Mountains serve as classroom for Air Force cadets learning leadership

This story appeared in the Aug. 4 edition of the Leadville Herald Democrat 

By Patrick Bilow, Leadville Herald reporter

A group of 90 United States Air Force Academy cadets from around the world are taking to the trails, rivers and crags of the Upper Arkansas River Valley this summer. Known as the Outdoor Leadership Development Program, the experience is offered through a collaboration with Colorado Mountain College and is designed to teach cadets leadership skills while improving social and emotion intelligence.

“The Naval Academy and West Point, they have the universities and corporations of the East Coast,” said Lt. Col. David Huston, who works within the United States Air Force Academy’s (USAFA) Center For Character and Leadership Development. “But we are the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs with Leadville and Buena Vista practically in our backyard. There’s so much to learn from here.”

Last week, Huston, Vice Commandant of Cadets Col. Clarence Lukes Jr. and about 15 cadets learned watercraft skills near Buena Vista before playing kayak soccer in Cottonwood Creek. Many of the participants, including Lukes Jr., had never been in a kayak before. Meanwhile, cadets who had already been in the water were mountain biking in Leadville, rock climbing in Buena Vista or backpacking around French Mountain in the Sawatch Range.

The cadets, all juniors and seniors at USAFA who came in three groups of 30 throughout the summer, are staying in dorm rooms at the Colorado Mountain College (CMC) Leadville campus, and will earn academic credit as CMC students this summer. Last year only eight cadets enrolled in the program, due in part to the COVID-19 pandemic, and also because 2020 was the program’s first year. After USAFA and CMC discussed expanding the initiative this year, about 90 cadets either volunteered or were mandated to participate this summer.

“I like to imagine cadets, who CMC can now consider alumni, flying above us in aircraft after they’ve graduated,” said Matt Gianneschi, chief operating officer and chief of staff at CMC. “It’s really great for us to be able to make some contribution to USAFA and the next generation of our nation’s military.”

According to Huston, that next generation needs to develop values like those emphasized in CMC’s outdoor recreation leadership program, which teaches CMC students group development, leadership theory and conflict resolution. In 2019, Huston approached CMC with the idea to collaborate. Since then, program directors have developed a summer curriculum that not only teaches cadets recreation skills, like kayaking, but also social and emotional intelligence in team dynamics. Throughout the three-week program, instructors at USAFA and CMC alternated in demonstrating these values.

“Those interpersonal skills are the emphasis of this program,” said Amy Smallwood, associate dean of academics and student affairs at CMC in Leadville. “We’re working with cadets on broadening their character framework to include things like active listening, communication, transparency and trust — all things that are necessary for these types of recreation activities where there is inherent risk involved.”

Another trait that Huston said the program works to improve is growth mindset, a concept created by psychologist Carol Dweck in 2015 which asserts that people can develop any ability through dedication and hard work. Last week, growth mindset development was especially evident as a few straight-faced, white-knuckled cadets, who had never been in a kayak before, learned to wet exit their watercraft. Although some were skeptical before tipping into the water, all cadets were comfortable enough for kayak soccer just hours later.

So far, cadets seem to be learning from the program. According to a survey of last year’s eight cadet participants, nearly all said that they’d improved aspects of their growth mindset and learned more about their strengths and weaknesses as team members and leaders. Huston said that this year’s cadets have echoed similar sentiments.

Chanyuthea Nou, a squadron 40 class of 2023 cadet from Cambodia,  said that the program pushed him out of his comfort zone and taught him more about himself. When Nou and his group went backpacking near Leadville, they got lost and the cadet helped track down the hidden trail. Nou also took to mountain biking and showed off a few leg scars from a hard fall in Buena Vista.

“These are things I do for fun already,” said Andrew Puseman, a squadron 26 class of 2022 cadet from Bailey, “but it’s been really cool to have the opportunity to bike and climb with new people.” Puseman, along with Chia-Hsiang Shen, a squadron 32 class of 2023 cadet, also spent a lot of time along Harrison Avenue, visiting the Manhattan Bar and the Silver Dollar Saloon, and walking to Tacos La Mina for one-dollar tacos on Tuesdays. “Everyone is really kind,” said Shen. “I’ve really enjoyed being here.”

With the program having grown significantly in its second year, representatives of both USAFA and CMC hope to continue the summer courses. “I’m not sure that outdoor learning was necessarily the intention when USAFA was built in Colorado 70 years ago,” said Lukes Jr. “But this is such a valuable experience for these cadets, and I’d like to see it continued.”

Longtime professor and dean to retire from CMC Steamboat Springs

Perry Ninger, dean of the Colorado Mountain College School of Business, and former full-time business and accounting faculty, will retire at the end of June.

“At every turn in Perry’s career at CMC he has modeled excellence and has demonstrated the importance of putting students first,” said Dr. Kathryn Regjo, vice president of Academic  Affairs at Colorado Mountain College. “We will miss him and his passionate pursuit of threading diversity, equity and inclusion throughout the business curriculum.”

Ninger started as an adjunct instructor at CMC in 2007 and then was hired as full-time faculty in 2012. He was brought on board specifically to launch the Bachelor of Science in Business Administration program, teaching courses in accounting, finance, marketing and sustainable business.

Under Perry’s care, countless students have completed their CPA exams, started businesses, landed community roles in public accounting and were hired by some of the most renowned accounting firms in the world.

“Student success is our goal, every day,” said Ninger.  “Everything we’ve accomplished as a school and faculty team in recent years is for them and their future, and I would not have had it any other way.”

In 2018, Ninger was named dean of CMC’s Business School. He got to work immediately, finding a way to expand programs so students at any of CMC’s 11 campuses could earn a business degree. He championed the need for curricular improvement across the college and played a critical role in the development of standards for the introduction of degree minors at the college.

“You don’t just replace someone like Perry,” noted JC Norling, vice president and campus dean at CMC Steamboat Springs. “He has brought so much care to the Steamboat Campus and really enhanced the student experience. He will be missed.”

Ninger has lived in Steamboat since 2001. He came to CMC with more than 30 years of business experience, across a wide range of organizations. His most extensive corporate stint was 17 years with American Express in New York and Toronto.

While Ninger’s accomplishments at the college are numerous, he has been deeply involved in the Steamboat community, serving as a member of the Steamboat Chamber Economic Development Council for several years and on the St. Paul’s Episcopal Church Investment Committee. He has also been a board member of Lift-Up of Routt County.

The search for Ninger’s replacement will begin immediately. Ninger, and his wife Mary Ann (also retiring, county clerk, Colorado 14th Judicial District), are looking forward to the opportunity to travel and spend more time with family.

Spellebration: A MasqueREAD bee!

Spellebration Returns! After a first-ever cancellation last year, Spellebration returns virtually.  The COVID-19 adjusted adult spelling bee and silent auction will kick off at 7:00 p.m. on April 30 2021.

Spellebration is a major fundraiser for Literacy Outreach and the Colorado Mountain College Learning Labs. Literacy Outreach serves all of Garfield County, offering one-on-one tutoring to basic literacy and English language learners. Many students move from Literacy Outreach to CMC, where the Learning Labs help prepare them to earn their high school diploma or pass an equivalent exam.

This year’s theme is MasqueREAD and we are playing COVID style. Instead of being eliminated for two spelling errors, the Zoom bee will have all teams attempt to

spell all words. Words are weighted according to difficulty. The team which accumulates the most points will be declared Garfield County Spelling Champions.

As always, spectators are urged to join in on the fun, though this year their participation, too, will be virtual. Two Rivers Productions will live-stream the event on Facebook and YouTube for the audience. The costume contest, a much-loved component of the Spellebration experience, will be modified to a best mask competition, suitable for the times.

Spellebration always included the largest and most diverse auction in the county. Watch for online bidding fun in the days just before and after the April 30 spelling competition.

Spellebration teams may sign up before April 26^th. Teams are limited so sign up today! The fee is $100 per team, which may be paid by the team or by a sponsoring business or organization. For more information or to sign up a team, contact Rachel Baiyor at Literacy Outreach 970-945-5282 or programs@literacyoutreach.org.