus. The graduating students will be poised for new beginnings and for the next steps in their lives after college. Some will continue their educational journey at a university. Others are … [Read more...] about Honoring New Beginnings
