Colorado Mountain College Foundation receives $1.5 million challenge gift

Colorado Mountain College Foundation receives $1.5 million challenge gift Carbondale resident Paul Bushong pledged $1.5 million as a challenge match for other donors to join him in supporting the renovation of CMC Spring Valley’s student center and the addition of a new 4,000 square-foot nursing education facility. “The Promise of Spring Valley,” is a $5 million capital campaign launched in 2018. In August 2019, the campus opened the new J. Robert Young Alpine Ascent Center, a 16,000-square foot student services hub, named after Alpine Bank founder Bob Young for his generous support of CMC. Later that year, the Spring Valley campus also opened the Outdoor Leadership Center and Field House, another addition made possible by the campaign. ‘Local support is important’ A resident of the Roaring Fork Valley since 1999, Bushong’s interest in education and CMC began in 2018 with the establishment of a scholarship at the CMC Foundation, the nonprofit support partner of Colorado Mountain College. The Fast Forward Scholarship at CMC supports “those students who’ve fallen through the cracks,” Bushong explained. Award criteria for the scholarship is based on need, rather than academic performance, and targets local high school graduates as well as nontraditional students pursuing technical certificates and direct-to-work degrees such as nursing, veterinary technician and paralegal. To date, the Fast Forward Scholarship at CMC has awarded 29 students with over $100,000. “Local support is important to me,” Bushong said. “I want to support students so they can earn a degree or certificate and stay in the community and participate in their local economy.” When Bushong learned about the need to help fund a new nursing simulation lab and finish the renovations for Spring Valley’s student center, he was eager to jumpstart the campaign. “Everybody has places to put their money but CMC is a special place,”… Read more: Colorado Mountain College Foundation receives $1.5 million challenge gift

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CMC alumna wins Snowmaker of the Year award

Despite her youth, Madeline Pierce’s passion and dedication for snowmaking helped the 22-year-old Copper Mountain Resort snowmaker win the 2021 Colorado Ski Country Double Diamond Snowmaker of the Year award.

“I’m honored, and I’m really excited, and I think it’s very special because as snowmakers, being behind the scenes, we don’t receive a lot of recognition,” Pierce said. Read more: CMC alumna wins Snowmaker of the Year award

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