Coconino Community College - News and Spotlights

Student Speakers Share Their Paths to Graduation

Wednesday, 6^th May 2026 12:00 AM

Student speakers Kailee Classay and Serjio Gomez will address graduates at this year’s Coconino Community College commencement, sharing personal journeys that reflect the diversity of student experiences across the college. For Classay, the path to earning an Associate of Arts in Early Childhood Education began before her first semester even started. In the summer of 2024, she participated in the Summer Bridge Program at CCC’s Page Campus. Originally from Tuba City, Arizona, on the Navajo Nation, that ...

Coconino Community College Recognized for Second Consecutive Year as One of the 2026 Most Promising Places to Work in Community Colleges

Thursday, 2^nd April 2026

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. — For the second consecutive year, Coconino Community College (CCC) has been named one of the 2026 Most Promising Places to Work in Community Colleges by The EDU Ledger in partnership with the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development (NISOD). The national recognition highlights institutions that demonstrate excellence in staffing practices and workplace culture. Institutions are selected through a research‑based evaluation that examines key areas including family friendliness, salary and benefits, community engagement, and professional development opportunities for faculty and staff. “Being named one of the Most Promising Places to Work in Community Colleges for a second consecutive year reflects the continued progress we’ve made in strengthening our workplace culture,” said Dr. Adriana Flores‑Church, Vice President of Human Resources at Coconino Community College. “We’ve been intentional about creating an environment where ...

Fast-Track Student Accelerates Towards a Future in Nursing

Friday, 30^th January 2026

Student Spotlight: D’Angelo Peña Accelerating Toward a Future in Nursing When D’Angelo Peña arrived in Flagstaff, he did not expect to find his future in healthcare. With a bachelor’s degree in animation, he began exploring local opportunities but found few that matched his training. He took what he thought would be a temporary job as a Medical Office Receptionist with Northern Arizona Healthcare (NAH), an unexpected step that would become the turning point that led him to Coconino Community College and the start of a new professional ...

You Got This: One CCC Student’s Journey to CAMT

Wednesday, 7^th January 2026

When Rodney Batey walked into the Certified Apartment Maintenance (CAMT) program, he carried more than a course schedule. He brought resolve. After navigating a heart condition, depression, and a decades-long gap since high school, Rodney found steady footing at Sunshine Rescue Mission in Flagstaff, where staff helped him stabilize and chart next steps. A referral from a workforce specialist, in collaboration with the rescue mission’s leadership, opened the door to the CAMT program, and a vocational ...

Coconino Community College Expands Comet Promise, Offering One of Arizona’s Most Expansive Tuition Support Programs

Thursday, 18^th December 2025 12:00 AM

New eligibility guidelines open doors for more Coconino County residents to continue, return to, or start their college education

Grand Opening for CCC's New Kaibab Campus and Automotive Training Facility

Saturday, 16^th August 2025

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. — Coconino Community College (CCC) invites the public to celebrate the grand opening of its new Kaibab Campus at 1131 W. Kaibab Lane in Flagstaff on Saturday, August 16, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The new campus, located behind Flagstaff Chevrolet, will serve as the home of CCC’s growing trades training programs, including hands-on instruction in automotive technology. The grand opening celebration will include campus tours, remarks from college leadership and community ...

Comet’s Welcome 14 New Cross Country Recruits for Fall 2024 Season

Tuesday, 4^th June 2024

Flagstaff, Ariz. - Coconino Community College (CCC) is thrilled to announce the addition of 13 talented recruits to the cross country team for the upcoming fall 2024 season. These new athletes, hailing from diverse backgrounds and bringing a wealth of experience, are poised to strengthen CCC's already formidable cross country program. "We are incredibly excited to welcome these outstanding runners to our team," said Head Coach Craig Hunt. "Each of these athletes brings unique strengths and a dedication to excellence that will ...

Different Starts, Common Goal: How Two Flagstaff Graduates are Transforming Their Passions into Nursing Careers

Sunday, 26^th May 2024

Jennifer Swomley (top) and Joseph McIntire (bottom) at the CCC Nurses Pinning Ceremony held on May 9, 2024 Flagstaff, Arizona —Coconino Community College’s nursing program recently celebrated the achievements of two of its graduates, Jennifer Swomley and Joseph McIntire. Each brings a unique background and a personal story of dedication to the nursing field, reflecting both the diversity and the challenges of modern healthcare education. Jennifer Swomley, 27, moved from Colorado to Flagstaff in 2021, drawn not only by personal relationships but also by ...

CCC Selects Dr. Sandra Hinski as Provost & Executive Vice President

Wednesday, 22^nd May 2024

Dr. Sandra Hinski, CCC Provost and Executive VP

Alumni Spotlight: Coconino Community College Graduate Thrives in Bay Area

Friday, 17^th May 2024

Flagstaff, AZ - Three years ago, Joshua Singer bid farewell to his hometown of Flagstaff, Arizona, to embark on a solo journey to San Francisco. Armed with not one but two degrees – a fine arts degree and a general studies degree from Coconino Community College – Singer ventured into the vibrant arts scene of the Bay Area. Singer, now a seasoned resident of San Francisco and a student at the Academy of Art University, reflects on his experience since leaving Flagstaff. The initial transition, Singer ...

Recipients earn full-tuition scholarships for bachelor’s degree programs

Thursday, 22^nd February 2024

Carly Miller (left) and Grace McCullough (right), 2024 CCC PTK All-Arizona Academic Team winners FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. - Two Coconino Community College students, Grace McCullough and Carly Miller, have been nominated for the All-Arizona Academic Team as part of the All-USA Scholarship competition sponsored by Phi Theta Kappa. Each year, the Arizona Board of Regents provides tuition scholarships to exceptional Arizona resident community college transfer students, based on outstanding academic performance and community service. Students are nominated by their community college and submit their applications directly to the Phi ...

CCC to receive up to $4 million to attract male high school students to higher education

Friday, 22^nd September 2023

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. – Coconino Community College has received the largest donation in the college’s history to attract male high school students to higher education. A private donor has offered the college $1 million per year for four years to achieve the goal. “This transformational gift will allow us to blaze a new path forward and open the doors of higher education for students who may not have been considering going to college,” said Dr. Eric Heiser, President of CCC. “With the resources that this gift will provide, we ...

A Journey of Resilience: Yolanda Yazzie’s Path to Success at Coconino Community College

Thursday, 14^th September 2023

Brenda Silveus (left) with Yolanda Yazzie (right) at the CCC Students First Celebration held on Sept. 13, 2023 Flagstaff, AZ – Yolanda Yazzie, a student at Coconino Community College (CCC), is not just pursuing an education; she's forging a path from adversity to ambition, driven by a deep sense of purpose and a desire to give back to her community. Yazzie has dealt with abusive parents. With the foster care system. With poverty and hunger. Now, as a parent herself, she is committed to helping others, and she has dedicated herself to improving ...

CCC receives $750,000 grant from Lowe's Foundation

Thursday, 27^th July 2023

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. – Coconino Community College received a $750,000 grant from the Lowe’s Foundation to help grow the college’s Construction Technology Management programs. CCC was one of 10 colleges nationwide chosen as recipients of the Lowe’s Foundation Gable Grants program. The program is a five-year, $50 million commitment by Lowe’s to help prepare 50,000 people for skilled trades careers. This year’s recipients were awarded nearly $8 million in grants to help bolster skilled trades training infrastructure. “We’re incredibly honored to have been selected as one the first-ever Gable Grants Recipients ...

Native American Success Center student finds opportunity at CCC

Wednesday, 12^th July 2023

CCC student Cole Catron found his stride at the college, and he's moving onto a four-year university to complete his studies in business. FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. – Business, accounting and economics are his passions. Degree in hand and his future in his sights, Coconino Community College alum, current student, accounting intern, and student affairs representative Cole Catron is set to move forward in his higher education journey. “I always wanted to do something with my life,” Cole said. “And I want to make significant contributions to society. Opportunity has ...

CCC tax reset update: Promises made, promises kept

Wednesday, 24^th May 2023

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 ...

CCC graduate will transfer to ASU's Forensics program in the Fall

Monday, 15^th May 2023

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. ...

Conference at CCC focuses on sharing ideas among math faculty statewide

Thursday, 4^th May 2023

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. ...

Coconino Community College Student Spotlight: Tami-Shae Brooks

Monday, 24^th April 2023

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

Presentation focuses on Preservation of North American Indian Sign Language

Thursday, 13^th April 2023

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 ...