From left, Midge Glidewell, Mary San Miguel, Colton Grove and Kestra Arrington block out a scene for “Rogues’ Gallery,” Sopris Theatre Company’s first virtual production of 2020-21, Nov. 6-15. The company is adopting new techniques such as green screens and physical distancing as they rehearse for the new season.
By Kristin Carlson
Making theater in the time of COVID-19 is challenging, but the staff and students of Colorado Mountain College’s theater program are committed to engaging audiences with an unconventionally exciting season.
Brad Moore, theater operations manager of Sopris Theatre Company and adjunct instructor, explained that the upcoming slate of shows has been chosen mindfully, to ensure that every piece can be performed virtually or live, by physically distanced actors following all safety guidelines. As in past years, cast and crew are selected from among CMC students and community members.
“This season we’re revisualizing what we’re doing,” said Moore. “We’re doing some improvising, thinking in new ways and reevaluating our programming.”
Right now, only Moore’s theater production students are meeting in person, distanced and wearing masks. “We also have face shields, gloves, and a system for hand-washing and disinfecting shared areas,” Moore said.
In addition, production management duties now include cleaning and disinfecting props and costumes, as well as attaining necessary duplicate props to support the illusion that actors in distanced, virtual settings are in the same space.
The season opens with “Rogues’ Gallery,” featuring 10 unique character monologues, allowing actors to maintain physical distance as only one speaker is onstage at any given moment. Other shows include a compilation of three short comedies called “Three Viewings” and the fast-paced relationship knots of “The Nina Variations.” Both offer ample casting and performance flexibility to address shifting COVID-19 concerns.
When, and if, live shows move forward, audience safety will be paramount. “We’ve designed a traffic pattern in and out of the theater to maintain distance,” said Moore. “There will be no intermissions. People will usher, but no one will be allowed to congregate in the lobby.” In addition, distanced volunteers will help take temperatures and hand out masks to patrons who don’t have them.
One silver lining for this year’s productions is that audiences won’t be limited to those living within driving distance of the Roaring Fork Valley, but can include viewers throughout the seven-county CMC district, and farther beyond, who can now “go” to the theater virtually.
Moore is impressed by the way his students are adapting. “They realize it’s a privilege to be together and making art,” he said.
“Rogues’ Gallery” by John Patrick Shanley
Ten bizarre, explosive and darkly humorous monologues from this Pulitzer winner, about the absurdity of being human
November 6, 7, 13, 14 at 7 p.m.
November 8, 15 at 2 p.m.
“Three Viewings” by Jeffrey Hatcher
Three dark comedy shorts set in a Midwestern funeral parlor
February 19, 20, 26, 27 at 7 p.m.
February 21, 28 at 2 p.m.
“Nina Variations” by Steven Dietz
An homage to Chekhov’s “The Seagull” that examines one couple’s fiercely funny romantic entanglements in 43 variations
April 9, 10, 16, 17 at 7 p.m.
April 11, 18 at 2 p.m.
Student workshop productions
Original works by CMC theater students
April 29 at 7 p.m.
Hasta mayo de 2020, a Carissa Hernández le encantaba su trabajo en el Hospital Valley View en Glenwood Springs.
“Valley View es un muy buen lugar para trabajar”, dijo Hernández, quien vive en New Castle con su esposo e hijo de 6 años.
Como parte del equipo central de suministros médicos del hospital, Hernández abastecía de todo, desde jeringas hasta termómetros. Sin embargo, todo eso cambió el 11 de mayo cuando fue despedida de su trabajo por motivos de restructuración a causa del COVID-19. Para empeorar las cosas, su esposo también perdió su trabajo en un hotel debido al impacto del virus. “Tenemos muchas facturas que pagar”, dijo. “Hemos estado muy estresados los últimos tres meses”.
Pero un programa nuevo en la Universidad Colorado Mountain (CMC), llamado CMC Responde: Beca de Regreso al Trabajo, le está dando un apoyo financiero a Hernández y a otras personas en el distrito universitario de siete condados, permitiéndoles regresar a estudiar para actualizar sus habilidades y mejorar sus opciones para encontrar nuevo trabajo.
Una salida
En mayo, Carissa Hernández de New Castle, aquí con su esposo Hernán Hernández y su hijo Daniel Lewis, fue despedida del Hospital Valley View en Glenwood Springs debido a los efectos de la pandemia. Ahora Hernández está estudiando en CMC gracias a CMC Responde: Beca de Regreso al Trabajo.
Otro beneficiario de la beca es Frank Donaldson, quien ha vivido en Glenwood Spring en varias ocasiones durante los últimos 10 años. Él era un trabajador independiente en la producción de eventos, coordinando la decoración e iluminación para grandes conferencias de Fortune 500 en lugares como Vail y Aspen.
“Iba a estar muy ocupado este verano”, dijo Donaldson. “Pero cuando empezó el COVID, ya no hubo eventos ni grandes reuniones” – y no había trabajo.
De forma abrupta, la pandemia forzó a Hernández y a Donaldson a reconsiderar sus ocupaciones. Fue debido a eso que encontraron el programa CMC Responde: Beca de Regreso al Trabajo, la cual proporciona dinero para matrículas y otros gastos para los trabajadores calificados a quienes se les redujeron sus horas o que fueron despedidos debido al COVID-19. En CMC, los estudiantes pueden estudiar para profesiones nuevas que pueden ayudarles a ser más resistentes en caso de una recesión repentina en la economía.
Los fondos son parte de una Subvención para Trabajadores Desplazados de 750.000 dólares que está siendo distribuida a nivel estatal por la Iniciativa de Becas de Opportunity Colorado, un programa innovador del Departamento de Educación Superior de Colorado que aprovecha la inversión pública y privada para hacer que la educación posterior a la secundaria esté disponible para más estudiantes en Colorado.
La Subvención para Trabajadores Desplazados permite que las universidades públicas, centros de trabajo y programas de entrenamiento proporcionen personal profesional para apoyar a los trabajadores desplazados y ayudar a los estudiantes a acceder a varias fuentes de ayuda financiera que les pueden ayudar a triunfar. La COSI le está otorgando a la Universidad Colorado Mountain 150.000 dólares a lo largo de dos años para ofrecer personal profesional dedicado al éxito de los estudiantes para ayudar a los trabajadores desplazados.
Los beneficiarios de la Beca de Regreso al Trabajo de CMC perdieron su empleo, perdieron su trabajo y encontraron uno nuevo, pero en un nivel diferente, fueron dados de baja temporalmente o se les redujeron las horas y han recibido un salario menor debido a la pandemia del COVID-19.
“Las becas son por un promedio de 1.000 a 3.000 dólares y algunas veces más, dependiendo de las necesidades insatisfechas de cada estudiante”, dijo Yesenia Arreola, directora ejecutiva de asuntos estudiantiles, proyectos estratégicos e iniciativas de CMC. “Pedimos que todos los estudiantes llenen el FAFSA u otro formulario de ayuda institucional al ser considerado para fondos COSI. Queremos asegurarnos de que aprovechen todos los recursos disponibles para ayudar a pagar el costo de la asistencia”.
La ayuda está aquí
Para Donaldson, el CMC es un terreno conocido. Él recibió un título técnico de Estudios Generales hace 10 años en la universidad y ahora está estudiando medios digitales en la Facultad Isaacson de Comunicación, Arte y Medios de CMC. Él espera poder incorporar la producción de videos a su trabajo de producción de eventos en el futuro o poder practicar solamente videografía.
“La beca me ha ayudado mucho”, dijo Hernández. “Siempre había querido regresar a estudiar y no sé si lo hubiera podido hacer o cuándo si no fuera por la beca y por la ayuda que recibí de CMC”.
Arreola dijo que la meta de la Universidad Colorado Mountain es otorgar 150 credenciales para los estudiantes a través de esta beca durante los próximos dos años.
Comuníquese con cosi@coloradomtn.edu o visite https://coloradomtn.edu/scholarships/back-to-work-scholarship/ para obtener más información y comunicarse con un asesor para hablar sobre la Beca de Regreso al Trabajo de la Universidad Colorado Mountain.
Up until May 2020, Carissa Hernandez loved her job at Valley View Hospital in Glenwood Springs.
In May Carissa Hernandez of New Castle, here with husband Hernan Hernandez and son Daniel Lewis, was furloughed from Valley View Hospital in Glenwood Springs due to the effects of the pandemic. Hernandez is now studying at CMC thanks to the CMC Responds: Back to Work Scholarship.
“Valley View is a great place to work,” said Hernandez, who lives in New Castle with her husband and 6-year-old son.
As part of the hospital’s central medical supply team, Hernandez stocked everything from syringes to thermometers. However, that all changed on May 11, when she was furloughed from her job due to COVID-19 workplace restructuring. To make matters worse, her husband also lost his hotel job due to impacts from the virus. “We have lots of bills,” she said. “We’ve been stressing the last three months.”
But a new program at Colorado Mountain College, called the CMC Responds: Back to Work Scholarship, is giving a financial boost to Hernandez and others across the seven-county college district, enabling them to return to school to retool their skills and improve their options for finding new work.
A way out
Another such recipient of the scholarship is Frank Donaldson, who has lived in Glenwood Springs on and off for the past 10 years. He was self-employed in event production, coordinating décor and lighting for large Fortune 500 conferences in places like Vail and Aspen.
“I was going to be so busy this summer,” Donaldson said. “Though once COVID hit, there were no events, no big gatherings” – and there was no work.
Abruptly, the pandemic forced both Hernandez and Donaldson to rethink their occupations. That’s when they found the CMC Responds: Back to Work Scholarship, which provides money for tuition and other expenses for qualified workers who have had their hours reduced or were laid off or furloughed because of COVID-19. At CMC, students are able to study for new professions that can help them be more resilient in the event of a sudden downturn in the economy.
The funds are part of a $750,000 Displaced Workers Grant being distributed statewide by the Colorado Opportunity Scholarship Initiative, an innovative program of the Colorado Department of Higher Education that leverages public and private investment to make post-high school education available to more Colorado students.
The Displaced Workers Grant enables public colleges, workforce centers and training programs to provide professional staff to support displaced workers and help students access multiple sources of financial aid to help them succeed. COSI is granting Colorado Mountain College with $150,000 over two years to provide dedicated professional student success staff to help these displaced workers.
Recipients of CMC’s Back to Work Scholarship have lost employment, lost jobs and regained employment but not at the same level, been temporarily furloughed, or had hours reduced and have received decreased pay due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The scholarships average $1,000 to $3,000, and sometimes more, depending on each student’s unmet need,” said Yesenia Arreola, CMC’s executive director of student affairs strategic projects and initiatives. “We ask all students to fill out the FAFSA or other institutional aid form when being considered for COSI funds. We want to make sure they are taking advantage of all available resources to help pay for the cost of attendance.”
Support is here
For Donaldson, CMC is familiar territory. He received an Associate of General Studies degree 10 years ago at the college, and is now studying digital media in CMC’s Isaacson School of Communication, Arts and Media. He hopes to either incorporate video production into his event production work in the future or practice videography solely.
“The scholarship has helped me so much,” said Hernandez. “I have always wanted to go back to school, and I don’t know when or if I’d be able to if it wasn’t for the scholarship and the help I got from CMC.”
Arreola said Colorado Mountain College’s goal is to grant 150 credentials to students through this scholarship during the next two years.
Contact cosi@coloradomtn.edu or visit https://coloradomtn.edu/scholarships/back-to-work-scholarship/ for more information and to contact an advisor about Colorado Mountain College’s Back to Work Scholarship.
Throughout fall semester, the CCMC's Fire Academy is giving students live structure fire experience in the college's Dotsero Training Facility located just off I-70. Photo Ed Kosmicki
For over 50 years Colorado Mountain College has been training first responders. The college’s commitment continues this week, as firefighter trainees from CMC’s Fire Academy receive hands-on experience inside the Dotsero Training Facility with live fire near the 32,000-acre Grizzly Creek Fire.
The center is housed in a large vertical building that sits north of I-70 on the east side of Glenwood Canyon.
“With the Grizzly Creek Fire being so close to where our training is being held, it is important for our trainees to learn the importance of structure protection and how to apply it to their communities,” said Zak Miller, CMC’s college-wide fire science program coordinator based at CMC Vail Valley at Edwards.
Motorists traveling along I-70 may see smoke and fire as a result of this training, which is under strict guidelines and will be permitted to only burn in the center’s non-combustible building with favorable weather conditions.
Due to the increase in fire starts, drought conditions and a statewide fire ban, the college needed approval from Gypsum Fire and the Eagle County Sheriff’s Office to allow the fire academy to train with live fire in the facility.
“It’s the goal of Colorado Mountain College to put as many firefighters as possible into departments to help fight these fires,” said Miller.
The college also offers firefighting instruction in Leadville and Rifle.
“Colorado Mountain College prides itself on providing education to better serve our communities and to do it in a safe manner,” Miller said.
Live structure fire training will be held sporadically through fall semester, from Sept. 9-Dec. 11. For questions about the Dotsero Training Facility, contact Zak Miller at zsmiller@mail.coloradomtn.edu. For more information about the CMC Fire Academy visit https://coloradomtn.edu/programs/fire-academy/.
Do you have a talent or knowledge you would like to share with our Roaring Fork Valley community? The Glenwood Center is always hiring individuals interested in teaching noncredit classes in various fields, including arts, dance, business, wellness, new media, technology, and more. No prior teaching experience is needed. Interested? Please contact our Community Education Coordinator Annmarie Deter at 970-947-8477 or adeter@coloradomtn.edu.
In 2021 the CMC Glenwood Center celebrated its 40th anniversary. The passive-solar facility opened in July 1981 as the largest of its kind ever funded by the Department of Energy, receiving several national awards.
Conveniently located near downtown Glenwood Springs, the Glenwood Center offers associate and bachelor’s level classes, dual credit courses for high schoolers, English as a Second Language and other basic adult education classes and training. The campus also offers a robust continuing education program with an array of noncredit courses, seminars, workshops, and events, both on and off-campus.
The building has also become home to other organizations, including the Mini College Preschool, the High Country Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP), a Pearson VUE test center, and most recently the GOAL High School.
In 2022, the community will enjoy the newly installed sprung wooden floor in the multipurpose room, where many fitness and dance classes are held, and have access to more than a dozen new noncredit classes offered in-person and online.
Over the past six months, Colorado Mountain College’s internal working group examined opportunities to benefit students and taxpayers alike through potential changes to the use of the Glenwood Center. The group analyzed data and drafted scenarios that explored potential options for relocating programs, addressing costs, benefits, equity, access, efficiency, effectiveness, and service to students. Five alternative instructional options were considered:
Additional conversations with the Colorado River BOCES confirmed there is no longer interest in leasing space at the Glenwood Center for the regional alternative high school. In consideration of the specialized learning and social needs of the student population, as well as increased demand from students in school districts farther west, the BOCES staff plans to pursue other locations.
Next Steps
Campus leadership will continue community conversations, as all campuses do regularly, with compatible potential partners. Portions of the Glenwood Center and/or 8th and Grand may be appropriate for partnership arrangements, just as the campus has done with RSVP, the senior lunch program, and the Children’s Mini College.
The disruption of classroom and facility use resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic has exposed considerable uncertainty in how buildings will be used post-pandemic. Thoughtful consideration of the community, business, and educational needs will be key as we address the potential for “best use” for the vacant space at 8th and Grand Avenue. The working group recommends first completing an internal review over the next few months that will seek to fully identify and evaluate college needs and opportunities for the space, and then will set the stage for engaging in an external process similar to the one used to determine the highest and best use for Morgridge Commons. In that process, community conversations and charrettes were facilitated by external conveners, resulting in a recommended course of action that was beneficial to all. During any of this review period, the college may engage in pilot uses of the space to learn more about what works and delivers the most value to the college, to learners, and to the broader community.
September 3, 2020
As part of Colorado Mountain College’s ongoing commitment to its many communities, students, employees, and taxpayers, the college regularly evaluates the most efficient use of all of its facilities.
Despite rumors to the contrary, the college is not selling or closing its Glenwood Center on Blake Avenue and remains deeply committed to those who use the building regularly, including ESL, adult, and continuing education students; the Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) participants and volunteers; Mini College; and others.
As a steward of taxpayer dollars, CMC strives to strike a balance among fiscal responsibility, quality programs, access for students, and service to community. This is particularly true in light of a global pandemic and its long-term budgetary and programmatic impact on public institutions of higher education. The college is conducting preliminary, exploratory discussions about the best use of college facilities across the Roaring Fork Valley; Garfield County alone is home to five separate campuses and centers.
Even before the pandemic closed in-person operations at the college’s 11 campuses and centers, utilization of the Glenwood Center was often light, outside evenings when courses were scheduled. Meanwhile, partner organizations in need of support were looking for options to better serve the community during difficult financial times. One such partner is Yampah Mountain High School, with which CMC is having conversations about possible lease arrangements. Yampah is a school that is funded by and supports all of the school districts in Garfield and Pitkin counties, and many of its graduates enroll at CMC. Given this alignment of missions, we have invited discussions about how to better use CMC’s physical assets to enhance the education of all residents in the region.
Additionally, the unexpected departure of US Bank from its previous location in the CMC Central Services building frees up a large, centrally located space in downtown Glenwood Springs. When combined with CMC’s Morgridge Commons and offices no longer needed by the Glenwood Springs Chamber and Resort Association (also housed in this location), nearly 25,000 square feet of space has new potential to support the college’s mission. Importantly, CMC’s accreditor recognizes the Glenwood Center as a “location” and not a primary campus, so most certificate, associate, or bachelor’s degree programs can only be delivered with support from the Spring Valley campus which recently received more than $35 million of facility improvements and enhanced student support services.
Because CMC’s physical footprint in Glenwood Springs grew unexpectedly and considering that the college maintains three locations in close proximity to one another (Glenwood Center, Central Services/Morgridge Commons, and Spring Valley) we are actively examining how to continue to deliver high-quality education in Glenwood Springs while being mindful that the region has physical resources well beyond those found in other CMC communities.
Over the coming months, a working group will seek employee, student, and community input before any proposals are presented to the CMC Board of Trustees for its consideration. Importantly, the trustees have not voted on any proposals regarding the Glenwood Center to date, but are aware of the conversations underway and recognize the college’s fiscal realities in 2021 and beyond.
As the college’s working group goes through this process, we ask that all interested stakeholders remain open-minded and respectful, and maintain a willingness to listen, learn, and offer the benefit of the doubt as to the college’s intentions. CMC has always strived to do what is best for its students, employees, communities, and taxpayers spread across nine counties. And, over the course of the college’s 55 years, CMC has evolved in numerous ways, always adapting to changing circumstances.
If you have interest in being part of the discussions about the future of the Glenwood Center or sharing your views, please send them to: Glenwoodcenter@coloradomtn.edu.
College leadership recognizes the concern expressed by members of the community and acknowledges it as an expression of heartfelt affection for the Glenwood Center and the role it has played in many thousands of lives in the Roaring Fork Valley. These feelings and memories have our deep respect. We also embrace the notion that colleges are not simply buildings or campuses, but caring people, quality programs, and meaningful services. Colleges change lives and enhance communities, not only because of the buildings they maintain, but more so because of the relationships they create and the opportunities they offer, particularly for those with the fewest resources or options. Rest assured that CMC will always be a vital part of Glenwood Springs, regardless of physical space or methods the college uses to support its students.
