Coconino Community College — A quick word from the President

by Community Contributor • January 8, 2020 • Comments Off

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A quick word from the President

News Alert:

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 their December meeting and we are busy working with industry partners to develop curriculum.

These programs meet long-discussed public needs in Coconino County, and even though CCC remains underfunded, thanks to one-time funding from the Arizona State Legislature, we have the resources to start these programs. CCC will continue to seek ongoing funding to sustain these programs in the future and is seeking business and industry partners to help with this.

The Marine Maintenance program will be located at CCC in Page and was created specifically to fill needs in that part of the County. Cyber Security and Veterinary Technician will be located in Flagstaff. All three programs will address workforce and economic development needs in the communities CCC serves. Our leadership team is also working diligently to seek funding to create an Automotive Technician program.

Although one-time funding is helping create the programs, we are looking for tuition revenue from student enrollment, grant funding, and business and industry partner contributions to sustain the programs over the long term. I encourage you to visit CCC and learn about these great new career and technical education programs designed to put people to work!

I wish all of you a wonderful year ahead.

CCC is a great place to be. Onward! Náás! Adelante!

Colleen Smith

CCC Page a CPR first aid training site

SRP and PERA club hand off equipment to CCC to continue monthly classes

Knowing how to respond in an emergency is the focus of a training program that will be taking place at Coconino Community College in Page every month beginning in January. The training, long held at the SRP PERA Club, is making the move to CCC in the wake of the Navajo Generating Station closure.

“This means for the community of Page that the trainings can continue to be offered on a regular basis for staff development,” said Kay Leum, CCC’s Executive Director of Extended Learning.

The training equipment, about $18,000 worth of mannequins, masks, tourniquets, training materials, defibrillators and more, was donated by SRP to CCC to continue the training, Leum added. The first training at CCC was held on Dec. 17 for people in the community who needed their certifications renewed before the end of the year.

The instructor for the training will continue to be Fran Thomas, who is a long-time (more than 30 years) trainer of the program for SRP.

“It’s a workforce-based training for nonmedical people,” Thomas said. “It’s the layperson CPR and first aid.”

The training was originally developed for the power plant, which required all staff to have basic knowledge of CPR and first aid in order to prepare them to respond to emergencies, Thomas said. And just about everybody can benefit from the training – from 10 years old on up to senior citizen.

A student practices on a mannequin during the first CPR and First Aid training at CCC Page in December.

The next training is Jan. 21.

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CCC gets nod for financial reporting excellence

CCC has received the recognition 24 years in a row

CCC received the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting for its 2018 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report. The award was given by the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada.

“The public trusts us to be good stewards of public funds, and this award is recognition of that dedication CCC has to financial transparency,” said Jami Van Ess, CCC’s Executive Vice President.

CCC President Colleen A. Smith, Ph.D., said that she regularly sees the finance staff working into the night and on weekends throughout the year to ensure accurate, detailed budget management and reporting.

“Due to an extremely low tax rate supporting the college and devastating cuts in state funding, CCC provides education and services from a budget that is significantly lower than other community colleges,” Smith said. “That means we have fewer employees and resources to accomplish this award-winning excellence.”

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Coconino Community College Executive Vice President Jami Van Ess (right) shares the most recent accounting excellence award the college has received with Isabella Zagare, Executive Director of Accounting, and the rest of the finance office staff.

CCC Series: Meet the Board

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Student success is CCC District Governing Board Member Patrick Hurley’s reward

Coconino Community College District Governing Board Member Patrick Hurley’s support of the college began before the college existed.

“I’m a product of community college,” Hurley said of his decision to back the college. “So, I understand the benefit of the community college to the community and to students.”

After an associate degree, Hurley went onto university to study Civil Engineering and Engineering Sciences. He worked for years in the construction field until establishing his own firm, Construction Management Associates, Inc., in Flagstaff in 1993. The business has completed projects in commercial, educational, industrial, medical and residential property.

During his time in Flagstaff, Hurley has been active with a number of boards including the Arizona State Chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council, City of Flagstaff Water Commission, the United Way of Northern Arizona and many more.

After the community college was formed, members of the CCC Foundation board approached him to see if he would be interested. He was, and when a District Governing Board member moved out of District 4 (east Flagstaff and eastern Coconino County), Hurley was appointed to the board. That was in January 2003.

“I wanted to be able to participate more in the growth and development of the community college,” Hurley said. “And I’ve been able to stay ever since.”

Despite his deep roots in and service to the community, Hurley said he finds his community college service the most rewarding. He especially enjoys attending the graduation ceremonies.

“You get to see the families and their dedication to the students and education,” Hurley said. “They come from all walks of life and age groups – that is really rewarding, to see them succeed.”

TRIO students reach for college and beyond

Program helps low-income, first-generation students and students with disabilities

TRIO Student Support Services students come from every imaginable corner of our Coconino Community College student population. TRIO SSS brings them together to help them gain confidence and tools needed to succeed in college and beyond.

“Each student we work with is a human first, then a student,” said Kim Shaw, CCC TRIO Advisor. “I believe it is this approach to the students’ whole self that allows us to continually meet our federal objectives, but more importantly, to meet the students’ educational goals.”

TRIO SSS is a grant-funded program from the U.S. Department of Education that started in the 1960s. The program was meant specifically to combat poverty and assist with student retention, encourage transition to a four-year college and improve graduation rates by fostering a climate of success for students who were the first generation in their family to attend college, or who came from lower-income homes, or who had disabilities.

CCC’s TRIO SSS program serves more than 140 students each year through academic advising, tutoring assistance, career exploration, major and course selection, information on financial aid, study skills assistance and more.

Video: More than 140 students at Coconino Community College are served by the TRiO program each year. For more videos of CCC student success, visit the CCC YouTube channel here.

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CCC veteran eyes wildlife management

CCC student Zach Lunow takes his love for the outdoors further

Coconino Community College student Zach Lunow has his sights set on being a Wildlife Management Officer.

“I want to protect the resources that were put on this planet for now and in the future so that everybody can enjoy them,” Lunow said, adding that he loves the outdoors and wants to have direct contact with people. “Plus, I don’t want to sit behind a desk.”

Lunow is a CCC2NAU student and he plans to finish his degree in the Forestry Department at NAU once he gets his lower-division classes at CCC, which are cheaper, out of the way.

He’s no stranger to public service. He spent five years in the U.S. Marine Corps as mechanic for Harrier aircraft.

“I’m done listening to aircraft engines running 24-7,” Lunow said. “I lived on the flight lines, and that constant sound doesn’t appeal to you after four years of listening to it.”

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U.S. Marine Corps veteran Zach Lunow plans to transfer to NAU after completing his studies at CCC.

CCC news around the county

Our ED Talk Series is free and open to the public. For videos and fliers on past ED Talks, visit here.

Join Coconino Community College for an inspiring Comet Talk in January. The talks are part of CCC’s ongoing effort to assist community members interested in continued learning.

Jan. 13 Comet Talk: “Defining Health: Five Key Pillars of Health,” by Brian Kinslow, Doctor of Physical Therapy. Begins at 6 p.m., at the Fourth Street Innovation Center, 3000 N. Fourth St.