March 2019
Marching into spring
I wish I could say that I took this photo, but I am not that good of a photographer. I am borrowing this open access photo of a Western Bluebird from someone with that kind of talent.

Those who have been on the Rangely campus recently may have noted that many of these sweethearts are fluttering about. Many robins have also flown in to announce spring. It isn't a moment too soon! This winter has not been an easy one and everyone is ready for a change to warmer weather.

As students return from spring break, we all prepare for the hustle of April and the completion of another academic year at CNCC.
Mikayla Green wins Aviation Technician Education Council's James Rardon Student of the Year Award
Each year, the Aviation Technician Education Council and the Northrop Rice Foundation select one student nationally as the James Rardon Student of the Year. This year CNCC Aviation Maintenance student Mikayla Green joined these prestigious ranks.

This award recognizes the outstanding achievement of an aviation maintenance technician student, through academics and involvement that makes a direct impact on the student’s associates, school and/or community.

Ty Harrison, CNCC Aviation Maintenance Instructor, nominated Green for the prestigious award. Green not only maintains a 3.97 GPS, but she is a leader in the shop and provides tutoring and leadership to her classmates. Her outstanding learning and leadership has been recognized by many other organizations including NBAA, CABA, AEA and UPS. In 2018, Green received the Outstanding Non-Traditional Student Award at CNCC.

As Harrison wrote in his nomination letter, "With her passion, knowledge, and work ethic, aircraft maintenance is going to be safer, more compliant, and have greater quality and reliability." CNCC takes pride in its Aviation Maintenance Technician program and is honored to have Green among its students and soon among its alumni. Congratulations, Mikayla!

CNCC Alum: Alison Fox
For Alison Fox, the path to a career in Dental Hygiene wasn't a direct one. She had completed an associate's degree and had nearly finished a bachelor's degree at Brigham Young University when she settled on dental hygiene.

While home in Flagstaff, AZ for the summer and at a routine dental visit at the same practice she had gone to for her whole life, Fox mentioned her interest to her dental hygienist. "You have to apply in Rangely," she exclaimed, and proceeded to rave about her experience at CNCC.

Accepted as an alternate to the program in 2002, Fox found out she was admitted a week after school started. "I left my job and headed to school two days later without a place to stay or any other arrangements. While driving away from Salt Lake City where I had been living with roommates, I saw the sun setting behind me in the rear view mirror and I knew everything was going to be fine," said Fox.

"From the very beginning of my CNCC experience, Clark Crookston was very welcoming. He let me stay in his home with his family for a couple of days while I found a place to live. The other faculty were very helpful and kind as well," Fox added. "I worked in the bookstore with Loyce Gibbs and enjoyed her tremendously. She gave me one of her new puppies as a graduation present."

Fox remembers Rangely foldly. "I loved the community of Rangely. There were so many people who were welcoming and kind to me. I enjoyed tubing down the White River and boating in the reservoir. One of my favorite Fourth of July firework displays was there in Rangely," Fox recalled. "The college provided so many activities and outdoor experiences in the surrounding areas."

A program like Dental Hygiene requires many hours spent studying and participating in clinical experiences. "Of course my classmates were a big part of my experience while I was in the program. I enjoyed and appreciated them," said Fox. "I ran a marathon a few years ago, turned around and there was one of my classmates. She finished at almost the same time. It brought back all of those good feelings."

After graduation, Fox moved back to Arizona and started work full time for a dentist in Scottsdale in a private practice setting. She also spent some time working for the county in a school-based sealant program before leaving that job for her current position teaching in one of the community colleges in Maricopa County in their dental hygiene program.

While Fox was working with a student in clinic one evening, several skills they had been working on came together in an a-ha moment. "You could see it click in her hands and her mind as it all came together. What a great reward for her diligence. Learning new skills and information changes us and gives us opportunity," said Fox.

That moment reminded her of her own time in dental hygiene school here at CNCC. Fox's first thought was, "I need to give back." She has become a donor to the CNCC Dental Hygiene program and now gives back to the profession in many ways.

Interested in telling your CNCC alumni or donor story? Contact Sue Samaniego, Foundation director and Alumni Relations contact at (970)675-3216 or sue.samaniego@cncc.edu.
Faculty Feature: Sara Owens, PhD
Sarah Owens presented papers at two national conferences this spring. In February, Owens traveled to Tempe, AZ to present at the Arizona Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies conference. Her presentation "Take Another Piece of My Heart: Organs and Excreta in Medicine and Drama" explores the ways that meaning was inscribed on various body parts and excreta in medieval medical and dramatic literature. This paper was a direct adaptation of a chapter from her dissertation.

In March, Owens flew to Atlanta, GA to present "Empowering Students through Better Placement: Multiple Measures in the Colorado Community College System," a collaboration between three Colorado community colleges. Using sample questions from institutions in Colorado and nationwide, CCCS is developing self-guided placement surveys for math and English. In the past, scores on placement tests have determined whether a student is able to enroll in college level courses in math or English, or if they need to complete remediation classes first. Use of multiple measures is believed to be more effective, as it looks not only at placement scores, but also past performance, attitude, study skills, etc. The goal is access to and success in college level courses for all CCCS students.

Owens, Developmental Education Faculty and Gateway Coordinator, joined CNCC in 2015. Prior to CNCC she had been working as a math, reading, and writing interventionist in a K-12 school in the San Luis Valley. This experience gave her a solid base upon which to build the Developmental Education department at CNCC. She provided the developmental education services for English and oversaw the math provider. When the Gateway Learning Center was added, Owens also took on the coordination of that student resource.

"I love reading and writing and I want our students to be excited too," said Owens. "I love being with the students and having an influence on whether they continue at CNCC. I was glad that the Gateway Center was added to my duties, because now I spend most of the day with students. It's not just the academics, we talk about whatever the student needs that day. I love that we are small enough to make that possible."

Owens began her own higher education path at Colorado College as a chemistry major. She soon realized that although she found chemistry fun, her heart was in reading and writing. Nervous to tell her parents of her desire to change majors, she soon found that they were not surprised or upset by her choice. Owens transferred to the University of Colorado - Colorado Springs where she competed her Bachelor of Arts degree. An interest sparked by an engaging professor led to Owens pursuing a Master of Arts and a PhD in Medieval Studies.

Another benefit of working at CNCC? Owens gets to teach in her favorite genre. "I love getting to teach the Shakespeare class and share my love for his works with our students," said Owens.
Donor/Partner Spotlight: Cummins
Cummins Sales and Service in Henderson, CO donated a CX15 Diesel Engine to the CNCC Diesel Mechanic program in February. The engine has the latest in electronic sensors and will allow students to learn on the latest technology. The 3,200-pound engine will be mounted for ease of access. The students are learning through that process as well. CNCC offers a huge thank you to Cummins for donating this awesome learning opportunity for our students!
Paleo Dig donation link
The Paleontology Summer Dig will have a donation site on Experiment.com through April 8. The site is part of a Paleontology Grant Challenge. The program that gets the most donors (not the most money!) will win an additional $1,000 toward their cause. Donors to this cause will be kept in the loop on the project throughout the summer. The link for the challenge is: https://experiment.com/projects/faunal-diversity-in-the-mesozoic-formations-of-northwestern-colorado
CNCC Foundation | (970) 675-3216 | foundation@cncc.edu | Website