CHESS celebrates five years of collaboration and innovation

CHESS marked its five-year anniversary with a warm celebration at the Higher Education Center in Santa Fe, hosted by CHESS CEO Dr. Shaun McAlmont and CHESS Board Chair and SFCC President Becky Rowley, Ph.D. The event brought together partners from across the member colleges to reflect on the consortium’s achievements, highlight the progress of the Workday Student implementation, and reaffirm CHESS’s mission to strengthen higher education through shared services, collaboration, and student-centered innovation. Attendees enjoyed a relaxed gathering that honored five years of teamwork and looked ahead to the next chapter of transformation. The event was livestreamed and all employees at member colleges were invited to attend online.

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Microgrid power outages from midnight to 6 a.m. on Nov. 18, Nov. 19 and Nov. 20

Santa Fe Community College’s Office of Facilities and Operations announces microgrid testing activities by Siemens engineers. Testing will cause short intermittent electrical power outages
after hours from midnight to 6 a.m. on Tuesday night 11/18, Wednesday night 11/19, and Thursday night 11/20. Normal operations will not be affected. For further information or assistance, please contact Dobby Schmidt, Director of Facilities and Operations, at dobby.schmidt@sfcc.edu. For technology concerns, contact the OIT Help Desk at 505-428-1222.

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SFCC a presenting partner at the 2025 New Mexico Broadband Summit on Dec. 3

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SFCC Library hosts Writing Generation Series Fall Participant Reading online at 6 p.m. Nov. 19

SFCC’s Library will host a free participant online reading as the culmination of the Fall 2025 Writing Generation (Wri-Gen) Series. People who participated in the Writing Generation Series by attending readings and creative sessions have been invited to read some of their own personal writing inspired by the series. The online reading is at 6 p.m. Wednesday, November 19. To read more about the distinguished authors who read their work and led creative sessions this semester please read this press release.

SFCC Library Director Valerie Nye and SFCC professor of English and Creative Writing Stanley (Austin) Eichelberger coordinated the free Fall Writing Generation Series.

If you have not attended any of the previous sessions, you are welcome to join and listen to the participant readings, but only those who participated in the Fall 2025 creative sessions will be reading.

If you’ve registered for any of the Fall Wri-Gen sessions, you don’t need to register and you will be sent a link. Those who would like to listen can can get an online link by pre-registering at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/WriGenFall2025.

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/.

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Therapy dogs in the Library from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Dec. 3

SFCC Library is hosting a finals week visit from furry, friendly therapy dogs! Please join us in the Library from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Wednesday, December 3, for some canine cuddling and stress relief. Sponsored in conjunction with the Santa Fe Animal Shelter’s Pet Outreach Team.

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Attend Graduate Nurse Pinning at 11 a.m. Dec. 4 in Jemez Rooms

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Works in Clay exhibition by ceramic students in Dean’s Gallery through Dec. 4

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Swing Shift Holiday Concert at 7 p.m. Dec. 17 in FEC

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Splash Mob (Swim Club) will meet at 12:30 p.m. Dec. 11 in FEC

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‘Burned in’ exhibition by student Jen Turner continues in Ripple Effect Gallery in Room 723 D through Jan. 30

The Ripple Effect Gallery (Room 723 D) presents artist and SFCC student Jen Turner’s “Burned In.” The opening was on November 14 and the show continues through January 30. The installation explores the theme of deep time and its existence within civilization and in the natural world. While working, Turner considers the phenomenology of evolution, interconnectedness, and ideas of control vs. chaos. She applies the grid as a motif, sometimes carved in clay or woven with horsehair onto geometric forms.

Lastly, she uses Iive plants to mark time.

The main installation features a hand-tied horse hair grid applied to the entire space and three large clay sculptures. The show will also include four other works: three small sculptures and one large wall work.

Jen Turner lives and works in Santa Fe. She has studied art at various institutions including the Glassell School of Art and Parsons/The New School. She received a Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Texas in Austin. She has designed exhibits for The Museum of the City of New York, The Women’s Museum in Dallas and The National Building Museum in Washington, D.C. Her design work has been featured in The New York Times, wallpaper, and Dwell, among others.

A closing reception in January 2026 will be announced soon.

The gallery is open to the public when the college is open:

Monday–Friday, 7 a.m.–10 p.m.;
Saturday, 8 a.m.–8 p.m.; and
Sunday, 12 p.m.–5 p.m.

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Glass Club Sale was a success

Thank you to everyone who helped with the Glass Club Sale and those who supported the artists. Thank you to Ben Lauer for the photos.

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Free Little Art Gallery at SFCC Library

Please contribute your (tiny) art to the Free Little Art Gallery at the SFCC Library! Located near the front desk, the Free Little Art Gallery accepts tiny paintings, sculpture, and other artwork.

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Exhibition “Art, Extraction, and Imagination – If the Land could speak, what would it say?” had a successful opening and continues through Dec. 19 by Room 567

SFCC Academic Director Shane Tolbert shared a report about the successful opening reception on November 3 for “Art, Extraction, and Imagination – If the Land could speak, what would it say?” (See this press release about the exhibition opening, which featured work by artist Shayla Bratchford and students who participated in the Pocacito student workshop offered at SFCC on November 1.)

Shane Talbot’s report: The School of Arts and Design at Santa Fe Community College hosted an opening reception for the Pocacito Student Workshop led by local artist and activist Shayla Blatchford. More than 40 guests attended, including Markus Hatzlemann, Deputy Consulate General of the Federal Republic of Germany in Houston.
Max Gruenig, Pocacito Co-Founder, opened the evening by introducing the workshop and its participants. Dean James Wysong welcomed guests to the college and spoke about the importance of elevating local voices and creating visibility around uranium mining—an issue deeply connected to New Mexico’s history and communities.
Blatchford shared insights into her ongoing Anti-Uranium Mapping Project, highlighting how the visual arts can serve as a bridge for understanding and healing. Through the workshop, students explored themes of Interdependence, Reciprocity, and Rematriation, fostering dialogue that connects audiences across regions and cultures.

As part of Pocacito initiatives, four SFCC students participated in the workshop and 40 students attended two presentations on uranium mining in East Germany and in the Navajo Nation. 
The exhibition runs through December 19 and is funded by Germany’s Foreign Office. It can be viewed in the exhbition space next to Room 567.

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SFCC and SF Higher Education Center to close for Fall Break from Wednesday, Nov. 26 through Sunday, Nov. 30

Enjoy the upcoming Fall Break! Santa Fe Community College (SFCC),  6401 Richards Avenue, and the Santa Fe Higher Education Center (SFHEC), 1950 Siringo Road, will close for Fall Break from Wednesday, November 26 through Sunday, November 30. All campus facilities will be closed. No classes, activities or student services will be available. SFCC’s early childhood development center Kids Campus, and the William C. Witter Fitness Education Center also will be closed.

Registration for spring 2026 classes is now open. For information about registration visit sfcc.edu/get-started/apply-and-register/ or call 505-428-1270. Learn more about registration for non-credit Continuing Education classes by visiting https://www.sfcc.edu/ce or send an email to ce@sfcc.edu or call 505-428-1676.

Throughout the year, SFCC offers many ways to stay notified about weather- and holiday-related delays, cancellations, closures and emergencies. While the college does notify the public of severe weather and emergency conditions through print, television and radio news outlets, additional information can be accessed quickly through the following:

• Visit www.sfcc.edu, and see a notification on the home page
• Visit the college’s Weather and Closure web page
• Check the SFCC Facebook page
• Check your SFCC email account
• Call the college’s main number at 505-428-1000, the message will be updated in case of closure
• Watch local TV news
• To receive SFCC text message and/or email alerts, subscribe to SFCC Alert at  https://www.sfcc.edu/sfcc-alert/

Campus Safety & Security can be reached at all times, including during campus closures, at 505-428-1224.

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Holiday Sculpture $99.99 Sale from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 3 and Thursday, Dec. 4 in the main hallway

All sculptures will be priced at $99.99 or less.

Santa Fe Community College (SFCC) announces that the Sculpture Union (student club) will present its Holiday Sculpture $99.99 Sale from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday, December 3 and Thursday, December 4 in main entrance hallway at the SFCC campus, 6401 Richards Avenue, Santa Fe, NM, 87508.

The SFCC Sculpture Holiday Sale will include sculptural objects and functional art. All work is priced at $99.99 or less. The work includes the use of a range of techniques and materials, such as welding, forging, clay, wood, casting, found materials, assemblage, and glass.

Exhibiting artists include Suzanne Villmain, Colin Barker, Graham Ansell, David Jones, Cary Cluett, Jeanne Walker, Susan Ohori and John Boyce.

The SFCC Sculpture Union will donate 10% of all sales to SFCC Friends of the Arts, which supports students. For more information call Jeanne Walker at 773-318-7180.

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SFCC Dental Program received $5,000 Delta Dental Grant – SMILES Across New Mexico

SFCC’s Dental Program received a $5,000 Delta Dental Grant – SMILES Across New Mexico. The money will be used for scholarship and re-publishing of the “My Tooth Book.” SFCC Dental Department wants to thank SFCC Director of Grants Laura White for her help with the grant writing. SFCC Dental Department wants to thank Manager of Marketing Communication and Community Engagement for Delta Dental Jeremy Aslaksen for his support and visit to the SFCC Dental Department.

To learn about SFCC’s Dental Programs, please visit: https://www.sfcc.edu/programs/dental-2/ or email aamna.nayyar@sfcc.edu
Photo credit: Aamna Nayyar

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Library’s expanded hours include Saturday hours

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SFCC offers Group Fitness Instructor Certificate

Do you enjoy fitness and are you interested in helping others get fit? Consider the Group Fitness Instructor Certificate, which can be completed in just three semesters. The 28.5 credit program prepares students the skills and experience to lead safe and effective and engaging group fitness classes in a variety of formats.

For more information contact Kim Hopkins via email at kimberly.hopkins@sfcc.edu. Find out more about the program/certificate at https://www.sfcc.edu/programs/group-fitness-instructor/.

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Library lockers available for day use

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Registration for Spring 2026 semester now open

Registration for the Spring 2026 semester opened to all from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday, November 4. Encourage students, friends and family members to register as early as possible to get the best selection of classes. Employees consider using your EEB Benefit.

For information on how to apply or register visit sfcc.edu/get-started/apply-and-register/ or call 505-428-1270.

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Register for Lunch n’ Learn: Learning with AI: The Student Perspective 1:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 20

Lunch n’ Learn: Learning with AI: The Student Perspective

WHAT: “Lunch n’ Learn: Learning with AI: The Student Perspective”

This student-led event flips the script. You’ll hear directly from SFCC students about the ways they’re integrating AI into their academic lives, followed by open discussion Q&A.

WHEN: Thursday, Nov. 20, 1:30 p.m.

WHERE: Online via Zoom – Register here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CZZ7TB6

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“Cirque du Celestia” exhibition by Joan Zalenski continues in 5×5 Gallery (Room 702) in Fine Arts Center through Dec. 4

 5×5 Gallery is a new student-run exhibition space to showcase Photography program students’ work
Room 702 in the Fine Arts Center, 6401 Richards Avenue, Santa Fe, NM, 87508

Santa Fe Community College (SFCC) announces an opening reception for the “Cirque du Celestia” exhibition by student Joan Zalenski from 4 to 6 p.m. Thursday, November 6, in 5×5 Gallery (Room 702) in the Fine Arts Center on campus, 6401 Richards Avenue, Santa Fe, NM 87508. The exhibition runs through December 4. The 5×5 Gallery is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Room 702.

“Cirque du Celestia” exhibition featuring artwork by Joan Zalenski

The first exhibition in the 5×5 Gallery was awarded to Joan Zalenski and curated by Jordan Mount. Zalenski’s solo exhibition titled, “Cirque du Celestia,” expresses her personal experiences and wonder with the night sky while living in the mountains of New Mexico. Her installation of ceramics demonstrates an imaginary gathering of stars, planets, meteors, space junk, rocks, dust, and gas, constellations, asteroids, comets and other things that one might see on a trip in space; it is a ruckus of small, toy-like ceramic elements associated with what we see and think we know about our sky. These pieces work along with her photographs of the Milky Way and other astronomical events that are not imagined such as the solar eclipse.

Bio for student artist Joan Zalenski and student curator Jordan Mount

Zalenski is an accomplished interdisciplinary artist engaged in photography, ceramic and mixed media sculpture, and public art. Her work has been exhibited nationally, and she has received grants and commissions for major public art projects most notably in California, New York, Texas and New Mexico. Her work is represented in many private and public collections, including a permanent photographic installation at the Santa Fe Convention Center.

Zalenski was born in Cleveland, Ohio. She received a BFA degree in Sculpture and Ceramics from Ohio University in Athens, Ohio and studied for an MFA at the Tyler School of Art in Philadelphia. After an artist-in-residence position at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst, MA, she moved to the Bay Area in California, where she completed several public art commissions in Oakland, Sacramento, and San Jose, CA. After multiple moves around the country including Texas where she established her photography career, Zalenski settled in New Mexico. She currently resides and works in Santa Fe.

Curator, Jordan Mount, holds a BFA in photography from the Savannah College of Arts and Design. She has worked assisting photographers and professional fine art printers, managed her own freelance photography work, and has experience in the educational sphere. A current SFCC student, she is continuing her dedication to the arts and her own artistic practice.

About 5×5 Gallery, the new student-run gallery at SFCC

The SFCC Photography Program is introducing a new student-run gallery project, 5×5 Gallery. The 5×5 Gallery offers current photography students a generative learning opportunity outside of the bureaucracy of traditional art spaces for students who are interested in curating and/or pursuing a solo exhibition of their work.

This gallery space is established with an asset-based approach, focusing on the strengths and potential that already lie within the student body of the SFCC Photography program. The gallery is led by student volunteers. Gallery curators will rotate on a yearly basis, and exhibitions are chosen through an application process. By taking this approach, the 5×5 Gallery aims to further foster and exhibit the diversity and individuality that inherently exists in the student body while combating elitism and power imbalances that tend to be inherent in traditional gallery spaces.

The 5×5 Gallery gives students the opportunity to strengthen their professional skills, build confidence, and gain experience in curating and/or exhibiting their work, which can be applied to future opportunities outside of the college and/or their career/artistic goals. For more information about SFCC’s Photography program visit https://www.sfcc.edu/programs/photography/.

For more information about the exhibition contact Director of Art on Campus Linda Cassel at linda.cassel@sfcc.edu or call 505-428-1501.

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Law Enforcement Procedures at SFCC/Procedimientos de Cumplimiento de la Ley en SFCC

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Medical Assisting Program accepting applications

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Respiratory Care Open Houses on Nov. 17 and Dec. 3

The Respiratory Care program will host several open houses on November 17 and December 3. The Respiratory Care open houses offer prospective students the opportunity to visit the college’s state-of-the-art simulation labs, meet the Respiratory Care faculty and staff, and ask questions about the program. Prospective students can choose from a selection of open houses on different dates and times.

Respiratory Care Open Houses
in SFCC Health and Science Center, Room 433

Upcoming Respiratory Care Open Houses

• Monday, November 17, 10 a.m. to noon.
• Wednesday, December 3, 10 a.m. to noon.
• Wednesday, December 3, 3 to 5 p.m.

Sarah Rodriguez, SFCC Director of Clinical Education for Respiratory Care said, “The faculty and staff are eager to talk with prospective students about the many career opportunities in New Mexico for respiratory therapists. We’re glad to answer questions about the program or application process.”

SFCC’s Respiratory Care program is great fit for individuals interested in getting into a fast-paced, in demand career in the health care field. The Respiratory Care program prepares people to become a respiratory care practitioner, a specialist in assessing and treating people with breathing and cardiopulmonary disorders.

Applications open until Dec. 12 for the Spring 2026 term

Applications are open through December 12 for the Respiratory Care program for the Spring 2026 term

The Respiratory Care program is accepting applications until December 12, 2025. If you would like more information about the program please reach out to the Director of Clinical Education, Sarah Rodriguez at 505-428-1082 or sarah.rodriguez2@sfcc.edu.

For program details, the application form, and instructions on how to apply, visit https://www.sfcc.edu/programs/respiratory-care.

Applicants are encouraged to apply as soon as possible. SFCC’s spring term begins January 20.

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Register for The Rewriting Room session on Dec. 19

Santa Fe Community College’s Wellness Center invites everyone to The Rewriting Room, a monthly hybrid experience that blends writing, reflection and well-being. The next session is from 4 to 5:15 p.m. Friday, December 19 in the SFCC Wellness Center, Room LL312 in person or online. RSVP encouraged at https://luma.com/sfccswc. To get a virtual link, participants must pre-register.

This monthly non-guided session offers an opportunity to write without writing prompts. Writers of all levels are welcome. Participants can write anything. Each session is a calm, welcoming space to reflect, write, and reconnect with yourself—no pressure, just presence. The free event is hosted by LaNysha Adams, Ph.D. Call 505-428-1349 for assistance registering.

The Rewriting Room is open to students, employees and the public.

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CHESS Connection Newsletter – November 5, 2025

The November issue highlights the upcoming CHESS 5th Anniversary Celebration on November 14 and the next CHESS Chat with CEO Shaun McAlmont on December 3. It also invites employees to become Workday Student Change Agents, helping guide the transition and foster collaboration across member colleges. Plus, meet the newest CHESS Superstars recognized for their teamwork and innovation.

Read the full issue here.

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Duplicating Center accepting photos for SFCC Pet of the Month

Silent Auction proceeds benefit Campus Cupboard

Writing Generation videos of James Thomas Stevens’ Oct. 22 reading and Oct. 29 creative session available

Writing Generation videos of Rowena Alegría’s reading and creative session now available

SFCC’s Fall 2025 Writing Generation (Wri-Gen) series featured author Rowena Alegria in two online sessions. Her reading was on September 17 and her creative session was on September 24.

‘Adventures of Odysseus’ exhibition continues through Jan. 7 in Main Hallway

Photos above are from the September 25 opening of “Adventures of Odysseus” featuring the art of Artemis Jegart (1927-2015). Click to enlarge.

Santa Fe Art on Campus is pleased to present Adventures of Odysseus by Artemis Jegart (1927-2015) in the Main Hallway exhibition space near the Main entrance (across from the Cashiers). The exhibition opened with a reception on September 25 and continues through January 7, 2026.

The exhibition focuses on twelve individual works created in 1968.  The work was publicly exhibited at Watergate Galleries, Inc., Washington D.C. in 1972. Subsequently, Adventures of Odysseus remained privately on view in the home of the artist until her death in 2015. 

Special thanks to the artist’s daughter, Rudi Artemis Jegart, as well as Academic Director of School of Art and Design Shane Tolbert and Director of Art on Campus Linda Cassel who helped make this exhibition possible.

Text below is by Katya Kirilloff.

I am five or six years old.  I have come to dinner with my parents and sister to the house of a family friend.  It’s a typical 1970’s style suburban home in Frederick, Maryland, seemingly no different from the neighbors along the street.  We park and walk up the concrete walkway to the front door where we are greeted by our host Artemis Jegart.  The foyer is dark and dramatic.  My sister and I are guided down the stone floor hallway to a room full of vintage clothing.  We are given bathing suits to change into that feel like costumes (hand-me-downs from Artemis’ two daughters).  We shed everything from the outside world and are completely under Artemis’s spell.  Now that we are appropriately dressed for dinner, we are led into the dining room.

I am floating on my back in a deep emerald pool in Artemis’s dining room.  I lift my head up and I hear the soothing noises of my parents and our hosts talking, laughing, silverware and glasses clanking gently.  Behind them is an entire wall covered in oyster shells, each with the mother of pearl metallic inside exposed.  Sporadically throughout the wall a shell is turned to create a shelf. There are lit candles on all these little shelves.  The wall dances with candlelight.  It is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen.  I dip my ears back under water and turn my back to the dinner scene and there, high up on the opposite wall in a row, is the Adventures of Odysseus.

Twelve squares of concrete embedded with shells each depicting a character or piece of a story like an ancient comic book. This is my introduction to The Odyssey. There is Polyphemus, the towering cyclops, dominating the square with his massive chest and shoulders, while Aeolus with puckered lips and full cheek seems to blow forth a mighty wind. What strikes me most is Penelope, weeping tears for her long-lost husband, tears so endless that with a touch of humor, Artemis added a spigot.

As Circe welcomes Odysseus,

She opened her gleaming doors at once and stepped forth, inviting them all in, and in they went, all innocence.  Only Eurylochus stayed behind—he sensed a trap…She ushered them in to sit on high backed chairs, then she mixed them a potion—cheese, barley and pale honey mulled in Pramnian wine—but into the brew she stirred her wicked drugs to wipe from their memories any thought of home. Once they’d drained the bowls she filled, suddenly she struck with her wand, drove them into her pigsties, all of them bristling into swine—with grunts, snouts—even their bodies, yes, and only the men’s minds stayed steadfast as before. So off, they went to their pens, sobbing, squealing as Circe flung them acorns, cornel nuts and mast, common fodder for hogs that root and roll in mud.

The Odyssey as translated by Robert Fagles.

Artemis Jegart brief bio

Artemis Jegart earned her BA (1949) and her MA (1953) from Florida State University. In 1956, Jegart was named an outstanding new talent by Art in America.  She created a mural of the Capitol Center for Tallahassee’s original Municipal Airport which was dedicated April 23, 1961, a mural later re-created and exhibited at Tallahassee International Airport. In 1969, Jegart moved to Frederick, Maryland. In 1993, the artist relocated to Lamy, New Mexico. She died in 2015.

Watch videos of Chip Livingston Wri-Gen Aug. 20 reading and Aug. 27 creative session

If you missed the inaugural reading and creative session with Chip Livings of the SFCC Fall Writing Generation (Wri-Gen) series you can watch the videos above.

Participants need to pre-register just once for any part of the fall series at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/WriGenFall2025.

Fire Alarm System Upgrades & Renewal

Fire Alarm System Upgrades & Renewal at SFCC

SFCC is undergoing a large Fire Alarm system upgrade and renewal. There will be no impact to current Fire Alarm systems or normal daily activities. You may see our vendor, Intraworks, working in various areas over the next few months.

For questions please contact: Andrea Mueller, SFCC Assistant Director, Facilities and Operations, c. 505-930-9781 w.505-428-1873, andrea.mueller1@sfcc.edu

Video of Miriam Sagan’s reading “Herding Poems” now available

Enjoy the video recording above of Herding Poems an Online Reading with Miriam Sagan presented by the SFCC Library on July 31.

When Miriam Sagan was approaching 70 she started to sort her files of “uncollected” poems. These poems had been published in magazines, but not in books. Did they merit being collected? The answer was that most did not, but there was a book-length manuscript that could be assembled. These poems begin in the mid 1970s and run to the present. They are quirkier, perhaps more eccentric, her more publicly accessible writing.

In this presentation viewers were invited to share in the experience of excavating poetry, memory, landscape, and a life in New Mexico. The event began with a half-hour reading by Sagan from WHAT SOLITUDE SEES IN ME: Uncollected Poems 1976-2023 from Casa Urraca Press in Abiquiu. Then there was an open discussion on how to put a poetry manuscript together. This editorial process can be daunting for both beginners and established poets, but there are numerous handy strategies that create a readable and enjoyable book of poetry.

Registration continues for Fall Continuing Education courses

New catalog includes 79 new offerings.

Registration for Fall 2025 Continuing Education (CE) classes is now open. Register online at https://sfcc.augusoft.net/ Classes began on August 18. The new catalog features 79 fresh offerings alongside a rich mix of returning favorites across art, history, outdoor adventure, culinary exploration, and professional development. For information or to download a copy of the catalog visit https://www.sfcc.edu/ce.

Continuing Education Director Benjamin Lincoln said, “We are very excited about the Fall catalog and the increasing partnerships we’ve developed throughout the Santa Fe community. These collaborations are not only expanding access to hands-on learning but also deepening our community connections.”

This semester brings special highlights including immersive outdoor experiences from Brad Childs and The Wilderness Institute, marking its 40th anniversary with a full slate of overnight survival skills, archery, astronomy hikes, and eco-camping adventures that emphasize resilience and personal growth.

Cultural programming also thrives thanks to museum director Jan Gottshalk’s engaging new classes at the Nuevo Mexicano Heritage Arts Museum, offering behind-the-scenes access and hands-on artistry rooted in New Mexico’s rich heritage. The CE department also welcomes the dynamic contributions of Ph.D. candidate Carlos Rovelo, whose lectures uniquely blend contemporary perspectives on agave spirits with insights into art history.

SFCC celebrates continuing collaborations with other regional institutions such as The Four Seasons Resort Santa Fe, CHOMP, Chef David Sellers & Horno restaurant, Chef Johnny Vee and Las Cosas Kitchen Shoppe, Chef Peter O’Brien, Sommelier Byron Rudolph, Susan’s Fine Wines, and the City of Santa Fe.

Culinary arts, wellness, history, and conservation take center stage in offerings such as “Tamales and Rellenos” cooking workshops, moonlit yoga, and historical lectures in luxury settings.

Energy Smart Academy expands its “How-To” programming with practical courses in renewable energy and sustainable living. A growing partnership with the City of Santa Fe focuses on water conservation education, reinforcing SFCC’s role as a hub for lifelong learning and civic engagement. Explore the full catalog online at https://www.sfcc.edu/ce. For registration assistance email ce@sfcc.edu or call 505-428-1676. SFCC employees can use EEB benefits to attend most classes.

Wri-Gen Spring Series participants’ reading video available

SFCC Library and SFCC Creative Writing Department wrapped up the Wri-Gen Spring series on May 7 with an invitation to the online participants to share writing drafts that were inspired by their participation in the series. To read more about the Spring Wri-Gen series, please see this press release. The final reading by participants is in the above Youtube link. All previous sessions are also available for viewing at SFCCNM Youtube.

A big thank-you goes out to SFCC Library Director Valerie Nye and associate professor Austin (Stanley) Eichelberger who schedule and coordinate the series of readings and creative writing sessions. This semester’s featured authors were Adele Oliveira and Alfredo Celedón Luján.

SFCC Library will announce the Fall series soon. But if you’d like to get on the email list to be notified, send an email to SFCC Library Director Valerie Nye via email at valerie.nye@sfcc.edu. Otherwise, watch Campus Weekly for updates. For more information about SFCC’s Creative Writing program visit sfcc.edu/programs/creative-writing/.

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.

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:

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.