Campus Weekly
Student Art Exhibition opens from 4 to 6 p.m. Thursday, May 14, in the Visual Arts Gallery
SFCC will host an opening reception from 4 to 6 p.m. Thursday, May 14, for SFCC’s annual Student Art Exhibition in the Visual Arts Gallery. The event, sponsored in part by SFCC Foundation, is free and open to the public. The exhibition continues through July 23.
The exhibition will feature more than 120 works of art created by students in classes offered by the School of Art and Design. The showcase will include a selection of artwork produced by students in the following programs and areas of study: Book Arts, Ceramics, Drawing and Painting, Fiber Arts, Film, Fine Woodworking, Indigenous Pottery, Jewelry, Media Arts, Photography, Printmaking, Sculpture (Metal, Stone, Glass) and Santeros (Craft and Tradition).
SFCC Director of Art on Campus Linda Cassel said, “This exhibition highlights the breadth of work created by SFCC students. The show marks the first opportunity for some to exhibit and sell their work in a gallery space.
“The festive opening recognizes SFCC students’ commitment to bringing their creative visions to fruition with the support of SFCC’s talented faculty. The reception also offers an opportunity for community members to engage with the artists and learn about their processes,” Cassel added.
The artwork is juried by department heads with prizes awarded in each area during the reception. Cash awards will be announced at the opening to recognize outstanding artwork in each of the art categories. The awards are sponsored in part by SFCC Foundation.
The Visual Arts Gallery is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, except when the college is closed. For more information about the SFCC Student Art Exhibition or the Visual Arts Gallery, contact Director of Art on Campus Linda Cassel via email at linda.cassel@sfcc.edu or call 505-428-1501.
DWI Awareness Day educated students through interactive experiences and dialogue
The Office of Student Engagement hosted the SFCC “Driving While Intoxicated Awareness Day” event on April 27 in the Campus Center.
This event focused on educating students about the preventable nature of impaired driving and its life-altering consequences.
Besides the tables with the DWI materials, participants navigated driving courses while wearing goggles that simulated the visual and motor skill impairments caused by alcohol and other substances like marijuana, LSD and more.
Attendance: 77 people
Thank you to Monika Bechtel for the images are from the event. Click to enlarge.
News and Announcements
- Inside SFCC announces President Becky Rowley, Ph.D., to keynote both commencement ceremonies
- President Rowley discussed role of community colleges and SFCC’s impact on community with Andrew Lovato, Ph.D. on KSFR’s Our Santa Fe
- SFCC Library presents the Wri-Gen Participant Reading at 6 p.m. Wednesday, May 6
- Loop Road construction begins May 11
- RSVP to participate in Write Together Series from 4 to 6 p.m. Monday, May 11
- Glass Club’s Spring` Splash Sale brought sparkle to the main hallway on April 29 and 30
- Videos of Ramona Emerson’s reading and creative sessions available
- Broadband Job Fair/Networking event connected trainees with employers
- KSFR reported on SFCC APRENDE program
- Fall registration now open
- HVAC Upgrades Construction begins April 20 and continues through May 29
- Northern NM Healthcare Career Fair connected SFCC students with employers
- Dental Assisting students hosted Dental table clinics
- Celebrate Culture Day Wednesday, May 6 in the Courtyard
- Registration for CE Summer classes continues
- SFCC Foundation sponsors Spring in Your Step 5-k run/walk at 8 a.m. Sunday, May 10, at SFCC
- Save the date: HSE graduation from 5 to 7 p.m. May 19 at FEC
- SFCC to have two commencement ceremonies on May 16
- Capital High School exhibition continues in the main hallway
Inside SFCC announces President Becky Rowley, Ph.D., to keynote both commencement ceremonies
Above, President Becky Rowley, Ph.D. at the 2025 commencement ceremony.
Check out the latest issue of Inside SFCC, which announced that President Becky Rowley, Ph.D., will give the keynote address at both the 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. commencement ceremonies.
Read more about the upcoming ceremony and schedule in the story, “President Becky Rowley to keynote SFCC commencement ceremonies.” The issue also shares a round-up of recent opportunities for students to connect with employers in the story, “From classroom to career: SFCC events drive workforce connections.” Also, learn about upcoming events.
Don’t miss an issue. Subscribe to Inside SFCC here.
President Rowley discussed role of community colleges and SFCC’s impact on community with Andrew Lovato, Ph.D. on KSFR’s Our Santa Fe
SFCC President Becky Rowley, Ph.D., joined Andrew Lovato, Ph.D., for a thoughtful conversation on Our Santa Fe on Thursday, April 30. The discussion explored the role of community colleges, their impact on the Santa Fe community, and how institutions like SFCC continue to evolve to meet the needs of students and the workforce.
President Rowley shared insights from her years of leadership in higher education, reflecting on both the opportunities and challenges facing community colleges today, while highlighting the importance of access, student support, and strong community partnerships.
Listen to the full show.
SFCC Library presents the Wri-Gen Participant Reading at 6 p.m. Wednesday, May 6
Pre-register at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/SFCCWriGenSpring26
SFCC Library will present the Participant Reading–the final session of the Spring Writing Generation (Wri-Gen) Series–at 6 p.m. Wednesday, May 6. The Participant Reading allows those who’ve attended the series to share some of their personal writing inspired by the series.
This semester’s author readings were riveting with terrific feedback from participants. The Creative Sessions offered participants the chance to respond to writing prompts and ask authors questions about their writing processes. Thank you to SFCC Library Director Valerie Nye who has partnered with Stanley “Austin” Eichelberger to present the SFCC Library series.
See the full press release about the Spring Writing Generation series.
This semester’s readings have been riveting with terrific feedback from participants. Thank you to SFCC Library Director Val Nye who has partnered with Stanley “Austin” Eichelberger to present the SFCC Library series.
Nye said, “As a librarian, I love seeing people discover their voices through this series. The Wri-Gen Series invites participants into a welcoming, creative space where they can learn from New Mexico writers, respond to prompts, and build confidence in their writing. The closing reading each semester is always moving and memorable.”
Eichelberger added, “These events are about giving people space and inspiration to write. We’re excited to offer this series that gives the online community an opportunity to engage with creative writers while developing their own voices.”
For additional information about the series, please contact SFCC Library Director Valerie Nye via email at valerie.nye@sfcc.edu or call 505-428-1506. For more information about SFCC’s Creative Writing program visit https://www.sfcc.edu/programs/creative-writing/.
Loop Road construction begins May 11
The contractor is starting the Loop Road project on May 11. First work will include concrete repair near the Kid’s Campus entrance. Milling and paving will start the week of May 25. The contractor plans to maintain traffic flow in both directions throughout the 5-week project. All areas of campus should be accessible but you may have to change your route.
Please slow down and use caution near equipment and workers.
Contact: Helen Doherty, Facilities & Operations, Manager of Special Projects
helen.doherty@sfcc.edu | 505-428-1064
RSVP to participate in Write Together Series from 4 to 6 p.m. Monday, May 11
RSVP to participate in Write Together
When: 4 to 6 p.m. Monday, May 11
Where: Hybrid event: Room LL312 or on Zoom
RSVP: Please RSVP here or use the QR code in the graphic above.
What/Who: The Write Together Series is a space to pause, reflect, and write. Hosted by the SFCC Student Wellness Center in partnership with the New Mexico Book Association, these gatherings bring students, writers, and community members together with one shared purpose: to show up and put words on the page.
This is not a space to talk about writing—it is a space to write.
Each session includes brief prompts for those who want to journal or don’t have a current project, followed by dedicated, uninterrupted writing time. Whether you’re drafting, reflecting, or simply beginning, the focus is on presence over perfection and action over discussion.
The series is offered in a hybrid format. Participants may attend in person or join via Zoom. The same Zoom link and password will be provided after registration and used for each session.
At its core, The Write Together Series centers words and wellbeing, recognizing writing as a tool for clarity, self-awareness, and restoration.
Come as you are.
Write what you can.
For more information: Call 505-428-1349.
Glass Club’s Spring Splash Sale brought sparkle to the main hallway on April 29 and 30
SFCC’s Glass Club had its Spring Splash Sale on April 29 and April 30 in the main hallway. Student artists who sold work at the sale included Barbara Bloomberg, Bob Carson, Luetta Donalds, Gurudaya Khalsa, Nina Mastrangelo, Diana Shepherd, Yahne McLemore, Jayne Nordstrom, Andrea Polli, Ellen Premack, Fred Roensch and Leslie Walker Hirsch.
The artists use different hot glass techniques such as kiln work (casting and fusing) and glass blowing. Some artists include other mediums such as metal or stone.
Thanks to Ben Lauer for the photos. Click to enlarge images.
Videos of Ramona Emerson’s reading and creative sessions available
Pre-register at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/SFCCWriGenSpring26
SFCC’s Library in partnership with SFCC’s Creative Writing program presented author Ramona Emerson in a free reading at 6 p.m. Wednesday, April 22 and in a creative session on Wednesday, April 29. The links for the videos are posted above.
Bio: Ramona Emerson is a Diné writer and filmmaker originally from Tohatchi, New Mexico. She received her degree in Media Arts in 1997 from the University of New Mexico and her MFA in Creative Writing (Fiction) in 2015 from the Institute of American Indian Arts. She has worked as a professional cinematographer, writer, and editor for over thirty years and is currently working on her eighth and ninth film project, Crossing the Line and Through Her Lens. She is an Emmy nominee, a Sundance Native Lab Fellow, a Time-Warner Storyteller Fellow, a Tribeca All-Access Grantee and a WGBH Producer Fellow. Ramona just released her second novel, Exposure, the follow-up to her debut novel Shutter, which was published by Soho Press in 2022 and longlisted for the National Book Award, a finalist for the PEN Hemingway, PEN Open Book and Edgar Awards among others. She currently resides in Albuquerque, New Mexico where she and her husband/producer, Kelly Byars run their production company Reel Indian Pictures. Ramona is also an Assistant Professor at the University of New Mexico in the department of Film and Digital Arts.
See the full press release about the Spring Writing Generation series.
This semester’s readings have been riveting with terrific feedback from participants. Thank you to SFCC Library Director Val Nye who has partnered with Stanley “Austin” Eichelberger to present the SFCC Library series.
Nye said, “As a librarian, I love seeing people discover their voices through this series. The Wri-Gen Series invites participants into a welcoming, creative space where they can learn from New Mexico writers, respond to prompts, and build confidence in their writing. The closing reading each semester is always moving and memorable.”
Eichelberger added, “These events are about giving people space and inspiration to write. We’re excited to offer this series that gives the online community an opportunity to engage with creative writers while developing their own voices.”
For additional information about the series, please contact SFCC Library Director Valerie Nye via email at valerie.nye@sfcc.edu or call 505-428-1506. For more information about SFCC’s Creative Writing program visit https://www.sfcc.edu/programs/creative-writing/.
Broadband Job Fair/Networking event connected trainees with employers
SFCC Mayor Michael J. Garcia gave keynote address
President Becky Rowley, Ph.D. and Carmen Quintana (Luján ) of U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján’s office also spoke at the event.
The Broadband Job Fair/Networking event on April 24 at the Santa Fe Higher Education Center brought in many of the fiber optic technicians trained by SFCC who met with employers. The event was free to attendees through partnerships with New Mexico Workforce Solutions and Santa Fe Creative Coding Initiative.
About 80 attendees gathered first for a luncheon where they had an opportunity to meet fiber optic trainees, representatives and employers of the broadband industry as well as state, community and tribal stakeholders. The event was coordinated by SFCC Director of Workforce Development Monique Anair, Ed.D., with much assistance from Continuing Education/Workforce Development Student Achievement Coach Nancy Jaramillo and other members of SFCC’s Workforce Development, Contract Training and Continuing Education departments under the leadership of Dean Kris Swedin.
At 1 p.m. Santa Fe Mayor Michael J. Garcia gave the keynote address. President Becky Rowley, Ph.D., and Carmen Quintana (Luján ) from the field office of U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján’s also offered opening remarks about SFCC’s fiber optic technician training.
Attendees came to the event from cities, towns and tribal communities around the state. More than 500 individuals have received fiber optic technician training through SFCC. The demand is only expected to grow as New Mexico rolls out $675 million in federal Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) funding over the next five years to expand internet access statewide. fiber optic technicians and the need to build a skilled workforce to meet the growing expansion due in the upcoming years. SFCC’s Pre-Apprenticeship program is paid for by paid for by New Mexico’s Government Results and Opportunity Program (GRO program).
The event concluded with a student/trainee panel speaking about the fiber optic technician program (and pre-Apprentice program) and another panel by student/trainees in the 3-D Printing Program.
On Facebook, Monique Anair also gave a shout-out to thank the New Mexico Office of Broadband, New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions, CNM Ingenuity, New Mexico Black Leadership Council, RESPEC, New Collar Network, Santa Fe Community College Career Services and Oso Communications for making the event a success.
Thank you to Ben Lauer from SFCC’s Marketing & Public Relations team for sharing these great images from the event. Click to enlarge.
See the Santa Fe New Mexican’s story, “SFCC promotes broadband industry careers during job fair/networking event.”
KSFR reported on SFCC APRENDE program
The following story ran during Spring Break on April 2 and is shared here if you missed it.
SFCC apprenticeship program works to expand early childhood workforce
KSFR | By Patrick Davis
The school’s APRENDE program gives early childhood education students hands-on experience—and a paycheck
As New Mexico’s subsidized childcare program continues to expand, so too does the gap between the supply and demand for early childhood educators. According to estimates from last year, the state needs to add at least 5,000 early childhood educators to meet the demand. Santa Fe Community College’s APRENDE program is working to fill the gap.
Etago Wondimu was studying early childhood education at SFCC when she signed her son up for daycare at the college’s kids campus. That’s when she learned about APRENDE—the apprenticeship program pays aspiring early childhood educators to work in childcare facilities. Wondimu said the program is the perfect complement to the education classes she has taken.
“I do my classes in the night, learning theory,” she said. “And throughout the day, l come here and do everything I learned in practice.”
U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-NM) toured the facility earlier this year. Catron Allred, the executive director of SFCC’s Early Childhood Center of Excellence, said during the tour that APRENDE is the state’s first education related apprenticeship program. And, Allred said, APRENDE remains the only apprenticeship program serving the workforce for zero to five-year-old education. This semester, APRENDE is training 38 apprentices and nine pre-apprentices. Despite a successful three years in Santa Fe, Allred has a bigger vision for APRENDE.
“We can’t make universal child care a reality unless we have the workforce for it,” she said. “Now we’re working on taking (APRENDE) statewide.”
SFCC President Becky Rowley (right) speaks to U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-NM) (center) and Early Childhood Center of Excellence Executive Director Catron Allred (left) during a tour of SFCC’s Kids Campus. Benjamin Lauer/ Santa Fe Community College
Heinrich worked to secure funding specifically for APRENDE in an appropriations bill earlier this year. He agrees with Allred that growing the early childhood educator workforce is a necessity.
“We’re on a really great trajectory in terms of our commitment to universal child care,” Heinrich said. “But, there are so many things that have to scale to make that a reality for the population, not just an aspiration.”
Heinrich said he’s seen a lot of interest in New Mexico’s investment in early childhood education from some of his Senate colleagues from other parts of the country.
“This is a really great model for how we scale that workforce and make sure that workforce is the highest quality and the best prepared.” Heinrich said.
For Wondimu, APRENDE didn’t just prepare her to be an early childhood educator. It helped open her eyes to her own potential.
“The more I engaged with the kids, then I said, ‘Okay, this is my calling,'” Wondimu said. “In the first semester of doing the school it opened the door for me to realize I can be a teacher.”
Now Wondimu wants to pursue a master’s degree in early childhood education and eventually open her own childcare facility. She said she wants “to be a solution” to the state’s growing demand for early childhood educators. As a former stay at home mom, Wondimu wants women like her to realize their potential, too. “I want them to come out of that comfort zone and come—just take one early childhood class,” she said. “Come explore, be educators, because you can make a difference.”
Listen to the story at https://www.ksfr.org/2026-04-02/sfcc-apprenticeship-program-works-to-expand-early-childhood-workforce
Fall registration now open
Encourage your friends and family to register for the Fall semester. Also, don’t forget to remind students that the best way to ensure a spot in the classes they need is to register as soon as possible.
Visit https://www.sfcc.edu/get-started/apply-and-register/ for information about applying and registering for SFCC. Call 505-428-1270 for assistance.
HVAC Upgrades Construction begins April 20 and continues through May 29
Click image to enlarge.
HVAC Upgrades Construction
To Begin April 20 to May 29, 2026
Access to General Services Through Exterior Service Yard Only (See map in graphic above.)
Thank You For Your Patience While We Provide Necessary Improvements.
Contact Facilities and Operations Assistant Director and Campus Planner Andrea Mueller at andreamueller1@sfcc.edu | 505-930-9781.
Northern NM Healthcare Career Fair connected SFCC students with employers
Thank you to Academic Program Director for Medical Assisting, Phlebotomy and Community Health Worker Jessica Balladares, Anne Black and Kristen Krell from Northern New Mexico Workforce Integration Network (WIN) for all of their work in coordinating the successful Northern New Mexico Healthcare Career Fair on April 15. The event was presented in partnership with the Northern New Mexico Workforce Integration Network (WIN), SFCC Foundation and the Regional Development Corporation. Thank you to Dean Terri Tewart and the many faculty and staff members who assisted with the event.
Jessica Balladares reported that there were 36 employers and 60 students at the event.
She shared that she spoke with SFCC Medical Assisting students, and they shared that they enjoyed it and found it beneficial. All of our students were able to make connections with different employers and submit their résumés. While no official job offers were made at the event, students will be following up and we are hopeful this will lead to job placements.
“The Northern New Mexico Healthcare Career Fair at Santa Fe Community College created meaningful connections between employers and aspiring healthcare professionals, helping bridge the gap between education and employment as they enter the workforce.“
Jessica Balladares
SFCC is also grateful to the many sponsors and employers who participated in the event.
Thanks to Ben Lauer from MPR for taking photos at the event. Click to enlarge.
Dental Assisting students hosted Dental table clinics
Each year, SFCC’s Dental Assisting (DA) program students host Dental table clinics. The students work on the assigned projects along with professors, learning proper research protocols and techniques, and then present poster and oral explanations of their learning.
The term “table clinic” typically implies an interactive display. The community is invited and the attendees evaluate the presentations on criteria such as quality of poster, quality of oral explanations, uniqueness of the project, and the application of the information to clinical dentistry. The goal is to help DA students explore something innovative or emerging in the dental field and share their insights in a professional and engaging way. This project allows students to demonstrate their research skills, critical thinking, and communication skills. This year the event was from noon to 2 p.m. Tuesday, April 14 at SFCC’s Health & Sciences building Bio-wall area. The event was well attended by the campus community and off-campus community. Thank you to the SMILES Club for hosting the snacks at the event.
To learn about the SFCC’s Dental Programs, please email: aamna.nayyar@sfcc.edu or call at 505-428-1258. Visit: https://www.sfcc.edu/programs/dental-2/
See a brief video from the event below:
Celebrate Culture Day from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday, May 6 in the Courtyard
Dear SFCC Students, Faculty and Staff,
You’re warmly invited to join us for Culture Day at the Santa Fe Community College from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday, May 6, in the Courtyard.
Dear SFCC Students, Faculty and Staff,
Come celebrate the vibrant cultures that make up our SFCC community! This special event will bring us together through live cultural performances, interactive activities, and resource tables featuring campus departments, student clubs and community organizations.
Light refreshments will be provided.
Culture Day is a chance to connect, learn from one another, and celebrate the diversity that enriches our campus. Whether you stop by for a few minutes or stay for the full experience, we would love to see you there.
Let’s come together in the spirit of community, culture, and celebration.
We invite you to wear attire that represents your country or heritage.
The best outfit will be awarded two tickets to Sky Cinema.
We look forward to celebrating with you!
Warmly,
Office of Student Engagement
Registration for the summer term continues
Registration for the summer term is now open. Encourage your friends and family to consider taking classes this summer. An extensive range of in-person, online and hybrid classes are offered in the summer.
Visit https://www.sfcc.edu/get-started/apply-and-register/ if you need to apply or need registration guidance. You can also call 505-428-1270 or stop by the Student Affairs Office (Welcome & Advising) during business hours.
Register early for the best selection of classes.
SFCC Foundation sponsors Spring in Your Step 5-k run/walk at 8 a.m. Sunday, May 10, at SFCC
Join sponsors SFCC Foundation and State Employees Credit Union for a celebratory 5-k run/walk to benefit Girls on the Run Santa Fe at 8 a.m. Sunday, May 10 at SFCC. Register soon at springinyourstep5k.com.
The $25 registration fee will increase after April 18. There will be a special Mother’s Day surprise for moms.
Girls on the Run Santa Fe is a youth development program for third–fifth grade participants that combines physical activity with social-emotional learning. Led by trained volunteer coaches, the program focuses on building confidence, fostering friendships, and developing essential life skills such as emotional awareness and empathy.
Girls on the Run Santa Fe has been a fixture in the community since 2006, making it one of the longer-established local programs in the area. This marks the first year that Santa Fe Community College is hosting the culminating 5K event.
The season concludes with a celebratory 5K, where participants run alongside peers and mentors, reinforcing a sense of accomplishment, belonging, and personal growth.
Save the date: HSE graduation from 5 to 7 p.m. May 19 at FEC
The High School Equivalency (HSE) graduation ceremony will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 19, at the William C. Witter Fitness Education Center (FEC).
The HSE graduation ceremony is a celebration of the HSE students’ hard work and dedication in achieving their High School Equivalency Certificate. It’s a formal event where graduates are recognized for their accomplishments and receive their diploma. The ceremony marks a significant step forward, enabling them to purse further education, advance in their careers, and achieve their personal goals.
For more information, email ACE Program Manager Monica Martin at monica.martin@sfcc.edu.
SFCC to have two commencement ceremonies on May 16
President Rowley shared a commencement update about the two ceremonies in the following email to the campus community on March 25.
Dear SFCC Community,
I’m pleased to share an important update regarding our 2026 Commencement celebrations. This year, Santa Fe Community College will hold two commencement ceremonies on Saturday, May 16, 2026, at the William C. Witter Fitness Education Center.
Over the past several years, we have seen tremendous growth in both our graduating class and the number of family members and supporters who join us to celebrate. To ensure a more comfortable and meaningful experience for everyone, we are introducing a two-ceremony format. This change will allow us to better honor each graduate while providing improved seating, accessibility, and overall event flow.
Ceremony Schedule – Saturday, May 16, 2026
9 a.m. Ceremony
- School of Sciences, Health, Engineering and Math
- School of Fitness Education
1 p.m. Ceremony
- School of Business, Professional Studies and Education
- School of Trades, Advanced Technologies and Sustainability
- School of Liberal Arts
- School of Art and Design
We look forward to celebrating our graduates and their achievements alongside their families, friends, and the entire campus community. Additional event details, including parking, rehearsal information, and livestream links, will be shared in the coming weeks.
Thank you for your continued support as we work to create a commencement experience that reflects the pride we all share in our students’ accomplishments.
Warm regards,
Becky Rowley, Ph.D.
SFCC President
Capital High Spring Showcase continues in the main hallway through May 5
The Capital High School Spring Showcase presented by SFCC Art on Campus opened Friday, April 17, in the main hallway. The exhibition continues through Tuesday, May 5.
The exhibition features approximately 100 pieces of selected art from about 80 student artists in grades 9 through 12. The artwork is on display whenever the campus is open.
“The 2026 Capital High art show is a culmination of another great year of art instruction at Capital High School,” Director of Art on Campus Linda Cassel said. “It’s always fun to see the students and teachers come together with family, friends and neighbors to celebrate these young artists and the outstanding work that they have created.”
For more information, contact Director of Art on Campus Linda Cassel via email at linda.cassel@sfcc.edu or by phone at 505-428-1501.
The image above is part of the Capital High Showcase now on display in the main hallway.
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.
RSVP for Spring Salad Cook Kit
Reserve your salad cook kit using the QR code in the graphic above or RSVP here.
Reserve your salad cook kit
Fresh, simple, and full of flavor, celebrate the season with a free cook kit from the Campus Cupboard! This free cook kit includes everything you need to assemble a healthy, refreshing spring salad, perfect for a quick lunch or light dinner. No cooking required, just assemble and enjoy.
Please RSVP to reserve your kit. Available on a first-come, first-served basis beginning May 6, while supplies last. Open to SFCC students only.
Celebrating Communications Professor Angela Williams Gorrell, who will teach Public Speaking this fall
The English and Communications Department shared this message:
We’re thrilled to see the library’s doors open wide once again! There to greet us are the newest titles on display, including two books by SFCC’s own Communications faculty, Angela Williams Gorrell. Dr. Gorrell’s recent releases, THE GRAVITY OF JOY and BRAVING DIFFICULT DECISIONS, speak to readers of all faiths and abilities.
Dr. Gorrell will be teaching Public Speaking (COMM 1130) on campus this fall. To learn more about offerings in English and Communications, visit https://www.sfcc.edu/english-and-communications-department/
Happy Spring from the English and Communications faculty!
Register for Student Parent Study Hours (free childcare available) from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. May 4 through May 7
Student parents are invited to focused end-of-semester study sessions during Study & Play, offered Monday, May 4 through Thursday, May 7 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the SFCC Library and Family Study Room. Free childcare is available for ages 1 and up, allowing parents dedicated time to work on assignments and prepare for finals. Infants under 1 may remain in the library with caregivers.
With childcare, student parents will be able to study and work on assignments in the Library before the week of final exams. The kids will have fun playing in the SFCC Library’s Family Study Room! Get ready by registering as soon as possible.
Registration for all participants is required. Register here.
Large Concrete Sculpture class offered this summer
The Large Concrete Sculpture class is being offered this summer from noon to 5 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays. Registration is open for the class, CRN 10235 (course number 1350). Questions about the class? Contact instructor Charles Rencountre at charles.rencountre@sfcc.edu.
Employees
- Thomasinia Ortiz-Gallegos, Ed.D., was celebrated at her retirement party
- Bethany Carson will graduate from Mitchell Hamline School of Law on May 30
- Defensive Driving Certification Class offered from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday, May 21 in Room 212
- Ellsworth Galley exhibition by Program Head Jared Weiss continues through May 29
Thomasinia Ortiz-Gallegos, Ed.D., was celebrated at her retirement party
Above, left to right: Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs Margaret Peters, Director of Advising, Career, Transfer, and International Services Reynaldo Maestas, Associate Vice President Thomasinia Ortiz-Gallegos, Ed.D., and SFCC President Becky Rowley, Ph.D.
Members of the SFCC Community and others in higher education gathered to recognize Associate Vice President Thomasinia Ortiz-Gallegos, who retired after more than 30 years working in higher education.
Thomasinia Ortiz-Gallegos, Ed.D. gave Campus Weekly permission to include the following message from her post on Facebook:
“Well…that’s a glorious finale as I clock out for the final time!! After dedicating over 30 years to higher education, I’m thrilled to embark on this new chapter as I officially retire. I’ve cherished every moment of my journey and am grateful to everyone who’s been an integral part of it. Here’s to all my students who’ve flourished and are now making a profound impact every day! My deepest gratitude to my entire team, past and present, for your unwavering dedication and tireless efforts. Thank you to the leadership for having faith in me and giving me the freedom to turn my visionary ideas into reality. This week, my current team organized a spectacular celebration, and I’m touched by everyone who took the time to honor me, and I’m humbled by your heartfelt wishes.”
Thanks to SFCC Chief Communication Officer Todd Eric Lovato for sharing the photos. The last image is a photo collage from Thomasinia Ortiz-Gallegos’s Facebook page. Click on all of these photos to enlarge.
Bethany Carson will graduate from Mitchell Hamline School of Law on May 30
The English department proudly shares some exciting news about our longest-standing full-time faculty member, Bethany Carson. As many at SFCC are aware, Bethany has been pursuing her law degree while teaching full-time; on May 30, she will graduate summa cum laude from Mitchell Hamline School of Law.
Bethany Carson will have an article next year in the 50th print volume of The Harvard Journal of Law & Gender
Bethany also recently learned that her article, “Engendering Equity: Monetizing Invisible Domestic Labor Through Child Support Calculations,” will appear next year in the 50th print volume of The Harvard Journal of Law & Gender. A faculty member at SFCC since 2002, Bethany has served as a mentor, friend, and advisor to countless students and staff members alike. Please join us in celebrating Bethany’s success!
Defensive Driving Certification Class offered from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday, May 21 in Room 212
As per policy 5-10, everyone is required to take a Defensive Driving Certification Class prior to operating SFCC vehicles.
The next Defensive Driving Certification Class has been scheduled from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the West Wing Room 212.
(Please arrive promptly or it will cause the class to go further in time.)
To receive full credit for the class, you must arrive promptly at 8 a.m. and attend the full 4-5 hours.
Please register by calling or emailing:
jackie.Gutierrez@sfcc.edu X 1756 steve.silva@sfcc.edu X 1403
Please provide the following information when you call or email us to make a reservation for the class:
- Full name of individual attending.
- Individual’s New Mexico driver license number; and a copy of the individuals driver’s license if not already on file
- Department Name
Fleet vehicles are a great cost-effective way for employees to travel for work related reasons without incurring any personal vehicle expense and having to wait for a reimbursement.
If you have any questions about the program or the classes, please call Jackie or Steve at the numbers listed above.
Ellsworth Gallery exhibition by Program Head Jared Weiss continues through May 29
Jared Weiss, Program Head for Painting and Drawing, has a solo exhibit at Ellsworth Gallery in collaboration with Curate Santa Fe.
Exhibition title: “We Don’t Know Where We Are, We Don’t Know That We Know Where We’re Going”
Ellsworth Gallery, 215 East Palace Avenue, Santa Fe.
On view: Through May 29.
Gallery Hours: Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Jared Weiss also featured in American Art Collector’s Magazine‘s April issue
The Program Head for Drawing and Painting, Jared Weiss, is also featured in an article in the April issue of American Art Collector’s Magazine. Due to a subscription pay wall, Campus Weekly is unable to share the link. A digital download is available to purchase at https://www.americanartcollector.com/. Weiss shared the following PDFs from the issue including the cover and two-page spread.:
Shane Tolbert’s Town & Country exhibition continues through May 30 at Cinema Gallery at CCA
Shane Tolbert’s exhibition Town & Country
Opening: 5-7 p.m., Friday, April 10
Exhibition Runs: April 10 through May 30
Where: Cinema Gallery, Center for Contemporary Arts (CCA), 1050 Old Pecos Trail in Santa Fe
About the exhibition:
In Town & Country, Shane Tolbert SFCC Academic Director of the School of Art, presents a new body of paintings and collages that unfold through layering, interruption, and revision. The works are built from poured acrylic, collage fragments, masking, and drawn interventions. These elements accumulate decisions over time. Earlier gestures remain partially visible beneath later ones. Each surface carries the sediment of its own making.
Tolbert’s use of plastic sheeting introduces moments of decollage. Poured paint is first cast onto plastic, then lifted and transferred onto the canvas. There, it behaves like a displaced skin. These passages interrupt the surface and preserve earlier states. This creates a tension between adhesion and removal, image and residue.
Painter’s tape is applied, painted over, removed, and sometimes retraced. It moves through the paintings like a temporary scaffold. These linear traces often appear late in the process. They map structure across fields of volatile color and gesture. What begins as improvisation gradually suggests architecture. Then, it loosens again into atmosphere and movement.
The title Town & Country hints at the shifting boundary between the constructed and the open. In Tolbert’s work, diagrammatic lines drift across painterly weather. Blocks of color behave like structures one moment and eroding terrain the next.
A parallel practice of walking informs the work. Fragments encountered along the way—packaging, images, and remnants of daily life—enter the collages and sometimes the paintings. These found elements and photographs quietly anchor the work in lived experience. Observation and movement through the world become part of the studio process.
Tolbert’s paintings do not depict that world. They operate with the same logic—layered, provisional, and constantly revised. Meaning accumulates through time rather than arriving all at once.
Consider using your EEB credits to take CE classes
Use Your EEBs for Continuing Education Classes
Did you know that SFCC faculty and staff can use Employee Educational Benefits (EEBs) to take Continuing Education (CE) classes?
To get started, log in to your MySFCC account and access SFCC Connect (Intranet). From there, select “Online Forms” and then “Office of Human Resources (OHR)” to submit your EEBs for the semester. Be sure to select “Yes” in the CE information box and list the classes you’d like to take.
SFCC faculty and staff may use Employee Educational Benefits (EEBs) to cover tuition for Continuing Education (CE) classes (up to $324 per semester). Employees are responsible for course materials and a $12 semester registration fee.
Summer CE registration opens April 13.
Online Teaching and Learning Training Opportunities in Spring 2026
The SFCC Online Teaching & Learning (OTL) Department is excited to share a range of internal and external online teaching and learning opportunities designed to support innovation, professional growth, and online instructional excellence.
TO REGISTER:
Contact: julia.dunkin@sfcc.edu / 505-428-1168
Office: Online Teaching and Learning / otl@sfcc.edu / www.sfcc.edu/otl / 505-428-1166
CHESS Connection Newsletter – April 22, 2026
The latest CHESS Connection highlights progress toward the Workday Student implementation, including preparations for Move to Production 1 (MTP1) through integrated system testing and the launch of a new “Mission Control Briefings” series to keep employees informed. It also introduces a new SIS Spotlight Series, beginning with Recruiting and Admissions, to show how Workday will support key functional areas.
The issue also recognizes CHESS Superstar award recipients, encourages employees to explore Workday Learning resources, and notes that Readiness Survey feedback will help shape upcoming training and communication efforts.
Read the full issue here.
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!
Ongoing news and events
Registration for Continuing Education Summer classes continues
Kids Camp returns along with new Arts Academy programming.
SFCC announces registration is open for Summer 2026 Continuing Education (CE) classes. The Summer 2026 Continuing Education catalog features an expanded lineup of classes and the long-awaited return of summer Kids Camps, offering week-long programs designed to inspire young learners. The Summer CE term begins on May 26.
The catalog is available online at https://www.sfcc.edu/continuing-education/, in print at the college and Santa Fe Higher Education Center as well as Santa Fe public libraries. Call 505-428-1676 for registration assistance. Summer offers a great time to soak up the season with creative learning, hands-on experiences and outdoor adventure.
Kids Camps return
After a hiatus, SFCC Continuing Education is excited to reintroduce summer Kids Camps for ages 5 to 14, with immersive week-long programs in art, culinary arts and outdoor adventure. These engaging camps give young learners the opportunity to explore creativity, develop new skills, and make friends in a supportive, fun learning environment during the summer months.
“Reintroducing Kids Camps is an exciting moment for Continuing Education and for families in our community,” said Benjamin Lincoln, Director of Continuing Education at Santa Fe Community College. “These camps are designed to spark curiosity and creativity while giving young learners a memorable and enriching summer experience.”
Continuing Education forges new partnerships
The Summer 2026 catalog also celebrates a new partnership with SFCC’s School of Art and Design to launch the Arts Academy at SFCC, a collection of noncredit arts programs offering advanced-level instruction for learners seeking to refine their creative practice.
Continuing Education’s work is strengthened by partnerships across Santa Fe, including The Four Seasons Resort Santa Fe, CHOMP, Johnny Vee and the Las Cosas Kitchen Shoppe, Revolution Bakery, Sky Railway, Nuevo Mexicano Heritage Arts Museum, Dance Station, The Reel Life, The Wilderness Institute, The Hut, the City of Santa Fe and NMSU Extension Service.
The Continuing Education department also benefits from collaborations with SFCC campus partners including Energy Smart Academy; Culinary Arts; Film & Photography; School of Art and Design; Art on Campus; Media Arts; Printmaking and Book Arts; the SFCC Library; Woodworking; Ceramics and the William C. Witter Fitness Education Center.
“With the support of our partners across campus and throughout the community, Continuing Education at SFCC continues to expand opportunities for lifelong learning, cultural connection and professional growth,” Lincoln said.
The Summer 2026 Continuing Education Catalog features a wide variety of personal enrichment and professional development courses including art, culinary arts, outdoor exploration, language learning, digital media, wellness, and professional skills.
Online registration for Summer 2026 Continuing Education classes begins at 9 a.m. April 13 at https://www.sfcc.edu/continuing-education. In-person registration is available from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday in Room 131 at SFCC, 6401 Richards Avenue. Call 505-428-1676 for registration assistance during the same hours and days as in-person registration. The print CE catalogs should be arriving in mailboxes on April 20.
Writing Generation author Swati Avasthi’s videos of March reading and creative session available
SFCC’s Writing Generation Series featured a reading on March 18 and creative writing session on March 25 by author Swati Avasthi.
Her reading offered selections from her two young adult novels SPLIT and CHASING SHADOWS. During her reading she shared images from the second novel, which incorporates graphic novel elements.
SFCC’s Library and Creative Writing program are presenting the free online Spring 2026 Writing Generation Series, which began in February. Each author reads at an introductory session. In a follow-up Zoom meeting the author engages the participants in a writing exercise/creative session. Attendees can go to any of the sessions by registering just once at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/SFCCWriGenSpring26.
The following are the upcoming Spring Writing Generation series sessions:
- Ramona Emerson Wednesday, April 22 6 p.m. reading.
- Ramona Emerson Wednesday, April 29 6 p.m. creative session.
- Participant Reading Those who attended the series are invited to share writing that they developed during the series at 6 p.m. Wednesday, May 6.
Registrants will receive a Zoom link via email the morning of each event.
Swati Avasthi bio
Bio: Swati Avasthi (SWA-thee Of-US-thee) started writing when she was five, but she took a serpentine career path (working as domestic violence legal coordinator, a law student, a theater director and stage manager) before she returned to writing. Her first novel, SPLIT (Knopf, 2010) received the International Reading Association Award, Cybils Award, received recognition from 15 US state awards committees, and has been translated into four languages. Her second, CHASING SHADOWS received several starred reviews from School Library Journal, Publisher’s Weekly, and was listed as a Best of 2013 by Kirkus, Bank Street College, and YALSA. Swati holds a BA from The University of Chicago and an MFA from University of Minnesota. She teaches at Hamline University’s MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults, and lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota with her two dogs, two kids, and one husband – though he’s worth two.
Read more about the Spring Writing Generation Series in this press release.
SFCC Library Director Valerie Nye and SFCC professor of English and Creative Writing Austin Eichelberger are coordinating the free Writing Generation Series, which began in Spring 2024.
For additional information about the series, please contact SFCC Library Director Valerie Nye via email at valerie.nye@sfcc.edu or call 505-428-1506. For more information about SFCC’s Creative Writing program visit https://www.sfcc.edu/programs/creative-writing/.
Watch videos of Jamie Figueroa’s Writing Generation reading and creative sessions
SFCC Library in conjunction with SFCC’s Creative Writing program began the Spring Writing Generation (Wri-Gen) series on Wednesday, February 18 with a powerful and engaging reading by author Jamie Figueroa. On February 25 she led an inspiring creative writing session.
SFCC’s Library and Creative Writing program are presenting the free online Spring 2026 Writing Generation (Wri-Gen) Series featuring esteemed authors. SFCC Library Director Valerie Nye and Assistant Professor Stanley (Austin) Eichelberger are coordinating the series. Each author will read at an introductory Zoom session. In a follow-up Zoom meeting the author will engage the participants in a writing exercise/creative session. Attendees can go to any of the sessions by registering just once at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/SFCCWriGenSpring26. The sessions begin at 6 p.m. on Wednesdays and will feature these writers: Jamie Figueroa (Feb. 18 reading; Feb. 25 creative session), Swati Avasthi (March 18 reading; March 25 creative session) and Ramona Emerson (Apr. 22 reading; Apr. 29 creative session).
Jamie Figueroa
Bio: Jamie Figueroa is a critically acclaimed writer whose work interrogates lineage, colonial legacy, and the poetics of place. A passionate storyteller drawn to the sacred, the broken, and the luminous, she believes in the power of story to reclaim, reimagine, and heal—and is most alive when helping others uncover the language of their own truths. With deep roots in her Boricua/Puerto Rican (Afro-Taíno) heritage and a life lived in northern New Mexico, she explores themes of lineage, memory, and cultural reclamation through her writing.
She is the author of the novel Brother, Sister, Mother, Explorer (Catapult, 2021), praised by The New York Times Book Review as “a beautifully crafted, poetic book,” and by Publishers Weekly as “brimming with spellbinding prose, magical elements, and wounded, full-hearted characters that nearly jump off the page.” The novel was an Indie Next Pick, longlisted for the Center for Fiction First Novel Prize, shortlisted for the Reading the West Debut Fiction Award, and selected as a Good Morning America Book Club Must-Read. It was also named one of the most anticipated debuts by Electric Literature, The Millions, Bustle, and The Rumpus.
Her genre-defying memoir-in-essays, Mother Island: A Daughter Claims Puerto Rico (Pantheon, 2024), continues her exploration of ancestral memory and cultural reclamation. The book received a starred review from Kirkus and was named one of the Los Angeles Times’ “6 Books to Shake Off Colonialism and Rethink Our Latino Stories.” It has been recognized as one of the most anticipated and essential nonfiction books of 2024 by Ms. Magazine, Elle, SheReads, Lupita Reads, Hispanic Executive, and Latinx Publishing.
Figueroa’s essays and fiction have appeared widely, including in The New York Times, McSweeney’s, Elle, American Short Fiction, Emergence Magazine, Agni, The Boston Review, and Kweli Journal, among others. She wrote her first poem at six, published her first poem as a teenager, and committed fully to a life centered around her writing practice in 1998. A devoted teacher of craft and creative courage, she is on faculty at the Institute of American Indian Arts MFA Creative Writing program and has taught in public schools, colleges, community spaces, and universities nationwide since 2010.
A Voices of Our Nations Arts Foundation (VONA) alum and faculty member, she has received a Truman Capote Award and was named a Bread Loaf Rona Jaffe Scholar. Figueroa also served on the Carol Shields Prize Authors Committee, helping shape one of the most significant literary prizes for women and nonbinary writers of North America for the initial four cycles of the prize.
Figueroa is currently in her third year of doctoral studies in Visionary Practice and Regenerative Leadership at Southwestern College, where the heart of her research is on Creative Sovereignty through the lens of a Cuentista/Curandera. Her work poses a profound question to writers at all stages of their journey: “When you sit down at your desk to write, who owns you?”
Read more about other featured authors in the press release.
For additional information about the series, please contact SFCC Library Director Valerie Nye via email at valerie.nye@sfcc.edu or call 505-428-1506. For more information about SFCC’s Creative Writing program visit https://www.sfcc.edu/programs/creative-writing/.
Watch Fall 25 Wri-gen videos on YouTube
SFCC’s Library wrapped up the Fall 2025 Writing Generation Series with a participant reading on Nov. 19, featuring original work inspired by sessions led by authors Chip Livingston, Rowena Alegría, and James Thomas Stevens. Watch the full participant reading and explore the complete playlist on YouTube.
2/14/2026, Santa Fe New Mexican, Commentary: So many reasons ‘Amo mucho a mi esposa’
2/13/2026, Santa Fe New Mexican, Pasatiempo, Out There! – ARTS NEWS – The Next ‘Generation’ Story about Spring Wri-Gen series
02/8/2026, Santa Fe New Mexican, “Smartboard, Feb. 9, 2026 SFCC to host art exhibition for Santa Fe artist”
02/7/2026, Santa Fe New Mexican, “Workforce is key to universal child care initiative” Opinion column by Catron Allred and Chelsea T. Morris
02/2/2026, KOAT, “Free tax help appointments open in Santa Fe”
02/1/2026, Los Alamos Daily Post, “Santa Fe Community College Spring Transfer Fair Feb. 25”
01/14/2026, Santa Fe Reporter, “3 Questions with Local Artist Will Karp” Artist explains how he got his start at SFCC.
01/14/2026, Yahoo.com/Alb. Journal, “MovieMaker Magazine names Albuquerque No. 2 big city to live and work as a filmmaker” Article mentions Backlot at SFCC.
01/12/2026, Santa Fe New Mexican, “Smartboard, Jan. 12, 2026-SFCC to close for Martin Luther King Jr. Day”
01/05/2026, Of Interest, Santa Fe New Mexican, “Smartboard, Jan 5, 2025”
01/02/2026, Santa Fe New Mexican, “First-of-its-kind Santa Fe-funded apprenticeship creating ‘on-ramp’ to early child care careers”
12/18/2025, Los Alamos Daily Post, “Santa Fe Community Foundation Announces Record-Level $1 Million+ In Community Grants”
12/17/2025, Santa Fe Reporter, “25 Things We Love About Santa Fe Right Now – 1 Santa Fe Community College is So Sick”
12/16/2025, Los Alamos Daily Post, “Effective Citizen Advocacy At The Legislature Jan. 10”
12/15/2025, Santa Fe New Mexican, “Smartboard, Dec. 15, 2025-SFCC releases Spring 2026 catalog”
12/10/2025, UNM News, “Fall 2025 Inspiring Graduate | Ian Widrick-Martinez”
12/6/2025, Santa Fe New Mexican, “Santa Fe professor to pen book about impact of anti-trans legislation on education”
12/04/2025, New York Times, “A Native American Jeweler Who Respects Her Materials”
12/1/2025, Santa Fe New Mexican, Smartboard, Dec. 1, 2025- SFCC to host Yuletide Pickleball Palooza
