If you looked up the definition of “hard worker” in the dictionary, you would see a picture of Samantha Blea.

The Rifle native earned her associate of arts at Colorado Mountain College while still a teenager. By taking dual credit class, she graduated from both CMC and Rifle High School in 2007. From there, she went on to earn a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from the United States Naval Academy.

“I took online classes through CMC,” says Blea. “It was really convenient to be able to work at my own pace while staying on top of the syllabus for each class and it allowed me to do my high school work at the same time.”

Blea’s first post in the Navy was aboard the USS Ford in Everett, Washington. In a 2015 Post Independent newspaper article, Blea explained she then was stationed in San Diego and worked as an electronics material officer.

The Navy told the paper, she was part of a “53-person crew that rotated between the USS Independence and USS Coronado.”

"I am now on my second ship and have traveled around the world to eight different countries,” Blea told the Post Independent. “I've worked with electronics warfare and weapons systems and will be shifting toward information professional including cyber and network security.”

Working aboard some of the Navy's newest ships, Blea says she knows she and her crewmates are “building a legacy that will last beyond their lifetimes.”

Barbara Boe was a ranch wife and mother when the bottom dropped out of her life.

“All I had known was taking care of five children,” says Boe, recalling how she felt when she and her husband separated in 2005, leaving her with their children, aged 4 to 14, and a ranch on Silt Mesa near Rifle. “I didn’t know what I was going to do.”

Years later, she has far fewer doubts and many more options thanks to her time at Colorado Mountain College in Rifle. It was there she completed her applied engineering technician Associate of Applied Science degree, a program that trains graduates to work in a variety of industries including oil, gas, waste and water treatment, and power and electric plants.

Best of all, her daughter, Crissi Boe, studied right alongside her mom for the same degree. Both were on the President’s List.

“I’ve always told my children to go to school, get your education,” says Barbara. “It’s something that no one can take away from you. It’s something that you have forever.”

But it’s just the beginning for this mother and daughter duo. They went on to pursue the college’s Bachelor of Applied Science degree. The BAS allows those with associate of applied science degrees to seamlessly continue studying for a bachelor’s degree, increasing their employability and opportunities for advancement.\

For Crissi, having the opportunity to go to college with her mother and stay in western Garfield County has been ideal. She has learned from her mother the importance of developing marketable skills and knowledge.

“Having the opportunity to go to CMC has been amazing because it allows me to be where I want to be,” says Crissi. “My experience in the applied engineering program has been awesome. And, as a woman, you don’t have to rely on anyone.”

Robyn Kent was worried about the gap on her resume. Although she had been a licensed psychiatric technician for the State of Colorado for five years, she had taken time off to raise her two kids until they reached kindergarten.

“I hadn’t worked since 2005,” she says. At that point, she was living in New Castle and as she thought about getting back into the workforce, she found that Colorado Mountain College was an easy choice to make. In addition to the location and flexibility of the classes, affordability was a big plus for Kent.

“I could afford to pay cash for my education so I didn’t have to take out any student loans,” she says.

When she looked at universities outside Colorado, she said she was looking at $27,000 to $30,000 a year. She estimates she spent $5,000 last year at CMC for her education.

“I saved $22,000 to $25,000 [each year] on my education,” she says. “It’s a huge value to me.”

Kent was the first student to earn a bachelor’s degree from the Rifle campus. In 2010, then Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter signed the bill to allow Colorado Mountain College to offer a limited number of bachelor’s degrees. The bill was a result of extensive research the college conducted, showing unmet demand from employers and students in north- central Colorado.

A few short months later, in the fall of 2011, CMC started offering bachelor’s degrees in business administration and sustainability studies.

“The bachelor’s program enabled me to transition from being a mom to the workforce,” Kent says.

To finish her bachelor’s degree in business administration and two associate degrees in two and a half years, Kent took upwards of 24 credit hours some semesters. Throughout she maintained an “A” average.

“She doesn’t let anything stop her,” says Susan Looney, a former business instructor who mentored Kent. “She’s so driven and motivated to work through the program. She’s taking a full load and she also has to take care of her family.”

“If it wasn’t for the bachelor’s degrees we have, she wouldn’t have been able to further her education,” Looney continues. “It’s amazing to be able to give this opportunity to so many students.”