Campus Weekly
Attend SFCC and IAIA Open Houses on Thursday, Sept. 18
SFCC Open House: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
IAIA Open House: 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Santa Fe Community College (SFCC) and the Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA) will partner for the fourth year to host open house events on the same day, September 18, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at SFCC, 6401 Richards Avenue, 87508, and from 1 to 5 p.m. at IAIA, 83 Avan Nu Po Road, 87508. The two academic institutions invite everyone to visit both campuses—only a six-minute drive or an 11-minute bike ride apart.
The two-campus event showcases creativity and innovation through art demonstrations, exhibitions, and campus tours. Adding to the excitement, IAIA’s new president, Dr. Shelly C. Lowe (Navajo), will deliver the welcome address at the 1 p.m. IAIA Opening Ceremony in the IAIA Dance Circle.
The annual free event gives everyone an opportunity to learn more about IAIA and SFCC. Visitors hear about their missions, programs, and all they offer directly from students, staff, and faculty. Both campuses offer plenty of free parking. The synergistic partnership drew about 600 people to both campuses last year.
New this year, B & H Foto and Electronics Corporation will have tables at both campuses. The public is invited to stop by to get some hands-on experience with the latest tech in photography, video, lighting, and audio. Whether visitors are content creators, filmmakers, photographers, or just curious about gear, this is an opportunity to test equipment and ask questions. Note: Stop by to learn about the FREE exclusive student and faculty discounts (10-50% off!).
SFCC Open House, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., September 18, 6401 Richards Ave., 87508. 505-428-1000.
Highlights:
- Tour art studios and watch demonstrations of jewelry making and raku firing in the Fine Arts Center.
- See a steamroller printmaking demonstration in the Courtyard.
- Shop at the “Garage Sale” offered by Friends of the Arts.
- Check out demonstrations at the Science on Sphere® Theater and visit with representatives from the Health and Science programs.
- Sign up for tours of the Greenhouse and get free produce grown at SFCC.
- Visit the film studio.
- Enjoy the music by DJ Manny Godsey while eating a free Frito pie. (The Frito pies are very popular, so get there early if you’d like to get one. They go fast!)
- Visit information tables for the various college programs.
- Stop by the Automotive Technology Center for a car show. (Smaller than our bigger Spring Car Show.)
- The William C. Witter Fitness Education Center will have free day-passes and class demonstrations from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and again from 5 to 7 p.m. Pick up your passes at the Information table in the Campus Center.
There’s a lot more to check out! Visit https://www.sfcc.edu/iaia-sfcc-open-house-25/. The schedule will be updated until the day of the event!
Welcome visitors
Did you know that SFCC has six busloads of students from various Santa Fe schools coming to attend? Please welcome those young people, as well as the many others visiting campus.
SFCC aslo invites the public to stop by during the Open Houses for the “IAIA and SFCC Joint Faculty Exhibition” in the Santa Fe Visual Arts Gallery in the Fine Arts Center.
IAIA Open House, 1 to 5 p.m., September 18, 83 Avan Nu Po Road, 87508. 505-424-2300.
Highlights:
- First, stop by the Dance Circle to hear opening remarks by IAIA President Dr. Shelly C. Lowe (Navajo) at 1 p.m.
- Attendees can also visit the welcome table to sign up for guided tours of the IAIA campus and check out numerous demonstrations in the Academic Building’s studios and open studios by artists in our Artist-in-Residence Program.
- See IAIA’s one-of-a-kind, fully articulating Digital Dome in the Ells Science and Technology Building.
- Head over to the Performing Arts and Fitness Center to tour IAIA’s gym, fitness center, classrooms, and performance spaces.
- Connect with nature through IAIA’s Land-Grant Garden and around campus.
- Enjoy free appetizers and refreshments in the Dance Circle—vegetarian options are available.
For details on IAIA’s Open House visit: https://www.sfcc.edu/iaia-sfcc-open-house-25/.
News and Announcements
- Caution: TATC construction cranes operating on Monday, Sept. 15
- Pathways to Care: Allied Health Fair Saturday, Sept. 20, in FEC
- Yolanda Nava ‘Hispanic Heritage: Looking Back to the Future’ Wednesday, Oct. 1, at Biowall
- Library expands fall semester hours
- OIT Maintenance Alerts
- ‘Adventures of Odysseus’ opens Thursday, Sept. 25,
- SFCC celebrates the 20th anniversary of the Santa Fe Literary Review Thursday, Oct. 23,
- Register by Oct. 13 for College Ready Workshops
- Fiber Optic Technician Bootcamps
- Mayoral Forum from 5 to 7 p.m. Wed. Sept. 17;
- Wri-Gen: Rowena Alegría Sept. 17 & 24
- Continuing Education Literature Classes
- SFCC Career Fair from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 15
- Student parents expressed gratitude in Letter to the Editor
- Applications are open for Hybrid and EV Operations Bootcamp
- Check out the new issue of Inside SFCC
- Eric Landgraf exhibition continues through Sept. 19
- Free Environmental Technician Training
- ‘Celestial Bodies’ student art exhibition in Main Hallway
- SFCC offers Group Fitness Instructor Certificate
- Register now for S’WET H2O Workshop on October 3-4
- Use new Fitness Education Center web page and app
- SFLR is accepting submissions from July 15 through November 1
Caution: TATC construction cranes operating on Monday, Sept. 15
Caution: TATC Construction Cranes will be on site again on Monday, September 15.
- A crane will be set up early in the morning to lift the air handling units onto the roof.
- Mind the traffic cones and overhead activity.
- Traffic flow and access to some disabled parking spaces may be affected.
- Please use caution when entering rooms in the 700s and 800s.
Thank you for your patience while SFCC provides necessary improvements.
Free fun activities, fresh produce and more at Pathways to Care: Allied Health Fair from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 20, in FEC
SFCC’s Fitness Education Center will host Pathways to Care: Allied Health Fair from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, September 20. This is a one-stop event for mental health support, nutrition, fitness and fun. The event is presented by SFCC’s Allied Health programs and the SFCC Student Wellness Center. This is open to the public and everyone is encouraged to attend.
Event highlights and activities include:
- Free fresh fruits and vegetables
- Information on SFCC Allied Health programs https://www.sfcc.edu/programs/allied-health/
- Physical fitness activities
- Massages
- Children’s activities in “Family Wellness Wonderland” in FEC pool courtyard organized by the SFCC Student Parent Success Program. Activities by partners Santa Fe Children’s Museum and Explora.
- Attendees have an opportunity to win one of eight wellness prizes.
The SFCC Wellness Center will offer:
- Information about SFCC’s Accessibility Services, Mental Health Counseling, Student Resources, Campus Cupboard, and The Exchange
- Free cooking kits from the Campus Cupboard, with ingredients and recipes for a healthy meal at home
- Blender bike smoothies using fresh fruits and veggies from the Santa Fe Farmers Market Institute’s mobile cart, free of charge
- Information about Community Wellness Wednesdays and ReWriting Room events (https://lu.ma/sfccswc).
The event is sponsored in part by SFCC Foundation, SFCC Student Parent Success Program, Food Recovery Network and SFCC Title V EXITO.
While an RSVP is not required, participants are encouraged to register at http://bit.ly/920RSVP for planning purposes.
Yolanda Nava to present ‘Hispanic Heritage: Looking Back to the Future’ at 10 a.m., Wednesday, Oct. 1, at Biowall
SFCC will host a lecture, “Hispanic Heritage: Looking Back to the Future” by national speaker Yolanda Nava in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month. The presentation is from 10 to 11:30 a.m. followed by Q & A until noon on Wednesday, October 1.
Yolanda Nava is a civil rights and media pioneer. The author published the transformational memoir, “Through the Dark,” and the groundbreaking book of Latino virtues, “It’s All in the Frijoles: Nourish the heart, mind and soul.” Free event. SFCC, Biowall in the lobby of SFCC Health and Sciences Center.
The lecture is open to the community and is sponsored in part by the President’s Advisory Committee and Title V.
For information about the lecture, please contact Professor Stephen C. Martinez, Ph.D., at steve.martinez4@sfcc.edu or call 505-428-1516.
Note: Campus Weekly will soon share information about a related festive lunch celebration that day for Hispanic Heritage Month for SFCC students and employees.
Library expands fall semester hours
The SFCC Library is expanding its hours for the semester.
The library’s new hours start on September 15 and for the rest of the semester will be:
Monday-Thursday: 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Friday: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Saturday: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
SFCC Library is happy to be able to offer weekend hours again!
OIT Maintenance Alerts
OIT Maintenance 6 a.m.-noon Sunday, September 21
OIT will be performing maintenance from 6 a.m. to 12 noon on Sunday, September 21, 2025. All systems will be affected by intermittent outages.
Network Maintenance 9 p.m. Tuesday, September 23
OIT will be performing network maintenance at 9 p.m. on September 23, 2025. This will affect network connectivity in the area of the Jemez rooms, bookstore, and part of the 400 wing.
Please contact the OIT Service Desk (505) 428-1222 Room 528 if you have any questions or concerns.
‘Adventures of Odysseus’ opens 4 to 6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 25, in Main Hallway
Seashells, paint, and cement, 24 x 24 inches
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 will open with a reception from 4 to 6 p.m. Thursday, September 25.
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.
SFCC celebrates the 20th anniversary of the Santa Fe Literary Review with reception and reading at 5 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 23, in Visual Arts Gallery
Complimentary copies of the new issue available at Santa Fe Public Libraries and across SFCC
SFCC celebrates the 20th anniversary of the Santa Fe Literary Review (SFLR) with a reception at 5 p.m. on Thursday, October 23, in the entry of the SFCC Visual Arts Gallery in the Fine Arts Center. Refreshments will be served, and all are welcome. The reading begins at 5:30 p.m.
This year’s issue of the Santa Fe Literary Review—themed “Bloodlines: Lineage, Inheritance and Legacy”—features original poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, and artwork by writers and artists from around the world. The issue also features an original interview with Director of the Institute of American Indian Arts Creative Writing program Deborah Jackson Taffa, a citizen of the Quechan (Yuma) Nation and Laguna Pueblo. Taffa is the celebrated author of Whiskey Tender: A Memoir, a 2024 Book Award finalist. Taffa’s writing has appeared in The Rumpus, Boston Review, Salon and elsewhere.
Complimentary copies of Santa Fe Literary Review are available for pickup at all Santa Fe Public Library branches and at the SFCC Library.
The 2025 issue of the Santa Fe Literary Review is available to view or download at https://www.sfcc.edu/literary-review-issue/2025/. For more information about the publication or the event, please email sflr@sfcc.edu or call 505-428-1903.
The Santa Fe Literary Review is created each year by SFCC faculty, students, and alumni. Writers and artists may submit for free through Submittable. The submissions window closes on November 1, 2025, at midnight. Submission guidelines as well as general information can be found at https://www.sfcc.edu/santa-fe-literary-review/.
Register by Oct. 13 for College Ready Workshops for parents considering college
Do you know a parent who is thinking about going to college? Let them know about the upcoming College Ready Workshops Wednesdays, October 22 – November 19 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at SFCC. Participants are expected to attend all 5 sessions.
Workshop details
- Explore careers and majors.
- Apply to SFCC.
- Get help applying for financial aid.
- Learn about childcare and other resources for parents.
- Dinner and $100 gift card, get details after registration.
Parents can enroll by using the QR code in the graphic above or at https://www.sfcc.edu/student-parent-programs/college-ready.
Registration now open for Fiber Optic Technician Bootcamps in October and November
Free to qualified New Mexico residents
Registration is now open for October and November Fiber Optic Technician Bootcamps with the opportunity to earn three certifications from the Fiber Optic Association that are recognized throughout the world and aligned to industry standards. The training is free to qualified New Mexico residents. Participant requirements: Students must be 18 or older, able to distinguish colors and have good finger dexterity. No prior workforce training is required.
Register for either of the Fiber Optic Technician Bootcamps. All bootcamps run from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Santa Fe Higher Education Center, 1950 Siringo Road, Santa Fe, 87505. Here are the details:
- October Fiber Optic Technician Bootcamp runs Tuesday, October 14 through Saturday, October 18. Registrants should apply at Fiber Optic Technician Series NM Gro – SFCC Continuing Education.
- November Fiber Optic Technician Bootcamp runs Monday, November 17 through Friday, November 21. Registrants should apply at Fiber Optic Technician Series NM Gro – SFCC Continuing Education.
For application or registration assistance, email evelyn.gonzales@sfcc.edu or call 505-428-1866.
New Mexico Broadband Pre-Apprenticeship
All Fiber Optic Technician graduates are eligible to apply for a New Mexico Broadband Pre-Apprenticeship.
In May 2025, SFCC was awarded $100,000 through the State Apprenticeship Expansion Formula, Round 2 (SAEF2) grant administered by the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions Building, Energizing, and Connecting through Apprenticeships (BECA) program for building a pre-apprenticeship pathway for New Mexico’s workforce students pursuing careers in the broadband industry. Since 2021, more than 300 New Mexicans have participated in SFCC’s fiber optic certification courses.
On September 10, 2025, the first 11 pre-apprentices enrolled in technical instruction courses for telecom, cable, fiber and wireless instruction. The program has the support of New Mexico telecom employers K’awaika Hanu Internet, Peñasco Valley Telephone Cooperative, Inc., and Pueblo of Pojoaque Internet Service, who have employees enrolled in the pre-apprenticeship program.
SFCC Director of Workforce Development Monique Anair, Ed.D. said, “Our first cohort brings together professionals working in the field upskilling to better serve their communities, and trades contractors new to fiber and interested in learning new skills to pursue full-time work in New Mexico’s growing broadband industry sector.” She added, “This type of hands-on training is an excellent example of what we can accomplish when we bring workforce agencies, higher education, and employers together in New Mexico.”
SFCC plans to enroll its second cohort of pre-apprentices starting in January 2026. Anyone interested in learning more about this program should contact Anair at monique.anair1@sfcc.edu or 505-428-1060.
About the five-day Fiber Optic Technician Bootcamps
The five-day, hands-on intensive bootcamp gives students the opportunity to earn three certifications from the Fiber Optic Association. These credentials will remain valid for three years, after which they can be renewed by the student. Students can earn the following certifications: Certified Fiber Optic Technician, Certified Fiber Optic Specialist in Splicing, and Certified Fiber Optic Specialist in Testing and Maintenance.
Demand for certified fiber optic technicians
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.
New Mexico employers who would like to know about special group pricing for classes should contact Director of Workforce Development Monique Anair at monique.anair1@sfcc.edu or 505-428-1060. Individuals who need registration assistance for the October and November Fiber Optic Technician Bootcamps should contact Operations Coordinator for Contract Training Evelyn Gonzales at evelyn.gonzales@sfcc.edu or 505-428-1866.
SFCC and partners to present Mayoral Forum from 5 to 7 p.m. Wed. Sept. 17; see video of City Council forum
The Santa Fe New Mexican, Santa Fe Community College, KSFR and KSWV are partnering to provide civically focused, nonpartisan information on issues, candidates and the voting process for the 2025 Santa Fe local elections.
The college hosted the City Council forum on Wednesday, September 3. A big shout out to all at SFCC who helped make this possible!
The Mayoral Forum is open to the public and will begin at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, September 17, in the Jemez Rooms. The livestream on SFCCNM Youtube will be at https://www.youtube.com/live/An4iojSUxXs. It will also be streamed on the Santa Fe New Mexican website at https://www.santafenewmexican.com/news/elections/.
Hear the forums on KSFR and KSWV
You can also hear the forums on the radio or on the radio stations’ websites. Either visit KSFR or tune in at 101.1 FM or visit KSWV or tune in at 99.9 FM | 810 AM.
A three-person panel will ask questions. The panelists are Inez Russell Gomez of The Santa Fe New Mexican, Larry Martinez of KSWV, and Tazbah McCullah of KSFR.
Santa Fe Mayoral Candidates
When: 5:30 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2025
Where: Jemez Rooms on the Santa Fe Community College main campus, 6401 Richards Ave, Santa Fe, NM
Read more about the partnership in this press release.
See the video of the City Council forum below:
Register now for Rowena Alegría Sept. 17 reading and Sept. 24 creative session
Pre-register at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/WriGenFall2025.
SFCC’s Library and Creative Writing program is offering the free online Fall 2025 Writing Generation (Wri-Gen) Series featuring esteemed authors. Each author will read at an introductory session. In a follow-up Zoom meeting the author will engage the participants in a writing exercise/creative session. The sessions begin at 6 p.m. on Wednesdays and will feature these writers: Chip Livingston (Aug. 20 reading; Aug. 27 creative session), Rowena Alegría (Sept. 17 reading; Sept. 24 creative session) and James Thomas Stevens (Oct. 22 reading; Oct. 29 creative session). Series attendees will have a reading on Nov. 19.
Read more about the full fall writing Generation Series in this press release. SFCC Library Director Valerie Nye and Professor of English and Creative Writing Austin (Stanley) Eichelberger are coordinating the series.
Rowena Alegría
- 6 p.m. Sept. 17 reading
- 6 p.m. Sept. 24 creative session
Bio: Rowena Alegría served as Chief Storyteller for the City & County of Denver, founder and director of the Denver Office of Storytelling, from 2019 to 2024. The world’s only storytelling, cultural preservation and narrative change project created nine documentary films and about a hundred short films, made about four million impressions on social media and hosted more than seventy community events in which story opened into conversations about our collective history, challenges and triumphs.
Under Alegría’s leadership, the team brought resident voices and histories out of the shadows and onto big and little screens for more than half million people. The work was selected for five film festivals, nominated for six Heartland Emmy Awards and honored with some 27 different awards, including History Colorado’s Josephine H. Miles Award for a major contribution to state history.
Alegría has spoken around the world about the power of storytelling, including before the National Civic League, Georgetown University Center for Social Impact, American Planning Association, Smart Cities Connect, Center for Public Safety Excellence, and at a one-day symposium inspired by the Office of Storytelling and organized by Sorbonne University. She was Naropa University’s 2024 Cobb Peace Lecturer and among the urban thought leaders at the first Bruner Debates on Urban Excellence. She once moderated an evening with the amazing Rita Moreno.
Alegría was the 2021 Ricardo Salinas Scholar in Fiction at Aspen Words and has been the recipient of art-making fellowships and residencies. She earned an MFA in Fiction from the Institute of American Indian Arts and is a member of Sandra Cisneros’ Macondo Writers Workshop. Her creative writing has appeared in publications including The Rumpus, the Mississippi Review, the Hennepin Review and a 2023 anthology titled We Are the West. A filmmaker, career journalist, communications executive and speech writer, she is writing a novel that plays with form and the history of the Southwest. She was adopted and raised in Denver. For more, see http://www.RowenaAlegria.com
Rowena Alegría Artist Statement: Adopted at birth, inheritance and identity fascinate me. I knew the woman who gave me light only in the sharing of fluids and nutrients. For nine months, I experienced her tears, her rabia, her indecision. I heard her words in languages I would learn long afterward. I imagine her intimations wait like timed bombs in my consciousness and go off as whispered intuition. From her, I inherited a love of learning and a passion for words and justice. Surrendered at birth, I marvel at how I know so little of her in artifact or experience, as she walked on before my search, but how so much of her – learned from her poems and dissertation, from her survivors, those who loved her but didn’t know her well enough to know I existed – survives in my genes.
My work in progress, a novel titled “500 Springs,” takes a particular interest in these ideas coupled with the legacy of colonialism on the indigenous and mestizo peoples of what is now Mexico and the southwestern United States, which includes my home state of Colorado. The novel explores the potential of souls carrying over generations the unresolved pain of the past as well as unfulfilled love and promises.
Expand Your Reading Horizons with Continuing Education Literature Classes
This fall, SFCC’s Continuing Education, in partnership with the SFCC Library, is offering two unique literature seminars led by instructor Chris Strauss.
- Pram vs. Colonialism—Two Indonesian Novels (Class ID: 6491)Saturdays, Oct. 18–Dec. 13, 10:30 a.m.–12 p.m., $129. Explore the works of Pramoedya Ananta Toer, Indonesia’s most celebrated writer, whose novels challenged authority and gave voice to the marginalized.
- National Book Award Winners (Class ID: 6492)Tuesdays, Oct. 21–Dec. 16, 4:30–6 p.m., $129. Dive into recent award-winning works, including Jason de Leon’s Soldiers and Kings and Lena Khalaf Tuffaha’s Something About Living.
These classes will meet in the SFCC Library. Find both books at a local bookstore or online. Register now through SFCC Continuing Education. Questions? Contact Continuing Education at 505-428-1676.
Chris Strauss—bio
I’m Chris, and I hope you’ll join one of my study groups on books that speak to our moment. I often meet people reading difficult books on their own, or on the verge of reading one they’ve always wanted to. My goal is to get us reading together the books that call to us. If you join us, I expect you’ll meet some intriguing people, grapple with new ideas, and, quite possibly, come away with a fresh take on yourself and the world.
For ten years, Chris Strauss has taught rhetoric, philosophy, and world literature at community colleges and universities across the country. He has two master’s degrees from St. John’s College—one in Liberal Arts and the other in Eastern Classics. He moonlights as a coffee roaster, dithers in the garden, and plays a wicked game of chess. He has tried to translate Homer’s Odyssey as well as Laozi’s Daodejing. He failed—but keeps going, consoled by two amazing cats.
Attend SFCC Career Fair from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 15
Invite students, family and friends to the Santa Fe Community College Career Fair happening from 11 to 2 p.m. Wednesday, October 15, in the Campus Center. You’re encouraged to bring copies of your résumé. Talk with employers from multiple career fields including healthcare, education, arts and communication, trades and sustainability, science and engineering, law, and business.
Employers include Santa Fe County, Christus St. Vincent, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Sandia Area Federal Credit Union, Santa Fe Children’s Museum, Presbyterian Medical Services, Youth and Family Shelters, Next Era Energy, Legislative Council Service and many more. Call 505-428-1406 or email career.services@sfcc.edu for information.
Student parents expressed gratitude in Letter to the Editor
In celebration of September’s Student Parent Month three student parents wrote a Letter to the Editor that appeared in the Aug. 30 issue of the Santa Fe New Mexican. https://www.santafenewmexican.com/opinion/letters_to_editor/let-the-waters-flow-support-living-river-ordinance/article_6a22c6cd-085e-4334-909c-e4da68059a80.html
The published letter is below:
Family friendly
In honor of National Student Parent Month, we want to highlight some of the resources Santa Fe Community College has to offer and share how three moms balance their busy schedules on top of being students. Nadine, a mom of two, uses SFCC Kids Campus for her toddler so she can study and do schoolwork during those eight hours. Miniya is a mom who is passionate about breastfeeding, so she appreciates that SFCC has three lactation spaces on campus. Anytime she’s on campus she can comfortably feed her baby. That gives her peace of mind because lactation spaces are not common on campuses. Nicole, a mom of one, uses the Family Study Room to get work done while her child can play freely. Being a student parent at SFCC has made school and parenting a walk in the park with the support of staff, faculty and campus accommodations. Thank you, SFCC!
Miniya Hinson, Nicole Ortiz, Nadine Valencia
students, Santa Fe Community College
Applications are open for Hybrid and EV Operations Bootcamp
Training is free to qualified New Mexico residents. The session will run Fridays from October 3 through December 19 at the SFCC Automotive Technology Center.
SFCC is accepting applications for a Hybrid and EV Operations Bootcamp: Understanding Diagnostics, Repair and Safety. Fill out the form to apply at sfcc.augusoft.net (class number 6531) by September 23. The class is free to qualified New Mexico residents and will run 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Fridays from October 3 through December 19 at SFCC’s Automotive Technology Center. For registration assistance, contact Contract Training Operations Coordinator Candice Mirabal by email at candice.mirabal@sfcc.edu or by calling 505-428-1324.
Applicants must be at least 18 years old and be at a high school reading level. The sessions will start with a two-hour safety orientation and the issuance of the free book. There are weekly reading assignments with a four-hour review and lab on Fridays.
This 10-week course covers the technical and practical aspects of hybrid and electric vehicle (EV) systems. It provides an understanding of components including batteries, inverters, and electric motors while addressing the unique challenges in servicing, safety protocols, and diagnostics. Participants will receive a CDX certificate in hybrid and Electric Vehicles and become Snap-On NC3 Volt Ohm Meter Certified to safely operate on EVs.
The 10-week Hybrid and EV Operations Bootcamp features:
- Hybrid Vehicle and Electrical Vehicle High-voltage Safety
- Advanced Internal Combustion Engine Technologies
- Battery Chemistry Technologies
- Power Inverters, Converters and Regenerative Braking
- Electric Vehicle (EV) Thermal Control Systems
- Micro, Mild and Two-Mode Hybrid Vehicle Technologies
- Extended-Range Electric Vehicle and Fuel Cell Technologies
- Automotive Vehicle Connectivity
- Autonomous and Collision-Avoidance Systems.
For more information, please contact Candice Mirabal via email at candice.mirabal@sfcc.edu or by phone at 505-428-1324.
Check out the new issue of Inside SFCC
View the latest issue of Inside SFCC. In the new issue read the story, “Discover creativity and connection at SFCC and IAIA open house events on September 18.” In the story, SFCC’s Director of Art on Campus Linda Cassel and IAIA’s Chief Communication Officer Jason S. Ordaz give a sneak peek of what’s planned for the joint open houses on Thursday, September 18. Start at SFCC at the SFCC Open House from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. and make sure to get over to IAIA’s Open House from 1 until 5 p.m. Check out the many events highlighted in the Events section and read about SFCC, Faculty and Staff accomplishments in the Noteworthy section.
Eric Landgraf exhibition continues through Sept. 19
SFCC Student Eric Landgraf’s Collage pop-up exhibition, “Maps of the Unseen,” is on display in the Dean’s Gallery in the Visual Arts Building. The opening reception was August 21 and the exhibition continues through September 19.
Eric Landgraf’s Artist Statement about “Maps Of The Unseen”
In every image, there are territories we recognize—faces, fragments, shadows of memory—and there are landscapes that exist only in the mind. These collages chart the quiet spaces between what is visible and what is felt, mapping dreams, private histories, and the flicker of moments that can’t be photographed.
Thank you to David Jones, Media Tech, for sharing images. Click to enlarge.
Apply now for free Environmental Technician Training
Session runs from September 29 through October 31
at Santa Fe Higher Education Center, 1950 Siringo Road in Santa Fe
Santa Fe Community College (SFCC) is accepting applications for its free Environmental Technician training program, which provides the training, skills and certifications necessary to enter a wide range of job opportunities in the environmental profession. Applications will be accepted through September 22, 2025. The free training runs September 29 through October 31 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays at the Santa Fe Higher Education Center, 1950 Siringo Road. This intensive 5-week training program provides certifications and skills for in-demand job positions.
The program includes the following certifications:
- General Hazardous Waste Site Worker (HAZWOPER) 40 hours
- CPR and First Aid (6 hours)
- Forklift Operator (6 hours)
- OSHA Construction Standards (10 hours)
- Confined Space Entry and Non-Entry Rescue (8 hours)
- Solid Waste Management (8 hours)
- Hazardous Waste Management (RCRA) (24 hours)
- Phase I and Phase II Environmental Assessments (16 hours)
- Environmental Sampling (24 hours)
- DOT HazMat (16 hours)
- Bloodborne Pathogens (4 hours)
- Radiation Safety (8 hours)
Applicants must be able to attend the entire five-week program, have a high school diploma or GED, be 18 years or older, be able to lift 30 pounds and must be unemployed, underemployed or low-income. Veterans are encouraged to apply. The training also will help students to become career-ready with assistance preparing résumés and practicing interviewing techniques.
The free training is possible through a $500,000 grant that SFCC received from the Environmental Protection Agency. Sponsors and partners include: Los Alamos National Laboratory, Eight Northern Indian Pueblo Council, U.S. EPA and AGC New Mexico.
For more information and to fill out an application, visit https://www.sfcc.edu/programs/environmental-job-training. Still have questions? Contact Candice Mirabal at Candice.Mirabal@sfcc.edu or 505-428-1324.
See ‘Celestial Bodies,’ a student art exhibition, in the Main Hallway through Sept. 19
Make sure to check out the latest exhibition, “Celestial Bodies,” in the Main Hallway. The photographic artworks were all created by Photography student Maxine Chelini. The exhibition is in the Main Hallway across from the Cashiers. The exhibition will be on display until Friday, September 19, 2025.
Maxine Chelini Artist Statement
Inspired in a Photoshop class at SFCC with Marca Reifman, many years past, introduced to Surrealism in photography with Andre Rusch, and awakened to the endless variety of Alternative Photo Processing with Will Wilson, Maxine Chelini has developed a unique style of compiling and printing her work. Using a digital printer to print with Carbon inks on transparent velum and applying Gold Leaf, gives the images another dimension and glow, different from the usual photographic prints.
Celestial Bodies + uses images taken of the Moon, Sun, Solar Eclipse and +, combined with a dancer suspended in air in a moment of Awe.
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/.
Register now for S’WET H2O Workshop on October 3-4
S’WET H2O Workshop, Oct. 3 and Oct. 4
Weekend of Water Workshops!
Join us at the William C. Witter Fitness Education Center for an entire weekend of aquatic fitness workshops PLUS become certified in S’WET™ as part of our Instructor Training — a full day of intensive education and practical learning designed to revamp and reinvigorate your aquatic fitness teaching skills!
For details and to register, please visit: https://www.jennilynnfitness.com/event-details/santafe
This dual workshop is for community and student members to participate in with a certification component built in for being a water aerobics instructor. Fees apply.
Employees: Before registering, contact Tomas Duran at tomas.duran@sfcc.edu for special pricing opportunities.
Use new Fitness Education Center web page and app
SFCC William C. Witter Fitness Education Center presents Fusion (a new web page and app).
Fusion fitness.sfcc.edu is your go-to hub for all things fitness!
Easily access punch passes, facility schedules and locker rentals.
Managing your fitness journey is simple and convenient.
The new web landing page and the app will serve as the central hub for locker renewals and massage therapy appointments, since Time Tap is no longer available.
Visit fitness.sfcc.edu or download the SFCC Fitness Center app to explore all the great features Fusion offers. Let’s get moving! SFCC Fitness Education Center is the name of the app available for download from the Apple app store or Google Play apps.
SFLR is accepting submissions from July 15 through November 1
Details and submission guidelines at https://www.sfcc.edu/santa-fe-literary-review/
Santa Fe Literary Review (SFLR), published annually by Santa Fe Community College, is accepting online submissions from July 15 through November 1, 2025.
SFLR’s editors invite the public to submit creative nonfiction, fiction, poetry and visual arts. Submission guidelines and instructions are available at Submittable, an online submissions platform: https://santafecommunitycollege.submittable.com/submit. There is no cost to submit.
SFLR’s suggested theme for the upcoming issue is “Resistance: Grit, Rebellion, and Dissent.” Learn more at https://www.sfcc.edu/santa-fe-literary-review/. Free copies of the current SFLR are available at public libraries and the Santa Fe Community College Library.
If you have questions, please email SFLR at sflr@sfcc.edu.
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.
Students
- Attend Transfer Fair from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 17
- Mandatory Student Employee Orientation October 1
- ‘Circle of Security’ workshop for student parents begins Sept. 17
- Free online Fall 2025 Parent Workshops
- Get Involved: Join The Generative AI Committee!
- Student Job Spotlight: Student Recruitment
Student Weekly Connection September 12, 2025
Get the latest news from Student Affairs!
Attend Transfer Fair from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 17
Santa Fe Community College’s Transfer Fair will be in the Main Hallway from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Wednesday, September 17. Meet representatives of SFCC, as well as more than 20 four-year colleges and universities including the Institute of American Indian Arts, University of New Mexico, New Mexico State University, Northern New Mexico College, New Mexico Highlands University, Western New Mexico University, New Mexico Tech, Adams State University, Grand Canyon University and more to talk about transfer opportunities. Call 505-428-1531 or email jonathan.harrell@sfcc.edu for more information.
This event is open to the public.
Mandatory Student Employee Orientation October 1
All student employees must attend the Student Employee Orientation/Professional Development Day on Wednesday, October 1, 12-5 p.m., Jemez Rooms 231. Free lunch, door prizes, and games included. Attendance is paid. RSVP today! Questions? Contact Katie Cadena-Priebe at katie.cadenapriebe@sfcc.edu or 505-428-1068.
‘Circle of Security for Parents’ online workshop begins Sept. 17
Circle of Security for Parents (COSP) is an 8-week online live workshop for parents interested in learning more about developing strong relationships with their children through different stages of development. This workshop uses the national Circle of Security® Parenting™ program based on decades of research on how secure parent-child relationships can be established and strengthened.
We encourage fathers, mothers, and caregivers/guardians to register!
*If more than one adult from your family would like to take part, please fill out a separate registration form for each adult.
Facilitators: Mireya Schumaker and Karen Stornelli
Online Live Zoom (Cameras on and active participation required)
6:00 – 7:30 pm
Wednesday Evenings
September 17, September 24, October 1, October 8, October 15, October 22, October 29, November 5
Registration required: https://forms.office.com/r/M7RmzQy3Qx
Free online Fall 2025 Parent Workshops
Register now for these workshops, which are free to parents and caregivers:
🔹 Learning Through Play
Tuesday, September 16 | 6–7:30 p.m.
Explore how play helps children grow, communicate, and solve problems—while also helping adults feel more connected and relaxed. Great for parents and educators.
Register for Learning Through Play
🔹 Circle of Security for Parents (8-week series)
Wednesdays, September 17–November 5 | 6–7:30 p.m.
Strengthen your relationship with your child and understand emotional needs through this nationally recognized program. Ideal for parents and caregivers of children at all stages.
Register for Circle of Security
🔹 Family Financial Literacy (4-week series)
Thursdays, October 23–November 13 | 6–7:30 p.m.
Gain tools for managing money, reducing debt, and teaching kids about finances in a supportive environment.
Register for Family Financial Literacy
For more information, visit: https://www.sfcc.edu/eccoe/parent-caregiver-workshops/.
Get Involved: Join The Generative AI Committee!
Meetings 2-3 p.m. the 3rd Friday of each month on Zoom
Curious about Artificial Intelligence and its role in education? We’re looking for enthusiastic students to join our Generative AI Committee, where you’ll work alongside faculty and staff to explore and shape AI on our campus. As a committee member, you will:
- Participate in Fun, Educational Events: Help plan activities that teach our college community about Generative AI.
- Share Your Ideas on AI Policy: Your insights will help us create guidelines that make AI use effective and ethical.
- Learn and Grow: Gain a clearer understanding of Generative AI without needing to be an expert. This is a great way to prepare for the AI-augmented future while having fun.
- Boost Your Resume: Serving on the Generative AI Committee not only offers valuable experience in a cutting-edge field but also makes a great addition to your resume, showcasing your leadership and initiative in a technology-driven environment.
Join us to help demystify AI for everyone at college, influence how it’s used, and get some cool experience along the way. Sign up and let’s innovate together! Contact Sarah Hood at sarah.hood@sfcc.edu or Joseph Klemens at joseph.klemens@sfcc.edu for more information or to sign up!
Student Job Spotlight: Student Recruitment
Are you outgoing and enjoy working with the public? Become a Student Recruiter! Join SFCC Recruitment and earn while you share your SFCC experience with prospective students. Must be available to work morning shifts, have strong communication skills, and possess a positive attitude and the willingness to engage with prospective students, families, and community members.
To explore available jobs and learn about eligibility, visit sfcc.edu/offices/student-employment or contact
Katie Cadena-Priebe, Student Employment Manager, 505-428-1068, katie.cadenapriebe@sfcc.edu.
State of New Mexico Internship Opportunities
The State of New Mexico Internship Program offers paid positions starting at $16.20/hour for high school, undergraduate, and graduate students, as well as recent graduates. Internships are available year-round during fall, spring, or summer sessions. Participants can earn a Certification of Work Experience Equivalency, which helps meet qualifications for permanent state positions. Learn more at https://www.spo.state.nm.us/internships/ or by contacting Luis.Burrola@spo.nm.gov. See flyer for more information.
Student Parent Success Program available to help parenting students anytime
Students who are juggling parenting and school are encouraged to reach out anytime to the Student Parent Success Program by calling 505-428-1036 or by sending an email to parentingstudents@sfcc.edu.
- Discuss your concerns as a parent
- Learn about resources and support as a parent
- Get help finding childcare
- Get help assessing developmental assessments for your child
- Find out about family activities and parenting classes
Students: Need childcare? Make sure you’re on the Kids Campus waitlist
When a spot comes available at the Kids Campus, students get priority placement. Kids Campus wants to support student parents and hopes that those needing childcare will get on the waitlist.
Children of degree-seeking SFCC students, SFCC employees, and full-time students at the Higher Education Center are prioritized for placement to support a two-generation philosophy of education at the college.
Visit the Kids Campus website for more information. Students receive a 10% discount on the cost of Kids Campus and N.M. Early Childhood Education and Care Development offers Child Care Assistance to income-eligible students.
Employees
SFCC faculty and students featured in Queer Magnetism Exhibition
Stanley Austin Eichelberger, Assistant Professor of English and Technical and Communications Lead Faculty at SFCC, Art and Design Adjunct Faculty Hilary Nelson and two Art and Design Students Victor Teng and Polina Smutko are featured artists in QUEER MAGNETISM, an exhibition that opened on September 11 at the Santa Fe Community Gallery.
Co-curated by Carmen Selam (Yakama Nation) and Jordan Eddy, the show highlights the work of forty contemporary queer and trans artists connected to Santa Fe and New Mexico. The exhibition also honors visionary predecessors such as We’wha (Zuni) and Agnes Martin, whose legacies continue to inspire new generations.
The exhibition runs through November 1, 2025.
Monique Anair appointed to Global Credentialing Advisory Group
SFCC Director of Workforce Development Monique Anair, Ed.D., has been selected to serve on the Credential Engine Issuer Identity Registry (IIR) Governance Advisory Group from September 2025 through February 2026.
The group brings together global professionals to shape guidelines for scalable, privacy-preserving digital badging and credential ecosystems. Dr. Anair will contribute to discussions on how issuer identity registries enable trusted, portable Learning and Employment Records (LERs) and provide practical guidance on implementing World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) Verifiable Credentials and Open Badges 3.0.
This important work will influence workforce training, higher education, and the opportunities students have to upskill into better-paying jobs. More information can be found in the Issuer Identity Registry Research Report and Governance Framework.
Joseph Klemens has an exhibition, ‘Hour of Departure,’ at Ray Drew Gallery through October 31
Assistant Professor of English Joseph Klemens, Ph.D., has an exhibition, “Hour of Departure,” at Ray Drew Gallery at New Mexico Highlands University through October 31. He shares poetry and artwork using the name Joseph Mulholland. Read more about the exhibition here. He and his work are included in the September 5 Santa Fe New Mexican, Pasatiempo story, “New Mexico Painters Exhibition in Las Vegas caters to creatives statewide.”
Read Laura Smith’s chapter from ‘Valuing the Community College Library’
Collections and Instruction Librarian Laura Smith has contributed a chapter to the newly published book, “Valuing the Community College Library: Impactful Practices for Institutional Success,” edited by Terra Jacobson and Spencer Brayton and published by the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL).
Her chapter, “Caring for Caregivers: Supporting Student Parents with a Family Study Room,” explores innovative ways community college libraries can serve as inclusive and supportive spaces. Her chapter highlights the Family Study Room in the SFCC library.
She writes about how the room was designed to meet the needs of student parents by recognizing the challenges of balancing caregiving responsibilities with academic success. Her chapter encourages community college libraries to find space and expand beyond traditional functions to address equity, accessibility, and student well-being.
Valuing the Community College Library is a collection of case studies and practical strategies that illustrate the unique value community college libraries bring to higher education. It provides both historical context and forward-looking ideas
for how libraries advocate for access, affordability, and student success.
You can read the full chapter here: https://www.sfcc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Caring-for-Caregivers_.pdf
Read more in this press release: https://www.ala.org/news/2025/07/new-acrl-valuing-community-college-library-impactful-practices-institutional-success.
Congratulations, Laura Smith!
CHESS Connection Newsletter – September 10, 2025
The September 2025 CHESS Connection shares highlights including recognition of Erica Keppel as a CHESS Superstar, welcoming new team member Nichelle Roy, and updates on Workday Student testing and upcoming training. It also features CHESS’s role in Lumina’s Strategy Labs, a website redesign, and invites readers to join the October CHESS CHAT and share feedback with CHESSTER.
Read the full issue here.
Duplicating Center accepting photos for SFCC Pet of the Month
Send pictures of your pet to DuplicatingCenter@sfcc.edu. Each month a pet will be chosen, and notepads will be available with their picture. The proud owner will receive a 36×36 poster of their pet.
The Duplicating Center hopes to collect enough pictures to create a 2025 SFCC Pet Calendar.
Requirements:
- Must be a your own photo, no professional portraits
- Must be submitted by the last week of each month
Contact Michael at the Duplicating Center with questions.
WOW awards – nominate an outstanding coworker today!
The Office of Human Resources recognizes WOW recipients for their dedicated work and commitment to Santa Fe Community College.
Please be sure to nominate someone who you think is doing a great job here at SFCC.
The award is a $25.00 gift certificate from Amazon.
The submission form can be found at the SFCC Connect portal, Home » Online Forms/Surveys/Tests » Online Forms » Office of Human Resources or nominate by reaching out to Donna Castro at donna.castro@sfcc.edu.
New employees: We’d like to get to know you!
Staff Senate is encouraging new staff employees to come to an upcoming Staff Senate to introduce yourselves.
Campus Weekly would also love to introduce new staff and faculty members. Please send us your name, job title, when you started at SFCC, brief bio and photo (it can be a selfie!) to Submit News.
If you’re new to SFCC, we’d love to introduce you to the our community. We’re happy you’re working with us at SFCC!
Feature
‘IAIA and SFCC Joint Faculty Exhibition’ opened in Visual Arts Gallery on Sept. 11
Exhibition continues through Oct. 22
The “IAIA and SFCC Joint Faculty Exhibition” opened with a reception on September 11 at the SFCC Visual Arts Gallery. If you haven’t seen the exhibition, stop by now through October 22 to view artwork from faculty and staff at both the Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA) and Santa Fe Community College (SFCC).
Bravo to SFCC Director of Art on Campus Linda Cassel for organizing the first joint faculty exhibition. For information contace her at linda.cassel@sfcc.edu or 505-428-1501. The exhibition continues through October 22. Please click the photos below to enlarge.
Ongoing news and events
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.
Read more about the full Fall Writing Generation Series (Wri-Gen) in this press release. SFCC Library Director Valerie Nye and Professor of English and Creative Writing Austin (Stanley) Eichelberger are coordinating the series.
Chip Livingston
Bio: Chip Livingston is the mixed-blood Creek author of six books: three collections of poetry, a novel, a nonfiction children’s book, and a story and essay collection. He’s also the editor of Love, Loosha: The Letters of Lucia Berlin and Kenward Elmslie. His writing has appeared in Ploughshares, Prairie Schooner, Poem-A-Day, and other literary journals. Livingston teaches in the MFA program at the Institute of American Indian Arts. He lives in Montevideo, Uruguay.
Chip Livingston’s description of his writing: Livingston writes from the margins, mixing genres and forms with an aim to combine the best elements of poetry and prose to surprising results.
Chip Livingston’s creative session: Livingston will provide prompts and examples applicable to all genres (or mixing genres) in a creative session intended to provoke new approaches.
For questions about the series, contact SFCC Library Director Valerie Nye at valerie.nye@sfcc.edu or call 505-428-1506.
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.
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/.
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:
These were the first two sessions of SFCC Library and SFCC Creative Writing program’s Wri-Gen series. Read more about the free spring series open to the public in this press release.
All videos can be found in the YouTube playlist: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B7H67Ojgmmo&list=PL6AhJfrOrlErcvW8Iayqy72Z4IaVtJKgp
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.
08/30/2025, Santa Fe New Mexican, “Smartboard, Sept. 1, 2025-SFCC offers free hybrid, EV bootcamp, SFCC and IAIA to host open houses, Free environmental technician training”
08/30/2025, Santa Fe New Mexican, “OUR VIEW-The moment is now: Show up to support democracy”
08/30/2025, Santa Fe New Mexican, “LETTERS TO THE EDITOR-Family friendly”
08/26/2025, Santa Fe New Mexican, “New Mexico could stand to lose more than most states in national battle over Hispanic-serving colleges”
08/25/2025, Santa Fe New Mexican, “Smartboard Aug. 25, 2025- SFCC opens registration for early childhood trainings; SFCC and IAIA to host joint art exhibition; SFCC to hold Career Transfer Fair”
08/20/2025, Of Interest, Santa Fe New Mexican, “New Mexico lawmakers discuss rising cost of college to both students and state”
08/18/2025, Santa Fe New Mexican, “Santa Fe women’s jail reentry program hopes to replicate men’s success”
08/15/2025, Santa Fe New Mexican, “Out There! Authors as Authorities” Story about Fall Writing Generation (Wri-Gen) Series.
08/08/2025, Santa Fe New Mexican, “As Santa Fe kids head back to school, parents sweat uncertainty over federally funded programs”
08/08/2025, Of Interest, Santa Fe New Mexican, “MY VIEW PATRICIA TRUJILLO – A worthy investment — higher education endowments”
08/04/2025, Santa Fe New Mexican, Smartboard, Aug. 3, 2025 “SFCC services unavailable morning of Aug. 13”
07/30/2025, Los Alamos Daily Post, “Community Suicide Prevention Course To Debut In Los Alamos Beginning In August”
07/25/2025, Santa Fe New Mexican, “Out There! ROOM TO WRITE: A Square Deal” Brief story on submissions open for Santa Fe Literary Review.
07/25/2025, Of Interest: Santa Fe New Mexican, “Institute of American Indian Arts is set to see its federal funding return — mostly”
07/24/2025, Of Interest, Albuquerque Journal, “Report: NM’s Higher Education endowment push delivered limited results”
07/23/2025, Of Interest: Santa Fe New Mexican, “Institute of American Indian Arts names former national endowment for the humanities chair as new president”
07/22/2025, KOAT TV 7, Continuing Education: Registration Open at Santa Fe Community College
07/21/25, Los Alamos Daily Post, “SFCC Opens Registration for Fall Continuing Ed. Classes”
07/21/2025, Santa Fe New Mexican, “Smartboard July 21, 2025- SFCC names director of Energy Smart Academy”
07/16/2025, Santa Fe Reporter, “3 Questions with the chair of Women’s Connection Bev McLean” (Mentioned upcoming tour by group of SFCC)
07/08/2025, News.unm.edu, “UNM led team selected as semifinalist in 2025 NSF Engines program” (SFCC is part of the collaborative team).
07/15/2025, SourceNM, “COMMENTARY-Cities can fight back with guaranteed income programs-DARRYL LORENZO WELLINGTON”
07/14/2025, Santa Fe New Mexican, “Smartboard July 14, 2025- SFCC launches free fall writing series led by authors”
07/11/2025, Santa Fe New Mexican, “LETTERS TO THE EDITOR-Aamna Nayyar-Cornerstone of care”
07/08/2025, Santa Fe New Mexican, “Longtime Santa Fe division director Julie Sanchez departs for state job” (She served as an SFCC liason and assisted in the launch SFCC APRENDE apprentice program as well as SFCC’s participation in the Mayor’s Guaranteed Income Program.)
07/07/2025, Santa Fe New Mexican, ‘Smartboard July 7, 2025- Santa Fe Literary Review’ accepting submissions
07/03/2025, Los Alamos Daily Post, “Lab Director Thom Mason Stresses Importance Of Education”
07/02/2025, Los Alamos Daily Post, “Santa Fe Literary Review Accepting Submissions From July 15 Through Nov. 1 For Upcoming Issue”
06/30/2025, Santa Fe New Mexican, “Smartboard, June 30, 2025- SFCC to close for 3-day digital infrastructure work”
06/28/2025, Santa Fe New Mexican, “COMMENTARY-How we’re working with others to get out the vote”
06/24/2025, PRNewswire.com/CNM, “World-class Film Production Training Center Nears Completion”
06/27/2025, DOL.gov, ICYMI: Secretary Chavez-Deremer highlights one Big Beautiful Bill on ‘America at Work’ Tour
06/23/2025, Santa Fe New Mexican, ‘He was really loved’: Man killed in cycling crash was staple in Santa Fe’s pickleball scene
06/20/2025, Santa Fe New Mexican, Pasatiempo, “A New Exhibition Reveals Experience is the Best Teacher”
06/19/2025, Los Alamos Daily Post, “SFCC Announces Winners Of 2025 Student Art Awards”
06/19/2025, Santa Fe New Mexican, “Seniors on parade: Montecito residents promenade for a cause” Much of the scholarship money raised was awarded to Montecito employees and their family members to attend SFCC.
06/17/2025, Santa Fe New Mexican, “Electric vehicle courses at Santa Fe Community College fill gaps”
06/17/2025, Santa Fe New Mexican, “Despite gains in child care supply, New Mexico still falling short in meeting families’ demand” (photos in story taken at SFCC’s Kids Campus)
06/16/2025, Los Alamos Daily Post, “SFCC Library To Present “Herding Poems: A Reading By Miriam Sagan” July 31”
06/13/2025, Santa Fe New Mexican, Pasatiempo, “Out There! ON THE WALL Art for All” Story about “Unhoused ART” exhibition.
06/11/2025, Santa Fe New Mexican, “‘New Mexican,’ other Santa Fe media outlets to hold city candidate forums in September”
06/09/2025, Santa Fe New Mexican, “Smartboard June 9, 2025-SFCC to close in honor of Juneteenth; SFCC announces new student orientation dates”
