Pueblo Community College Southwest prepares to unveil its new STEM center at the end of August as part of the new school year. The school also welcomes a new interim campus administrator in place of former Dean Lisa Snyder.
The new STEM center is the newest addition to PCC’s Mancos campus. The center will house STEM college and career resources, 3D printers and other STEM tools, student study and support opportunities for all PCC students, STEM and college success workshops, engineering classes and the Colorado Space Grant Consortium Robotics Challenge teams.
Engineering and space grant robotics teams will also hold meetings in the center, according to PCC STEM Academic and Career Expert Melissa Watters.
Workshops will be held once or twice a month and will be open to all PCC students. Workshops will have topics such as college success skills, hands on STEM related activities and more. Additionally, study sessions will be held weekly for all PCC students, and various resources will be available for students.
One such study session, titled Learners’ Studio, will provide quiet, individual study and assignment help, as needed. STEM Saturdays and other activities will be provided for K-12 outreach activities.
The opening and ribbon cutting will take place has been scheduled for Aug. 27 at 10 a.m. The open house will follow the ribbon cutting, and will run until 2:30 p.m. Another open house will be held the next day, Aug. 28 from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. for working individuals, students and families of students who wish to view the new STEM center.
Light refreshments will be served.
Kevin Aten, the new interim campus administrator, also spoke about the new STEM center.
“I think it’s a chance to put those 21st century workplace skills into reality,” Aten said. “We talk about these a lot, and many are unable to do creative and critical thinking, but this is a chance for them to actually be able to put those kinds of skills into practice.”
Aten said students will be able to create prototypes on the 3D printers, allowing them to test their ideas and learn to adapt, create things and have “high-level thinking.”
“I think the more that we teach our learners continuous improvement and prototyping and design thinking, I think they’re going to be that much farther ahead in the world than what we see right now, because that’s where it is,” Aten said.
Though his position is labeled as interim, Aten shared that he is thrilled to be working at PCC again. He worked at PCC a few years ago, but rejoined the team July 1.
“I love the people at PCC,” Aten said. “I’ve never seen a group of harder working people more dedicated to serving our learners, and it’s a pleasure. It’s a pleasure to be back and to be a servant leader for people.”
Along with working at PCC, Aten shared that he is also a professor at Fort Lewis College and Minot State in North Dakota, where he teaches educational leadership and data-driven instruction.
Aten is a lifelong resident of Montezuma County, sharing that his family homesteaded in McElmo Canyon years ago. Helping promote education in his hometown is something he is excited about.
“To be able to provide that lifelong learning and the skills that people need to keep going in their careers or level up to something else. … it’s one of my missions to be a lifelong learner and lifelong teacher and educator,” Aten said.
In the future, he hopes to see PCC continue to grow enrollment and opportunities for local students in Montezuma County.
“We’re very excited for another great year of serving learners and providing opportunities for the southwest,” Aten said. “We’re the only community college in Colorado that is uniquely positioned between the Southern Ute tribe and the Ute Mountain tribal nation, we’ve had some incredible partnerships with our Native American tribal nations.”
PCC President Chato Hazelbaker introduced Aten to the PCC community, saying he is confident in Aten’s leadership and hasn’t made plans to search for a permanent replacement for Snyder.
“I have not settled on a timeline to search for and name a permanent campus administrator. I am confident that with the good work you are already doing, and Dr. Aten’s leadership, we can continue to effectively serve the student and the community,” Hazelbaker said. “I want to take the time to really understand community needs, the relationship with the college structure and the long-term vision before we move forward. It is a top priority, and I will work diligently on it, but I also want to make sure we take the time to get it right.”
