Noteworthy

SFCC welcomes Interim President Cecilia Y.M. Cervantes, Ph.D.

Dr. Cecilia Y.M. Cervantes was appointed by the SFCC Governing Board and joined the college in November.

“Santa Fe Community College is an outstanding higher education learning community consisting of focused, hard-working students and dedicated employees,” said Dr. Cervantes. “I am honored to serve as the college’s interim president and to work with the college’s team in supporting students as they accomplish their educational goals.”

“Dr. Cervantes has the experience to build on the progress the college has made in increasing graduation rates and fostering student success,” noted SFCC Governing Board Chair Linda Siegle. “She has a strong background in collaborating with community partners, business and industry to provide greater opportunities to students.”

Board member Kathy Keith added, “The students were particularly impressed by her commitment to diversity and that she is bilingual.”

Cervantes most recently worked as a consultant in curriculum development at the Minneapolis Public Schools. From 2008-2015, she served as president of Hennepin Technical College in Minnesota. Prior to that, she was the president of College of Alameda in California. She also served as Associate Vice President of Lifelong Learning and Career Technical Education at El Paso Community College; Provost at the Transmountain Campus in the El Paso Community College District; Associate Campus Director (Chief Instructional Officer) at Doña Ana Community College; Vice President of Academic Affairs at Western New Mexico University and as Dean of Continuing Education and Dean of Arts and Humanities at the Community College of Denver.

She holds a Ph.D. from the University of Colorado and an M.A. and a B.A. from the University of Texas at El Paso.


Haiku Pathway Installed in Courtyard

Artist Christy Hengst, left, and SFCC Creative Writing Program Founder and Instructor Miriam Sagan, right center.

SFCC Creative Writing Program founder, instructor and author Miriam Sagan launched the concept of installing a Haiku Pathway in the central courtyard on campus. Sagan curated poems from those written by students and local poets.

She then enlisted the creative contributions of artist Christy Hengst, who pressed the haiku into ceramic stones. The stones are embedded in the gardens around the courtyard to inspire reflection and respite.

The installation is presented by the SFCC Foundation’s Art on Campus Program with support from the Liberal Arts Department and is funded in part by the Witter Bynner Foundation for Poetry.

 


Pre-K wing opens at Kids Campus

The new Pre-K Wing has opened at Kids Campus, the college’s early childhood development center. The two new classrooms are bright and airy and accommodate more prekindergarten students.

Pre-K students are joined by (left to right) Kids Campus Administrative Coordinator Amelia Bryne Gonzales; Director of Kids Campus Michelle Rosen-Hatcher and Director of the Early Childhood Center of Excellence Jennifer Duran-Sallee, Ph.D. 


PNM Awards Energy Efficiency Star to SFCC

Executive Director of SFCC Plant Operations Management Henry Mignardot represented SFCC at the PNM awards ceremony where SFCC was recognized with a 2017 PNM Business Energy Efficiency Star Award for achieving significant energy savings in the PNM Business Energy Efficiency rebate programs. The PNM Business Energy Efficiency Star Awards are given to PNM business customers who saved the highest kilowatt hours (kWh) among all energy efficiency rebate projects paid.

 


Cordell Pacheco, Chef, received an Associate in Applied Science in Culinary Arts, in 2016

Serving Community

SFCC Graduate Cordell Pacheco has been serving delicious creations throughout Santa Fe.

Here he’s seen at Maize Restaurant. He has also worked at Bouche French Bistro and New Mexico Fine Dining.

 

 

 

 

 

Grissom Receives Sustainability Award

Randy W. Grissom, who recently retired as President of SFCC after nearly 30 years in service to the college, received first place in the Sustainability Leadership category of the annual Mayor’s Sustainability Awards. He was acknowledged for his part in creating the School of Trades, Technology, Sustainability & Professional Studies which offers sustainability-related technology education and training, and provides stimulus to the local economy.

In Memoriam

Former SFCC President James N. McLaughlin passed away in October from complications related to MDS, a blood cancer. After joining SFCC in 2001 as Dean of Administrative Services, Jim was appointed as Interim President in 2003, and served as the college’s fifth President from 2004 to 2006. He is survived by his wife, Sheila Ortego McLaughlin, who was president of SFCC from 2007 to 2012.