Students left $3.5 billion on table last year

How to unlock debt-free financial aid for college

March 9, 2023 - For many students, the cost of a college education can seem like a roadblock, despite the potentially life-changing opportunities provided by postsecondary studies. That's why college financial aid experts say students should learn all they can about a range of funding opportunities, including free grants, scholarships, on-campus employment programs and traditional student loans - by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Otherwise, they might be leaving money on the table.

Jesse Moreno is completing his Associate of Applied Science degree in paralegal at Colorado Mountain College's Salida campus. Moreno says his FAFSA application was a game-changer, allowing him access to funding that's given him the chance to commit full-time to his studies.

"I hadn't been in school for 20 years, and I was looking for something with a lot of flexibility, especially after the pandemic," Moreno says. "This has set me on a new path in life. I was uncertain about school and getting into debt, and wondering if I could make enough money while studying. But the after-effects of applying for financial aid absolutely changed my life."

Working with the college's financial aid office, Moreno discovered that the FAFSA application unlocked free grants that allowed him to focus entirely on education, taking on more credits to complete his studies more quickly. He's now interested in continuing to a bachelor's degree and possibly completing law school.

"The benefit for minimal effort is great, if you sit down and set aside an hour to complete the application," he says. "I qualified for much more aid than I expected and was able to pick and choose what I accepted. I was able to entirely opt out of loans. I was able to get enough funding to pay for books, the cost of school and my living expenses."

While the FAFSA process might seem complicated to incoming college students, applications are down in recent years, which means billions of dollars of educational funding, including scholarships, are going unused.

Janelle Cook, CMC's director of financial aid, says the issue is nationwide, with some $3.58 billion in available Pell Grants unclaimed by 2022 high school graduates, according to the National College Attainment Network.

What's more troubling, she says, is that Colorado's FAFSA application numbers are among the lowest in the country, with 44% of high school students completing the process.

"There's still a misconception that FAFSA is only for loans, but that is not true. There may be federal or other state grants available once the student completes the FAFSA form," she says.

"It's the first step in opening the door to financial aid. We encourage students to complete the FAFSA to ensure they are not missing out on funding opportunities. It is absolutely worth your time and effort."

When students and their parents have questions about the process, Cook says she and her financial aid team are there to offer personal guidance at any stage of the application.

FAFSA offers a gateway to student funding including campus employment opportunities, scholarships and both state and federal grants, as well as more student loan programs. As Cook says, that allows students to make informed decisions about their educational plans, whether they can afford to attend full-time or part-time, and if they require additional funding resources.

It's also an important step to participate in CMC's new Colorado Mountain Promise program, which can provide tuition for any Colorado resident whose family income is below $70,000 - or independent students over age 24 whose income is less than $50,000.

Students who are unable to complete the FAFSA, including DACA students or those who are undocumented, may also use the Colorado Application for State Financial Aid as an alternative option to find out about free state grants or work-study opportunities and see if they qualify.

Also, Cook adds, the FAFSA application is free. She cautions students and their families to be wary of any online sites or services asking for a fee to help complete the forms.

Lucia Padilla, J.D., brings a wide background in employment law, and a family excited for outdoor adventure on the Western Slope.

Former Colorado Senior Assistant Attorney General Takes on Leadership Role at CMC

March 2, 2023 - As an accomplished and honored member of Colorado’s legal community, Lucia Padilla recently joined Colorado Mountain College as general counsel, taking over from Richard Gonzales, who retired in January 2023 after eight years in the role.

“I was impressed by CMC’s mission and dedication to provide higher education to all individuals and especially those who reside in our rural mountain communities,” Padilla says. “That really spoke to me, especially as a Colorado native who spends a lot of time recreating in the mountains and whose grandparents were from rural, southern Colorado.”

Padilla comes to CMC after seven years serving as a senior assistant attorney general within the State Attorney General’s Office, where she handled employment and civil rights matters and represented Colorado in both state and federal cases.

Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser said Padilla is a committed public servant who will be missed in his office.

“She brings a sharp intellect and a cool head to analyze matters thoroughly, always providing thoughtful counsel on complex litigation and client advice matters,” said Attorney General Weiser. “Colorado Mountain College will greatly benefit from her wise counsel and leadership.”

Padilla’s background also includes in-house counsel roles with Denver Health and Hospital Authority and telecommunications company Century Link, as well as a wide range of board memberships and public service for the Colorado legal community.

A fourth-generation Coloradoan and graduate of the University of Denver’s Sturm College of Law, Padilla says she looks forward to the diverse range of responsibilities facing her at Colorado Mountain College.

Carrie Besnette Hauser, CMC president and CEO, says that Padilla is a great fit for CMC’s busy leadership team.

“Lucia stood out as someone who was passionate about our students and our mission, and we knew right away that she would hit the ground running,” Hauser said.

“So far, it’s been an exciting and challenging transition, and I’ve been pleasantly overwhelmed with the warmth and support of the CMC community,” Padilla says. “I’m excited to keep moving forward and learning as I settle into my new role at CMC. I’m also pleased to return to an in-house position, as I feel that I’m most effective as an attorney in this type of role.”

Padilla grew up in the Denver area, attending high school in Lakewood and later receiving a bachelor of arts from Cornell University. Since completing law school, Padilla has earned honors including the Denver Bar Association’s Young Lawyer of the Year in 2011 and the DU College of Law’s Outstanding Young Alumni in 2013.

A longtime member of organizations such as the Colorado Bar Association, Colorado Hispanic Bar Association and the Colorado Women’s Bar Association, Padilla has been active in efforts to mentor young attorneys. She says she is also proud of her previous work with Bayaud Enterprises, a Denver-area nonprofit which provides training and job opportunities to individuals with disabilities and other hurdles to employment.

Along with her husband, Chris, an attorney in the aviation industry, plus three sons, Padilla and her family are excited to join the CMC community. Active in trail running, skiing and mountain biking – her oldest son is a competitive skier and her husband competes in downhill bike racing – Padilla says they are all looking forward to the outdoor lifestyle on the Western Slope.

Jenne Schmidt, Ph.D. of CSU’s Department of Ethnic Studies is the featured presenter at CMC Leadville’s Speaker Series on March 6.

CMC Leadville Speaker Series presents ‘Unnatural Bodies’ March 29

Feb. 17, 2023 – Colorado Mountain College’s Leadville campus will present “Unnatural Bodies: Environmental Histories, and Ableism” with Jenne Schmidt, Ph.D. on March 29.

Schmidt is an assistant professor at Colorado State University’s Department of Ethnic Studies, whose current research examines the intersections of critical disability studies, queer politics and the environment.

“Unnatural Bodies” will take place from 5:15-6:30 p.m. on March 29 at the Pinnacle Fireplace, CMC Leadville, 901 S. Highway 24, Leadville, 719-486-2015. Admission is free.

For more information, contact Mayda Silver at 719-486-4206 or visit the Leadville campus.

Nicola Rountree-Williams comes to CMC's ski team from Vail Mountain School. A US ski team member, she is in her first year at the Steamboat Springs campus and with CMC's ski team. Photo by Brian Gudolawicz

CMC ski team competes in RMISA division 1 racing

Updated top-10 results: Feb. 15, 2023

Feb. 10 at Eldora – University of Colorado Invitational – Matt Macaluso placed 9th in the men’s giant slalom.
Feb. 11 at Loveland – Denver University Invitational – Nicola Rountree-Williams placed 7th in the women’s slalom, and Filip Krota placed 10th in the men’s slalom.
Feb. 12 at Loveland – Denver University Invitational – Nicola Rountree-Williams placed 7th in the women’s slalom.

Feb. 9, 2023 – The Colorado Mountain College alpine ski team is in the midst of the 2023 Rocky Mountain Intercollegiate Ski Association’s racing schedule.

Starting off the RMISA season on Jan. 26-27, the Eagles men's and women's teams raced in the slalom-only Westminster Invitational at Snowbird Resort in Utah. CMC’s 10-member team, which head coach Scott Tanner describes as “young and enthusiastic,” is based out of CMC’s Steamboat Springs campus, and is an associate member in RMISA’s division 1.

The team competes against seven other teams: Montana State University, University of Alaska Anchorage, University of Denver, University of Colorado, University of Nevada, Reno, University of Utah and Westminster College.

At the Westminster Invite, out of a field of 46, CMC Eagle Isaac Mozen finished 23rd and Matthew Macaluso finished 21st in the first slalom. Filip Krota finished 9^th in the second slalom out of 38 racers. The team’s two women did not fare as well at Westminster, though Tanner says they have skill and experience on their side.

Nicola Rountree-Williams is in her first year with the team. She comes to CMC from Vail Mountain School and is a US ski team member and a three-time World Junior competitor.

“Nicola has the potential to win some of these races,” Tanner said of the freshman. “She’s won a couple of FIS races.”

Mary Kate Hackworthy has been a CMC ski team member for four years. She was a member of the 2015 U16 CanAm team and was both a U19 and Junior Nationals qualifier in addition to being a member of the 2017-2018 Rocky Mountain Division all-star team.

“Mary Kate has real longevity on this team,” Tanner said.

Eldora, Loveland – and Alaska

RMISA division 1 alpine racing season is relatively short this year. In addition to Westminster’s Snowbird opener, the team traveled to the Montana State Invitational at Bridger Bowl, Jan. 31-Feb. 1. However, races there were canceled due to significant snowfall and unsafe conditions during the beginning of giant slalom competition the first day.

For the rest of February, the team is competing first in Colorado, then Alaska. At the Colorado Invitational on Feb. 9 at Eldora, Matt Macaluso finished in 9^th place after two runs in the giant slalom. The Denver Invitational at Loveland followed on Feb. 11-12.

The last race of the season is the RMISA Championships at Aleyska, Alaska with giant slalom on Feb. 22 and slalom racing on Feb. 24.

Although the RMISA season will be over, the CMC Eagles will continue racing into mid-April, competing in FIS races throughout North America and working on their world rankings.

Tanner stressed the importance of the team’s student-athletes improving their start positions.

“If you start a race in 30^th position, you’re going to end that race in 30^th position,” he said of the deteriorating conditions that often make moving up in the standings difficult.

An advantage

Unlike many of the colleges and universities with which they compete, the CMC Eagles have the advantage of training on-mountain within sight of their campus. Howelsen Hill, less than two miles from CMC Steamboat Springs, is easily accessible, and Steamboat Ski Resort is just five miles away.

"The advantage we have over the other schools is we can get all our training in and still get everyone to their classes," Tanner said. "Other schools have to travel for training."

Tanner said dryland training usually starts around the first of September. October at Copper Mountain starts early season training, and the team can usually begin training in Steamboat Springs around mid-November with six days a week on snow.

Nordic student-athletes represent CMC

Although Colorado Mountain College does not have a Nordic team, two 19-year-old Nordic student-athletes, Niklas Malacinski and Tess Armone, both of Steamboat Springs, represented CMC at the FISU World University Games in Lake Placid, New York in January.

The 11-day multi-winter sports and educational festival brings together student-athletes ages 17-25 to participate in alpine skiing, biathlon, cross-country skiing, curling, freestyle and free ski, figure skating, ice hockey, Nordic combined, short track speed skating, snowboarding, ski jumping and speed skating.

Malacinski raced in the men's Nordic combined – cross-country skiing and ski jumping – in team competition with Evan Nichols, 19, of the Community College of Vermont. Together, they won a gold medal with a time of 24 minutes, 51.1 seconds and had the second-best jumping score of 216.8.

Arnone is a member of the US national Nordic combined team and finished sixth in the women's Nordic combined during the games.

Local artist Kerstin Stock's watercolor artwork will be the focus of an art show and open house at CMC Salida starting at 5 p.m. on Feb. 17. The evening will also include CMC biology professor, Dr. Simon Waldbaum, demonstrating the college's Anatomage Table, a 3D interactive educational tool used in anatomy and physiology classes.

CMC Salida to host art show, open house on Feb. 17

Local artist Kerstin Stock, CMC professor Dr. Simon Waldbaum featured

Feb. 14, 2023 – Colorado Mountain College Salida will host an art show and open house at CMC’s Kesner Building on Feb. 17.

The Salida campus will feature the work of local watercolor artist Kerstin Stock, who is currently working on three commissioned art pieces for the college. During the art show, Stock will unveil those pieces, which have been purchased by the CMC Foundation's ArtShare program. Stock’s other artwork will also be on display throughout CMC’s building and will be available for purchase.

During the open house portion of the evening, Dr. Simon Waldbaum, CMC Salida’s associate biology professor, will demonstrate the campus’s Anatomage Table. Used for anatomy and physiology education, the table offers a fascinating, 3D, life-size, interactive visualization of the body.

In addition to the art show and open house, attendees may tour the campus building and register for non-credit classes.

This event will take place starting at 5 p.m. on Feb. 17 at Colorado Mountain College Salida, Kesner Building, 349 E. Ninth St., Salida. The evening is free, and the public is welcome and encouraged to attend. Appetizers and beverages will be provided.

For more information, contact CMC Salida at 719-530-7900. For more about the Salida campus, visit CMC Salida.

From left, CMC Salida EMT graduates Sarah Evans, Landon Loepker, Marcie Spears Post and (not pictured) Zach Rocco now work for Chaffee County EMS. Photo by Chelsea DePetro

Chaffee County EMS hires four CMC EMT graduates

Chaffee County EMS's newest recruits from Colorado Mountain College are Sarah Evans, Landon Loepker, Marcie Spears Post and Zach Rocco.

These four EMTs received their EMT-Basic certification at CMC Salida during the fall 2022 semester. The course is a rigorous, 12-credit, semester-long program, which includes lecture, lab and clinicals.

Since fall semester 2019 when the EMS program began at the Salida and Leadville campuses, students have had a 93% first-time pass rate for the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians testing, which is the certifying exam for EMTs. During that same period, statewide the first-time pass rate was 76%; nationally was 68%. Currently, the state of Colorado is covering tuition for the program through the Cares Forward Act.