Noteworthy, 2026 — Vol. 1

Ethyl the Whale Named Roadside America “Sight of the Week”

Ethyl the Whale, the iconic large-scale sculpture on the grounds of Santa Fe Community College, has been featured by Roadside America as its Sight of the Week for January 26–February 1, 2026. Modeled after a Blue Whale that washed ashore in California in 2017, Ethyl was created in 2018 by artists Joel Dean Stockdill and Yustina Salnikova using approximately 5,000 pounds of recycled plastic detergent bottles. The 82-foot-long sculpture is believed to be the world’s largest recycled plastic artwork and serves as a striking visual reminder of global ocean pollution.

After being exhibited in San Francisco, Ethyl found a permanent home at SFCC in time for Earth Day 2019, thanks to the efforts of Linda Cassel, Director of Art on Campus. Powered by solar energy and glowing at night, Ethyl remains freely accessible to the public and visible to passing motorists, reinforcing SFCC’s commitment to public art, environmental awareness, and community engagement.

Read the full Roadside America feature.

First SFCC faculty OER book published through statewide consortium

The first Open Educational Resource (OER) book authored by an SFCC faculty member and published through the New Mexico OER Consortium is Dr. sj Miller’s LGBTQIA2S+ Resources: Support for New Mexico Educators. It marks a significant milestone for SFCC’s participation in statewide efforts to expand affordable, accessible educational materials.

This publication is made possible through a $2.125 million federal Open Textbook Pilot grant awarded to the University of New Mexico by the U.S. Department of Education in 2023. SFCC is a partner in this initiative alongside UNM and Central New Mexico Community College (CNM), forming the New Mexico OER Consortium. The grant supports the development and adoption of openly licensed learning materials across New Mexico, helping reduce textbook costs while increasing equity and access for students. More information.

At SFCC, OER grant funding has supported faculty in redesigning courses and creating special projects that eliminate the need for traditional textbooks. While many SFCC faculty have transformed their courses through OER, Dr. Miller’s book is the first full OER publication by an SFCC faculty member to be produced in collaboration with UNM Press and hosted on the Pressbooks platform.

LGBTQIA2S+ Resources: Support for New Mexico Educators provides practical, openly licensed resources for educators across the state and exemplifies the core goals of the OER initiative: affordability, accessibility, and relevance to New Mexico’s diverse communities. The book is freely available and may be used or adapted by others. View the book on Pressbooks. Additional SFCC faculty members are currently working with Pressbooks to develop future OER publications.

SFCC Participated in Higher Education Day at the NM State Legislature

Representatives from Santa Fe Community College participated in Higher Education Day at the New Mexico State Legislature on January 20, joining colleges and universities from across the state for the annual event at the Roundhouse.

SFCC hosted an informational table where legislators and members of the public could learn more about the college’s programs, students, and community impact. The event provided an opportunity to share how SFCC supports access to education, workforce development, and lifelong learning for New Mexicans.