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Colorado Mountain College names Cairns as campus vice president

Ben Cairns has been named vice president and campus dean for the Colorado Mountain College Leadville and Salida campuses. The Denver area native has a long career in education, which includes serving as principal of Lake County High School since 2016.

After an extensive national search, Colorado Mountain College has named Lake County High School Principal Ben Cairns as the next vice president and campus dean for its Leadville and Salida campuses.

Cairns will begin the transition from the high school to CMC effective August 2.

CMC alumna wins Snowmaker of the Year award

Madeline Pierce won the 2021 Colorado Ski Country USA Double Diamond Award for Snowmaker of the Year. Photo from Copper Mountain Resort

Despite her youth, Madeline Pierce’s passion and dedication for snowmaking helped the 22-year-old Copper Mountain Resort snowmaker win the 2021 Colorado Ski Country Double Diamond Snowmaker of the Year award.

“I’m honored, and I’m really excited, and I think it’s very special because as snowmakers, being behind the scenes, we don’t receive a lot of recognition,” Pierce said.

Wright Collegiate Challenge honors CMC team for outdoor industry collaboration

A team of students from Colorado Mountain College Leadville received the Best-in-Class award from The Wright Collegiate Challenge, a 12-week competition that pairs college students with outdoor industry organizations. Faculty advisors with graduate and student team members at CMC Leadville’s commencement on May 7 are, from left, Kathleen Law, assistant dean of instruction; Collin Appleby of Ketchikan, Alaska; Reuben Hansen of St. Louis; Christian Bueng of Perham, Minnesota; Grady Whitson of Zionsville, Indiana; Maggie Patch of Brookfield, Wisconsin; and Cooper Mallozzi, professor of outdoor recreation leadership. Photo by Andy Colwell

CMC Leadville awarded Best in Class for its work with San Luis Valley Great Outdoors

CMC Leadville and Salida campus leader accepts college president role in Oregon

Rachel Pokrandt, campus vice president for Colorado Mountain College in Leadville and Salida, has accepted the role of president at Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, Oregon. Her last day with CMC will be June 18th.

After nearly ten years with Colorado Mountain College, Rachel Pokrandt, vice president and campus dean of the Leadville and Salida campuses, has accepted the role of President at Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, Oregon. “This is a bittersweet moment for me because I absolutely love the Leadville and Salida communities and our amazing, dedicated faculty,… Continue reading CMC Leadville and Salida campus leader accepts college president role in Oregon

CMC Leadville selects Kathleen Law as assistant dean of instruction

Kathleen Law is the new assistant dean of instruction at CMC Leadville. With an extensive background teaching English, literature and outdoor education, Law will supervise faculty members and work on strategic programming at the college.

New ADI comes to CMC from 13 years at Colorado Academy

Eagles compete on ‘grand’ scale

Seven men and two women from Colorado Mountain College’s cross-country running team competed at the Colorado Mesa University XC Invitational on Oct. 10 at Lincoln Park in Grand Junction. As the only National Junior College Athletic Association school at the meet, CMC joined a highly competitive field, which included 145 top runners from a total… Continue reading Eagles compete on ‘grand’ scale

CMC team hosts ‘highest cross-country meet in the solar system’

Colorado Mountain College student-athlete Madisen Johnson of Windsor, Colorado, turned in a 27:42 in the 5K at the CMC Eagle Open at the college’s Leadville campus Sept. 26, 2020. This is the first year that the college has had a women’s cross-country running team.

Eagle runners at home for race Sept. 26

CMC Eagles cross-country team scores ‘firsts’

From left, Luke Plummer from Seymour, Indiana; Skyler Winter from Peyton, Colorado; and Paul Hans from Breckenridge, Colorado, are all first-year members of the Colorado Mountain College men’s cross-country team. They raced in temperatures above 95 degrees in Carr, Colorado, on Sept. 5 during the trio’s first collegiate meet.

Men and women student-athletes have successful meets in northern Colorado and Wyoming

Jump starting the season

On Sept. 8 in Leadville, it looked a whole lot more like winter than summer. At Colorado Mountain College’s Leadville campus, an early cold front gave ski area operations students the opportunity to make snow at the campus’s terrain park.

CMC Leadville ski area ops students are first on the hill

CMC cross-country team nearly doubles in size

Colorado Mountain College cross-country student-athlete Jack Setser, here crossing the finish line at the August 2019 10,000 Foot Invite in Leadville, is back for his second season. The team’s innovative approach to virtual training has proven successful in recruiting nearly double the number of runners competing on behalf of CMC in the fall 2020 season.

Virtual training proven successful in recruiting student-athletes