SFCC announces DezBaa’ to give keynote address at Commencement at 10 a.m. May 17 at FEC

SFCC announces DezBaa’, an accomplished actor, screenwriter, director and indie film producer will give the keynote address at the SFCC Commencement at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 17 in the William C. Witter Fitness Education Center (FEC), 6401 Richards Avenue.

“It’s an honor to welcome DezBaa’ as our keynote speaker—her voice, creativity, and cultural roots reflect the values we cherish at SFCC,” said SFCC President Becky Rowley, Ph.D. “As we close out our 40th anniversary year, we are proud to celebrate the achievements of our graduates, who are already making meaningful contributions to their families, workplaces, and communities.”

The ceremony will honor 546 graduates who completed in fall 2024 or will complete this spring semester or summer term. This represents a 23% increase in the number of graduates over the same period last year. The event will be shown live at https://www.sfcc.edu/graduation-commencement/. The ceremony will also celebrate the conclusion of the College’s 40th anniversary festivities.

At commencement, the college will honor First-Generation graduates – the first in their families to complete a college credential – by having them wear special First-Generation honor cords. SFCC is proud that 76 percent of SFCC graduates are First-Generation students. The college recognizes they are now role models for their families and community members who are looking to them as trailblazers to a new life.

DezBaa’, Keynote Speaker

DezBaa’ is a Diné citizen of Basque, Spanish and Mexican descent. The accomplished actor, screenwriter, director and independent film producer is a member of both the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) and the Writers Guild of America (WGA).

She began her journey in the film industry as a background actor and soon earned speaking roles. DezBaa’ has appeared in acclaimed productions including “Woman Walks Ahead,” directed by Susanna White and starring Jessica Chastain, and has shared the screen with Julianne Moore, Michael Shannon, Christian Bale and Ciarán Hinds.

She is best known for her role as Helen Atcitty in AMC’s “Dark Winds,” starring opposite Zahn McClarnon for three seasons. DezBaa’ also served as a staff writer for Season 2, deepening her impact on Indigenous storytelling in mainstream media.

Before entering the film industry, she worked for the Navajo Nation’s Division of Natural Resources. She earned a bachelor’s degree in geology from Amherst College and holds two Master of Fine Arts degrees from the Institute of American Indian Arts—one in screenwriting and one in creative nonfiction. She has also taught screenwriting and Indigenous cinema at the college level.

DezBaa’ is born for the Nooda’í Dine’e (Ute clan) and was raised in Española, New Mexico. She was born in Santa Fe, where she currently lives.

Joanna Johnston, Student Speaker
Joanna Johnston, 43, is a nontraditional, first-generation college student who returned to the classroom long after leaving high school. She had a rocky start in her earlier college career and feared that a college education would always be out of reach. But her desire to do more for her community and herself led her to SFCC many times over the years, never giving up on her education.

On campus, she has been a Student Ambassador, a student employee, and is now the Student Resource Coordinator in the Student Wellness Office. In fall 2023, she completed a certificate in Creative Writing, a personal goal she had held for two decades.

She is graduating today with an A.A. in Human Services and will be continuing her education at the Facundo Valdez School of Social Work at Highlands University this fall. She is deeply passionate about community well-being, art and animal welfare. She hopes to pursue a degree in clinical social work and find more time for volunteering at local animal rescues.

SFCC Graduation Fast Facts

Please note: This data is derived from those students who graduated either in the 2024 Fall semester or applied to graduate after the 2025 Spring semester or summer term. Data is from May 1, 2025.

546 SFCC graduates are eligible to receive 640 awards. 73 students will receive more than one award. Of those awards: 428 are for certificates and 212 are for associate degrees.

Significant to note: Total awards are up 14 percent from 2024.
Distinct number of graduates is up 23 percent from 2024.

• 76 percent (414) are first-generation students.
• 61.2percent are from Santa Fe; 7.5 percent from Albuquerque; 3.3 percent from Española; 2.9 percent from Rio Rancho; and 2.4 percent from Raton. The remaining NM graduates are from 52 communities around the state (ranging from Abiquiu to Zia Pueblo) with the highest concentration from Northern New Mexico.  Three additional states are represented by 8 students: Colorado (1), Virginia (1), and Texas (6).
• Graduates range in age from 16 to 84.
• 60.3 percent (329) self-identify as Latino/Hispanic. And 4.8 percent (26) identify themselves as American Indian or Alaska Native.
• 71.8 percent (392) self-identify as female and 28.2 percent (154) male.
• 9 graduates identify themselves as military veterans, military spouses, or dependents of military veterans.
• The total number of certificates to be awarded is 428.
• The total number of associate degrees to be awarded is 212. The associate degrees to be awarded include Associate in Arts (98), Associate in Applied Arts (1), Associate in Science (12) and Associate in Applied Science (101).
• The following are associate degrees being awarded for the first time in either Fall 2024 or Spring 2025: AAS in Accounting (3); AAS in Water Technologies (1).
• The following certificate is being awarded for the first time in either Fall 2024 or Spring 2025: Certificate in Human Resources (3).
• The highest number of associate degrees (from Fall 2024, Spring 2025 and Summer 2025) are: AA in Early Childhood Education (31); AAS Nursing (22); and AA Business Administration (13).
• The highest number of certificates (from Fall 2024, Spring 2025 and Summer 2025) are: Certificate in Community Health Worker (50); Certificate in Early Childhood Development (43), and Certificate in Phlebotomy (30).

Online participants’ reading at 6 p.m. Wednesday, May 7, concludes Wri-Gen Spring series

SFCC’s Library and Creative Writing program presented the free online Spring 2025 Writing Generation (Wri-Gen) Series, which began March 19.The Wri-Gen series this spring featured writers Adele Oliveira and Alfredo Celedón Luján. Each author read at an introductory session. In a follow-up Zoom meeting the author engaged with the participants in a writing exercise/creative session. Read more in this press release.

The participants are invited to a wrap-up session where they can read drafts they wrote inspired by the Spring series at 6 p.m. Wednesday, May 7. Register at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/WriGenSp2025 to receive the link. Others are invited to cheer on the readers. Please be aware that the writers will share rough drafts in this supportive online community gathering.

Thanks to organizers SFCC Library Director Val Nye and Creative Writing professor Austin Eichelberger for this wonderful free series!

For additional information about the series, please contact SFCC Library Director Valerie Nye via email at valerie.nye@sfcc.edu or by calling 505-428-1506. For more information about SFCC’s Creative Writing program visit sfcc.edu/programs/creative-writing/.

Digital Access Essentials is a free training series offered by SFCC and Accessible New Mexico for NM residents

Classes focus on improving digital access and compliance, aimed at web administrators in higher education institutions, nonprofits, and small businesses

Accessible New Mexico, LLC and Santa Fe Community College’s Continuing Education and Workforce Development are offering a free training series, Digital Access Essentials, for New Mexico residents. The program, aimed at website administrators from higher education institutions, nonprofits, and small businesses, focuses on improving digital accessibility and ensuring compliance with digital platforms. Sessions begin on May 21. Any New Mexico resident may enroll at Accessible: Digital Access Essentials for Professionals (NM WF) – SFCC Continuing Education. For more information or assistance call 505-428-1060.

With recent federal guidance and mounting legal pressures around web accessibility in education, New Mexico businesses need to ensure their digital content is inclusive and compliant with standards such as ADA Title II & III, Section 508, and WCAG 2.1 AA.

“This training was created with higher ed administrators and small businesses in mind,” said Eli Fresquez, founder of Accessible New Mexico and the series instructor. “We know the digital front door to a business, college or university is often its website, and we want to help institutions keep that door open to everyone.”

Training Series Highlights:

• May 21 Session 1: Introduction to Digital Accessibility – Understand accessibility principles and why they matter.
• May 28 Session 2: Legal & Policy Frameworks – Learn what ADA, Section 508, and upcoming DOJ regulations require.
• June 4 Session 3: Web Accessibility for Websites & Apps – Get hands-on with tools like WAVE, Axe, and Lighthouse.
• June 11 Session 4: Document & Multimedia Accessibility – Ensure course content and PDFs meet compliance.
• June 18 Session 5: Accessibility for Small Teams & Budgets – Practical strategies for doing more with less.
• June 25 Session 6: Governance & Strategy – Build sustainable accessibility practices campus wide.

Each session is 30 minutes (20 minutes of instruction + 10 minutes Q&A), delivered online via Canvas, and recorded for future reference. The series runs weekly on Wednesday at noon from May 21 through June 25. The course is free, but participants need to register by May 20. Once enrolled, participants will receive an email with a link and instructions from SFCC’s Continuing Education and Workforce Development on how to access the course.

Participants will gain access to tools, checklists, and real-world case studies from higher ed institutions, including lessons learned from recent accessibility lawsuits involving Harvard, MIT, and UC Berkeley.For more information, please contact Monique Anair by email at Monique.Anair1@sfcc.edu or call 505-428-1060. To request accessibility accommodations for the course, notify Anair by May 14, 2025.

SFCC’s HSE Graduation Ceremony will be from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 20, in Jemez Rooms

Save the Date: SFCC’s High School Equivalency (HSE) Graduation Ceremony will be from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. May 20 in the Jemez Rooms. The SFCC Academic and Career Education (ACE) program helps students prepare for their High School Equivalency (HSE) credential. Students prepare for the GED or HiSET exams to fulfill requirements for the HSE set by the state of New Mexico.

The HSE graduation ceremony is a celebration of the 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 diplomas. This ceremony marks a significant step forward, enabling them to pursue further education, advance in their careers, and achieve their personal goals.

HSE Graduation Overview

The most recent cohort of  High School Equivalency (HSE) graduates includes 38 students, ranging in age from 16 to 34 years old. The majority of students identify as Latino/a, and most are female. All graduates are from the Santa Fe area.

Multimedia exhibition by student Roberto Espinosa in Ripple Effect Gallery May 14 to August 29

Student Roberto Espinosa exhibits multimedia installation in Ripple Effect Gallery in the sculpture hall of the Arts and Design Building.

May 14-August 29, 2025

About Roberto Espinosa

Roberto Espinosa is an artist who works and studies in New Mexico. “Amusia Alexithymia” is his inaugural show. 

Artist Statement, Roberto Espinosa

I’m interested in understanding tensions in conflict and finding a liminal space between both worlds to create a new threshold.

About the “Amusia Alexithymia”:

In the film “The Exterminating Angel,” written and directed by Luis Buñuel, a group of wealthy guests are invited to a late-night private dinner party in a mansion. They soon find themselves unable to leave the dining room, trapped in their own utopian “safe space.” As chaos unfolds in a highly allegorical and surreal manner, the masses outside the window cheer at the unraveling of the elite. When asked about the meaning of his film, Luis Buñuel spoke only one sentence, “The aristocracy harbors savage instincts and unspeakable secrets.”

The desire to detach from the masses and create a VIP sacred space is not “fake news,” but our reality. The ultra-rich, survivalists, and tech-bros are attempting to escape “the event”—be it a world war, apocalypse, pandemic, or final environmental decline—by constructing bunkers, purchasing private islands, and creating off-world colonies, spending billions and billions in the process. Content creators eagerly stream and celebrate their plans, often tone-deaf (Amusia) and lacking empathy (Alexithymia) for the doomed masses they leave behind.

Safe from the masses and “the event”, the former elites, now demigods, will realize that doomsday has followed them and is streaming live to their end. “The Event” is them. They are the monsters.

The masses watch the unraveling and cheer.

U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján held a Town Hall on April 22 (Earth Day) in the Jemez Rooms of Santa Fe Community College. About 200 people were in attendance to listen to his remarks and to engage in conversation. The SFCC Governing Board was in attendance.

SFCC gives a special thanks to all on the SFCC campus who helped make the event possible — Safety and Security, Conference Services, OIT, Custodial, Genuine Foods, CERT Team and many others. 

For more information abou the Town Hall, read this story from Source New Mexico, “U.S. Sen. Luján town hall attendees worry about education, social security, democracy.” Also, listen to or read this report from Rob Hochschild of KSFR, “Applause and Tough Questions Mix at Lujan Town Hall.”

Congratulations to the organizers and participants in the Food for Thought art exhibition for a great event that also introduced many to the Campus Cupboard Food Pantry, as well as students’ artwork. The Food for Thought exhibition will continue through June 6. Student Resource Coordinator Joanna Johnston suggests that the best time to stop by and see the artwork is from 1 to 4:45 p.m. Fridays.

The Campus Cupboard Food Pantry is supported by SFCC Foundation. Want to make a contribution to the Campus Cupboard? Just click on donation button.

SFCC will host Broadband Networking/Job Fair from 3 to 5 p.m. May 16 at SF HEC

SFCC will host a Broadband Networking/Job Fair from 3 to 5 p.m. Friday, May 16, at the Santa Fe Higher Education Center, 1950 Siringo Road. More than 300 certified Fiber Optic Technician graduates will be invited from across New Mexico to attend. The event is free and open to all New Mexicans interested about careers, education and training for New Mexico’s broadband industry.

Graduates of the previous fiber optics trainings, broadband industry representatives interested in hosting a recruitment table and individuals seeking broadband career opportunities are encouraged to RSVP for the Broadband Networking/Job Fair at https://bit.ly/bbjobfair25.

The Broadband Networking/Job Fair coincides with the final day of a Fiber Optics Technician training session, where about 30 students in the non-credit Continuing Education and Workforce Development class will be celebrated at a graduation ceremony as they receive their Fiber Optic Certifications.

SFCC Contract Training Department has offered Fiber Optic Technician training/bootcamps since 2022. These generally five-day, hands-on intensive programs give students the opportunity to earn three certifications from the Fiber Optic Association that are recognized throughout the world and aligned to industry standards. These credentials remain valid for three years, after which they can be renewed by students. Students can earn the following certifications: Certified Fiber Optic Technician, Certified Fiber Optic Specialist in Splicing and Certified Fiber Optic Specialist in Training and Maintenance.

Certified fiber optic technicians are needed in the broadband industry because they bring the specialized knowledge, skills, and certifications required to ensure that fiber optic networks are installed, maintained, and repaired to the highest standards. As broadband networks continue to expand and evolve, the demand for certified technicians who can handle these advanced technologies will continue to grow.

For more information about the Broadband Networking/Job Fair please contact Monique Anair either by email at monique.anair1@sfcc.edu or by phone at 505-428-1060.

Alfredo Celedón Luján’s videos of reading and creative sessions available

SFCC’s Library and Creative Writing Department’s Spring Wri-Gen series featured its second author Alfredo Celedón Luján with a reading on April 23 and creative session on April 30.

The free online Spring 2025 Writing Generation (Wri-Gen) Series began March 19. Each author read at an introductory session. In a follow-up Zoom meeting the author engaged with the participants in a writing exercise/creative session. Read more in this press release. Also, read the bio of poet and author Alfredo Celedón Luján below.

Alfredo Celedón Luján

Bio: Alfredo Celedón Luján is a career teacher. He has an MA/English and MLitt/Creative Nonfiction from the Bread Loaf School of English. He advocates for equity in the classroom. Alfredo is former President of the National Council of Teachers of English.

He is a proud member of the Chicanx/Latinx communities. He identifies as a Chicano writer. His writing amplifies familiarity and place. He has published stories, essays, and poems in various journals and books. He believes in the written and/or digital preservation of family cuentos/stories by capturing place, textures, sounds, and colloquial language. He is Norteño. He lives in Eldorado. He is from Nambé.

Session Description: In the creative session, Alfredo will give prompts that offer insights to self-identity, heritage, place, and the preservation of family vignettes through freewriting and childhood maps.

For additional information about the series, please contact SFCC Library Director Valerie Nye via email at valerie.nye@sfcc.edu or by calling 505-428-1506. For more information about SFCC’s Creative Writing program visit sfcc.edu/programs/creative-writing/.

Capital High Student Spring Showcase opening a success: Showcase continues through May 16

Capital High Spring Showcase features an exhibition of selected student artwork on display through Wednesday, May 14, in the main hallway entrance exhibition space – across from the Cashier’s office. Thank you to William Johnson from Santa Fe Public Schools for sharing photos from the opening. For more information about the showcase contact Director of Art on Campus Linda Cassel.

Register soon for the best selection of Fall classes

The May 2025 Cultural Calendar highlights observances such as Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, Jewish American Heritage Month, Older Americans Month, and Mental Health Awareness Month. Key dates include International Worker’s Day (May 1), World Press Freedom Day (May 3), Cinco de Mayo (May 5), Teacher Appreciation Day (May 6), and Mother’s Day (May 11), among others, celebrating cultural heritage, education, health, and community contributions.

CHESS Connection Newsletter – April 23, 2025

In this issue of the CHESS Connection, the spotlight shines on a highly successful onsite session hosted at San Juan College, where over 50 participants—both in-person and virtual—gathered to accelerate key integrations and reporting developments for the Workday Student Information System (SIS). Within just three days, the collaborative team completed 16 reports and 3 integrations, marking a major milestone in CHESS’s mission to modernize and unify student data systems across its member institutions.

The newsletter also celebrates this month’s CHESS Superstars—dedicated staff and project team members recognized for their leadership, teamwork, and commitment to CHESS values. From streamlining processes to bridging cross-campus collaborations, these individuals exemplify excellence in moving the project forward.

Readers are invited to participate in a fun “Name This College” game featuring unique college highlights like a goat-groomed solar array and a quantum science bootcamp, explore the Technology Support Hub, and join the next informal “Coffee with Kathy” chat.

Read the full issue here.

Summer CE registration now open

Continuing Education’s Summer 2025 Course Catalog is now available online and in print. Visit SFCC’s Continuing Education and Contract Training web page to see the the class schedule. Printed copies are available at the college, area libraries and the Santa Fe Higher Education Center. The catalog features 51 new classes, covering everything from professional skill development to personal enrichment.

Director of Continuing Education Benjamin Lincoln said, “We’re thrilled to unveil the Summer 2025 Continuing Education Course Catalog filled with carefully curated classes to suit the community’s needs and interests. We invite lifelong learners to immerse themselves in creativity, culture and hands-on experiences. The summer offers a great opportunity to learn new skills and find joy in community connection.”

“We continue to expand our class offerings beyond the SFCC campus through our collaborations with our great community partners,” Lincoln added. “None of this would be possible without the invaluable support of SFCC’s partners, whose collaboration continues to expand our campus and enrich our offerings.”

SFCC’s community partners that host classes in engaging off-campus environments include:

• Las Cosas Kitchen Shoppe & Cooking School, fostering culinary creativity through hands-on workshops
• CHOMP, Santa Fe’s dynamic gathering space for food, art, and community
• Four Seasons Resort Rancho Encantado, whose commitment to local culture enhances the learning experience
• Nuevo Mexicana Heritage Arts Museum, dedicated to preserving and sharing the region’s artistic traditions
• New Mexico State University, bringing innovation and education together in meaningful ways.

Learn a new language

The SFCC CE Summer catalog cover features one of the CE Department’s popular Spanish language instructors, Consuelo Byrd. She and Silena Maffey-Meteer have shaped a robust Spanish language program that continues to be popular with those just learning the language and others wanting to further their skills. Other language class offerings this summer include instruction in French, Arabic and Japanese. This summer CE will offer the classes Beginning Japanese: (1 & 2) A Cultural Linguistic Journey taught by Niniam Williams.

Explore your creative spirit

This summer CE invites people to explore their creative side with many fine arts and crafts classes. New this summer is Chainmail Jewelry. In the class, participants will learn how to make chainmail jewelry and explore different patterns from the simple to the more complex. Participants will create one small piece such as a necklace or a bracelet. Instructor Nyal Tack, a dynamic young jeweler who is one of the founders of the SFCC Jewelry Collective, will lead the class. Another exciting addition is a class in clay exploration: Wheel Throwing and Raku taught by Kellogg Johnson is designed for those with prior experience working with clay and using a pottery wheel. Students will create pieces that undergo both a bisque firing and Raku firing – an ancient Japanese technique known for its dramatic and unpredictable results.

Get cooking

Chef Johnny Vee (Vollersten) is back with a selection of tasty cooking classes this summer. The popular chef and Pasatiempo writer will teach the Magic of Mole in the beautiful Las Cosas Kitchen Shoppe in DeVargas Center. Students will be immersed in the cooking traditions of the Mexican town of Oaxaca and will explore its most famous dish – mole. The class will also create a complete menu of Mexican dishes including Sopa de Tortilla, Great Guacamole, Salsa Verde (two ways), Mole Negro, Mole Colaradito and green rice. All this will be topped off with the dessert, Tres Leches Cake. He’ll also teach additional classes: Chinese Take-out from Your Home, Culinary Tour of France Continued, a High-Altitude Baking Workshop and Top-Secrets for Grilling Meats.

Whether exploring the intricate art of metal weaving, shaping clay at the potter’s wheel, or learning a new language, SFCC’s CE courses provide a path to personal growth and creative exploration.

For more information and to register for classes, visit the CE office from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday in Room 131 at the SFCC campus, 6401 Richards Avenue, or call 505-428-1676.

About Santa Fe Community College Continuing Education Department

Santa Fe Community College’s Continuing Education Department offers a diverse range of non-credit courses designed to enrich the lives of learners of all ages. From arts and culture to language, wellness, and professional development, SFCC provides high-quality, accessible educational experiences that foster creativity, skill-building, and community engagement.

Videos available for Adele Oliveira’s Wri-Gen reading & creative online sessions

SFCC’s Library and Creative Writing Department’s Spring Wri-Gen series started with a captivating reading by author Adele Oliviera on March 19 followed by a creative session on April 2.

Watch the video of Adele Oliveira’s reading:

See Adele Oliveira’s creative session here:

Massage Therapy program appointments for Swedish-Therapeutic student massages available through May 13

SFCC’s Massage Therapy program offers Swedish-Therapeutic student massage appointments. Appointments are available March 17 through May 13. Potential clients can schedule an appointment by creating an account at https://sfcc.timetap.com/.

Massage clients should be free of any chronic health concerns. See additional information at the registration site. There is a $35 fee for 60-minute massages. Individuals are limited to one session per week. All appointments will be in the William C. Witter Fitness Education Center.

Massage Therapy program lead Julianna Santillanes said, “We’re excited to offer our student Massage Therapy Clinic sessions to the public. Appointments fill quickly, so I encourage people to schedule as soon as they can.”

Here are details about this semester’s clinics:

• $35 for 60-minute Swedish-Therapeutic student massage
• Monday and Tuesday appointments: 1:15, 3 and 4:45 p.m.
• Friday appointments: 9:15 a.m. and 4:15 p.m.

SFCC’s Massage Therapy program is now in its fifth year. In addition to the program in traditional deep tissue and Swedish-Therapeutic massage, SFCC’s program expanded this year to offer a Thai Massage program. The students studying Thai Massage will be offering Thai massage clinics in June.

To learn more about SFCC’s Massage Therapy Program visit https://www.sfcc.edu/programs/massage-therapy/ or contact Massage Therapy Program Lead Julianna Santillanes at julianna.santillanes@sfcc.edu or 505-428-1293.

Watch Video of ‘Artificial Intelligence: Prospects and Perils’

The video of the February 12 session ‘Artifificial Intelligence: Prospects and Perils’ is now available. It was an excellent, informative session. So if you missed it, check it out!

In their talk “Artificial Intelligence: Prospects and Perils,” Dr. Melanie Mitchell and Dr. Melanie E. Moses with the Santa Fe Institute discussed the current state of AI systems and how it compares with human intelligence. They also discuss some of the ethical dimensions of AI, and how it is being deployed in society and in our daily lives. This session was sponsored by SFCC’s Generative AI committee.

Learn more about the Santa Fe Institute and Dr. Melanie Moses’ and Dr. Melanie Mitchell’s project here.  

Melanie Mitchell is Professor at the Santa Fe Institute. Her current research focuses on conceptual abstraction and analogy-making in artificial intelligence systems. Melanie is the author or editor of six books and numerous scholarly papers in the fields of artificial intelligence, cognitive science, and complex systems. Her 2009 book Complexity: A Guided Tour (Oxford University Press) won the 2010 Phi Beta Kappa Science Book Award, and her 2019 book Artificial Intelligence: A Guide for Thinking Humans (Farrar, Straus, and Giroux) was shortlisted for the 2023 Cosmos Prize for Scientific Writing.

Melanie E. Moses is a Professor of Computer Science and Biology at the University of New Mexico and an External Faculty Member at the Santa Fe Institute. She earned a B.S. from Stanford University in Symbolic Systems and a Ph.D. in Biology from UNM. Her interdisciplinary research crosses the boundaries of Computer Science and Biology by modeling search processes in complex adaptive systems such as ant colonies and immune systems. She uses bio-inspired design of swarms of robots to autonomously cooperate with each other and adapt to monitor environmental conditions, currently focused on monitoring the gas emissions from volcanoes. She has mentored dozens of graduate and undergraduate students and led projects including NM CSforAll, the NASA Swarmathon, and the Google ExploreCSR Swarmathon:TNG to engage thousands of women and members of underrepresented groups in computer science from high school through graduate school. She co-founded the UNM-SFI Working Group on Algorithmic Justice and is on the leadership team of the UNM ADVANCE program to support the success of women faculty in STEM. She currently serves on the board of the Computing Research Association’s Widening Participation program. She is a Special Advisor to the UNM Vice President for Research for Artificial Intelligence and the Chair of the New Mexico AI Consortium.

East Wing Eatery open from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Thursdays

East Wing Eatery Spring 2025 Hours of Operation

Chef Milton Villarrubia announces, “SFCC’s East Wing Eatery is a class where students learn about day-to-day operations of a cafe. The East Wing Eatery is a culinary classroom that looks like a cafe, and student schedules and availability dictate our hours of operation. Beginning Thursday, Feb. 6, East Wing Eatery will be open on Thursday’s (only) from 9 a.m. until 12:30 pm. We will be serving specialty coffee drinks, pastries, and soups. We hope to add more savory breakfast and lunch items as time allows and we receive prepared items from culinary classes. Please come and support the SFCC Culinary Arts Program and see what we are doing at the East Wing Eatery Cafe. Thank you!”