Campus Weekly
Creative writing students participated in Santa Fe International Literary Festival
SFCC creative writing professor Terry Wilson was invited to bring her students as free guests of the Santa Fe International Literary Festival. The students were invited to read in the Convention Courtyard, which was free to the public.
The following is Terry Wilson’s personal account of highlights from the whirlwind weekend of the events she participated in, along with the photos she shared:
The Santa Fe Literary Festival gets better every year!
Friday night, May 19, opened with N. Scott Momaday, who was Honorary Festival Chair. Momaday is a Kiowa elder who won the Pulitzer Prize in 1969 for his book, “House Made of Dawn.” Momaday discussed the power of story and he was accompanied on stage by his daughter, Jill, who listed the many, many accolades and awards her father has won. After she finished naming all his accomplishments, her father paused.
“Let’s just leave it at that,” he said, grinning. As her father, the author, storyteller, and educator spoke, Jill gazed at him so lovingly. At the end of the evening, I met N. Scott Momaday and told him how as an English teacher at SFCC, we used an excerpt from “House Made of Dawn” in one of our textbooks for years, and students really responded to those rich and textured details. “Story tells us who we are,” Momaday said.
The next speaker was Colum McCann, one of the most transformative writers working today. McCann was born and raised in Dublin and he was interviewed by Deborah Taffa. He is the author of seven novels and his work has been published in 40 languages. He discussed “Let the Great World Spin,” and also “Apeirogon” which was a global bestseller. He also described his new book, “American Mother” (available in Jan., 2024) which deals with the assassination of the journalist, James Foley, in 2014. This will be McCann’s first non-fiction book.
“The job of the writer is to reveal the human heart. We as authors try to get this right. And sometimes, we use fiction to tell the truth.” Earlier in his life, McCann rode across the United States on a bicycle so he could listen to people and tell their stories. “Writing is dangerous,” he said. “We live in fractured times. The most important word is ‘REPAIR.’ How do we repair the fractures in our world?”
In his book, “Apeirogon,” McCann writes the story of an Israeli man and a Palestinian man, both of whom had lost daughters in the ongoing Middle East conflict. And they became friends. “Apeirogon is not just about Israel and Palestine,” McCann said. It’s also about Belfast.”
“Tell someone else’s story to learn compassion,” McCann said. “Storytelling can save us.”
The next morning, Saturday, May 20, Jennifer Egan took the stage, along with moderator, Alex Parsons. Egan, the author of “Visit from the Goon Squad” which won the Pulitzer Prize in 2011, said she hates writing about herself. She grew up as an observer because she was a stepchild in two different families. “I always felt like an outsider,” she said, and explained how this taught her watchfulness. Egan has written six novels, plus several non-fiction essays. She is knowledgeable on many different topics and has had stories published in The New York Times Magazine.
Egan discussed how she tries to make the inner life of characters comprehensible to the reader. She wants the reader to understand that the choices the character makes are the only choices they could make because of who they are. “Fiction crosses the barrier we can’t cross anywhere else–getting into the interior of the characters’ minds,” she said.
When asked how she enters a story she wants to write, she explained, “I often begin with PLACE. Then I ask myself, ‘Who is seeing that place?’ Place is the start, and then I improvise.”
When asked about doing research and how it fits into her writing, Egan said, “Research never feels like research– research is generative, meaning, it sparks other ideas.”
After Jennifer Egan spoke on the big stage, several students of mine and I were privileged to join Egan in the Tesuque Room where we spent an hour asking Ms. Egan questions about her writing process which she graciously answered. We discussed Chat GPT which she had talked about briefly on the Big Stage.
According to Egan, “CHAT GPT is an embodiment of Group-think. I try to get ahead of Groupthink, even the Group-think that’s in my own brain. Chat GPT is not that creative. Let’s all get out of the realm of GROUP-THINK and come up with our own ideas!” Which she suggests we can access if we read deeply, not just scroll down on our phones.
Egan is involved in PEN, which deals with protecting cultural elements that allow writers to write.
Once our meeting with Jennifer Egan was finished, my students and I headed for the courtyard and the outdoor stage which they were about to read on. I was so proud of each student for getting up there in front of an audience and performing the pieces they had written in my Spring “Exploring Creative Writing” class. They were all a bit nervous, but the audience could not tell because they read with so much humor and expression. Some of my students had never read in front of a large audience before!
Some of the feedback from the writers follows:
Mark Friedman said, “I felt like I was facing the whole world for the first time! When they listened, I felt valued, like my writing was important.”
Jesse Colvin shared, “Now that I’ve done this reading on stage, I can handle other challenges in my life. Maybe even write a book!”
As a teacher, and as a writer myself, I feel so lucky to have been able to attend the Santa Fe Literary Festival with my students and watch them succeed on stage! Plus, I learned so much about writing, myself, things I can share with future students! This is such a rich and important event for the writers and students of Santa Fe!
POSTSCRIPT: My new Fall semester English 1320 “Exploring Creative Writing” class begins August 21 and ends Dec. 9. The class is 3 credits and the Course Registration # is 20720. It is on the SFCC campus. Come join us! Questions about the class? Send an email to therese.wilson@sfcc.edu.
News and Announcements
- ESL Literacy Training for tutors begins Thursday, June 1
- Vote for Fitness Center and fitness classes in Santa Fe Reporter’s Best of Santa Fe by Wednesday
- Student Massage Clinic was a huge success
- NM Higher Ed offers debt relief to health care workers
- Listen to KSFR podcast with selections from Accolades
- March with PDAC for Santa Fe Pride on June 24
- Reading celebrated Katie Besser Awards at Meow Wolf; Richard Bradford Creative Writing scholarship winner announced
- Kids Campus celebrated with festive graduation
- Author Colum McCann spoke about the power of storytelling at SFCC on May 19
- Display of Santa Fe International Literary Festival authors in SFCC Library
- SFCC celebrated HSE grads on May 16
- Student art exhibition continues through Aug. 18
- Work on Richards Ave. and Avenida del Sur begins May 22; note road closures
- Check out Commencement photos on Facebook
- SFCC enters partnership with Genuine Foods for food service
- SFCC Advanced Medical Assisting Certificate
- Porsche Roadrunner Club drew dozens to ATC tech session
- Enjoy Poetry Posts through May 31
- Book as Sculpture summer class
- Summer CE schedule is available online
ESL Literacy Training for tutors begins Thursday, June 1
Are you passionate about literacy and enjoy helping people one on one? Become a BL (Basic Literacy) or ESL (English as a Second Language) tutor today and support a student in learning vital speaking, reading, writing, and numeracy skills.
Tutors and students meet twice a week for about 90 minutes (based on their schedules). A 9-month commitment is needed. Please fill out an application on the Literacy Volunteers of Santa Fe website: https://lvsf.org. Call 428-1353 for more information.
ESL Tutor Training June 1-3, 2023
- Orientation: 4 – 6 p.m. Thursday, June 1
- Session 1: 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Friday, June 2
- Session 2: 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, June 3
Orientation will be held online, and training sessions will take place at SFCC. An introductory meeting and all sessions are required.
Vote for Fitness Center and fitness classes in Santa Fe Reporter’s Best of Santa Fe by Wednesday
Thank you to Herman Garcia, Fitness Facility Director, for sharing this notice! If the QR code does not work for you or you want to vote directly online, visit https://vote.sfreporter.com/. Vote today. All voting closes on Wednesday, May 31.
Student Massage Clinic was a huge success
SFCC Student Massage Clinic was a huge success in the Spring 2023 semester! Our 12 students’ massages served 480 clients in two months, raising almost $10,000 through the SFCC Foundation. These funds will support the Massage Therapy program and pay for the national exams for our graduates.
Thank you to everyone who participated and supported the students and we will see you next Spring! The Massage Therapy program is now accepting applications for the next cohort starting in the Fall 2023 semester. Please visit the Massage Therapy program page for program requirements and to fill out an application.
NM Higher Ed offers debt relief to health care workers
On May 24, the New Mexico Higher Education Department shared in a press release, “Higher Education Department offering $14.6 million in debt relief for health care workers”. The deadline to apply is June 9. Apply here. Here are some details from the press release:
The program covers more than 25 health occupations and licenses in allied health, dental, medical and mental health fields. Included are medical doctors, physician assistants, nurse practitioners and advanced practice nurses, mental health counselors, licensed clinical social workers, speech language pathologists, and occupational therapists. A full list of eligible professions is available at hed.state.nm.us.
Recipients must commit to practicing in an area of the state designated by the Health Profession Advisory Committee as a health professional shortage area for a minimum of two years. Currently, 28 out of the state’s 33 counties are designated as whole county shortage areas and four are listed as partial shortage areas.
Practitioners must be U.S. Citizens or permanent residents, established New Mexico residents for at least 12 consecutive months, licensed or certified in the State of New Mexico as of July 1, 2022, and employed at least 36 hours per week. Preference is given to graduates of New Mexico colleges and universities.
Listen to KSFR podcast with selections from Accolades
Professor Andrew Lovato, Ph.D., on his May 25 KSFR radio show, Our Town, interviewed Professor Genevieve Betts and two student writers (Jesse Colvin and Virginia Gonzales) whose work is in Accolades. Virginia Gonzales is the recipient of the Richard Bradford Memorial Scholarship for Creative Writing.
Dr. Lovato asked the participants to share about their writing and editing processes. Enjoy the lively exchange and readings here.
March with PDAC for Santa Fe Pride on June 24
Santa Fe Pride takes place from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, June 24 at the Santa Fe Historic Plaza.
SFCC’s PDAC invites you to march with us for this year’s annual celebration of Santa Fe Pride. Those who wish to march, we will meet at the Lamy Building at 413 Old Santa Fe Trail at 11 a.m. The GSA from The Masters Program will march with us!
The first 19 people to join us receive a free SFCC Pride Shirt!
The route will head north on Santa Fe Trail, turn left and then right, and head past La Fonda Hotel. At the Plaza, the route will turn left, head to Lincoln Ave, and turn right. The parade stops at Palace Ave. All parade participants must continue moving up Lincoln Avenue to Federal Place and turn left. Parking is available in the Convention Center lot.
June is Pride Month. For more information on Santa Fe Pride Month activities, visit this web page: https://hrasantafe.org/pride-2023/
Also, if you are interested in assisting a PDAC subcommittee with planning SFCC’s role, please contact sj Miller, Ph.D., at sj.miller@sfcc.edu.
Reading celebrated Katie Besser Awards at Meow Wolf; Richard Bradford Creative Writing scholarship winner announced
The Katie Besser Award winners were celebrated in Meow Wolf’s new Rainbow Rainbow space. The awards were named for the late Katie Besser in recognition of her love of literature and creative writing. The event celebrated students’ creative expression through writing, photography and media arts. Writers representing SFCC’s diverse community read from their winning works.
Participants mingled around snacks and copies of Accolades.
Professor Genevieve Betts began the reading by welcoming everyone and thanking those responsible for the awards. Several students read their winning pieces.
The thirteenth annual winner of Santa Fe Community College Foundation’s Richard Bradford Memorial Creative Writing Scholarship was announced at the conclusion of the awards celebration. Virginia Gonzales will receive the $1,000 scholarship. Named for the author of the 1968 classic Red Sky at Morning, the scholarship was initiated by author Michael McGarrity, the late arts advocate Charmay Allred and former Santa Fe city councilwoman Rebecca Wurzburger.
Read all of the winning entries in Accolades.
Kids Campus celebrates with festive graduation
Congratulations to SFCC’s youngest graduates, the 25 Kids Campus pre-k children who were honored May 19 in a special ceremony and lively performance of songs and dances in the William C. Witter Fitness Education Center.
Thank you to all the Kids Campus teachers and staff who educate and nurture their students every day! Learn more about how Kids Campus can help your family. Encourage SFCC students to apply since their children have priority access.
Thanks to Executive Todd Lovato Executive Director for Marketing and Public Relations for sharing these images. Also, enjoy this lively video from SFCC Facebook reels!
Author Colum McCann spoke about the power of storytelling at SFCC on May 19
As part of the Santa Fe International Literary Festival, author Colum McCann spoke at SFCC for a free event for students and the community.
Writers of all ages joined Colum McCann and Narrative4 staff for an inspired event on Friday morning (May 19). Over coffee and muffins, folks shared their stories, listened to each other carefully, and engaged in writing exercises both challenging and fun.
Kate McCahill Department Chair, English and Communications said, “Despite the rain outside, a crowd of about sixty showed up for this event – one we hope we can recreate in 2024 and beyond.”
To hear author Colum McCann talk about his writing, check out this interview he did with Megan Kamerick on KUNM. (Note she is standing next to him with the headset in the photo above.)
Display of Santa Fe International Literary Festival authors in SFCC Library
The Santa Fe International Literary Festival concluded on May 21. SFCC Library is proud to offer books by almost every single author featured at this year’s event. Whether you attended the Festival, would like to discover fabulous new writers on your own, or just want to indulge in some excellent summer reading, drop by the Library during open hours to browse our display!
SFCC celebrated HSE grads on May 16
County Commissioner Camilla Bustamante, Ph.D., gave an inspiring keynote address at the High School Equivalency (HSE) graduation ceremony. The celebration honored the 55 graduates. See more photos on SFCCNM Facebook.
Highlights from the program:
Welcome
Letty Naranjo, Adult Education Senior Director
Remarks and Introductions
Margaret Peters, Vice President for Academic & Student Affairs
George R. Gamble, Ph.D., Chair of the Governing Board
Introduction of Adult Education Staff and Faculty
Kristen Krell, ACE Program Manager
Keynote Speaker
Camilla Bustamante, Ph.D., Santa Fe County Commissioner
Musical Interlude
“Be Still” by Los Lobos
Performed by Jonathan Harrell, Academic Advisor
Reflections & Possibilities
Daniela Gurule, HSE Graduate, Recruitment Coordinator
Student Speakers
Amanda Gonzales
Elizabeth Zambrano
Musical Interlude
“Solo un Momento” by Vicentico
Performed by Jonathan Harrell, Academic Advisor
Presentation of Certificates
Margaret Peters, Vice President for Academic & Student Affairs
See the full program here.
Check SFCCNM Facebook this week to see more images.
Student art exhibition continues through Aug. 18
The opening reception for the Student Art and Design exhibition on May 11 was a festive gathering for SFCC and members of the community. Thank you to Director of Galleries Linda Cassel for organizing the exhibition and opening.
Dean James (Jim) Wysong, Ph.D., said in addition to awarding Student Art Award prizes, SFCC also recognized our retiring art faculty members: Laura Rosenfeld, James Marshall, and Felix Voltsinger. SFCC extends best wishes to the retiring art faculty members!
Dean Wysong added, “We hosted approximately 150 guests during the opening between 4 and 6 p.m.”
The following are the Student Art Award Winners. Please note that in some categories there were two Second Places awarded, when the judges determined two deserved that recognition:
Jewelry: Nyal A. Tack
Fine Woodworking: Pam English
Printmaking/Bookarts: John Drabanski
Photography: Jeremy Oversier
Ceramics: Sabrina Pratt
Ceramics 2nd place: Aurelia Gomez
Sculpture: Polina Smutko
Sculpture 2nd place: James Wilson
Sculpture 2nd place (2): Roberto Espinosa
Drawing/Painting: Jesus Miguel Avena
Drawing 2nd place: Nancy Nielsen
Drawing 2nd place (2): Catherine Le Baigue
Gallery hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday thru Friday. The gallery is closed on days when the campus is closed. The exhibition continues through August 18.
Work on Richards Ave. and Avenida del Sur begins May 22; note road closures
Please read this important message regarding the latest construction for the Santa Fe Connector. Commission District 5:
EFFECTIVE MAY 22, 2023
UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE
NE/SE Connector Road(s)Project
(Richards Ave. and Avenida Del Sur Intersection)
Beginning Monday, May 22, 2023, the Contractor for Santa Fe County Public Works Department (SFCPWD) will begin construction of the roundabout at the Richards Avenue and Avenida Del Sur intersection. To safely accommodate the construction, it will be necessary to close a segment of Richards Avenue and Avenida del Sur.
Richards Ave. will be closed from south of the Santa Fe Community College main entrance to East Chili Line Road in the Rancho Viejo Subdivision. Avenida del Sur will be closed from Canada del Rancho to Richards Ave. These closures will be in effect for up to 60 calendar days. During this time, SFCPWD will provide detour and business access signage identifying alternative routes around the closures.
Motorists, pedestrians, and bicyclists are advised to seek alternate routes and urged to allow additional time to accommodate the detours.
For additional information regarding this project, please visit www.sfcconnectors.com or contact SFCPWD at (505) 992-3010.
Thank you for your patience, continued cooperation, and please use caution in the work zones.
See the maps in greater detail by clicking on these links:
https://www.sfcc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/NE-SE-2022-0168-PW-APS_CTM_TTC-Detour_6_13.pdf
https://www.sfcc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/CR_64L_Temporary-Closure_5-15-23_Map.pdf
The college will continue to share information on the project as it receives information from project managers and county officials.
Check out Commencement photos on Facebook
If you haven’t seen the wonderful photo album posted on Facebook, see them here.
If you don’t have Facebook, see this selection of images:
SFCC enters partnership with Genuine Foods for food service
On Monday, May 8, Vice President for Finance & CFO Nick Tellas wrote to staff and faculty the following message:
Today we are excited to announce that we have officially entered into a partnership with Genuine Foods to manage and operate the SFCC food services program. In this partnership, Genuine Foods will collaborate with the college on the offerings that will be available to our students, faculty, staff, and community. Genuine Foods is excited to bring a lot of great programing to our campus, including:
- Healthy food options
- Partnerships with our Controlled Environment Agriculture program and greenhouse
- Sustainable programming
- Marketing and special events
- Enhanced Catering offerings
- Improved coffee/café program
We are actively working on an opening schedule for the coffee shop and expect to open the program in the coming weeks, with the Cafeteria to open closer to the Fall semester. We will announce the official opening dates soon.
We invite you to check out Genuine Foods’ website, and we’ll be sending out more information in the coming weeks.
https://www.genuinecampusdining.com/
SFCC Advanced Medical Assisting Certificate
Accredited specific education includes performing clinical and administrative procedures in settings such as physician’s offices, clinics and ambulatory settings. Course are sequenced to build skill level and prepare students for a career in the growing medical field.
The certificate is accelerated, eligible for financial aid, offered in both Fall and Spring semesters. It includes a practicum in a doctor’s office or hospital and National Certification tests. The certificate is embedded in the Medical Assisting Associate Degree.
Students must complete an application to start the acceptance process.
Porsche Roadrunner Club drew dozens to ATC tech session
SFCC Librarian Valerie Nye and her husband Joel Yelich had the pleasure of attending the Porsche Roadrunner Club free tech session and tour of of SFCC’s Automotive Technologies Center. They shared these photos from the fun, informative and well-attended event.
Val Nye said, “It was a full house and a great tour of the working spaces. The students in the program are amazing! They seem to be a really strong team together – good friends who share a passion for cars.”
To learn more about the Automotive Technologies program contact Director of Automotive Technologies Julia Furry via email at julia.furry@sfcc.edu or call 505-429-1177.
Enjoy Poetry Posts through May 31
The SFCC campus community is invited to enjoy this semester’s Poetry Posts displayed throughout the campus featuring the beautiful melding of words and colors created by Sudeshna Sengupta’s Color Theory students for their Color & Emotions module in this Online-Synchronous class.
“The posts at SFCC function as a curated gallery, where the posts enliven a familiar place for staff, faculty, and students with art and poetry,” said Miriam Sagan, a former professor of Creative Writing at SFCC, who brought this project to the campus.
Congratulations to Deborah Alexander, Maria Bacelona, Rena Espinoza, Ann Hogan, Lisa Rossbacher, Rebecca Sanchez, and Lisa Wermeling for the excellent work exploring emotions expressed through colors and words that are featured in this project. The display continues till May 31.
For more information please contact Sudeshna Sengupta at sudeshna.sengupta@sfcc.edu
Book as Sculpture summer class offered Mondays and Wednesdays
New class: THE BOOK AS SCULPTURE: Narratives in Visual Play & Form
Marci Easterbrook
Arts and Design Advanced Projects – ARTS 2115L D1 CRN 10117 3 Credits
Jun 05 – Jul 29 Eight weeks Monday and Wednesday 9-2 p.m. ONLINE SYNCHRONOUS
Explore materials to create unique books with sculptural dimension and content. Play with ideas, text and forms. Traditional and contemporary methods of book binding
combine surface with 3-D structures.
This ONLINE SYCHRONOUS CLASS will use paper pulp, fabric, wood, clay, metal, fiber, altered books and re-purposed materials to create a home studio of learning.
Art making is intensive, fun and creates sculpture and book objects. Discover new ways to tell your story.
For more information contact Marci Easterbrook marci.easterbrook@sfcc.edu, Illustrator Book Artist Papermaker Printmaker. Visit: marcieasterbrook.com For Registration contact Melba Ramos melba.ramos@sfcc.edu or Patricia Pearce patricia.pearce@sfcc.edu.
Summer CE schedule is available online
The Summer Continuing Education Schedule is now available online. Print copies can be found in the racks at Santa Fe Community College, the Santa Fe Higher Education Center and around town. Visit https://www.sfcc.edu/ce for tips on registering and to view the variety of offerings.
Director of Continuing Education Nicholas Wernicki, Ph.D. said, “This summer we’ve got many new classes, both in person and online. Short-term or one-day summer classes can easily fit in around your summer vacation plans. Summer is also a great time to study at a more leisurely pace for either personal enrichment or to gain new professional skills.”
Read about several new classes in this press release.
If you have questions about the schedule or where to get a print copy, contact Continuing Education at ce@sfcc.edu or 505-428-1676. The CE staff can help you complete your registration.
Let Campus Weekly share your news!
Let us know about your accomplishments and other news that you’d like to share. Please remember that the deadline is 5 p.m. Wednesday to get an item in the next week’s issue. Submit here.
Registration now open for summer and fall
Do you know someone who’s interested in taking classes at SFCC, but doesn’t know where to start? Encourage them to visit the Educational Pathways. Find classes at https://www.sfcc.edu/look-for-a-credit-class/.
Encourage your friends and family members to come to the college. Remind folks about the Opportunity Scholarship, as well as the Lottery Scholarship for recent high school graduates.
For information on applying and registering visit https://www.sfcc.edu/get-started/apply-and-register/ For more information, please contact the Welcome and Advising Center, 505-428-1270, wac@sfcc.edu.
Important dates to know for Summer session
Online FAFSA Workshops/Talleres FAFSA en línea
Financial Aid Office English FAFSA Workshops
Online Wednesdays 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
For the link and more information: https://www.sfcc.edu/fafsa-workshops/
Oficina de Ayuda Financiera Talleres FAFSA en español
en línea los jueves de 11 a.m. a 1 p.m.
Para más información, elige la fecha que quieres atender:
https://www.sfcc.edu/fafsa-talleres/
Students: Need childcare? Make sure you’re on the Kids Campus waitlist
When a spot comes available at the Kids Campus, students get priority placement. Kids Campus wants to support student parents and hopes that those needing childcare will get on the waitlist.
Children of degree-seeking SFCC students, SFCC employees, and full-time students at the Higher Education Center are prioritized for placement to support a two-generation philosophy of education at the college.
Visit the Kids Campus website for more information. Students receive a 10% discount on the cost of Kids Campus and N.M. Early Childhood Education and Care Development offers Child Care Assistance to income-eligible students.
Student Resource Center is here for you
Connect with Community Resources
The Student Resource Center focuses on providing information to students about resources throughout the community and providing appropriate referrals to agencies. The resources focus on basic needs such as: housing and shelter, food, legal services, transportation, childcare services, utility payment assistance, and physical and mental health services. All services are free and confidential.
Conèctese con los Recursos de la Comunidad El Centro de Recursos para Estudiantes se enfoca en proporcionar información a los estudiantes sobre los recursos en toda la comunidad y proporcionar referencias apropiadas a las agencias. Los recursos se centran en necesidades básicas como: vivienda y refugio, alimentos, servicios legales, transporte, servicios de cuidado infantil, asistencia para el pago de servicios públicos y servicios de salud física y mental. Todos los servicios son gratuitos y confidenciales.
505–428-1194 | resourcecenter@sfcc.edu | www.sfcc.edu/offices/student-resource-center
Employees
- Summer Online Teaching & Learning Opportunities
- Celebrate Kelly Durbin’s retirement at 2 p.m. June 30 in Campus Center
- Chasing Santa Fe post features Ivan Dimitrov
- Congratulations to Kelly Marquez, graduate of Leadership Santa Fe
- Dawn Wink shares the story of wearing her mother’s Ph.D. regalia for commencement
- Marcos Maez to perform John Macker’s ‘Black Range Trilogy’ May 26 through June 11 at Teatro Paraguas
- Read the English and Communications Department spring newsletter
- Genevieve Betts’ second poetry collection now available for preorder
- Rancho Viejo Homeowners Association in room 124C
- Policy Updates – Admission of Transfer Students & Admission Criteria
- Workday Student is Coming!
- April WOW: Cheryl Sensibaugh
- CHESS Connection Newsletter
- WOW awards – nominate an outstanding coworker today!
Summer Online Teaching & Learning Opportunities
Contact Michelle F. Renteria to get registered, michelle.renteria@sfcc.edu. Stipends may be provided by the SFCC Title V grant, when available:
Celebrate Kelly Durbin’s retirement
at 2 p.m. June 30 in Campus Center
Chasing Santa Fe post features Ivan Dimitrov
The woodworking talent of adjunct faculty member Ivan Dimitrov is featured in the May 25, 2023 post titled “Artful Woodcarving” in the Chasing Santa Fe blog.
Doug Jones, Program Head of Fine Woodworking says, “this article captures his (Ivan’s) amazing work as well as that of his dedicated students at SFCC.”
See the blog post here: https://chasingsantafe.blogspot.com/
Congratulations to Kelly Marquez, graduate of Leadership Santa Fe
Congratulations to Kelly Marquez, Executive Director of SFCC Foundation, who is a recent graduate of Leadership Santa Fe! SFCC continues a strong partnership with Leadership Santa Fe and has many graduates on our campus.
From the website: Leadership Santa Fe program is designed to enhance leadership resources for the community of Santa Fe. We accomplish this by giving civic-minded people a vehicle for their community-oriented energies and providing access to community leaders and policymakers. In the program, thirty Leadership Santa Fe participants will, over the course of eight months, attend workshops focused on building leadership skills, and sessions dedicated to various civic awareness topics. Participants meet with established leaders in county and city governments, business, education, human services, and the arts, and explore ways to meet the challenges of Santa Fe’s future. This integrated form of leadership building ensures that each individual identifies their strengths as a leader in the community, learns how to work with others to find sustainable solutions, and cultivates a network of community leaders.
To learn more visit https://leadershipsantafe.org/.
Dawn Wink shares the story of wearing her mother’s Ph.D. regalia for commencement
Dawn Wink who received her Ph.D. this past year shared the very personal story of how she was gifted her mother’s regalia to use for SFCC’s commencement.
You can read her story and see some incredible photos and video on her blog: Dawn Wink: Dewdrops. It’s a very moving story. As she explains, “Wearing my mom’s Ph.D. regalia is layered with stories, roots, memories and dreams. Por mi familia…”
Marcos Maez to perform John Macker’s ‘Black Range Trilogy’ May 26 through June 11 at Teatro Paraguas
Marcos Maez will perform in two acts of John Macker’s “Black Range Trilogy” at Teatro Paraguas. In Coyote Acid, son Luke (Marcos Maez) returns from his own stretch in jail for robbery, following in his dead father’s footsteps. It’s thirty years later, and an older Esther (Esta Gutierrez) may or may not remember where the loot was buried, or even the names of the flowers she has planted for decades.
Here’s more information:
3 one-act plays by Santa Fe poet/playwright John Macker
May 26-June 11, 2023 | Thursday, Friday, Saturday at 7:30 p.m.; Sunday at 2 p.m.
$25 general admission and $15 limited income
Buy tickets online or make reservations (pay at door) at 505-424-1601
Learn more about the show here
Read the English and Communications Department spring newsletter
The English and Communications Department was very busy this past semester. Also, several instructors have news about awards or publications.
Thank you to Kate McCahill, Department Chair, English and Communications, for sharing the newsletter. You can read it here.
Genevieve Betts’ second poetry collection now available for preorder
English and Creative Writing instructor Genevieve Betts’ second collection of poetry, A New Kind of Tongue, is now available for preorder: https://www.flowersongpress.com/store-j9lRp/p/a-new-kind-of-tongue-by-genevieve-n-betts-forthcoming . Bonus SFCC connection: The cover is from a painting by Dion Valdez, Jared Valdez’ brother!
Rancho Viejo Homeowners Association in room 124C
Rancho Viejo HOA is renting an office space, room 124C, as of May 1. The signs have been updated to list their office space. If someone asks you how to find them, please direct them to the administrative office area. Thank you!
Contact information:
Pauline Sandoval, CMCA, AMS
Community Association Manager
Rancho Viejo North Community Association Inc.
The Rancho Viejo North HOA office is located at the Santa Fe Community College, 6401 Richard’s Avenue Room #124 C (in the Administrative Offices area), Santa Fe, NM 87508 and the new telephone number is 505-428-1992.
Office hours: Monday to Friday 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Tel (505) 428-1992
After hour common area emergencies (844) 744-4316
Email: psandoval@hoamco.com
Policy Updates – Admission of Transfer Students & Admission Criteria
Last month, Governing Board approved merging Policy 2-6 Admission of Transfer Students into Policy 2-20 Admission Criteria, among other edits. This aligns with the Board’s goal of making it easier for College community members to find what they are looking for while reducing the total number of policies. Policy 2-6 has been repealed and is no longer in effect. Please click on the link below to become familiar with the revised version of Policy 2-20. For more information, contact the Policy Owner, Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs Margaret Peters or the Policy Author, Associate Vice President of Student Affairs Thomasinia Ortiz-Gallegos, Ed.D.
· SFCC Policy 2-20 Admission Criteria
College Policies and Procedures are posted at SFCC Policies. To learn more, contact Policy Officer Laura J. Mulry.
Workday Student is Coming!
Greetings from CHESS!
For those who are new at our member colleges, please allow me to introduce myself. My name is Kathy Ulibarri, and I am the CEO of the nonprofit Collaborative for Higher Education Shared Services (CHESS).
SFCC is a participating member of CHESS, and we are excited to announce that we are about to begin the implementation process for the Workday Student Information System platform, or “Student,” with our other member Wave 1 colleges: Central New Mexico Community College, Clovis Community College, and Northern New Mexico College. The Workday Student project includes Academic Advising, Recruitment and Admissions, Curriculum Management, Financial Aid, Student Records, Faculty Assignments and Scheduling, and Student Financials.
The CHESS Board, consisting of the member college presidents, has developed the CHESS Student Information System Visioning Statement and Financial Aid Supplement that highlight our two priorities: 1) improving the student experience by increasing modernization, accessibility, and mobility resulting in higher student outcomes and performance metrics; and 2) improving administrative processes to increase productivity, efficiency, capacity, collaboration, and access to data and reporting.
This is a multi-year project, involving many dedicated and talented staff from across the institutions, and the work is already underway. This summer, we will wrap up our key Pre-Planning data collection work with the conclusion of the Operational and Academic Alignment Assessment (O3A) and Deployment Prep Navigator (DPN) and Campus Information Workbook (CIW). We will launch the Planning Phase when implementation teams will be onboarded, and the Project Plan will be developed and finalized based on the results of the Pre-Planning efforts. The Planning Phase is expected to last through September.
We understand that many individuals will be off campus this summer, so be on the lookout for an invitation to a Full Kickoff event when classes resume for the fall term. In the meantime, please enjoy the Workday SIS Wave 1 Kickoff Lite Video here!
Kathy Ulibarri
CEO, Collaborative for Higher Education Shared Services
(505) 221-4965
April WOW – Cheryl Sensibaugh
Kelly Trujillo nominated Cheryl Sensibaugh for the April WOW award.
“Cheryl has demonstrated an amazing dedication to serving regional youth through our Space and Earth Experiences (SEE) project. With her help, we have had over 1000 students (3rd to 12th graders) visit our Planetarium, Science on a Sphere Theater, and Controlled Environmental Agriculture facilities this semester. She has been the main contact point for coordinating such visits, helps to determine the curriculum we deliver, and completely redesigned our webpage to make these opportunities known to the broader community.”
Congratulations, Cheryl!
Please be sure to nominate who you think is doing a great job here at SFCC. The submission form can be found at the SFCC Connect portal, or by reaching out to Katie Cadena Priebe, Katherine.cadenaprie@sfcc.edu.
CHESS Connection Newsletter – May 29
If you’re wondering what’s happening with the Workday implementation, check out the latest CHESS Connection!
This newsletter contains more information about the CHESS Acronyms, information about the SIS (Student Information System) project, and upcoming maintenance.
WOW awards – nominate an outstanding coworker today!
The Office of Human Resources recognizes WOW recipients for their dedicated work and commitment to Santa Fe Community College.
Please be sure to nominate someone who you think is doing a great job here at SFCC.
The award is a $25.00 gift certificate from Amazon.
The submission form can be found at the SFCC Connect portal, Home » Online Forms/Surveys/Tests » Online Forms » Office of Human Resources or nominate by reaching out to Katie Cadena Priebe at Katherine.cadenaprie@sfcc.edu
New employees: We’d like to get to know you!
Staff Senate is encouraging new staff employees to come to an upcoming Staff Senate to introduce yourselves.
Campus Weekly would also love to introduce new staff and faculty members. Please send us your name, job title, when you started at SFCC, brief bio and photo (it can be a selfie!) to Submit News.
If you’re new to SFCC, we’d love to introduce you to the our community. We’re happy you’re working with us at SFCC!
Civil Air Patrol encourages cadets to attend college
Dean James (Jim) Wysong shared photos of the recent Civil Air Patrol event at the college. He wrote, “I have been fostering our relationship with them, since they have a strong educational commitment by encouraging their cadets to attend college in order to become Air Force officers.”
Nathan Lederman wrote the story, “Civil Air Patrol introduces youth to flight” in The Santa Fe New Mexican on May 20. The story explains that the Civil Air Patrol provides search and rescue support to law enforcement agencies and also runs a youth development program where cadets from ages 12 to 18 are taught lessons on a slew of topics from aerospace education to character development.
Ongoing news and events
SFCC Wastewater Treatment Plant closure & decommissioning work through May 2023
SFCC is in its final phase to permanently close our Wastewater treatment plant and transfer our waste to Ranchland Utility regional facility. This will benefit SFCC in several ways, including reuse of treated water for irrigation purposes used in the local community, no additional capitol funding resources needed to support 36+ old infrastructure that has extended beyond its useful life, and future opportunities to repurpose land in accordance with SFCC 2021 Master Plan.
There will be construction activities extending through May 2023. Please note there will be no impact to services during this project. For more information contact Andrea Mueller, Facilities & Operations Assistant Director & Campus Planning at andrea.mueller1@sfcc.edu or 505-930-9781.
Required COVID-19 Reporting
SFCC continues to monitor and follow guidance from public health officials and state and local government on mitigating and addressing exposure to COVID-19. The State of New Mexico and New Mexico Higher Education Department recently announced they will no longer require the reporting of COVID-19 cases amongst student, staff, and faculty who are on campus via the Rapid Response Submission Portal.
Our college continues to take the transmission and threat of infectious diseases seriously and we remain committed to keeping our community as safe as possible. Please note the following:
- The college no longer requires reporting of COVID-19 positive cases to SFCC’s Contact Tracing Team.
- However, it is very important we continue keep each other safe and follow health and safety best practices. The college continues to follow guidelines from the CDC Quarantine and Isolation Calculator, which details the following:
- You should isolate from others when you have COVID-19.
- You should also isolate if you are sick and suspect that you have COVID-19 but do not yet have test results.
- Ending isolation is detailed on the CDC’s Isolation and Precautions for People with COVID-19 webpage – “Ending Isolation”.
- Positive or suspected positive individuals should coordinate closely with supervisors to make appropriate accommodations, as well as reporting for absences using regular sick leave.
- If you are out of sick leave and contracted COVID-19, please contact the Office for Human Resources to determine if other options are available to you.
- The college custodial staff continues its rigorous cleaning and disinfecting protocols, which includes a campus-wide daily schedule, with emphasis on bathrooms, and higher traffic and enclosed spaces.
- Additionally, Facilities and Operations staff have made significant improvements to college ventilation and filtration systems and those systems are up and running.
The College will continue to follow best practices, community levels, and infectious disease developments.
Museum STEP Passes available at Library
With the STEP Pass, you and up to 5 people can use the card for free admission to:
- Georgia O’Keeffe Museum
- Santa Fe Children’s Museum
- IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Art
- Santa Fe Botanical Garden
Passes check out for two weeks at a time.
For more information contact: library@sfcc.edu.
SFCC ChatGPT conversation
Part 1: ChatGPT’s Implications for Higher Ed
This session includes a demo of how ChatGPT works, implications for higher education and how other colleges and universities are responding. This session was led by SFCC librarians.
See ChatGPT information and resources: https://libraryhelp.sfcc.edu/Chat-GPT.
Part 2: How do you spell the future with AI
See this video of the latest presentation from the SFCC Library – How do you spell the future with AI. This was the conversation from April 27.
Message about preferred names
Dear Faculty,
While the college has always supported our students, we now have another technological opportunity to provide an empowering, safe, and nondiscriminatory educational and work environment. Beginning on Monday February 6, students will be able update their preferred name in Self Service Banner (SSB9).
The student’s legal name will be on your class roster and their preferred name, if applicable, will appear in parenthesis. For example, Gonzales, Bernadette (Charmaine). For legal purposes, the student’s legal name will still appear on all formal documents such as Financial Aid information, 1098-T’s and transcripts.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.
With kind regards,
Bernadette Gonzales. MA Ed. (she, her, hers)
Registrar |Office of the Registrar
505-428-1881 | Bernadette.gonzales@sfcc.edu
Work has begun on connector roads to SFCC
Work expected to continue until fall
The Santa Fe New Mexican reported in the Jan. 25 story, “County hopes construction of connector roads leads to growth south of city,” that “Santa Fe County is starting the construction phase of a more than $20 million infrastructure project 20 years in the making, which aims to provide better access to Santa Fe Community College and accommodate future growth south of the city. …
“The “northeast connector” involves construction of roadway and two roundabout intersections between Dinosaur Trail and Rabbit Road, giving drivers a direct route between them. Currently, drivers traveling west from Rabbit Road are required to drive through the Oshara Village subdivision to reach Dinosaur Trail or busy Richards Avenue.
“The “southeast connector” will serve as an alternate route from Rabbit Road to Avenida del Sur to reduce traffic congestion on Richards Avenue. This route also will provide secondary emergency access to the community college, according to the county.”
To see videos and maps about this project visit: https://www.sfcconnectors.com/ Also, hear about this on KSFR-radio.
OIT Service Desk Hours
Phone service 24 hours a day Mon. – Fri.
On November 1st the OIT Service Desk extended its phone hours to better serve students, staff and faculty.
Phone Hours
505-428-1222
Monday – Friday: 24 hours
Saturday: 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Sunday: 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Office Hours
Room 528
Monday – Thursday: 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Saturday: 8 a.m. to noon
Sunday: Closed
Free STEM Kits at SFCC Library
The kits are made available to the SFCC community through the Santa Fe Children’s Museum. Kits are available during the library’s regular hours. For more information contact: valerie.nye@sfcc.edu
Greenhouse STEM Kits
The very popular and free Greenhouse STEM Kits are available once again for kids ages 4-7. All materials are included in the kits courtesy of the Santa Fe Children’s Museum.
Come by the library to pick up a kit to use and explore growing plants from seeds with your kids! Kits are available during the library’s regular hours.
For more information contact: valerie.nye@sfcc.edu.
Balancing Robot STEM Kits at SFCC Library
Come by the SFCC library to pick up a kit to use to explore balance with your kids! Kits are available during the library’s regular hours.
For more information contact: valerie.nye@sfcc.edu
Solar System Bracelets
Solar System Bracelet STEM kits are available for kids ages 4-7 at the SFCC library. Instructions are in English and Spanish and all materials are included in the kits.
Come by the SFCC library to pick up a kit to use to explore the solar system with your kids!
Name Rockets!
Available at the SFCC Library
Free Name Rocket STEM Kits are available for kids ages 4-7 at the SFCC Library.
All materials are included in the kits courtesy of the Santa Fe Children’s Museum.
Come by the library to pick up a kit to use and explore shapes & rockets with your kids! Kits are available during the library’s regular hours.
For more information contact: valerie.nye@sfcc.edu
Need food? Campus Cupboard welcomes all
The Campus Cupboard (Room LL302E) in-person shopping hours are:
Mondays: 1 p.m. – 3 p.m., Tuesdays: 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., Thursdays: 2 p.m. – 4 p.m.
If you cannot visit during the current open hours listed or are not
comfortable with in-person shopping, check out Bookings for more options. To access Bookings, log in to MySFCC, look under Schedule an Appointment, and click on the pink button labeled Campus Cupboard (Online). You can access the reservation and delivery option 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Students, staff, and faculty are all welcome to visit the Campus Cupboard weekly for free groceries and other household items that may be available. Personal hygiene (menstrual) products are available from Free Flow NM.
Contact cupboard@sfcc.edu or 505-428-1775 for more information.
Visit Campus Cupboard for more information.
Campus Cupboard is supported by SFCC Foundation.
05/24/2023, Inside Higher Ed, “Leveling Off at the Bottom”
05/22/2023, Santa Fe Reporter, “Morning Word – Rancho Viejo detours begin”
05/20/2023, Santa Fe New Mexican, “Civil Air Patrol introduces youth to flight”
05/17/2023, Santa Fe New Mexican, “White House initiative helps Santa Fe schools’ Work Based Learning Program”
05/17/2023, Santa Fe New Mexican, “Pasa Plus: Weekend events in Northern New Mexico – Civil Air Patrol Aerospace open house”
05/12/2023, Santa Fe New Mexican, “SFCC graduate waited a long time but realized her dream”
05/08/2023, Santa Fe New Mexican, “Veterans group puts middle schoolers on the hunt for history at national cemetery”
05/16/2023, Santa Fe New Mexican, “Our View – A salute to the power of words”
04/24/23, KRQE News, “Community: New Mexico offering free bootcamp to be a fiber optics technician”
04/24/2023, Santa Fe New Mexican, “Smartboard “- Santa Fe Community College announces graduation ceremony for environmental technician program; Santa Fe Community College seeking applications for free fiber optics technician boot camp”
04/24/2023, Los Alamos Daily Post, “SFCC, Santa Fe County, Workforce Connection Announce Applications Open For Free Training Bootcamp To Become A Certified Fiber Optics Technician”
04/20/2023, Santa Fe New Mexican, editorial: Our View “At SFCC, students can realize opportunity”.
04/20/2023, Los Alamos Daily Post, “Santa Fe Community College Respiratory Care Therapy Program Information Sessions Begin May 2”
04/15/2023, Santa Fe New Mexican, “City wants to add midtown campus library to local system“
03/29/2023, Santa Fe New Mexican, “Ceremony in Santa Fe honors ‘ultimate sacrifice'”
03/21/2023, Santa Fe New Mexican, “Explaining veto, governor says dual-credit task force would be unfunded, redundant”
03/12/2023, Of Interest: Santa Fe New Mexican, “MY VIEW LEO JARAMILLO: Keep New Mexico a leader for college access, affordability”
03/12/2023, Roswell Daily Record, “Local Students Visit Santa Fe”
03/11/2023, Santa Fe New Mexican, “BARBARA GUDWIN, 1947-2023
Former school board member had passion for helping kids, community” (Former SFCC Foundation board member)
03/10/2023, Santa Fe New Mexican, “Students present STEM projects”