Coconino Community College - News and Spotlights - Page #6

Page CCC alum takes next step to physician

Tuesday, 21^st August 2018 12:00 AM

Page resident Melody Billy will be heading down to the Valley to continue toward her goal of becoming a physician. PAGE, Ariz. - Page resident Melody Billy started her classes at Coconino Community College while getting treatment for cancer. “My classes at CCC really got my mind off being sick,” she said. “It was my saving grace.” Her cancer is in remission. “We beat it,” she said with a smile while looking at her husband Orrin Billy. “So, that’s good.” She graduated from CCC with a degree in PreHealth ...

CCC alum reaches for goal of impacting lives

Monday, 13^th August 2018

Alum Richard Ramirez began his journey to become a physician at Coconino Community College. FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. – Richard Ramirez had a good career with a structural engineering group, making good money and having room for advancement. Still, he wasn’t satisfied. “Looking toward my future, I didn’t see a personal satisfaction in that job,” Ramirez said, adding that he enjoys the work. He realized he did get that feeling of personal satisfaction while he and his wife, Rachel Soumokil, were foster parents. He noticed the mental and physical challenges the children ...

New café opens at CCC this fall

Thursday, 26^th July 2018

The owner of 4Cs, Nabil Chadi, is in the process of renovating the deli at CCC's Lone Tree Campus in Flagstaff. FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. - The Coconino Community College Café, or the 4Cs, will be open for business starting the first day of Fall semester classes. “We want to go fresh,” said owner Nabil Chadi of the new name. And a new menu of inexpensive items will be featured. All of the food will be made fresh, there at the deli. “We are excited to provide a one-stop dining experience that is fast, convenient and friendly. My staff ...

CCC grad selected for prestigious Goldwater scholarship

Thursday, 28^th June 2018

CCC alum Daniel Rivera, now an engineering student and researcher at Northern Arizona University, received one of the 211 Goldwater scholarships awarded for the 2018-19 academic year. Flagstaff, Ariz. - He went from being a high school dropout to being selected for one of the country’s most prestigious scholarships. “I, more or less, got my GED because it seemed like a good idea,” said Coconino Community College graduate Daniel Rivera. “I’m pretty grateful that I tried to experience the real world without an education before I made the decision to come ...

CCC offers science adventure for teens

Tuesday, 26^th June 2018

CCC Science Instructors Andrew Allen (left) and Aaron Tabor will take participants on the learning experience of a lifetime. Flagstaff, Ariz. - Fresh air. Colorado mountain views. Time away from social media – and lots of time for science. Teens ages 13 to 16 have the chance for a non-credit, science-based adventure camp offered through Coconino Community College beginning July 16. The PetraCorps Adventure Camp will be co-led by CCC Science Faculty Dr. Aaron Tabor and Andrew Allen. The four days and three nights of the camping-and-hiking adventure features activities and trips ...

CCC students become payroll professionals

Monday, 25^th June 2018

CCC students who passed either the Certified Payroll Professional, or Fundamental Payroll Certification, were recognized at a banquet on May 12, 2018 in Flagstaff. From left to right: Sherri L. Normal Bravo, Rocio Soto Sanchez, Evelyn Kerley-Little, Paul Bearchell, Jennifer Wolosz, Melissa J. Deschenie, Irma L. Encinas and Yesenia Renteria. Flagstaff, Ariz. - Coconino Community College student Evelyn Kerley Little said it was a “grueling” 10 weeks, but she made it. And now she’s certified to handle the payroll needs of the roofing business ...

CCC helps fill coming building inspector gap

Monday, 11^th June 2018

CCC graduate Brad Lawry recently aced the International Residential Building Code test after taking a course at CCC. FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. - Coconino Community College graduate Brad Lawry did an internship with the City of Flagstaff inspecting mostly residential buildings. After his internship, he spoke with CCC Construction and Technology Management Instructor Ken Myers about his experience. “Ken told me about how they were revamping the International Residential Code class,” Lawry said. “That piqued my interest.” The class, it ...

Learning autos in high school, getting college credit from CCC

Wednesday, 18^th April 2018

High school students Kami Lawrence (left) and Emilio Apodaca get college credit at Coconino Community College while enrolled in the Automotive program. Flagstaff, Ariz. – Kami Lawrence is a senior at Coconino High School. She has taken Auto 1, 2 and 3, and she has received college credit from CCC for each class through the Coconino Association for Vocations, Industry and Technology (CAVIAT) program. “I’ve always had an interest in cars and to know more about them, what they’re doing when you drive down the road,” Lawrence said. ...

CCC scholarship recipient has passion for business

Tuesday, 10^th April 2018

CCC student Paul Bearchell credits scholarships helping him on his track to earn a business degree. FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. - He’s a two-time cancer survivor, and his mother has survived her own bout with cancer. That’s why Coconino Community College student Paul Bearchell, who is also in the CCC2NAU program, isn’t wasting any time working toward his associate degree in in Business so he can move over to NAU in the spring and start putting in the work for his bachelor’s in Marketing. “I want to be my own business owner,” Bearchell said and ...

CCC apartment maintenance program growing

Friday, 30^th March 2018

The Certified Apartment Maintenance Technician program recently graduated 15 students, the largest number in the five years of the program. Flagstaff, Ariz. – William Gonzales, 24, recently applied for a job as an apartment maintenance technician in Flagstaff. He’d worked in that capacity before, and he had some general knowledge about the job. But he didn’t have the “title,” he said, and he wasn’t called back for the position. Deciding it could have been a factor, he wanted to do something about getting the title, so he checked into the ...

CCC represents at city's STEM celebration

Friday, 9^th March 2018

Flagstaff, Ariz. – Little hands reached for living plants, replica human skulls and firefighter helmets. A child peered into a microscope to see bugs crawling through compost. Exclamations of “wow,” and “ooh,” carried over the noise, and all faces, children and adults alike, were alight with wonder. More than 40 employees and students from Coconino Community College made a significant showing at the Flagstaff Community STEM Celebration, Monday, March 5, at the Northern Arizona University Skydome. It ...

CCC alum credits Educational Opportunity Center for success

Thursday, 1^st March 2018

CCC alum Gordon Isaac now works for the National Park Service on the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park. Flagstaff, Ariz. - Gordon Isaac initially started college in 1993. While he was in school, he took a job with the city of Flagstaff and he started a family. He set his college education on the back burner, and the years passed. Eventually, he noticed something had happened. “I reached a ceiling because I didn’t have a degree,” Isaac said, adding that he started his own business, worked for the Bureau of Indian Affairs and even did a stint as ...

CCC student spreads love - one quilt at a time

Friday, 9^th February 2018

CCC student Marsha Monestersky (right) shares a quilt with Emerson Hasgood of the Jeddito Chapter on the Navajo Nation. Flagstaff, Ariz. - Coconino Community College has some of the most captivating students. Each of them has something special to bring to the College. One student in particular, Marsha Monestersky, has an extraordinary passion for helping others. The warmth in her heart—and the warmth of her delivered quilts—hasn’t gone unnoticed. Monestersky is the Program Director for Forgotten People, a Navajo Nation ...

CCC Fire Science students get a bead on fire behavior

Tuesday, 30^th January 2018

Local fire department staff use thermal imaging devices to watch fire behavior in CCC's newly acquired Max Fire Box. Flagstaff, Ariz. – Understanding fire behavior is one of the most critical skills a firefighter learns, said Marc Goldberg, Fire Science Coordinator and Instructor at Coconino Community College. To that end, CCC purchased a Max Fire Box training prop this year with the help of a Science Technology Engineering and Math grant from the state. Shawn Bloemker from Max Fire Box came to Flagstaff last week to offer demonstrations. More than 30 ...

CCC student aims for change in criminal justice system

Monday, 22^nd January 2018

Coconino Community College student Robin Hebert plans to work in the criminal justice field. Flagstaff, Ariz. -- Robin Hebert had gone to college previously, but she fell into the world of addiction and got in trouble with the law. Now, she has her life on track, has a career, and is back in school at Coconino Community College studying Sociology. Her ultimate goal is a degree in the field of criminal justice. “Given my life experience, it feels like something I want to do,” Hebert said. She currently works in the criminal justice ...

County residents sound off about CCC

Thursday, 4^th January 2018

CCC President Dr. Colleen Smith speaks to residents during a "listening session" at Killip Elementary School in Flagstaff on Dec. 5. Flagstaff, Ariz. -- The woman raised her hand and shared her story. She's an employee with the Flagstaff Unified School District, and, over the years, she has taken more than 40 classes at Coconino Community College. They weren't for credit. They were for her personal development. "I came here to thank CCC for the senior discount," she said, adding that CCC should think about attracting more ...

CCC comes together for care packages for troops overseas

Tuesday, 12^th December 2017

CCC instructors Sandie Dihlmann (left) and Jennifer Jameson recently delivered several care packages to troops stationed overseas this holiday season. Flagstaff, Ariz. -- CCC Math Instructor Jennifer Jameson's husband Duane is a Warrant Officer in the U.S. Army and is currently on deployment in the Middle East. During his deployment, he visited several remote locations with U.S. troops in Iraq and Syria. The living conditions are harsh, and the small necessities of life are often lacking. Jameson, along with English Instructor Sandie Dihlmann and students from ...

CCC student thrives at Victim Witness Services internship

Monday, 4^th December 2017

Flagstaff, Ariz. – It was a tough house call to make – she had to notify a family that their loved one had died. “You have to focus more on the people than on what actually happened,” said Azurrae Martinez. “You have to be there to help them.” Martinez recently finished an internship with Victim Witness Services for Coconino County, and she continues to volunteer for the organization. She will be graduating from CCC this month with an associate degree in Sociology. After that, she will be off to Northern ...

Officers graduate from Basic Detention Academy offered through CCC

Tuesday, 28^th November 2017

Flagstaff, Ariz. -- Helping others and law enforcement are his passions, but he’d been out of school for nearly 20 years. Regardless, Ty Briggs decided to follow his passions, and he joined the Detention Officer ranks at the Coconino County Detention Facility. Briggs, along with eight other colleagues, successfully completed the coursework of the Basic Detention Academy offered in partnership between the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office and Coconino Community College. They all received recognition for their accomplishment with a ...

Exhibit gives voice to Flagstaff's Hispanic heritage

Monday, 30^th October 2017

Breann Velasco’s motivation was to acknowledge all of Flagstaff’s people who helped contribute to building Flagstaff. She started working at the Pioneer Museum about four years ago, and, to her, much of the history of Flagstaff focused on the Anglo settlers. “So, when I would walk through the museum, I would feel a disconnect because I really didn’t feel I could directly relate to that history,” said Velasco, who is Hispanic and serves as the operations technician at Pioneer Museum. She ...