Financial Aid Specialist I or II*, College-wide**

About Colorado Mountain College

Imagine working at a college that welcomes everyone — students, faculty, staff, and community members — regardless of their backgrounds, beliefs, or traditions. An institution that is also integrally connected to, appreciated by, and supported by those same communities.

Envision yourself at a dynamic, innovative, forward-leaning college that has a highly entrepreneurial spirit and deep commitment to every learner – from first-generation college students and new-traditional and adult learners to academically motivated students seeking a more traditional liberal arts education – all within a robust and highly personalized learning environment.

Visualize applying your energy and skills for an organization that respects and cares about its employees enough to offer competitive compensation and benefits while encouraging every team member to renew and recharge in places of inspiration, reflection, and world-class outdoor recreation.

Welcome to Colorado Mountain College and its eleven campus locations sprinkled across a spectacular region of Colorado’s central Rocky Mountains.

Our vision

Colorado Mountain College aspires to be the most inclusive and innovative student-centered college in the nation, elevating the economic, social, cultural, and environmental vitality of its beautiful Rocky Mountain communities.

The college

CMC is a comprehensive, public, open-access dual-mission institution offering 136 academic programs ranging from specialized certificates to associate and bachelor’s degrees, a wide range of online, non-credit and lifelong learning courses, as well as extensive concurrent enrollment opportunities in close partnership with neighboring school districts.

Over 15,000 students attend CMC annually, and 40% of degree-seeking students earn a certificate or degree every year. The college’s Latinx enrollment has doubled in six years to 28%, making CMC a federally designated Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI). CMC courses are highly personal and many are highly experiential by design, each with a maximum registration of 25 students.

Colorado Mountain College campuses are located in Aspen, Carbondale, Breckenridge, Dillon, Steamboat Springs, Glenwood Springs, Glenwood Springs-Spring Valley, Leadville, Rifle, the Vail Valley, and Salida. Of these locations, three are residential—Spring Valley, Leadville, and Steamboat Springs — and students in Breckenridge have access to college-owned off-campus housing. CMC campuses are close-knit communities, on average serving between 1,000 – 2,000 students.

The majority of the college’s financial support comes from local property taxes, not tuition or state revenues.  Consequently, CMC is uniquely positioned to be entrepreneurial, nimble, mission-focused, and responsive to community and workforce needs. The college’s Central Services administrative office, which provides administrative support to all campus locations, is located in historic downtown Glenwood Springs, the town from which CMC originally launched in 1965.

Colorado Mountain College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and authorized by the Colorado Commission on Higher Education. For general information about CMC, its programs, locations, students, faculty, and offerings, go to: www.coloradomtn.edu.

Our commitment to an environment where everyone belongs

Our college and beloved mountain communities are enriched by a variety of voices and experiences.

At Colorado Mountain College, we continually work to improve learning and working environments that welcome everyone.  We are deeply committed to promoting a free and open exchange of ideas, improving critical thinking, deepening mutual empathy and respect, and ensuring that every learner and team member has equal opportunities for personal and professional success.

The college prioritizes the recruitment, hiring and retaining of a highly engaged workforce that reflects and supports the backgrounds, characteristics and aspirations of the students enrolled at the college.  CMC therefore values applicants who demonstrate prior accomplishments, training, and a commitment to the concepts of inclusive and equitable practices, as well as an understanding of historic and current social issues that impact groups of different socio-economic and cultural backgrounds.

CMC employees enjoy regular opportunities to raise their awareness about pressing societal issues, develop individual critical thinking skills, and expand their understanding of and empathy toward others regardless of race, gender, ethnicity or other factors. Our goal is to deliver highly personalized teaching methods and effective student support services that enable students to achieve their goals, regardless of academic or financial barriers.

Applicants to Colorado Mountain College must demonstrate a commitment and competence to work effectively with students, employees, and community members of all backgrounds.

For more information about CMC, go to: www.coloradomtn.edu.

The position

*Financial Aid Specialist I or II may be hired, depending on candidate qualifications

**Remote work options may be available and will be evaluated on an individual basis. On site attendance will be required at times for all positions. All candidates selected must live and perform all CMC work in the State of Colorado. Hours can vary based on time of year and student needs.  This position will be required to visit our campuses in Western Colorado for certain events or meetings, including new student orientations, visit days or other occasions deemed important by the employee's supervisor.

Under the supervision of the Assistant Director of Financial Aid, the Financial Aid Specialist I perform various services to successfully guide students through the financial aid process including outreach, completion of financial aid forms, monitoring, serve as Work Study liaison and provide effective communication with students.  This Financial Aid Specialist will be one of the first points of contact for prospective students and families and is instrumental in establishing an understanding of all financing options available to make CMC viable and affordable.

View/download job description including hiring salary range: Financial Aid Specialist I or Financial Aid Specialist II

Pre-requisites for Position (Qualifications Standards)

Education and experience are sufficient for the rigors of the position. Examples may include a Bachelor’s Degree and two years related experience, or an Associate’s Degree and four years of related experience, or equivalent education and experience that will provide the necessary knowledge, skill and abilities to perform the functions of the position.

Experience with the administration of Federal Student Aid, VA and TA funds. NASFAA U Credentialing courses preferred: Application Process, Campus-Based Programs, Cost of Attendance, Packaging & Notification of Awards, Student Eligibility, and Verification. Renew certificates as needed, to support professional development needs. Colleague software experience preferred.

The Financial Aid Specialist will work proactively and utilize problem-solving skills to promote success through enrollment and retention while maintaining compliance with all internal and federal financial aid policies and procedural information. Internal customer service is extensive and time sensitive.

Welcoming. Innovative. Focused on Student Success. These principles reflect the soul of CMC. They guide us in building our teams, cultivating leaders, and expanding our approaches and mindset. They guide us to be an institution of higher education that’s the right fit for every faculty member, staff, student, and community member in its trust. Applicants must demonstrate a commitment to working effectively with students, employees, and community members of all backgrounds.

To Apply: Please submit the required letter of interest, resume, and list of three professional references. CMC is an EOE committed to diversifying its workforce.

External Applicants: Apply Online

Internal Applicants: Please proceed to the HR page of Basecamp or by searching in Learning Hub for instructions on applying for a full-time position as an internal applicant.

Review of application material will begin March 11, 2022.

CMC and NSAA partner to provide online lift maintenance education for resort communities

chair lift in the snow

The National Ski Areas Association and Colorado Mountain College have partnered to deliver online educational opportunities for lift mechanics employed at NSAA member resorts across the country.

CMC and NSAA partner to provide online lift maintenance education for resort communities

Colorado Mountain College and the National Ski Areas Association (NSAA) are providing free, online education for lift mechanics who wish to expand their skillsets and supplement existing educational opportunities.

Each of the ten online courses are designed to be completed by individual lift mechanics, allowing them to learn at their own pace and select topics that they need the most. Topics covered include basic rigging, AC motor basics, hydraulic diagrams, diagrams and blueprints and more.

The online curriculum is available to NSAA members and their employees at resorts across the country. As of late September, CMC and NSAA have provided online training to 119 domestic and international ski areas.

NSAA thanks presenting sponsor Leitner-Poma and partnership sponsors Doppelmayr and the Rocky Mountain Lift Association.

For more information and to register for the CMC/NSAA lift maintenance program, please visit https://nsaa.org/lifteducation.

If you are not an employee of a NSAA member ski area, CMC offers a wide variety of certificates and degrees including ski area operations and ski and snowboard business. Learn more at https://coloradomtn.edu.

CMC Eagles cross-country team competes in Colorado Springs

cross country team on start line

The CMC men’s cross-country team huddles together by the starting line just moments before the start of the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs Cross-Country Open on Oct. 8.

CMC Eagles cross-country team competes in Colorado Springs

Runners put forth strong effort against NCAA powerhouses

The Colorado Mountain College Eagles traveled to Colorado Springs on Oct. 8 to compete in the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs Cross-Country Open.

Jason Macaluso of Vail was the first runner to cross the finish line for the Eagles in the men’s 8k race with a time of 29:15. Kaylynn Shaffer of Salida was the lead runner for the college in the women’s race, running a time of 27:29 over the 6k course.

In team results, the men’s team placed 6th and the women’s team finished in 7th place.

Head coach Darren Brungardt said the CMC Eagles competed well against several NCAA Division I, II and III powerhouses such as the United States Air Force Academy, Colorado State University and Wyoming University.

“The course was long, slow and all on soft wet grass, but the Eagles were tough as nails,” Brungardt said. “We are so proud of their efforts and are looking forward to more racing later this month.”

Next up on the schedule for the CMC Eagles will be the NJCAA Region IX Championship at Central Wyoming College on Oct. 30. For more information on the team, visit https://cmceagles.com.

Meet Results for CMC Runners

Men’s 8k Results

47th Jason Macaluso (Vail, Colorado) 29:15

61st Reese Fledderjohn (Grand Junction, Colorado) 30:46

62nd Christian Brenny (Hastings, Minnesota) 31:03

66th Autry Lomahongva (Kayenta, Arizona) 31:42

68th Adam Garcia (Erie, Colorado) 32:02

69th Luke Plummer (Seymour, Indiana) 32:06

73rd Dylan Dunbar (Silt, Colorado) 35:18

Women’s 6k Results

39th Kaylynn Shaffer (Salida, Colorado) 27:29

59th Abby Hagen (Lockport, Illinois) 30:23

62nd Hope Maldonado (Colorado Springs, Colorado) 31:34

63rd Madisen Johnson (Windsor, Colorado) 31:46

66th Carmen Tallbear-Edmunds (Charlottesville, Virginia) 34:14

Una promesa es “una promesa”

Por Dr. Carrie Besnette Hauser

La resistencia, las agallas y la obstinada determinación nos definen. Ganarse la vida en el remoto oeste de Colorado nunca ha sido fácil ni está garantizado. Aunque tenemos la suerte y el privilegio de vivir aquí, hace falta un auténtico amor por el lugar para soportar las dificultades comunes a nuestra región–escasez de viviendas asequibles, grandes interrupciones del transporte, incendios, inundaciones, ventiscas, sequías y ahora un virus.

Los retos inherentes a nuestra querida parte del mundo nos obligan a innovar y adaptarnos, a imaginar con ingenio nuevas estrategias y a abrir nuevos caminos. Al hacerlo, también profundizamos nuestro compromiso con nuestras comunidades y con los demás.

En mayo, poco después de la graduación de una de las clases más numerosas de la historia del CMC, parecía que la niebla de la pandemia se disipaba. La esperanza era omnipresente y aparentemente palpable. Las vacunas milagrosas estaban disponibles en abundancia incluso en comunidades rurales como la nuestra.  En consecuencia, se levantaron las órdenes de salud pública, se quitaron las máscaras, volvieron los abrazos y los choques de manos y los turistas –muchos, muchos turistas– llegaron a nuestras ciudades turísticas.

Con cierta confianza en que lo peor había quedado atrás, el equipo del Colorado Mountain College hizo una promesa a nuestros estudiantes y comunidades tras uno de los años más extraños y difíciles: el CMC estará completamente abierto en el otoño de 2021.

Durante gran parte del verano, esta promesa parecía asegurada; empezamos a prepararnos para un curso de otoño "normal". Programamos el mantenimiento necesario de las residencias, contratamos a la mayor cohorte de nuevos profesores de los últimos tiempos, pusimos en marcha nuevos programas de grado y adaptamos nuestras aulas a la configuración anterior a la pandemia.  Los estudiantes respondieron, las inscripciones se recuperaron y nuestras operaciones volvieron a funcionar con un zumbido entusiasta y anticipado.

Sin embargo, en las últimas semanas, nuestros planes llenos de esperanza se vieron interrumpidos como los deslaves que cerraron la I-70 a través del Cañón Glenwood. El virus mutó y regresó con fuerza, sobre todo entre las poblaciones no protegidas por una vacuna desarrollada por algunos de los mejores científicos que el mundo ha conocido. Siempre supimos que un acontecimiento así era posible. Habíamos visto las señales y escuchado las advertencias, pero esperábamos que todo estuviera BIEN.

No todo está BIEN, todavía.

El resurgimiento puede ser una "pandemia de los no vacunados", pero es de hecho una situación real para la universidad y nuestras comunidades. Aunque agotados por los últimos 18 meses, todos en el CMC nos estamos adaptando de nuevo para garantizar que los estudiantes puedan volver al campus y evitar los trastornos derivados de un resurgimiento del virus.

Hicimos una promesa.

Y, porque cumplimos nuestras promesas, estamos haciendo ajustes en tiempo real para lanzar un semestre de otoño seguro y exitoso.  A partir del primer día de clases, exigiremos el uso de mascarillas en todos los edificios y aulas del CMC. Esperamos que este requisito sea temporal, ya que nuestra universidad parte de una posición de fuerza. Casi el 90% de nuestro profesorado y personal ha sido vacunado, lo que supone una tasa de vacunación más alta que en muchas de las comunidades a las que sirve el CMC.

Al exigir inicialmente el uso de mascarillas, esperamos evitar la transmisión de la variante Delta, altamente contagiosa, y cumplir nuestro compromiso de ofrecer un entorno educativo seguro.  Si las condiciones de salud pública mejoran y los índices de vacunación aumentan, reevaluaremos nuestro procedimiento de mascarillas.  Si empeoran, también nos adaptaremos a esas realidades.  En cualquier caso, no renunciaremos a nuestros alumnos ni a nuestras comunidades.

También es importante recordar que Colorado Mountain College es una institución de inscripción abierta. Acogemos a todos y no rechazamos a ninguno. Mantener este nivel de acceso es una parte importante de la misión y los valores del colegio.

Estamos más que emocionados de dar la bienvenida a miles de estudiantes de vuelta a los campus del CMC para el trimestre de otoño 2021. No veremos sus sonrisas al principio, pero sabemos lo mucho que significa para estos estudiantes volver a un entorno "normal".

A todos los miembros de las comunidades del CMC, y en nombre de los valientes profesores y personal y de los ansiosos estudiantes que comienzan o continúan su carrera académica, gracias por apoyar a su universidad local.  Por favor, ayúdennos a empezar este año de forma ordenada, con gracia, humildad y amabilidad.

La elección personal también conlleva la obligación de considerar y cuidar a los demás. En última instancia, volveremos a la "normalidad" en su sentido más amplio.  Hasta entonces, mantendremos nuestra promesa. El CMC está abierto al público.

Dr. Carrie Besnette Hauser es Presidente y Director General de Colorado Mountain College. Se puede contactar con él escribiendo al correo president@coloradomtn.edu o a @CMCPresident.

A promise is a promise

Colorado Mountain College President & CEO Dr. Carrie Besnette Hauser. October 2020

By Dr. Carrie Besnette Hauser

Resilience, grit and stubborn determination define us. Carving out a living in remote western Colorado has never been easy or guaranteed. While we are lucky and privileged to live here, it takes a genuine love of place to withstand the hardships common to our region—scant affordable housing, major transit disruptions, fires, floods, blizzards, drought and now a virus.

The challenges inherent to our beloved part of the world force us to innovate and adapt, to resourcefully imagine new strategies and blaze new trails. In doing so, they also deepen our commitment to our communities and to one another.

In May, shortly after graduating one of the largest classes in CMC’s history, it seemed that the fog of the pandemic was lifting. Hope was pervasive and seemingly palpable. Miracle vaccines were abundantly available even in rural communities like ours.  Consequently, public health orders were lifted, masks came off, hugs and high-fives returned and tourists—many, many tourists—poured into our resort towns.

With some confidence that the worst was behind us, the team at Colorado Mountain College made a promise to our students and communities following one of the strangest and most challenging years ever: CMC will be fully open in fall 2021.

For much of the summer, this promise seemed assured; we began preparing for a “normal” fall term. We scheduled needed maintenance to residence halls, hired the largest cohort of new faculty in recent memory, launched new degree programs and adjusted our classrooms back to pre-pandemic settings.  Students responded. Enrollments rebounded and our operations again hummed along with an excited, anticipatory buzz.

In recent weeks, however, our hope-filled plans were disrupted like the mudslides that closed I-70 through Glenwood Canyon. The virus mutated and returned in force, most acutely among populations unprotected by a vaccine developed by some of the greatest scientists the world has ever known. We always knew such an event was possible. We’d seen the signs and heard the warnings, but hoped all would be OK.

It’s not all OK, yet.

The resurgence may be a “pandemic of the unvaccinated,” but it is indeed a real situation for the college and our communities. Though exhausted from the past 18 months, all of us at CMC are again adapting to ensure that students can return to campus and avoid disruption resulting from a viral resurgence.

We made a promise.

And, because we keep our promises, we are making real-time adjustments to launch a safe and successful fall semester.  Starting the first day of classes, we will require the wearing of masks in all CMC buildings and classrooms. We hope this requirement will be temporary, as our college is starting from a position of strength. Nearly 90% of our faculty and staff have been vaccinated, which is a higher vaccination rate than in many of the communities CMC serves.

By requiring masks initially, we hope to prevent the transmission of the highly contagious Delta variant and deliver on our commitment to provide a safe educational environment.  If public health conditions improve and vaccination rates increase, we will reevaluate our masking procedure.  If they worsen, we will adapt to those realities as well.  Either way, we will not give up on our students or our communities.

It is also important to remember that Colorado Mountain College is an open-enrollment institution. We welcome all and turn away none. Maintaining this level of access is an important part of the college’s mission and values.

We are beyond thrilled to welcome thousands of students back to CMC campuses for the fall 2021 term. We won’t see their smiles at first, but we know how much it means for these students to return to a “normal” environment.

To all of the members of CMC’s communities, and on behalf of the courageous faculty and staff and eager students starting or continuing their academic careers, thank you for supporting your local college.  Please help us start this year in an orderly way, with grace, humility and kindness.

Personal choice also comes with an obligation to consider and care for others. Ultimately, we will get back to “normal” in its fullest meaning.  Until then, we will keep our promise to you. CMC is open for business.

Dr. Carrie Besnette Hauser is President & CEO of Colorado Mountain College. She can be reached at president@coloradomtn.edu or @CMCPresident.

1000 Words: President Hauser summits Mount Rainier

a picture of CMC President Dr. Carrie Besnette Hauser at the top of Mount Rainier

CMC President Dr. Carrie Besnette Hauser accomplished an incredible feat early Friday morning summiting Mount Rainier with CMC faculty member Dr. Jon Kedrowski, who recently summited Mount Everest for the second time. Hauser is an avid outdoorswoman; she has summited Mount Kilimanjaro, climbed to Mount Everest base camp and is nearing completion of Colorado’s 58 highest peaks (14ers).