News and Spotlights

One year after Coconino County voters approved a primary property tax levy increase for CCC, the college has instituted several new programs and initiatives. FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. – Promises made, promises kept by your community college.   One year after the passage of a primary property tax reset for Coconino Community College, CCC has made significant progress in following through on commitments made to the voters of Coconino County. Of the several programs and initiatives promised by the increase in the primary property tax rate to Coconino Community College, many of them have already been implemented or are in process.   “To date, we’ve fulfilled nearly 75 percent of the items we noted on the ballot initiative,” said CCC President Eric Heiser, Ph.D. “And guess what? We’re not done yet. We have [...]

Shelly Foster (left) accepts AJS Student of the Year Award from Faculty David Ramos (right)   FLAGSTAFF, Az- The CCC Commons stands empty. The echoes of cheering and clapping fill the once lively room. It was Friday, May 12, 2023, when CCC graduates walked across the stage, decorated in their finest graduation regalia, proud of their accomplishments and ready to take on the future ahead.   One of the students who graduated this spring is Shelly Foster. After an educational journey spanning about 10 years, she is finally ready to make her next big leap into university territory. [...]

CCC Interim Dean of Arts and Sciences Jennifer Jameson speaks to a crowd of mathematics faculty from around the state during the the Arizona Mathematical Association of Two-Year Colleges conference in Flagstaff on April 7, 2023.     FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. - Coconino Community College student Horizon Gillson is working his way toward a degree in astrophysics.   So, he jumped at the chance to attend the Arizona Mathematical Association of Two-Year Colleges conference in Flagstaff on April 7 because the featured speaker was Dr. Gerard van Belle, an astronomer at Lowell Observatory. [...]

Tami-Shae Brooks is a software engineering student at Coconino Community College who works hard to balance her academic and personal life.

Dr. Melanie McKay-Cody and Colin Denny at the Preservation of North American Indian Sign Language presentation FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. - “I didn’t see anyone doing it, so I felt like it needed to happen,” said Colin Denny, who provided a sign language performance at this year’s Superbowl. “We need someone to take the reins to make changes in a positive way and give back to the community.”   Denny is referring to the preservation of North American Indian Sign Language, which was the topic of a presentation at Coconino Community College in Flagstaff on March [...]

David Cassidy, CCC student and All-Arizona Academic Scholarship awardee, was also selected to receive the All-USA Academic Team Scholarship. Cassidy was one of 22 students nationwide who received the award, and they were all recognized during an event in Denver on Monday, April 3, 2023.     FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. - David Cassidy, a student at Coconino Community College, is one of 22 college students named to the prestigious All-USA Academic Team and will receive a $5,000 scholarship. More than 2,400 students were nominated nationwide for the award.   “It is an [...]

Callee Torrey just after finishing 26.2 miles at the Flagstaff Marathon greeted by Fiancée Bobby and baby Pax at the finish line.    Flagstaff, Az – Mom, mental-health advocate, and self-described vintage curator, Callee Torrey is no stranger to the art of juggling. This mama can now add marathon runner to her title. Even more impressive, running the 26.2 miles for the first time all the while having to balance breastfeeding her baby. She literally stopped at mile 13.1 to breastfeed her baby and still managed a respectable time of (6:02) hours. She is [...]

CCC2NAU student Justin Martinez plans to head to NAU to continue his studies in Psychological Sciences after his graduation from CCC.     FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. - Coconino Community College student Justin Martinez has family members who have suffered from depression their entire lives.   “I really want to help people,” he said. “Particularly men who don’t normally ask for help.”   So, Martinez, a first-generation college student, decided to study Psychology at CCC, and as a CCC2NAU student, he plans to continue his studies at NAU to become a licensed therapist.   [...]

CCC student Kai Williams will be traveling to Mexico this summer as part of a Study Abroad program at the college.     FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. - The pandemic dashed her family's plans for a post-graduation trip to Europe, but she remains undeterred in her desire to travel the world.   Now CCC study abroad trip will give Williams the chance. The trip, organized by faculty member Katie Schwartz, will focus on culture, meaning no language prerequisite is required. Students will have the chance to visit several iconic destinations, including the capital of Mexico, La Ciudad de Mexico [...]

Coconino Community College students Maize Pratt, top, and David Cassidy, bottom, have been selected to receive All-Arizona Academic Scholarships.   Flagstaff, Ariz.- Two Coconino Community College students – Maize Pratt and David Cassidy – have been recognized for the prestigious 2023 Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) All-Arizona Academic Team Scholarship.   The scholarship provides free tuition for 60 credit hours at the recipient’s choice of one of the three state universities: Arizona State University, University of Arizona and Northern Arizona University.   A transplant from the west coast, Pratt came to [...]

Pamela Espindola is a Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistant working at CCC in Flagstaff.     FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. - She may be half a world away from her home in Argentina, but Pamela Espíndola is at Coconino Community College doing what she loves:   She’s teaching students Spanish.   “My job here is to work as a cultural ambassador and to help with the courses to have students learn a foreign language,” she said.   Espíndola is a Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistant for Spanish courses taught at CCC, and she is the fourth one that the college has been graced to [...]

CCC student Charmayne Yazzie credits the college's Strengthening Indigenous Student Success program for helping her confidently begin her educational journey.     PAGE, Ariz. - Coconino Community College student Charmayne Yazzie still remembers walking into the Page Center to take her first class in more than a decade after high school.   “At first, I was a little embarrassed,” Yazzie said. “I was worried I wouldn’t do well.”   From LeChee on the Navajo Nation, Yazzie worked two jobs to help support her partner and their three children. She needed for something to change.   So, she enrolled in [...]

City-sponsored training through a partnership between the City of Williams and CCC focuses on improving businesses.     WILLIAMS, Ariz. - Building a team is like building a house. First, you start off with the foundation. Then, you get up the framing, flooring, plumbing, electrical, drywall and more. Finally, you can start personalizing.   Team building was the topic of discussion during a workshop at the Grand Canyon Railway Hotel in Williams on Tuesday, Jan. 24. The workshop is part of a larger series of workshops made possible through a partnership between the City of [...]

Coconino Community College Partners with the Women’s Foundation for the State of Arizona to Expand the Pathways for Single Moms Program to Northern Arizona   (Flagstaff, Ariz) Coconino Community College has been selected by the Women’s Foundation for the State of Arizona (WFSA) as the nonprofit partner to launch the Pathways for Single Moms Program in the state’s northern region.   This program is designed to eliminate barriers to higher education for single moms by giving them the necessary resources to secure livable wages and forge a career path. [...]

Still standing, still smiling, CCC student Lena Cody defies all odds     FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. - Small in stature, but big in strength, grit, determination and resilience, Lena Cody stands tall and proud in her graduation cap and gown.   Motivated by the prospect of a pay increase at her job as a case manager for a social service agency at the age of 51, Lena enrolled as a part time student at Coconino Community College in the fall of 2017. At the same time, she gained guardianship of her 3-year-old grandson, Princeton. Lena said she knew she had a lot on her plate – going to [...]

CCC student and Summer Bridge participant Mistyrose Jensen prepares to cut the ribbon to signal the opening of the new Native American Success Center at the Lone Tree Campus.     FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. - “A home away from home.”   That was the phrase mentioned by multiple students when asked about what the Native American Success Center (NASC) means to them. With the smell of good food in the air, the sound of laughter, and being surrounded by friends and family, it was hard not to feel at home.   On the evening of Nov. 15, 2022, Coconino Community College hosted the Grand Opening of the Native American [...]

Findlay Honda of Flagstaff General Manager Jacob Lundie, left, shakes hands with CCC student and new employee Daniel Rojas.     FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. - The blue and white building stood tall and impressive. The signature emblem “H” hung over the glass doors. The front entrance was lined with new Honda models; shiny and ready to hit the road. General Manager Jacob Lundie and his newest hire Daniel Rojas a towering young man with the biggest smile stand in the grand foyer of the auto dealership on Flagstaff’s east side.   Lundie and Rojas met [...]

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. – Coconino Community College has joined the ranks of becoming an affiliate of the Bee Campus USA program. The program helps gather the strengths of educational campuses like CCC for the benefit of pollinators, and the college joins other cities and campuses across the country to improve their landscapes for pollinators.   “CCC’s students, faculty and staff are champions for sustainable environmental practices,” said Dr. Christal Albrecht, Interim President. “Becoming a Bee Campus USA affiliate is a [...]

Dr. Eric Heiser has been named as the sixth president of Coconino Community College. He will begin his tenure on Jan. 1, 2023.     FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. - The Coconino Community College District Governing Board announced during an Oct. 19 meeting that Dr. Eric Heiser will be the next president of the college.   “After a national search with more than 50 applicants, the District Governing Board is excited to announce the selection of Dr. Heiser as Coconino Community College’s next president,” said Dr. Nat White, chair of the Board. “The college is positioned through the [...]

Students learn all aspects of inspecting automobiles during the introductory class of Automotive Technician at CCC in partnership with Findlay Honda Flagstaff.   FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. – After a short delay, the Coconino Community College Automotive Technology program is back and ready for students beginning Monday, Oct. 24.   "CCC's Automotive Technology has grown in the year since it started," said Provost Dr. Nate Southerland. "When our instructor backed out right before the start of the semester and we had to suspend the program, we were heartbroken. We are thrilled to be able to get back up to speed and look forward to serving the students whose plans were disrupted at the beginning of the semester."   The cost of living in Flagstaff made the process of hiring a full-time faculty member for the [...]