Tag: Stacie Armijo

New course speeds students toward graduation

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By Stacie Armijo, Staff Reporter

For students on the fast track to success there is now a course that can help get them there, said English Professor Sue Fox.

Starting this semes­ter, Fox began teaching a new dual-English class that combines English 950 and English 1101 into one class, she said.

In order to enroll for the class, students must place into English 950 and see an academic advi­sor, Fox said.

“I came up with the concept for this class. Over the years I noticed that the objectives of these two courses were complimentary and in both courses students learn the writing process,” Fox said.

Students earn six credits upon completion of the course, three cred­its for English 950 and three credits for English 1101, she said.

According to Fox and completecollege.org, the longer students stay in com­munity college the less likely they are to graduate because most community college students have families, chil­dren, jobs, and life in gen­eral that can get in the way of graduation.

Of all full time com­munity college students in 2004 and 2005, only 44 percent returned for the second semes­ter, according to Fox and completecollege.org.

Fox’s class is a novel and innovative way for stu­dents to get to graduation faster, she said.

“This class is kind of a way to speed up the process. Students have essays due every two weeks,” Fox said.

In this rigorous course, students complete essay assignments that include developing an argumentative essay, a memoir, and a pro­posal, Fox said.

The class meets four nights a week, Mondays and Wednesdays from 6 p.m. to 7:15 p.m., and on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6 p.m. to 7:50 p.m., where students can either earn a credit or no credit for 950 and a letter grade for 1101, Fox said.

Fox said that most of her students have enjoyed the class, so the courses’ retention rate has actually been higher than 1101 and 950 separately.

“This has been the first semester that this class has been offered. Out of the 22 students that enrolled in the class at the begin­ning of the semester there are still 18 currently in the class. I think that is a good retention rate,” Fox said.

Students will also have opportunities for extra credit, if the whole class retakes the Accuplacer, to see how well the class has improved over the semes­ter, Fox said.

Fox said that the class is not for everyone, but is more for highly moti­vated individuals who have above average attendance and like to write, she said.

The text book used in this class is the Norton Field Guide, a combination of writing and model essays in various rhetori­cal modes, Fox said.

One of the assignments in the class was to analyze a text using methods found in the Norton Field Guide, Fox said.

“Students chose a wide variety of things, from Helen Reddy to Jay-Z. It was a really cool eclectic mix,” Fox said.

Nursing major and cur­rent dual English student, Bianca Lopez said that the class has taught her quite a lot in a short period of time.

“I love all the things I have learned in the class,” Lopez said.

C o n s t r u c t i o n Technology major, Craig Cunningham said that the course has been a little challenging because he does not enjoy writing essays, but he still thinks Fox has been an excellent instructor.

“Sue Fox is the great­est. She is the best teacher I have ever had. I mean, this is the most awesome oppor­tunity that could be given to us,” Cunningham said.

Fox said there are still openings for the class for the spring semester, and for more information, contact Professor Fox at sfox@cnm.edu or see an academic advisor.

Fox has been teaching at CNM for over 30 years and is currently a full time instructor, she said.

“I feel that this is a good opportunity for stu­dents. I love to see my stu­dents succeed,” Fox said.

Student struggles and succeeds

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By Stacie Armijo, Staff Reporter | Photo by Stacie Armijo

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Liberal Arts major, Lupe Fuentes, loves CNM so much, that even after graduating with a degree in Integrated Studies, she is staying on to get a second degree in Liberal Arts, and was recently hired as a full-time administrative tech in the Facilities and Planning Department, she said.
“I love coming to CNM for the sense of community,” she said.
Although Fuentes has been taught math, science, and English, what she really learned in college is the strength within herself, she said.
Fuentes admitted when she first came to college she was terrified, but with the help of the faculty and staff she found the confidence she needed, she said.
“I got the courage and confidence I needed to pursue my dream,” she said.
Once she finishes her Liberal Arts degree, Fuentes plans on attending UNM to obtain a bachelor’s degree in studio art with a minor in art management, she said.
Fuentes has taken several art classes here at CNM and found a passion for it, despite the fact that she was not very experienced with art before, she said.
“I am not a natural born artist. I am not the kind of person that can go in and draw a beautiful picture,” she said
Eventually, Fuentes learned the techniques she needed to know, and now she can draw and paint because of the patience of her art instructors, she said.
“The instructors here bring out the best of you,” she said.
Fuentes credits her teachers for inspiring her to get involved with school, she said.
Among those teachers are Peggy Brock, Jack Ehn, and Rebecca Aronson, she said.
“They made school interesting, and are near and dear to my heart,” she said.
Fuentes is a nontraditional student, because she came back to school after all of her children had grown, and had some problems with classes when she first came back, she said.
But Sally Moore from CNM Connect helped Fuentes get in touch with a one-on-one tutor, so Fuentes could move ahead academically, she said.
“She recognized that I didn’t learn the traditional way and needed a little extra help,” she said.
Fuentes said that the tutors at ACE are all great when you need general help, but some students like herself just need a little help from one consistent person.
For Fuentes, that person was Steve Severance, who helped her one-on-one to succeed in her class, she said.
“I ended up finishing math statistics with an A because of him,” she said.
Fuentes said at one point she was getting a little frustrated with school, homework and the time spent at school, which was taking away from her family.
Fuentes has four children, aged 27 to 32, and six grandchildren, all of whom she wanted to spend more time with, she said.
“I wanted to devote time to my children, grandchildren and boyfriend. I learned that everything is a journey and if I do what I am supposed to, show up to school every day and do my best I would be rewarded with something valuable for life,” she said.
She stuck with school, however, and was rewarded with an education, she said.
Fuentes said she thinks that although it may be hard to stay in school sometimes, and that sometimes financial burdens can be overwhelming, if one is patient and works hard, it will all be worth it in the end.
“Everything good comes with time. If everything came quickly we wouldn’t appreciate the journey,” she said.
Fuentes said that coming back to school was one of the best things she has ever done.
“I have learned that anything is possible and there is always time to follow your dreams,” she said.

Making the goods; Terrifyingly tasty Halloween recipes

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By Stacie Armijo, Staff Reporter

One of the best parts of Halloween is eating decadent candies, and home-made treats can be tastier than knocking on doors and hoping for some­thing good to eat, Chef and part-time Culinary Instructor Julian Griego said.

Griego shared with the Chronicle one of his favorite recipes, full of tricks to make delicious treats for Halloween parties.

After Griego graduated from Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Las Vegas, NV, he came back to his hometown of Albuquerque, where he worked at some of the most highly regarded res­taurants in the city, including Savoy, Seasons and Marcello’s Chophouse, he said.

Pumpkin Espresso Creme Brulee
Ingredients
1 ½ cups heavy cream
½ cup whole milk
8 oz. fresh pumpkin (Avoid larger jack-O’-lantern varieties, stick to smaller pumpkins such as Baby Pam, Autumn Gold and Ghost Rider)
½ tsp vanilla extract or 1 fresh vanilla bean
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp ground cloves
½ oz. fresh ground Espresso beans
4 egg yolks
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup coarse sugar or raw sugar
Directions
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees
For the fresh pumpkin
Halve pumpkin and remove seeds by scooping them out with a large spoon.
Rub butter on the inside of the pumpkin and sprinkle with cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves and Roast espresso grounds at 400 degrees until soft, remove, and chill for 10 minutes.
Scoop roasted flesh out of pumpkin with a spoon and mash using food processor or large spoon.
Heat cream, milk and vanilla over medium heat in a medium sauce pan, stir occasionally.
Once it begins to boil, immediately remove from heat, and let it rest for 15 minutes.
Whisk in pumpkin puree and pour mixture into 4 ramekins.
Arrange in hot water bath and bake in center of the oven for about 30 – 40 minutes.
The custard should be mostly firm when you shake the pan; it will firm up more as it cools.
Remove from the water bath and cool for 15 minutes.
Tightly cover each rame¬kin with plastic wrap, and refrigerate at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours.
When ready to serve, preheat broiler to very hot, uncover chilled custards and pour course sugar on top.
Place custards on baking sheets and broil until sugar is golden brown.
Cool, crack the sugar shell and enjoy!

Broken Glass Cupcakes From Easybaked.net
From Easybaked.net
Ingredients:
The Cupcakes:
One box Red Velvet cake mix, any brand
Milk (in the same amount of, and instead of, the water called for by mix)
Eggs (in the same amount called for, plus one extra egg)
Butter (twice the amount of oil required by mix – for example, if the box calls for ½ cup of oil , or use 1 cup of butter instead)
Measure and then melt before adding to the mix
The Frosting
1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
½ cup of butter (softened)
1 teaspoon vanilla
Dash of salt
4 cups powdered sugar
1 cup white chocolate chips, melted
Candy Glass
1 cup of granulated sugar
½ cup of light corn syrup
1 teaspoon of clear flavoring
The Edible Blood
1 (14oz) can of sweeten condensed milk
Red gel food coloring
Black gel food coloring
1 teaspoon of clear flavor¬ing extracts such as vanilla
Directions
Make the decorations first (the glass and the blood) and keep them until just before your party to decorate. They will both keep for several days so you can make them ahead of time.
Cupcakes
Follow the recipe on the box, with the altered ingredi¬ents provided above
Divide equally into 24 cupcake liners in cupcake tins.
Bake at 350 degrees according to times on box.
Remove cupcakes from oven and cool completely.
Candy Glass
Mix together granu¬lated sugar and corn syrup in microwave safe bowl.
Cover bowl with plastic wrap and microwave for three minutes, mix, cover with fresh plastic and microwave for another three minutes.
Watch carefully after two minutes to make sure mixture does not change color, remove from microwave.
Pour contents onto cookie sheet covered in wax paper that has been liberally sprayed with cooking spray.
Let sit for two hours until completely hardened.
Once dry, break apart and remove from wax paper
Edible Blood
Mix together sweetened condensed milk, red food col¬oring and flavoring in small bowl until a bright red color develops.
Add a very small amount of black food color to make a blood red color.
Store in a zip-top bag in refrigerator.
Frosting
Beat together cream cheese, butter, vanilla and salt on medium speed.
Gradually add powdered sugar, while beating until smooth
Melt white chocolate chips in the microwave in 30 second increments stirring between, until smooth.
Add melted white choco¬late to icing and beat on low until completely combined
Place in a zip-top bag fitted with a decorating tip and pipe frosting on top of cooled cupcakes
Decorating
Decorate on plat¬ter you will serve on, which makes for nice blood splatter.
Place frosted cupcakes on protected surface and press two to three pieces of candy glass into the top of each.
Clip the corner on the bag of edible blood and drizzle over the top of the glass and the cupcakes, allowing it to drip down the sides of both.

 

Special spooky suncat chit chat

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Michaella Maddry Liberal Arts major “I love Halloween because of the costumes and the fake blood. I am dressing as Ash Housewares from the video game Evil Dead. For Halloween I am going downtown to see a punk rock bank at the Launchpad.”
Michaella Maddry
Liberal Arts major
“I love Halloween because of the costumes and the fake
blood. I am dressing as Ash Housewares from the video
game Evil Dead. For Halloween I am going downtown
to see a punk rock bank at the Launchpad.”
Adam Mora Computer and Information Systems major “I haven’t decided what I am going to be for Halloween. I am going to attend a party!”
Adam Mora
Computer and Information Systems major
“I haven’t decided what I am going to be for
Halloween. I am going to attend a party!”
Michaella Maddry Liberal Arts major “I love Halloween because of the costumes and the fake blood. I am dressing as Ash Housewares from the video game Evil Dead. For Halloween I am going downtown to see a punk rock bank at the Launchpad.”
Michaella Maddry
Liberal Arts major
“I love Halloween because of the costumes and the fake
blood. I am dressing as Ash Housewares from the video
game Evil Dead. For Halloween I am going downtown
to see a punk rock bank at the Launchpad.”
Claudia Lente Business Administration major “I don’t dress up for Halloween. I love to give out candy and see the kid’s costumes.”
Claudia Lente
Business Administration major
“I don’t dress up for Halloween. I love to give out candy and see
the kid’s costumes.”
Rebecca Montoya Business major “I am planning on being a Roman Goddess for Halloween. I love it because I get to spend time with my kids and go trick or treating!”
Rebecca Montoya
Business major
“I am planning on being a Roman Goddess for
Halloween. I love it because I get to spend time
with my kids and go trick or treating!”

Award Winning Poet comes to campus

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By Stacie Armijo, Staff Reporter |Photo courtesy of poetryfoundation.org

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The main campus writing group will be showcasing award winning poet Dana Levin for a reading on Thursday, Oct. 24 at 7p.m., in Smith Brasher hall, said English Professor Rebecca Aronson.

This is a free event and all students are welcome to attend this event that the writers group has been doing twice a year with different published speakers, Aronson said.
According to Poetryfoundation.org, Dana Levin has published three books on poetry, including In the Surgical Theater, Wedding Day, and Sky Burial.
“It meant tremendous amounts to me to have my first book get published. It is what helped me start my career,” Levin said.
Levin said she currently teaches three classes at the Santa Fe University of Art and Design, and she also teaches a course called Living Writers, which is an entry level class for beginning creative writers and poetry technique, that breaks down poems to their craft element.
“One of the classes that I am teaching is on myth and fairy tales. It is a fun class, we read a lot,” she said.
Levin has received fellowships from the Library of Congress and from the Guggenheim Foundation.
“The one from the Library of Congress was a big deal. I am very sad that my parents were not alive to seYe me get that. They would have really liked that,” she said.
When Levin received the fellowship from the Guggenheim Foundation she took a sabbatical to write her third book, Sky Burial, she said.
According to coppercanyonpress.org Levin’s third book is an examination of the human passing that explores “Tibetan Buddhist burial rites and Aztec human sacrifice while constructing a personal mythology of death, lamentation, and rebirth.”
“I am proud of all my books for different reasons but I would have to say that the one I am most proud of is Sky Burial,” she said.
Levin lost both of her parents in 2002 and one of her sisters died in 2006, she said.
During that intense period and the grief that followed she produced “Sky Burial,” she said.
“I wrote through that experience with researching a lot of cross cultural burial practices and ideas about life after death, different religions and forensic anthropology,” Levin said.
Levin said writing Sky Burial was a challenge as well as a great distraction while going through so much grief.
Levin is motivated to bring dark into light she said, and finds her motivation by writing about her life experiences.
“My new poems are in hunger, appetite and the end of the world,” she said.
Levin has also received the National Endowment for the Arts grant, a Whiting Writers award for poetry, Rona Jaffe Writers, and several Pushcart prize, she said.
“What I love the most is when the form of a poem and the feeling inside the poem begin to work together and somehow merge in this strange magical way,” Levin said.
Levin loves to write and has been writing since the second grade. “I have always written and I started to write seriously as an adult around age 25,” she said.
When it comes to writing Levin said that it is like having to breathe air or drink water.
“It’s something that I have to do,” she said.
This event will be her first time speaking at CNM Aronson said.
“I want the readers of the Chronicle to know that poetry is totally awesome and they should read more poetry,” she said.

Job Connection Services offers workshops

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By Stacie Armijo, Staff Reporter
Job Connection Services are offering workshops to help current students as well as graduates succeed in finding a job, which are held on Main and Montoya campuses, Beth Moreno-Perine, Career Center Advisor said.
Main campus workshops are at the student services center in room 207, and at Montoya campus workshops are held at Tom Wiley Hall in room 105, she said.
These workshop sessions for resume building and interview skills are offered every two weeks where students can learn valuable tips regarding resumes and interviewing, Moreno-Perine said.
Students can register for the workshops online at cnm-csm.symplicity.com/students/index.php,she said.
“Workshops are offered every other week here at Main Campus as well as Montoya Campus. Students are encouraged to sign up. The workshops focus on resumes and interviewing,” Beth Moreno-Perine, Career Center Advisor said.
One of the valuable tips that the job connection services offers for instance, is if an interviewer asks about a student’s experience with something they have not learned, such as using a particular software, Moreno-Perine said bringing up knowing a similar skill or program can convey enthusiasm and initiative for learning new skills.
“We can adapt the questions to the type of job that the student will be interviewing for,” Moreno-Perine said.
If students are interested in a federal job, they can get a sample of a federal resume, and be able to learn about effective federal resumes, which can be long and detailed, she said.
When a student does find a job they are rewarded by the team at JCS by ringing a bell and have their picture taken for the center star-board that showcases a student or graduate, Moreno-Perine said.
D-Yanna Seonia, Pre-Health major came into the job connection services for help with her resume and for job leads. “I love that they are here to help me with any questions I might have, “ she said.
Donna Fastle, Career Center Advisor said, she is there to assist students whether they are in school and need a part time job, or if they are students that are close to finishing a degree and want to know how to get a job in their fields of study.
“Be confident, be persistent and be patient. Job Connect Services is out there to help students,” Fastle said.
D’Yanna Seonia, Pre-Health major who came into the job connection services for help with her resume said, “I love that they are here to help me.”
Former CNM student and accouting major, Kitar Chen said she came in to the Job Connection services for help with her resume.
“The staff is the best. They do everything they can to help me,” she said.The job connection service center offers help to students with all aspects of finding a job, Moreno-Perine said.
“We get to see someone no matter where they are at in their job search and a lot of times we have seen people come in very frequently sometimes daily,” Moreno-Perine said.
The job connect services can help students with cover letters, references and other services to help students or graduates search for jobs, she said.
“The good news is that even when students graduate they have a lifetime of free services no matter what happens in their academic world or in the work world”, Moreno-Perine said.
Job Connection Services is also planning a clothing exchange in December. Donations will be accepted after Thanksgiving.
Anna Watkins, Job Connection Services Manager said that a job fair is planned for Wednesday March 5, 2014 at the CNM Workforce Training Center from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Watkins said that one of the things she loves about her job is seeing students recognize their own brilliance, skills and talents.
“I have the most wonderful employees. They take measures to get better and to learn,” she said.

No more blues for students wallets; Local restaurant offers unique discounts

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By Stacie Armijo , Staff Reporter | Photo By Stacie Armijo

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Tia Betty Blues, located at 1248 San Mateo SE, offers a wide range of home­made menu items and various discounts to customers five days a week, employee of Tia Betty Blues and lib­eral arts major, Cullen Boardman said.

On Thursdays, the restaurant gives a 30 percent discount to all CNM, UNM, and APS students and employ­ees, he said.

“We are hoping to have more students come in and try us out,” Boardman said.

The restaurant also offers discounts for military personnel, medical personnel, and even people with tat­toos, he said.

Tia Betty Blues makes all their food from scratch every day and the restaurant provides options for people with food aller­gies or specific needs, he said.

“All of our food can be customized for dia­betics, vegan, vegetar­ian, and gluten free cus­tomers,” Boardman said.

There is also an array of specialty sodas with classic flavors and other unique options like Bacon, Ranch Dressing, and Apple Pie, he said.

“We do not serve alcohol but we do offer ginger ales and ginger beers. We offer a ginger ale with bits of real ginger inside that is popular with our customers,” Boardman said.

Frequent custom­ers Linda Lou Taylor and Maureen Elswood said that one of the things that drew them to this unique estab­lishment was the image of Tia Betty on the bill­board out front.

“The image caught our eye when we were driving by,” Elswood said.

They both love the friendly attitude of the employees and the deli­cious food. “We also love the discounts,” Taylor said.

Taylor and Elswood said that Tia Betty Blues is their usual weekend destination and that they are there every Saturday.

“One of the reasons we keep coming back is because we love the food,” Taylor said.

Boardman said everything is prepared fresh and made to order. Nothing is frozen and orders are made when the customer places their order, he said.

The owner, Daniel Boardman, is Cullen Boardman’s father and is from Chimayo, New Mexico. He wanted to open a restaurant that brought Northern New Mexico flavor to Albuquerque and appealed to many dif­ferent people, said Cullen Boardman.

The restaurant opened on May 1, 2012 and has been drawing in crowds ever since, he said. Breakfast is served all day long and just a few of the break­fast options include blue corn waffles, huevos rancheros, and a breakfast taco plate. For lunch, the best seller is the original New Mexico Po’ Boy, which is a Tia Betty exclusive with home­made carne adovada, cheese, onions, jala­penos and Fritos, served on a locally made baguette loaf, he said.

Tia Betty Blues is open 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday, and from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday’s and Sunday’s. Wi-Fi is free for all customers. Like them on Facebook at Facebook.

Automotive club restores classic car

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Stacie Armijo, Staff Reporter | Photo by Rene Thompson

11.1

The Auto Body Club has been working to restore a 1950 Ford busi­ness coupe as an ongoing project with no specific completion date, Barry Mills Jr., Instructor in the Automotive Technology department said.

The car was donated over five years ago and was painted by the club in June, he said. “Now that the car has been painted students are really get­ting more excited about it. They see that with a little bit of elbow grease, desire and effort, that they can do bigger things than they thought pos­sible,” Mills said.

Michael Trujillo, Auto Technology major and President of the Auto Body Club said, “I like the body shape of it, how it’s sort of a gangster car. Its history, which is what I like about it.”

Trujillo said he has been the president of the Auto Body club now for two years. The club meets every other Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

“Restoring a classic car is a lot of work. In order to get the car ready to paint we did a lot of sand­ing,” Trujillo said.

Mills said the Ford business coupe was origi­nally designed for busi­ness men that needed to travel around to many places, which makes this car so special.

“What makes it so interesting is that it was never built with a backseat or a passanger sun visor. It was designed for a single person to carry goods and drive around the county and sell things,” Mills said.

Students in the auto body program learn to change tires, do alignments, change oil, and learn other automotive details, Trujillo said.

“The most valuable thing I have learned here in the auto body depart­ment is how to get along with people; how to listen to people’s opin­ions and to solve prob­lems,” Trujillo said.

The knowledge students learn in the auto body program is extremely valuable and useful in their career as automotive technicians, he said.

“It is important to learn because that is the kind of business I want to be in, I want to open my own automotive business,” Trujillo said.

Mills said one of big­gest benefits of teaching is watching the light bulb go on and watching the confidence come alive in students that seem timid.

“They learn a new skill. Watching them overcome the fear of opening the hood and looking at the engine and saying, ‘I don’t know a thing about it’ and getting to a point where they are not afraid to take it apart and see what’s inside,” Mills said.

Mills said most of the cars that students work on are donated from compa­nies such as Nissan Motor Company and Ford Motor Company. Cars are also donated from the local community.

The library’s best kept secret

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Stacie Armijo, Staff Reporter
For students who cannot afford to buy laptops, iPads, textbooks and other materials they may need, the Reserve program in the library is set up to help, Main campus Library Manager Olivia Baca said.
Students are able to borrow items for a three hour interval, although not all text books are available and often there is only one copy of each, Baca said.
“We feel that the three hours gives students enough time to take it to class and not have to race to the library or race to class. There is that window to accommodate whether it is a study session or a class session, but it is also reasonably brief,” Baca said.
The three hour check out policy is set in place to ensure that an item will soon be turned back in for another student to use, she said.
“With the three hours’ time frame the library is committed to maximizing resources for the most number of students,” Baca said.
Business Administration major Irving Ramos said that he likes the fact that laptops are available for students to borrow.
“I can do my homework here instead of looking for one in the computer lab,” Ramos said.
The library recently added the availability of 20 laptops and 10 iPads to the reserve program, which helps adhere to the different types of tools students may need, Baca said.
“We are really excited about the I-Pads. Because it is the touch interface it mimics a desktop computer in a lot of ways and a tablet operates completely different so we want all students that are so inclined to be able to try that out,” Baca said.
Baca said the collection of items is available through donations and loans.
“Professors loan us a copy of a text book or if a department has extra copies they will loan or donate it to us so we are able to make it available to students,” Baca said.
A year ago the library put a policy into practice that deals with the consequences of returning materials late, she said.
“If a student returns it late than they are not denied access to the resource but they are restricted. At the main campus library that means using it at the big silver help desk on the first floor,” Baca said.
The Main campus library currently has many text books on file. In addition to the laptops and iPads they also loan headphones, computer mouse, and other resource material.
“I think it’s important to know that library staff is always willing to help them,” Baca said.
All students are encouraged to call, email CNM.edu/libraries, or stop by for any help they might need, she said.
“We are here to help them, so we can help them find a resource for a project so that it doesn’t take those three frustrating hours,” she said.
If you have any questions regarding this valuable resource please contact the CNM libraries at 224-4278 or email Olivia Baca at obaca9@cnm.edu.

Be part of the future endeavors of CNM

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Stacie Armijo, Staff Reporter
President of Fellow of Innovation David Valdes said he is holding focus group sessions to invite students to give their ideas for the next big accomplishment at CNM.
Focus group sessions will be held on Wednesday Sept. 18 and Friday Sept. 20 at Main Campus, and all students are welcome to participate, Valdes said.
Two sessions will be offered both days starting at 9 a.m. and 10:30 a.m., with Valdes cautioning that limited space will be available for students to voice their opinions. For more information or to sign up for the focus group meetings students can email Valdes at dvaldes1@cnm.edu.
Valdes said he has a number of ideas to improve the quality of what CNM has to offer by getting the perspective of students and faculty, and by making the campuses better overall.
“I would like to emphasize that I want students to be part of what I am doing. I have jotted down a million ideas for innovations at CNM, a lot of them revolve around parking,” he said.
Many students, staff and faculty have voiced their concerns regarding problems with parking, he said.
“Something I would like to explore and look into as what we could possibly do about all of the parking issues,” he said.
Students can voice their opinions on what needs to be developed upon and how those ideas can be implemented into school programs, he said.
“It’s important to me to generate and narrow ideas for topics of innovation,” and that is where these focus groups come in, Valdes said.
There are 30 participants of CNM faculty that have signed up to be a part of this new group idea, with faculty being a separate entity from the student groups, Valdes said.
“The program of innovation is to try to find a way to accomplish something tangible. I can generate a decent amount of ideas on my own but I want more brains involved,” Valdes said.
New ideas for the school are welcomed and are to be shared at one of these mentioned sessions, he said.
“There are several types of innovation; cultural, technological, academic and economic,” he said.
Valdes hopes these focus groups help students become more involved in volunteer programs where students can learn to help the community through the school.
“I would like to see every graduate of CNM having been involved in a charitable organization before they leave. It sounds like a great cultural shift that I would like to see for the future of our state, and our nation. I hope that students focus on how they can help the people next to them,” Valdes said.
Valdes said that after the focus groups he will continue with applying what ideas are really going to help students and faculty and how these new innovations can be incorporated into the school.
“I am trying to build research, then implementation and evaluation groups as well.” he said.
There are currently three fellowships here at CNM and Valdes said that each one hopes to better the school for the students in new ways.
“There is also a fellow of distance learning and there are two people working on curriculum. There are several areas to look at; talking about technological innovation in particular I know that the fellowship of distance learning is really looking on how they can ramp up technical help for students,” he said.
Students need to be able to voice their opinions of what can be improved at the school and focus groups will be the first of many new ideas that will help the school to become better with the benefit of many perspectives, Valdes said.