The month of February will be a busy one at CNCC. 

We had a great start to the spring semester welcoming returning students and a double-digit increase in new students compared to a year ago. As we get into the heart of the semester, we have turned our attention to engaging our students and community in activities taking place both on and off campus. We would like to share these activities with you in hopes you will join. 

Our Craig campus features the Colorado Northwestern Community College Field Museum, which was formed five short years ago. Sue Mock, the curator and museum manager, loves to share with visitors the processes that create dinosaur bones, how casts and moldings are made once bones have been excavated, and share fossil remains housed on site from our famous hadrosaur, Walter. Contact Sue at sue.mock@cncc.edu for group tours. The museum is open each weekend and on holidays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Admission is free.

Amanda Ott, Craig campus Associate Dean and faculty member, is planning a CNCC Study Abroad trip to Egypt for students and community members. For more information, contact Professor Ott at 970-824-1120 or amanda.ott@cncc.edu.

In Rangely, CNCC will be inviting back an Aviation program alumnus who will be visiting after 50 years on Feb. 13. Lt. Colonel Steve Baysinger is retired from the U.S. Air Force, and Boeing. We are also planning a Colorado Northwestern Aviation Summit on March 14 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. For those interested in attending the summit, please contact Jennifer Mark at 970-675-3290 or Jennifer.mark@cncc.edu.

Our athletics programs also enter their busiest time of year. Softball and baseball kick off play this month on the road, and rodeo is set to begin again in March. The CNCC men’s basketball season is in full swing with the team experiencing its winningest season in recent memory. Though on the road for most of January, the Spartans will close out the season with a flurry of home games. All home games are held in the Hefley Gym on the Rangely campus. Home games include:

Feb. 8 — 6 p.m. vs. Snow College

Feb. 10 — 2 p.m. vs. Salt Lake Community College

Feb. 22 — 6 p.m. vs. North Idaho College

Feb. 24 — 2 p.m. vs. College of Southern Idaho

Feb. 29 — 6 p.m. vs. Utah State University-Eastern

We thank each member of our community for your ongoing support and increased engagement in the exciting things going on at Colorado Northwestern Community College. 

Lisa Jones is the president of Colorado Northwestern Community College.