By Nancy Genova

Nancy Genova, chief executive officer of Colorado Mountain College in Rifle and a college vice president

Colorado Mountain College’s Rifle campus strives to stay on the forefront of leading integrated technologies.

Dr. Dennis Zhang is one example of the outstanding faculty bringing this leading technology into classrooms. In March, he received approval for an exciting patent for a process used for biofuel production from algae.

Last August Zhang joined our talented faculty as the associate professor of integrated energy. In addition to having a background in teaching, he has also built his career on process engineering associated with energy.

Before starting at CMC, he served as a senior chemical engineer at Solix BioSystems, Inc., in Fort Collins, with a focus on downstream processes for algae biofuels and bioproducts.

His patent – U.S. Patent No. 8,399,239 – is a new process for separating biomass from algae for use in biofuels production and generation of related algae products. Algae production for biofuel occurs in four steps: the algae are grown Read more

The Natural Resource Management degree program at Colorado Mountain College in Leadville provides valuable, on the ground training for students interested in natural resource work with government agencies. Graduate Jackie Kniss found a position with the Colorado Department of Parks and Wildlife after graduating from the program, studying bighorn sheep and lamb survival rates in the Arkansas River Valley for the agency. Jackie shares her thoughts of the program’s value in the video below.

Glenwood Center new home for advanced degree in social work

Dr. Walter LaMendola, professor in the University of Denver’s Graduate School of Social Work, and Dr. Brad Tyndall, senior vice president of academic affairs at Colorado Mountain College, are among those in the DU-CMC partnership bringing a Master of Social Work program to western Colorado. Photo Stefanie Kilts

In a partnership that will strengthen the Western Slope’s network of social support services, as well as create career opportunities for people already living in the region, Colorado Mountain College and the University of Denver are working together to bring a master’s degree in social work to Garfield County.

The Graduate School of Social Work (GSSW) at the University of Denver has recently started enrolling students into its Master of Social Work (MSW) program in western Colorado. Colorado Mountain College will host the program at its Glenwood Center, which is located at 1402 Blake Avenue (behind the City Market) in Glenwood Springs.

Classes will start in fall 2013. Available spots are already being filled, so applicants are encouraged to apply as soon as possible.

“By partnering with the University of Denver, we’re able to help empower our local residents with greater access, so they can earn an advanced degree from a well-respected university,” said Dr. Charles Dassance, interim president of Colorado Mountain College. “Not only will this degree prepare people for Read more

Registration opens for Colorado Mountain College Summer Technology Institute

By Kristin Carlson

As parents plan family vacations, they’re also looking for local opportunities to keep kids engaged and entertained during the long summer days. The Summer Technology Institute at Colorado Mountain College in Breckenridge offers young people a chance to explore the digital landscape with a group of experienced guides.

Founder and lead teacher of the Summer Technology Institute, Robert Cartelli, a technology and e-commerce instructor at the college, saw a need to support local schools in their efforts to stay ahead of the technology curve. So, with the help of several expert instructors, he launched the first Summer Technology Institute Read more