With the newly created Skyhawk Persistence Grant, Fort Lewis College is bridging a gap to degree completion for students facing unexpected financial hardships.

Experts in business and economics will present their view of the current status of local, state, and national economies, and their predictions for the future, at the Community Concert Hall from 8 to 11 a.m.

President Begaye and FLC President Tom Stritikus signed an agreement that provides $2,500 per student, per term. The agreement also establishes a partnership between FLC and the Office of Navajo Nation Scholarship and Financial Assistance (ONNSFA), which will distribute and monitor the funds.

In the last quarter of 2018, 11 faculty and staff members received grants for their programs and departments, ranging in size from $1,978 to $304,958.

A grant from the University of Alaska's BLaST (Biomedical Learning & Student Training) program means 25 students training for biomedical research careers and their faculty mentors will be doing hands-on undergraduate research for the spring semester.

Matthew Welbourn (Business Administration, '17) is a contestant on NBC's new athletic competition TV series "The Titan Games," hosted by Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson.

The Association for Fire Ecology certified Professor of Biology Julie Korb as an AFE Senior Wildland Fire Ecologist for her education, training, and experience.

Irene Barry (English, '05) has published Surviving a Rural High School Shooting, based on her experiences as an on-duty teacher at Aztec High School, in New Mexico, during a school shooting in December 2017.

Assistant Professor of Political Science Michael Dichio's book The US Supreme Court and the Centralization of Federal Authority was released by the SUNY Press.

FLC was named to the 2018–2019 list of "Top 200 Colleges for Indigenous Students" by Winds of Change, the journal of the American Indian Science & Engineering Society.

Georgie Pongyesva (History, '16), a member of the Hopi Tribe, was interviewed by the Grand Canyon Trust about the role of Native Americans at the national park as it celebrates its centennial.

In the last quarter of 2018, 11 faculty and staff members received grants for their programs and departments, ranging in size from $1,978 to $304,958.

My first few months at Fort Lewis College have been a whirlwind, but the good kind of whirlwind. Thanks for welcoming me and my family to FLC. Enjoy your break and we’ll see you in 2019.

Jordan Meinster (Economics, ’06) has grown a thriving business that is now blossoming into a successful franchise spreading across the country. And the roots of that business reach back to the Fort Lewis College campus.

Today it’s paramount for businesses to understand how to attract, convert, and retain customers online. The new Digital Marketing Certificate program provides the training ncessary to lead businesses through this challenging territory. 

In the middle of the morning on June 1, 2018, a wildfire broke out about 10 miles north of Durango, with a single plume clearly visible from the Fort Lewis College campus.

At Fort Lewis College, sustainability isn’t just an abstract concept or vague notion. Maybe that's because a sense of responsibility for land and community comes naturally when you live and work in a place as open, wild, and beautiful as southwestern Colorado.

Nearly 180 Skyhawks walked in the Winter Commencement ceremony on December 15, culminating their successful undergraduate education and adventure at Fort Lewis College.

Results from the women's and men's races and team relay put FLC in second for the team omnium competition. 

Students in title Assistant Professor of Marketing Kristin Watson's public relations class presented their research and proposals for boosting marketing for the La Plata County Humane Society to the Society's executives.

Young people in La Plata County voted in this fall's election in numbers far greater than in 2014, and research by Assistant Professor Paul DeBell's political science students suggests why.

The anthology The Andean World, co-edited by Professor and Chair of Anthropology Kathleen Fine-Dare, was recently released by as part of the Routledge Worlds series.

Melinda Arviso-Ciocco (Native American & Indigenous Studies, '12) has been selected to be the state director for the New Mexico for the Old Spanish Trail Association, which is dedicated to protecting, interpreting, and promoting the Old Spanish National Historic Trail.

Two new majors in the Sociology & Human Services Department offer timely and cutting-edge programs to complement the existing Sociology & Human Services major.

Southwest Colorado Small Business Development Center funding expands popular business plan competition to local high school students, and top prizes will include Fort Lewis College scholarships.

For April Yazza, crowned Ms. Hozhoni at the 2018 Hozhoni Days Pageant & Powwow, the stage gives her a voice for the causes she believes in. 

View the awesome new video that went out to all our new accepted students this year! 

For the first time, students of color now make up the majority at FLC, reported at 51 percent, with 46 percent white and 3 percent unreported.

Registered nurse Amber DeHerrera (ATT '98-'01) talked to the Durango Telegraph about the lessons she learned working with birthing mothers in Tanzania through the Durango-based Tanzanian Mission Project.

Coordinator of Student Wellness Kendra Gallegos Reichle won the 2018 Outstanding Advisor award from the NASPA Foundation..

Four Biology students and two faculty attended the Sitka Whalefest, in Alaska, thanks to a grant from the National Science Foundation.

Indea Stroeve Rogers (Biology, '18) wrote about the value of field work for scientists for the American Geophysical Union following her experience aboard a research vessel in the Baltic Sea last summer.

Economics major Joshua Emerson was awarded the first-ever Native American Bank, N.A. Scholarship at the 2018 American Indian Achievement Awards, in Denver.

FLC launched the Indigenous Arts Festival in November. The inaugral festival's theme was “Resilience: Laugh, Cry, Persevere,” and featured an art exhibit, speakers, and two theatre productions.

The journey of Cristin Haase (Biology, '13) to bring dental care to Native communities was profiled in a cover story in the Fall issue of Winds of Change magazine.

More than 200 students from Durango, Cortez, and Ignacio schools came to campus for the Julia Robinson Mathematics Festival in the Student Union Ballroom.

Parvannah Lee (Pubilc Health, '18) wrote an editorial for Teen Vogue about her experiences learning about food and hunger issues in her home Navajo Nation.

Junior Geology major Sean Englund completed the first-ever slackline crossing between Durango's Twin Buttes, in November.

In October, filmmaker Alexandria Bombach (Business Administration, '08) debuted On Her Shoulders, her documentary about Nadia Murad, who also won the Nobel Peace Price in October.

FLC will immediately begin the transition to a smoke-free environment, with the new policy going into full effect on January 1, 2019. This policy applies to all employees, students, visitors, contractors and externally affiliated individuals or companies renting FLC-­owned space on FLC-­owned and operated property.

FLC created a new focal point for school spirit by dedicating a 25' wall to Skyler the Skyhawk, FLC's intrepid athletic mascot! Check out this video for a fast-motion walkthrough of the wall's creation from 8 inch pencil sketch to 8 foot bird! 

Thanks to the crew from Fastsigns for allowing us to film them in action!

FLC donors recently shared a meal and saw presentations by students who receive scholarships at the Benefactors Brunch. The annual gathering is an opportunity for those who give to FLC scholarships to meet the students who benefit from that support. [PHOTOS] 

Fort Lewis College stands by its commitment to self-determination, expression, and sovereignty for all students, faculty, and staff. I believe that we walk best when we walk together, and many eyes make a stronger vision.

Philosophy majors Mikayla Bennion and Sophie Schwartz took first place in the 2018 UCCS Daniels Fund Ethics Initiative Business Case Competition on November 2 at the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs.

Fort Lewis College was included in The Princeton Review's 2018 "Guide to 399 Green Colleges."

The Knowledge Review ranked FLC among its 10 Best Green Schools in America.

303 Magazine profiled Dylan Lipke (Art, '14) about his using old pizza boxes as canvases for his artwork.

Tracy Weil (English, '88) was interviewed in Westword magazine about his work founding Denver's art district known as RiNo, which he still oversees as RiNo’s creative director.

In an effort to reduce bear-human conflicts in downtown Durango, Environmental Studies students are working with Bear Smart Durango to evaluate whether people are using the bear-resistant cans properly.

Assistant Professor of Geosciences Mickey Campbell is developing an app for wildlands firefighters in the field that will feature an interactive map keeping them informed in real time of possible escape routes.

Efforts will be focused on addressing teacher shortages in southwest Colorado.

In a series of candid, moving testimonials, FLC students talk about the importance of scholarships, family, Durango, and the change coming to Fort Lewis made in their lives. This film was shown at our 2018 Benefactor's Brunch in November. 

VAP's annual fundraiser will celebrate the work done in Myanmar this past summer and raise funds for the Summer 2019 implementation projects in Myanmar and Nicaragua.

This past summer, two dozen students took a fascinating and highly interactive class that examined the role of disease in history around the world. And not once were the students or the instructor in the same room at the same time.

Russian olive trees – an invasive species – in the 8th Avenue Parking Lot islands were removed and replaced with a selection of native species.

More than 800 mountain bikers from high schools across the state descended on Durango in October to compete in the Colorado Cycling League’s 2018 State Championship.

Don May, professor of Physics & Engineering, received $1 million over five years from the National Science Foundation’s Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering & Math program to launch the FLC Engineering Scholars Program.

DurangoTV.com aired a segment on the new School of Business Administration course that will be offered starting next year in which a student will win a Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory franchise.

Nonpartisan, informational videos by 68 students about the ballot measures in Colorado’s upcoming general election were presented to the La Plata County League of Women Voters at the Center of Southwest Studies.

Associate Professor of Teacher Education Chiara Cannella presented at American Indian Resource Center's Native Educated Teacher Successfully Taught Academic Rigor program at Northeastern State University, in Oklahoma, in October.

The Engineering program at Cornell University recounted the story of how Professor of Physics Ryan Haaland and a Cornell professor from Durango collaborated to send FLC students to Cornell to do summer research.

For many Native students, a career in the STEM fields – science, technology, engineering, and mathematics – can often seem impossibly out of reach. That's where the American Indian Science & Engineering Society comes in.

Over seven months, 28 faculty and staff members received grants for their programs and departments, ranging in size from $1,000 to $3.7 million.

Associate Professor of Physics & Engineering Megan Paciaroni discussed FLC's role in training Native students for STEM fields for the Optical Society of America. [video]

Mike Coyle (Adventure Education, '13) talked about the rewards and challenges of life as a professional skiing and climbing guide in Outside magazine.

Luis Benitez, director of Colorado’s Outdoor Recreation Industry Office, will present “Helping Colorado’s Outdoor Industry Thrive” on October 22 at Fort Lewis College in Room 130 of the Chemistry Hall at 4 p.m.

Associate Professor of Music Charissa Chiaravalloti was named a “Teacher of the Week” by Grammy-winning composer and conductor Eric Whitacre for being "one of those teachers that changes your life." 

Kodas writes about megafires in his award-winning book Megafire: The Race to Extinguish a Deadly Epidemic of Flame, where he describes the rising phenomenon of these increasingly widespread, severe and destructive forest fires from the perspective of the people and communities who have experienced them.

This fun 5K run/1K walk invites community members to take back the night and stand up against sexual violence!

The First National Bank of Durango and the Fitzgerald family recently gave a $100,000 gift to Fort Lewis College. The donation is in recognition of the board of directors of the bank, which was recently sold to TBK Bank, SSB. The First National Bank of Durango had a long association with FLC, and the gift has already impacted students and campus is a positive way.

James Tutt (Physical Science, '69), former president of Navajo Technical College, was named dean of the new School of Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics at Diné College. 

Marsha Greyeyes (Political Science, '99) was profiled for her initiative in creating the Maryland-based Greyeyes Supply Company.

New Environmental Center Coordinator Marty Pool shares his vision for FLC's student-driven, applied-learning center. 

Navajo Nation President Russell Begaye met recently with President Stritikus to discuss partnerships to strengthen educational pathways for college-bound Navajo students.

Associate Professor of Political Science Brad Clark discussed “Gold Metal Waters: The 2015 Gold King Mine Spill," a new book he contributed to, on KSJD. [audio]

KDUR and The Durango Herald are collaborating on a series of audio and print stories focusing on effective responses to the risk of youth suicide.

For students who’d like to explore those many-faceted opportunities in this wide-ranging field, Fort Lewis College now offers the “Pre-Health Certificate,” a year-long program that exposes them to the diversity of educational and professional paths toward careers in public and personal healthcare.

"You can't tell the American story without the indigenous story," says Jenni Monet (English, '11). But as a Native journalist, she also knows just how hard that task can be. Monet shared her insights and experiences with students and staff when she visited campus in September.

Rising cycling star Sofia Gomez Villafañe (Exercise Science, '16) was interviewed in Cyclocross Magazine about her choice to race for Argentina, her country of birth, at World Cup Waterloo, in Wisconsin. [video]

This year’s theme “KDUR: The Original Mixtape” recalls a time when tapes were a popular media and how radio was the original mashup of favorite tracks.

Both the Environmental Studies and new Environmental Science programs make use of FLC’s unique location to explore issues such as energy production, local foods, water conservation, land use, national parks, and Native American tribal lands.

Marshall Masayesva (Adventure Education, '14) was awarded the 2018 Emerging Leader Award by Western Resource Advocates for his work with Native American youth in environmental conservation and stewardship, outdoor education, and adventure recreation.

Dr. Steve Elias, dean of the School of Business Administration, has teamed up with Mark Haeussler, CEO of Alpine Leadership, to offer the Executive Leader Development Program October 1-4 at Fort Lewis College. 

It's not something you stumble upon every day. Environmental Studies student researchers recently discovered a mammoth tooth while doing field studies to piece together the environmental history of an old wetland in the nearby San Luis Valley. [photos] 

Rica Fulton (Environmental Studies, '14), director of the Waterkeeper Alliance's Upper Green River Network, in Wyoming, makes an impassioned case for protection for southwest Colordo's Dolores River, on Medium.com.

Professor of Economics Tino Sonora researched the effects of wildfires on personal income in response to this summer's 416 Fire.

Despite losing her leg followiing a climbing accident in 2011, Exercise Science major Bee (Morin) Mathis is climbing Ecuador's 19,347-foot Cotopaxi volcano with a team of amputee adventurers.

Professor of Biology Julie Korb urged southwestern Coloradoans to change their perspective on wildfires and “manage fire for the type we want.”

Students in Assistant Professor of Political Science Paul DeBell's class are working to increase student-voter turnout through speaker panels and voter information.

Skyhawks cycling took home the bronze in velodrome racing at USA Cycling's Division I Track National Championships, in Colorado Springs, and Skyhawk James Hilyer won the men’s points national title.

The Durango Herald profiled Hayley Kirkman ( Art, '17), who is making Durango more colorful as creative arts and special projects coordinator for Local First Durango.

School of Business Administration has been granted $10,000 for the Wells Fargo Native American Business Scholarship

The School of Business Administration has teamed up with the Durango-based Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory, one of the largest manufacturers and retailers of quality confections in North America, to offer a course in entrepreneurship and franchising that includes the chance to compete to win and own an active RMCF store.

 Study the human mind in all its amazing and fascinating complexity. View this film to get a short overview of what is possible for you as a Psychology Major at FLC!

Keith Baugh (Biology, ‘18), a Ph.D. candidate in the new Translational Biology, Medicine, and Health program at Virginia Tech’s new Apex Center for Entrepreneurs, will learn methods for bringing medical and health research ideas to market.

Denver educator Marissa Molina ((Political Science, ’14) was profiled by The Denver Post discussing the emotional turmoil caused the Trump administration's rescission of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.

Myron Lizer (Business Administration, '06) is running for Navajo Nation vice president, alongside presidential candidate and current Vice President Jonathan Nez.

The campus community mourns the loss of Beatrice “Mickie” Thurston, a long-time supporter of and benefactor to the College.

Durango's Think Network Technologies, founded by Matt Glick (Sociology & Human Services, '00), was a top 3 finalist in ColoradoBiz magazine's Top Company in Technology list.

FLC is collaborating with the Southwestern Colorado Area Health Education Center and other agencies to launch a free program to train health care professionals for rural and underserved communities.

FLC was named a 2018 Top College by Forbes and a 2019 Best Regional College by The Princeton Review.

Associate Professor of English Erik Juergensmeyer has been named to a four-year term on the Faculty Editorial Committee of the University Press of Colorado and Utah State University Press for projects in composition, rhetoric, and education.

For the past decade, prehistoric archaeologist Aaron Deter-Wolf of the Tennessee Division of Archaeology has been studying the archaeological evidence for tattooing. In his lecture, Deter-Wolf will discuss Ötzi’s life, death, and discovery, and what 5,300- year-old tattoos can tell us about human behavior and the ancient world.

As part of her sabbatical, Professor of Biology Julie Korb is doing public outreach related to the fire ecology of the 416 and Missionary Ridge fires, including two Durango events for the Moutain Studies Institute in September.

Associate Professor of Political Science Brad Clark was quoted in the most recent issue of High Country News talking about the value of using the newsmagazine in his classroom. 

New FLC President Tom Stritikus asks Skyler the Skyhawk for his thoughts. Skyler obliges in true Skyler fashion.

Alumnae Hayley Kirkman (Art, '17) and Lexis Loeb (Art, '16) are starting work on a grant-funded mural on the east side of the Kroeger's Hardware building along Narrow Gauge Avenue, in downtown Durango.

Daniel Bauer's (Anthropology, '99) book Identity, Development, and the Politics of the Past: An Ethnography of Continuity and Change in a Coastal Ecuadorian Community was just released by University Press of Colorado.

Professional cyclist Payson McElveen (Exercise Science, '16) was profiled in Mountain Bike Action's "Inside The Pros’ Bikes" series.

Recreational Services staff volunteered in August on a trail-building project for Trails 2000 connecting Three Springs with the Horse Gulch trail system.

High Country News featured a story about research being done by Anna Ortega (Biology, '14), a zoology graduate student at the University of Wyoming, on the effects of development on animal migration.

FLC was named a "Hidden Gem in the Southwest" by College Raptor.

FLC made BestColleges.com's list of Best Colleges in Colorado.

Assistant Professor of English Jillian Wenburg presented "Mari Sandoz Writing (Righting) History," about the author of Cheyenne Autumn, at the Decatur County Museum, in Oberlin, Kansas.

The National Park Service turns to Associate Professor of Biology Ross McCauley and his students to see what might be the best way to give a rare plant the best chance to survive and thrive in Mesa Verde National Park.

It's the first day of the Fall 2018 semester and new FLC President Tom Stritikus is excited to welcome you!

The Fall Blaze Bicycle Tour is a chance for anyone who loves to ride to enjoy the autumn colors of the San Juan Mountains while supporting the  #3 ranked Skyhawks cycling team. 

Our celebration of diversity and community as we start the 2018-19 school year!

“After almost 20 years of teaching,” he says, “I’m getting there.”

A team from FLC and Durango spent more than two weeks in May constructing a water system and communal taps in Than Taung, Myanmar.

New three-panel signs touting FLC as "Colorado's Crossroads of Education + Adventure" welcome students, families, and visitors driving up to campus. 

Durango was named the #3 Most Livable Hiking Town in the country by Runrepeat.com.

Thanks to Colorado's high minimum wage and FLC's low tuition, we were included on Student Loan Hero's list of "Cities Where Students Can Work Their Way Through College."

Center of Southwest Studies Director Shelby Tisdale was interviewed in Cowboys & Indians magazine for a story about two historic and influential Native American potters, Maria Martinez and Nampeyo.

Four FLC undergraduate researchers spent their summer getting hands-on laboratory experience at the the eight-week Summer Undergraduate Research in Science and Engineering (SUnRiSE) at Cornell University.

Marketing & Communications just released a commercial that will air before Denver Broncos pre-season games on KREZ. Go Skyhawks!

Beyond just the opportunity to share knowledge with other institutions, Fort Lewis College came away from the summit with one of 11 $10,000 grants, thanks to the Lumina Foundation. The funding will go toward FLC initiatives designed to help Native Americans and Alaska Natives find educational success.

As a Native American-Serving, Nontribal Institution with a significant Latinx population and advanced teaching and research facilities housed within a new $35 million building, Fort Lewis College is well suited to help the National Science Foundation reach its research and diversity goals.

Students earning their master’s degree at Fort Lewis College can either earn the TESOL or Colorado’s Culturally and Linguistically Diverse endorsement. FLC is the only Colorado school and one of only four New Mexico institutions to offer the TESOL.

FLC's master's degree in Culturally & Linguistically Diverse Education has been approved for New Mexico's TESOL (Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages) endorsement.

As institutions with large minority student populations that also serve rural areas, Fort Lewis College and San Juan College are well-suited to respond to the need for more teachers in remote areas, not only in Colorado, but New Mexico, Arizona, and Utah as well. 

FLC has implemented an integrated process and website for compliance with federal law under the Native American Graves Protection & Repatriation Act.

Professor of Biology Julie Korb and several of her present and former students are spending the summer reseraching how controlled burns and forest thinning improve forest health in the San Juan National Forest. 

Durango was named the #4 Coolest Small Town in America by BudgetTravel.com.   

This new partnership, along with new FLC programs like the Pre-Health Certificate, will add to the College’s health sciences offerings, giving students more avenues to join the healthcare field. The College was also recently awarded just over $3 million to begin designing a new Health Sciences & Athletics Complex on campus.

Society of Toxicology awarded a $500 grant to Associate Professor of Biology David Blake to support his students' undergraduate research into the effects of derivatives of caffeic acid.

Steve Elias, dean of the School of Business Administration, has been selected to the AACSB's Small Schools Network steering committee.

FLC was named a top 5 Best Colleges for both Sociology & Human Services and Philosophy degree programs by Schools.com.

Bill Hesford (Teacher Licensure, '05), assistant principal at Bayfield Elementary and Bayfield Primary, was named the 2018 Outstanding Assistant Principal for Colorado by the Colorado Association of School Executives.

Biology professors Heidi Steltzer and Julie Korb discussed the potential for longer and more devastating fire seasons in the West with Yale Climate Connections.

Ross McCauley, associate professor of Biology, and his students were cited in a Daily Camera article about research they have done on how elevation, environment, and climate change play a role in the flowering of Colorado plants.

Staff from Enterprise stopped by campus on June 27 to present a check for $1,000 to the School of Business Administration for student scholarships.

Russell Elliott (Business Administration, '90) has been hired as the new Broadband Manager for the state of Wyoming by the Wyoming Business Council.

Elena (Benvides) Sweetser (Business Administration, '13) was recognized by Coldwell Banker as one of it's 2018 30 under 30 Award winners.

FLC was named to the list of Colleges with Great Intramural Sports Programs by Best Value Schools!

Durango was named #4 on Budget Travel's list of the Coolest Small Towns in America.

Beginning in July, incoming FLC students will have four Peak Experiences opportunities to choose from, each with a different focus. Food and lodging are included in the cost of the program and financial assistance is available for those who qualify. For more information, visit www.fortlewis.edu/peakexperiences.

FLC's Pre-Campus Academy online orientation program won the 2018 NODA Region III "Innovative Program Award." The program teaches students about campus resources, the College's history and mission, and other useful information to prepare them for their first year.

Bison Star Naturals, a hand-made soap and lotion company owned by husband-and-wife team Angelo (Business Administration, '12) and Jacqueline (Brisson-Stahl) (Spanish, '11) McHorse, was recently featured in The Taos News. 

Chris Erickson (Art, '94) debuted an installation of his art, titled "Binary Opposition: Mole©ules," at the Art Base, in Aspen, Colorado, on June 8.

The Independent editor and senior Journalism & Multimedia Studies major Alex Semadeni has been the lead reporter covering the 416 Fire for The Durango Herald.

Professor of Anthropology Chuck Riggs and students in the FLC Archaeological Field School are featured in "The Ancestors," episode 1 of the second season of the PBS series "America from the Ground Up."

A wildfire is a quickly and frequently changing situation. Given this kind of fluid data, it's often hard for the public to get the vital up-to-date information they need to deal. For the 416 Fire near Durango, helping get out that kind of timely and essential information is where Fort Lewis College comes in. 

The Durango Chamber of Commerce presented a check for $1,505 to support the Skyhawks women's golf team following the Chamber's "Girls Gone Golfing" event at Hillcrest Golf Club. 

Fort Lewis College was named one of the country's 50 Best Outdoor Colleges by Best Value Schools. 

2018 RMAC Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year and the 2017-18 RMAC Indoor Track Athlete of the Year Skylyn Webb (Psychology, '16) won the women’s 800-meter run in May at the 2018 NCAA Division II track & field championship in Charlotte, North Carolina, with a record time. 

Beth LaShell, coordinator of the Old Fort at Hesperus, was interviewed on the Food Finance Institute's "Edible Alpha" podcast in June about the activities at the original site of Fort Lewis College. 

More than 3,000 people turned out on in Smyrna, Tennessee, on June 9, for the dedication of a memorial in honor of Blue Angels pilot Jeff Kuss  (Economics, ’06), who crashed while training for the Great Tennessee Airshow in June 2016. 

Megan Paciaroni, associate professor of Physics & Engineering, was named a Senior Member of the Optical Society, which recognizes accomplishments in the science of optics and photonics. 

Dan Gallagher (Business Administration, ’89), a former Fort Lewis College basketball player, is creating a scholarship program to help future members of the Skyhawks men’s basketball team earn their education and contribute on the court. The scholarship, called the Nancy Elizabeth Gallagher Basketball Scholarship, is named in honor of Dan’s mother.

Campus is part of a system of shelters that are activated as the need arises. At this point, FLC has not been activated as an emergency shelter, but campus is ready and willing to respond should the Red Cross or the 416 Fire Incident Command make that request.

A wildfire is burning approximately 10 miles north of Durango. Named the 416 Fire, the fire has prompted evacuations of areas north of town. Fort Lewis College is not being threatened and campus remains open.

The latest information on the fire can be found online:

Twitter: @LaPlataCountyCO
Facebook: @LaPlataCounty

“I am, in terms of the College and its cooperation and partnership with the City, one of the luckiest of presidents anywhere because the City appreciates us and we appreciate the City,” said FLC President Dene Thomas.

Incoming Fall 2018 students: Are you ready for FLC? Get pysched about your new home, new campus, new friends, new adventures, and new life here in Durango!

Clifton Tanabe (Humanities, '88) was named dean of the College of Education at University of Texas at El Paso.

A new health sciences complex will add classrooms and research space for Fort Lewis College’s Exercise Science, Public Health, and other programs that train students for healthcare careers. The College is also beginning a new Pre-Health Certificate program in fall 2018 to help students get what they need to pursue healthcare-related education and jobs after graduation. 

Most of us think accounting is all about crunching numbers. For alumnus Brad Tafoya, though, being an accountant is more about heart than about spreadsheets. He and his firm, Tafoya Barrett & Associates, are all about helping their clients and their community reach their full potential.

Every Spring, FLC hosts a De-Stress Fest to help students cope with end-of-year pressures. The Wellness Peer Advisory Council (WellPAC), a student-led health & wellness organization, organizes the Fest every year.

The FLC Cycling team came in third in the nation at the USA Cycling Collegiate Road National Championships in Grand Junction in May.

The apple orchard at the old Fort Lewis College campus in Hesperus is getting new life from Coordinator Beth LaShell and the National Civilian Community Corps.

Phil Wehrli (Business Administration, '83) is the new Senior Vice President of Global Planning and Supply Chain at SMTC Corporation, a global electronics manufacturing services provider.

Kay Phelps, assistant professor of Teacher Education, was awarded the “Outstanding Environmental Educator Award” by the Colorado Alliance for Environmental Education.

Keri Brandt, professor of Sociology, recently published an article in The Conversation that addresses the transformative quality of human-horse relationships.

Payson McElveen (Exercise Science, '16) defended his champion title at the Marathon Mountain Biking Championships in Arkadelphia, Arkansas. Howard Grotts (Mathematics, '14) finished second.

Paul DeBell, assistant professor of Political Science, was cited as an expert in a Durango Herald article about unaffiliated voters voting in primaries.

Durango was named to Forbes' list of The 14 Coolest Towns for your Summer Vacation.

Professor Emerita Kathy Fine-Dare has been named the Native American Tribal Liaison. She will work with all relevant tribes in Fort Lewis College’s ongoing efforts toward compliance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA).

FLC is in line to receive $3 million from the state legislature for planning the renovation of the Health Sciences and athletic complex. The project calls for an update and expansion of the facility to meet the needs of tomorrow's work force.

The 54th annual Hozhoni Days Powwow and Ms. Hozhoni crowning were held on April 13-14. Senior Communication Design major April Yazza was chosen as the 2018-19 Ms. Hozhoni.

Beth Dorman, associate professor of Teacher Education, and her colleagues published a three-book series on contemplative practice, pedagogy, & research in education.

Dean Dr. Jesse Peters will serve as interim provost and vice president for Academic Affairs starting July 1, taking over for Provost Dr. Barbara Morris, who is becoming president at the State University of New York – Oneonta. 

The Mellon Foundation grant will fund FLC’s Literacies, Inclusion, and Transit (LIT) program. The program will encourage opportunities for students to see the world through new lenses and promote collaboration with people of different beliefs and backgrounds.

Samantha Cameron (Exercise Science, ’12) is helping her family guitar-string manufacturing business, Curt Mangan Fusion Matched Strings, succeed from rural Cortez, Colorado.

The Colorado Tech Tour named FLC "One of Colorado’s hidden academic gems" for its contribution to a range of tech companies succeed.

Outdoor Pursuits Coordinator Brett Davis was featured on Bikepacking.com for the custom mountain bike and packs system that lets him access the rugged backcountry of the San Juan Mountains.

Both Commencement ceremonies will be live streamed on the Fort Lewis College Facebook page at www.facebook.com/fortlewis. Congratulations to all the graduates and go Skyhawks!

The Fort Lewis College Undergraduate Research & Creative Activities Symposium is FLC’s premiere showcase of student research and scholarship. The symposium will be held on Thursday, April 19. Everyone is invited to attend this free event. Presentations will cover a wide range of topics, from biology, chemistry and engineering to music, art and theatre.

An engineer and an artist start a doughnut shop. That pairing is so unexpected that it sounds like the setup to a punchline. But Rendezvous Doughnuts in Durango is no joke. Owner and founder Charlie Shew (Engineering, ’17) and brand manager Hayley Kirkman (Art, ’17) are having serious fun with the craft bakery they opened in late 2017.

Senior Business Administration major Natalia Sells was named a Udall Foundation Native American Congressional Intern for the summer of 2018. Sells was one of 12 interns chosen nationwide, and will complete a 9-week intensive internship in Washing D.C. in the office of Senator John McCain. She is the fifth Udall intern from FLC since the program began.

For 2018, the Hozhoni Days Powwow will be April 13-14. The Grand Entry will be at 7 p.m. on Friday, preceded by the Gourd Dance at 5 p.m. On Saturday, there will be a Gourd Dance at 11 a.m. followed by Grand Entry at 1 p.m. A second Gourd Dance will take place at 5 p.m., with a second Grand Entry at 7 p.m.

Simon Walls, associate professor of Marketing, was recently appointed to the board of directors of the Community Foundation serving Southwest Colorado.

Junior Chemistry major Lexi Dobbs earned the Physical Chemistry Division's Outstanding Student Poster Award at the American Chemical Society (ACS) National Meeting in New Orleans, Louisiana.

In short, NASM accreditation is a mark of excellence for schools of music, big and small. Earning accreditation is an intensive process that can take years to complete, but the end result is an important reassurance to students and parents that the education they’ll receive is top notch.

Amy (Mohr) Bahl (Exercise Science, '05), head coach at Evergreen High School, was named 2018 All-Colorado girls coach of the year as her team scored their fourth Class 4A title.

“Our finalists all bring incredible energy, expertise and focus to Fort Lewis College, as well as strong commitment to our historic mission,” said Steve Short, chair of the Board of Trustees for Fort Lewis College. “I encourage our students, faculty, staff, administrators and the Durango community to take the upcoming opportunities to meet them.”

Kayla Shaggy (Art, '17) celebrates Women's History Month with a comic honoring her grandmother.

Majel Boxer was elected the 2018-2019 President of the American Indian Studies Association at the annual meeting held this last February in Tempe, Arizona.

FLC has been ranked the #1 most diverse college in Colorado by CollegeFactual.com.

Theresa Hilliard was elected to the Colorado Association of Certified Public Accountants (COCPA) Educational Foundation, which provides scholarships to students in Colorado who are on the path to a career as a CPA.

“Duranium,” a film created and edited by FLC students, garnered a large turnout last month at the Colorado Environmental Film Festival in Golden.

Sophomore Business Administration major Vivian Gray has been voted the HERO SPORTS Fan Choice Women's Basketball Newcomer of the Year.

Eleven FLC students and two professors gave back to the community over their spring break by installing solar panels on a chapter house in the Navajo Nation.

FLC was recognized among the Best Colleges in the Country for certain degree programs by Schools.com: Anthropology was ranked #4 and Chemistry was ranked #9.

From noon to 4 p.m., everyone is invited to tour the Biology Wing of Berndt Hall, the Chemistry Hall, and Sitter Family Hall, stopping to enjoy scientific presentations along the way. These presentations include building rivers on the River Simulation Table, getting to know the snakes, lizards and more in the Biology Animal Room, and enjoying liquid nitrogen ice cream.

The School of Teacher Education is in constant contact with educators and school districts to understand what programs would best serve the Four Corners region’s educational professionals. And that’s how FLC’s newest graduate program, a Master of Arts in Education: Culturally & Linguistically Diverse Education that will launch this fall, came to be.

Roberts served in the Colorado legislature for a decade before leaving in 2016. In the legislature, she served in both the House and Senate. Much of her work focused on natural resource issues.

Lara Aase, librarian in the Center of Southwest Studies, received a scholarship from the National Endowment for the Humanities/Global Book Histories Initiative, for full course tuition and expenses at the Rare Book School at the University of Virginia.

Nine FLC students participated in the Rio Grande NATS (National Association of Teachers of Singing) competition, hosted by the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque on February 17, 2018. Senior music majors Jonathan Patton and Allie Boom placed first in their divisions.

Barney LeBlanc (Business Administration, '02) debuted his patent-pending "Gnar Bike", a snow bike / snowmobile combination, at the White River Rumble in Meeker, Colorado in early February.

Blythe Morrison (Anthropology, '14) is FLC's new contract NAGPRA Collections Specialist. Her work will focus on the documentation and analysis of at least two significant collections of Native American items under the care of the Center of Southwest Studies.

Skyler the Skyhawk, along with FLC students and staff, celebrated Valentine's Day at the "Love is a Drag ... Show" sponsored by the Gender & Sexuality Resource Center.

Four FLC students spoke on a panel at the AISA (American Indian Studies Association) National Conference in Tempe, Arizona, from February 1-2, 2018. The panel, titled "Upsetting Settler Nationalism" gave each participant a chance to speak on his / her independent research.

The FLC Environmental Center announced the winners of the inaugural Sustainability Superhero Award Winners at the Center’s 5th annual Sustainability Summit, on February 20. The award is a salute to leaders in sustainability efforts and advocacy both on campus and in the Durango community.

For two years, FLC has sponsored the Julia Robinson Math Festival, a national organization promoting mathematical education to local 6th and 7th grade students. The goal of this event, sponsored by the Mathematics Department, is to make math non-competitive and fun. Take a look at how FLC faculty and students engage with local middle school students to achieve that goal!

As part of their senior design project, Engineering students in Professor Don May's class are testing the stability of a portable structure that could be used as transitional housing for people who are homeless.

Michaela Goade (Art, 14) won "Best Picture Book of the Year" from the American Indian Library Association for her watercolor illustrations in "Shanyaak’utlaax: Salmon Boy."

Over five months, sixteen faculty and staff members received grants for their programs and departments, ranging in size from $960 to $1 million.

The Fort Lewis College Music Department is a gem in the Four Corners region, but the program’s ambitions stretch beyond just southwestern Colorado. With the recent election of FLC Professor of Music Dr. Mark Walters as president of the Colorado Music Educators Association (CMEA), the reputation of the program will only grow.

Fort Lewis College welcomes author, poet, and musician Joy Harjo and her book Crazy Brave for this year’s Common Reading Experience. In the book, Harjo recounts her challenging upbringing as part of her journey to becoming an inspiring Native American artist.

Kimberly Welch (English,'00) published Black Litigants in the Antebellum American South through the University of North Carolina Press.

Senior Sport Administration major Rasmus Bach became the all-time winningest player in Fort Lewis College men's basketball program history on February 3 with his 93rd victory.

Schools.com ranked the FLC Chemistry Department in the Top 10 of all Chemistry programs nationwide.

Amy (Mohr) Bahl (Exercise Science, '05), the most decorated women’s basketball player in FLC history and a 2015 Hall of Fame inductee, boasts a 113-37 record in her six years as head women's basketball coach at Evergreen High School.

Want to learn more about Anthropology at Fort Lewis College? In this quick video, faculty, students, and alumni from the program share what makes this program unique!

The Skyhawks ice hockey club team is celebrating one of its best seasons ever, ranked 15th out of 29 in the American Collegiate Hockey Association Pacific Division. 

Marshall Masayesva (Adventure Education '14) was recently inducted into the Emerging Leaders Program, a program of the Center for Jackson Hole, which trains a culturally diverse cohort of young outdoor recreationists for the conservation movement. 

FLC's Music Department has achieved re-accreditation from the National Association of Schools of Music. The department was initially accredited in 1983 and is now confirmed through 2025. 

Paige Gray, visiting assistant professor of English, won Honorable Mention for the Research Society for American Periodicals for her academic article “Join the Club: African American Children’s Literature, Social Change, and the Chicago Defender Junior,” published in Children’s Literature Quarterly.

Joy Harjo will visit Durango and Fort Lewis College for a number of events beginning Monday, February 12 and running through Wednesday, February 14. The centerpiece of her visit will be a keynote address and book signing on February 12 from 7-9 p.m. in Whalen Gym at FLC. The keynote is free and open to everyone.

First ascents tend to capture popular imagination. But not many people get known for their first descents. So photographer Stephen Eginoire recognizes just how rare it is that he gets to be the first human being to step into caves unseen by human eyes or trod by human feet in Grand Canyon National Park.

Former Skyhawks men's soccer forward Salifu Jatta (Marketing, '17) was signed to the Western Nevada Futbol Club.

Alan Tennison (Biology, '75), an FLC Hall of Fame punter, is featured on Episode #44 of podcast #SpinningIt with host Yale Vannoy. [PODCAST]

Former Skyhawk cyclist Sofia Gomez-Villafane (Exercise Science, '16) has signed with the Stan's/Pivot Pro Team p/b Maxxis.

Kevin Hatch (Accounting, '03) was named Chief Financial Officer at AppRiver, a cloud-based cybersecurity and productivity services provider.

Want to learn more about Fort Lewis College’s majors and initiatives? FLC Live!, a new weekly livestream on Facebook, is your chance to ask questions to faculty, students, and other experts.

FLC Foundation Board member and long-time FLC benefactor Richard Ballantine has been recognized for his generosity and service. Ballantine has been awarded the 2018 Council for Advancement & Support of Education (CASE) District VI Volunteer of the Year Award.

Ray Kenny, professor of Geology, published a new article on the Kaibab Formation in Geochemical Transactions, his tenth peer-reviewed research article about Grand Canyon National Park. Kenny has logged more than 2,300 miles in the park for research and pleasure.

Over 200 FLC students joined together on January 15 to celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr.'s legacy through a march, rally, social justice workshops, and a performance from Dominique Christina.

FLC is one of 26 Native Serving Institutions in a new consortium formed by the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education and funded by a $990,000 Lumina Foundation grant.

FLC Cycling landed second place in the team omnium at Cyclocross Nationals in Reno, Nevada, including a first place finish by sophomore Exercise Specialist major Henry Nadell in the men's race.

Brenda Todd (Anthropology, '03) is the new superintendent of Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site in Stanton, North Dakota.

Heidi Steltzer, associate professor of Biology, is part of a multimillion dollar research project funded by the U.S. Department of Energy studying short- and long-term water availability in the arid West.

Sean McCabe (Accounting, '97) is the new Director of the Division of Economic Development for the Navajo Nation.

Brett Deming, a veteran officer of the FLC Police & Parking Services Department, has been named chief of the agency after the retirement of Arnold Trujillo.

Rita Austin (Anthropology, '14), was awarded the Outstanding Student Poster Presentation in Anthropological Genetics Award at the American Association of Physical Anthropologists' annual meeting.

This fall, the Exercise Science Learning Community traveled to Farmington, New Mexico, for a half-day high ropes challenge. There, the students practiced teambuilding exercises with the same peer group that takes several core classes together as a cohort.

The Outlook offers presentations from experts in business and economics who will give their views on the current status of the economy for the Four Corners region, Colorado and the nation. Their insights and predictions will provide useful information for anyone wishing to get an idea of what’s ahead for 2018 and beyond.

Luke Renner (English, '97), professor of the San Juan College Digital Media Arts and Design Program, has been appointed to New Mexico's Governor’s Council on Film and Media Industries.

Curator Jeanne Brako discusses the new exhibition on national parks titled, "Parks, People, & Preservation" at the Center of Southwest Studies. [VIDEO]

Former State Senator and long-time FLC supporter Ellen Roberts was appointed to the FLC Board of Trustees by Governor Hickenlooper.

Over 170 Skyhawks graduated from Fort Lewis College on the cold sunny morning of December 16, 2017. The students enjoyed a Commencement Address from Eric Huggins, professor of Management and winner of the Alice Admire Teaching Excellence Award. Take a peek at the ceremony and the celebration in the photos below!
 

The recent announcement by the Department of the Interior that it proposes to reduce the size of Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante national monuments in Utah is one of the most high-profile changes to public lands in recent history. And Jon Harvey, assistant professor of Geosciences, is helping the public and his students understand those changes through interactive GIS maps.

Fort Lewis College Winter Commencement will take place on Saturday, December 16 at 10 a.m. in Whalen Gym. Around 170 Skyhawks will bring their undergraduate careers to a close on this exciting day.

Join us for a stroll across the decades as we compare life then and now. At Fort Lewis College, we've been making memories for over 100 years. Happy Holidays from your FLC Family.

Sophomore Biology major Lacey Andersen made this incredible music video with her fellow mountain bikers following their National Championship in October. The video was picked up by PinkBike, as well as bike shops and high school teams across the country.

The FLC Board of Trustees approved a new Master's in "Education: Culturally & Linguistically Diverse" to start in Fall 2018. The program still requires approval from the Colorado Department of Higher Education to become official.

Andrea Martens, lecturer and gallery director for the Art & Design Department, is having a solo exhibition of her new work at Telluride Arts HQ from December 2017 to January 2018.

Connor Cafferty (Business Administration, '17) landed a prestigious Resilience Justice Fellowship at the University of Louisville's Center for Land Use and Environmental Responsibility, where he will be doing interdisciplinary research of justice and environmental responsibility.

The City of Durango was profiled in an article from Denver's 9News as an affordable mountain paradise.

In between getting settled into her new job at Fort Lewis College and into life in Durango, FLC’s Director of Admission Jess Savage answered a few questions in order to offer some insight into why she decided to come to FLC and what she sees for the College’s future.

When we face trying encounters with nature, we often discover what really matters in our lives. That’s the reason so many people undertake outdoor adventures, from day trips to backcountry expeditions – to learn about themselves by surviving tough challenges. And Josh Kling is the man who takes them there.

Shere Byrd, professor of Biology, was voted to the Durango 9-R School Board in the November 7 election.

If you missed the Climate Change Symposium at Fort Lewis College, you can watch it on the Fort Lewis College YouTube channel. The Climate Change Symposium brought together experts from across the state to discuss the past, present and future issues surrounding climate change.

The Celebrating Healthy Communities Coalition, which includes FLC's Public Health department, just received five years of grant funding to reduce drunken driving in the region.

Local First's new Durango Food Recovery Hub, which collaborates with the FLC Environmental Center, just received a three-year, $356,000 grant. It will become a combination clearinghouse, distribution center, and resource center for connecting unwanted food with businesses and consumers who will use it.

Senior Business Administration student Natalia Sells, also the current Miss Hozhoni, was diagnosed with prediabetes last summer. She responded by running a marathon and raising awareness of the condition.

Eric Smith (Mathematics, '16) co-authored an original research paper with Veronika Furst, associate professor of Mathematics, that was published in the current issue of Involve: A Journal of Mathematics.

Former art professor Gerald Wells was featured in the Vail Daily for his innovation in computer-based art.

“We don't build robots,” he explains. “We build the autonomy that goes in the robots and so we're kind of like brain surgeons, really. We put in the computer code. We put in the algorithms that enable the robots to make their own decisions.”

Wonder what it’s like to live on campus? Scott and Owen show off their room in Escalante Hall: a double occupancy room, with community bathrooms in the hallway, game room / lounge, and computer lab. Escalante Hall features both traditional housing and suite-style living.

Thirty four FLC students, along with two faculty members, attended the SACNAS (Society for the Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science) National Conference in Salt Lake City, Utah on October 19-21, 2017.

Over five months, nineteen faculty and staff members received grants for their programs and departments, ranging in size from $885 to $1,285,000.

Over the summer, 11 FLC students worked with students from the Tengeru Institute of Community Development in Boma Ng’ombe, Tanzania on food insecurity, substance abuse, and HIV/AIDS issues. This anthropology ethnographic field program trains students -- whose majors included Biology, Sociology, Public Health and Anthropology -- in global health methods and assessment.

Just months after bringing forward the idea at the Hawk Tank Business Plan Competition, Charlie Shew (Engineering, '16) has launched boutique bakery Rendezvous Doughnuts in downtown Durango.

More than 200 students attended FLC's first annual Fresh Check Day, a national event held on campus to promote mental health wellness and suicide prevention through interactive activities.

The FLC Cycling Team took first place in the USA Cycling Collegiate Mountain Biking National Championships in Missoula, Montana in October. 

Music lovers have a reason to celebrate this fall when the Community Concert Hall, the Four Corners region’s cultural nexus for the past two decades, marks that birthday with a special edition of the annual Jazz on the Hill fundraiser.

This summer, community organization Trails 2000 created a stairway between campus and town, appropriately named "SkySteps." Take a look at the 550 steps that take users up 300 feet in just a few minutes! 

What better way to study European art and culture than to witness it? In May, Paul Booth, associate professor and chair of Art & Design, and Julie Tapley-Booth, business manager of the Center of Southwest Studies, did just that with a troupe of eight students.

Nine FLC Geosciences students, under the direction of Geology Professor Gary Gianniny, presented on their research at the Biennial Conference of Science & Management on the Colorado Plateau & Southwest Region in Flagstaff.

Steve Elias, the new dean of the School of Business Administration at FLC, wants to build more bridges between the business school and the region's businesses. 

Fourteen FLC students, along with faculty, staff, and alumni, traveled to Denver for the annual conference of the American Indian Science & Engineering Society. Senior Engineering major Jeremy James and Junior Chemistry major Uriah Contreras won honorable mentions for their oral and poster presentations.

The School of Education was recognized by the Colorado Department of Education Office of Family-School Partnerships for three of their Promising Partnership Practices: “Learning About Community Resources,” “Professional Exhibition,” and “Julia Robinson Mathematics Festival.”

Brett Sublett, assistant Cross-Country coach, broke a trail record when he and four other men completed the first ever round-the-clock relay run on the Colorado Trail. The group completed the 485-mile trek in 3 days, 15 hours, 54 minutes.

The Real History of the Americas takes a positive, but different look at the history of North and South America from the viewpoints of Hispanic, African-American, Asian, Native and LGBT peoples, among others. The 2017 theme is “Honoring the Heartbeat of our Mother,” and will feature indigenous drumming, traditional foods, lectures, art, theatre and storytelling.

The FLC campus is remarkably beautiful as it is, but an impressive inventory of public art installations enhances that natural scenery with intentional works of creative and meaningful art.

Melissa Knight-Maloney, professor and chair of Exercise Science, participated in the International Triathlon Union World Championships in Rotterdam, Netherlands. She placed 14th in her age group and 4th among American women.

The FLC Cycling Team placed fifth at Track Nationals in Indianapolis, Indiana in September 2017. 

Junior Allie Wolfe is studying to be an art therapist. But until a year ago, she had no idea that stand-up comedy would be her own therapeutic outlet. Now she’s one of the top performing comedians in the Four Corners region, and she’s experiencing the very benefits of expressive therapy that she wants to foster for her future clients.

Bob Dolphin, former president of FLC, was profiled in Tempe's East Valley Tribune for his success and positivty despite a polio diagnosis at age 23.

Senior Psychology major Becca Bramley won first place among 57 runners in the University of Colorado - Colorado Springs Rust Buster 5K race in Colorado Springs, Colorado, with a time of 18:49.5.

Sophomore Adventure Education major Rebecca Ray helps restore her Acoma Pueblo, New Mexico, heritage while growing heirloom vegetables through Southwest Conservation Corps' Traditional Farm Corps.

Luma Randolph, a freshman Environmental Studies major, was featured in the Sun Valley Mag for her prowess on a mountain bike.

The search will begin in earnest in September 2017, culminating in the hiring of the new president in spring 2018, said Trustee Richard Kaufman, the search committee chair.

It’s hard to go into business with family. But the Martin brothers can hardly imagine working with anybody else. For them, the formula is paying off: Nitrum Dynamic Paint, which they founded while attending Fort Lewis College, is increasing its capacity to recycle paint, while also contributing to a better world and keeping these brothers connected beyond their college experiences.

Welcoming our newest students to campus never gets old. Convocation is a wonderful opportunity to kick the new school year off right and celebrate the opening of a new chapter for the students and Fort Lewis College.

FLC's new athletics streaming portal, the Skyhawks Sports Network, will debut on September 2 with the first football game of the season.

Students in Deb Walker's Economics classes give back to the community with economic impact studies of events, including the 2017 Dolores River Festival.

John Arbuckle (Environmental Agriculture, '99), owner of Singing Prairie Farm in La Plata, Missouri, has created the first and only non-GMO, pasture-raised pork snack stick available nationally, called Roam Sticks.

Schools.com named Durango #5 on its list of The 25 Best College Towns 2017!

Noel Altaha (Psychology,'13) was featured in The New York Times' "A Conversation with Native Americans on Race."

Christine Odle's (Business Administration, '90) new book, Rockin' Your Business Finances, made it to #1 on Amazon's Small Businesses Taxation list.

Ned Williamson (Biology, '79), a former deputy prosecutor and owner of a private legal practice in Hailey, Idaho, was appointed to the position of Fifth District Judge in Idaho.

A petroglyph in New Mexico’s Chaco Canyon, found by FLC and CU-Boulder students during a field school in 1992, may represent a total eclipse that occurred there a thousand years ago.

Marissa Molina (Political Science, '14) spoke at a press conference about how DACA, the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, changed her life and made it possible for her to graduate.[VIDEO]

The Common Reading Experience is happy to announce Joy Harjo’s memoir Crazy Brave as the 2017-2018 CRE book. Harjo, an author and musician, will visit the FLC campus in February to work with students and speak to the Durango community.

Chuck Riggs, professor of Anthropology, published an article in SAPIENS about Native American archaeology and cultural imperialism.

Angela Grogan couldn’t imagine that a rhinoceros would help determine her passion and her career. That was before she spent two summers interning with Out of Africa Wildlife Park, a private zoo in Camp Verde, Arizona.

In the decades since the Senne’s established their scholarship, dozens of FLC chemistry students have received the award. Recipients have gone on to earn graduate degrees at some of the country’s most prestigious institutions and do important work all over the world.

Ginger Williams, instruction & reference librarian, was featured in the blog "Letters to a Young Librarian."

This July, Sitter Family Hall received LEED Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. The building, completed in Spring 2017 to house the Geosciences and Physics & Engineering Departments, received the nationally-recognized certification for implementing strategies and solutions for environmental and human health performance.

Trek Bicycle Corp. recently profiled FLC alumni Payson McElveen (Exercise Science, '16) and Levi Kurlander (Mathematics, '16) in a photo essay on the next generation of mountain bikers.

FLC Cycling boasts a strong recruiting class for Fall 2017 that features junior riders who have made a name for themselves in state and national events in recent years.

Fort Lewis College President Dene Thomas announced today that Barney Hinkle has been chosen to lead the athletic department as the Director of Athletics.  Hinkle replaces Gary Hunter who resigned in May.

Crazy Brave by Native American author Joy Harjo has been selected as FLC's Common Reading Experience Book for 2017-18.

Andrew Webb (Mathematics, '04), who fell in love with kayaking the Animas during college, now works as a wave technician at Boise Whitewater Park, as well as a math coach for the Boise School District. [VIDEO]

Kayla Shaggy (Art, '17) was awarded Best in Show at the Durango Arts Center's 41st Annual Juried Exhibit in June 2017, for her piece, "Hell."

Stosh Kozimor (Chemistry, '99), a staff scientist at Los Alamos National Laboratory, was recently interviewed by the American Chemical Society about the challenges of doing research on the actinides, and their potential application in cancer therapy.

With the help of her NFL contacts, Cori Metzgar (Exercise Science, '98), Director of Sports Performance at Western Oregon University, is bringing an elite sports camp to youth in Juneau, Alaska.

Geoff Johnson (Theatre, '08) was profiled in The Durango Herald for his work as a popular character actor in the region.

Senior Psychology major Rebecca Bramley was the third female finisher at the Mt. Evans Ascent, an altitude race covering 14.5 miles and over 3,600 feet of elevation gain.

Ultracyclist Amanda Coker (att '11) recently set the record for the most miles ridden on a bicycle in a single year—more than 86,000 miles, besting the previous record by over 10,000 miles. On the day she surpassed 95,000 miles, she posted on Facebook wearing her FLC kit.

Rosa Malloy-Post (Biology, '17) was awarded a GRIT Freedom Chair due to her community mindedness and appreciation of the outdoors, which she plans to share with others in the region through Adaptive Sports.

Meet Kaidee Akullo, a first-year student studying public health, who works at the Environmental Center and plays rugby!

When it comes to embodying sustainable lifestyles, look no further than these two farmers. James Plate and Max Fields, friends since second grade, attended FLC together and founded Fields to Plate, a farm rooted in quality and responsibility.

Dewitte Baker (Criminal Justice, '96) was recognized in the Southern Ute Tribal Council Chambers for his dedication to health and wellness.

Harris Abernathy (History, '14) is now the youngest member of the La Plata County Historic Preservation Review Commission, due to his experience in historic construction and restoration.

Durango made Expedia's list of the Top 34 Most Breathtaking Places in North America.

Jack Pestello (Business Administration, '91), senior vice president of Private Brands, Walmart US, will present the keynote address at Velocity: The My Private Brand Conference i September 2017.

Suzanne Null, associate professor of Teacher Education, weighs in on the effects of technology on young children's brains.

It’s a tale as old as photography: you see pictures of a house you might buy, or an event venue you want to book. The shots entice you to call on the place. But when you see it in person, it looks nothing like the photographs. Jordan Alexander cannot count the number of times he witnessed that disappointment while working in real estate.

Sam Hensold, assistant coordinator of Outdoor Pursuits, penned an article on diversity in outdoor education that was published in Outdoor Insider magazine.

Research on barefoot running by Melissa Thompson, assistant professor of Exercise Science, was cited in a recent Runner's World article.

Four FLC students attended the National Conference for College Women Student Leaders at the University of Maryland: Amanda Delphy, Ami Gabryszewski, Stacy Jones, and Lauren Watson. All students received full or partial scholarships from the national or local chapters of American Association of University Women.

“We are so proud to have Captain Jeff Kuss as a Fort Lewis College alumnus,” say FLC President Dene Thomas. “The way our FLC alumni and the community rallied around the Kuss family and helped FLC make this scholarship a reality shows the impact this young man’s life had on all of us.”

“It’s gratifying to see Fort Lewis College alumni give back to their alma mater in such an important way,” says Keith Newbold, vice chair of the FLC Foundation. “With this gift, the Nords are investing in the lives of the future FLC students who will walk in their footsteps.”

“I want to use my remaining time fully committed to positioning FLC on the right path for years to come,” she says. “We must work quickly to meet the needs of students and external stakeholders. This is a critical time for Fort Lewis College and I will be here for the challenge!”

Take a quick tour around the Fort Lewis College Centennial Apartments with roommates Connell, Adrian, and Resident Assistant Luke!

National Geographic named Durango #6 on its list of "America's 20 Best Mountain Biking Towns."

Eva Moore (English, '00) was promoted to executive editor of the Free Times in Columbia, South Carolina.

Greg Aigner (Physical Education, '78), was recently profiled by The Denver Post for a "circus arts" club he runs at Welchester Elementary School in Golden, Colorado.

Mojave, an 18-inch long python owned by the Biology Department, made local news when he escaped on a Friday afternoon. He was found safe and sound a few days later, curled up next to a warm pipe in a wall.

On May 21, Governor Hickenlooper visited the new Sitter Family Hall to sign House Bill 17-1003, “Strategic Plan to Address Teacher Shortages.” Rep. Barbara McLachlan also attended.

Six students specializing in vocal performance in Fort Lewis College’s Music program received recognition at the regional National Association of Teachers of Singing auditions this April. This was the first time that students represented FLC at the event, with 12 Music majors competing with more than 500 collegiate singers from Colorado and Wyoming.

An army of AmeriCorps volunteers spent two months this spring working on everything from irrigation systems to ditches at the Old Fort campus south of Hesperus. Learn why they volunteered for such hard work.
 

The town of Smyrna, Tennessee, is erecting a Blue Angels sculpture to honor fallen pilot Jeff Kuss (Economics, '06). 

The FLC campus is home to dozens of pieces of public art, both outdoors and inside buildings, some on grand display and others hidden away. As you explore campus, we invite you to discover what deep, unexpected insights they inspire.

Learn where some of our students are heading after graduation.

For two days in February, FLC students and faculty were regaled with tales from the worlds of law, entrepreneurship, the high-tech industry – and Fort Lewis College in the 1990s.

Over the past year, students in the History Department worked on two photography archiving projects at Fort Lewis College’s Center of Southwest Studies.

It’s often said that art is in the eye of the beholder. In no other context is this truer than in the world of public art. Good public artwork has the ability to contain
specific meanings, yet is also broad enough for a personal interpretation.

Marchell Fletcher, Kim Martin, Faith Roessel, and James Teumer are the newest members of the Foundation Board. 

The Clay family’s connections to FLC spans three generations, and a new fund will keep that legacy going. The James and Cheryl Clay Fund will benefit students with day-care expenses at the on-campus Campbell Child & Family Center.

The Colorado Governor’s Office announced three appointments to the Board of Trustees for Fort Lewis College.

When Professor Emeritus Dolph Kuss first arrived in Durango in 1953, he says he was "one of the few people other than cattle people who'd ever go into what is now the Weminuche Wilderness Area. I'd come back and people would ask me, 'What did it look like up there?'" Kuss says.

As recruiting students becomes increasingly competitive, Fort Lewis College is looking to position itself around its strongest and most in-demand programs. To achieve that shift, a new program is organizing efforts to highlight FLC’s academic strengths.

The Community Concert Hall was borne of a disaster that ended up a blessing for the Four Corners’ cultural and educational communities. On January 19, 1993, at 5:35 a.m. -- two and a half hours before the day’s first classes were to start – FLC’s Fine Arts Building caved in under the weight of an unusual and extended series of January snowfalls.

She is replacing retiring Native American Center Director Yvonne Bilinski. She’ll also oversee the College’s Diversity Collaborative, which includes the Native American Center, El Centro de Muchos Colores, and the Office of Diversity Programming.

Sophomore Anthropology major Brandon Castle secured two prestigious internships in his field this summer: museum attendant and tour guide at the Totem Heritage Museum in his hometown of Ketchikan, Alaska, and the Martin-Mullins North American Anthropology Collections internship at Chicago’s Field Museum of Natural History.

Rachel Landis, coordinator of the Environmental Center, was recently elected to the Board of Directors of the La Plata Electric Association, representing District 3, the City of Durango.

“We want to dominate the paint industry. [Nitrum Dynamic Paint] is eco-friendly, we’re helping the environment, and we’re helping people at the individual level.”

Paul Booth, associate professor of Art & Design, won a silver medal for a print poster design titled "Ticking Time Bomb" in the International Design Awards.

Payson McElveen (Exercise Science, '16) won first place and the stars and stripes jersey at mountain biking Marathon Nationals in Arkansas. Alumni Howard Grotts (Mathematics, '14) and Todd Wells (att '96) took second and fifth, respectively.

Exercise classes are common enough in higher education. But the Fort Lewis College Group X exercise program presents those classes with a twist: in this program, the students are the teachers.

Its Navajo name means "Days of beauty" -- a description perfectly suited to Hozhoni Days, two weeks of pageantry, powwowing, and celebration of cultures that is Fort Lewis College's longest-running student-led tradition.

Over three months, nine faculty and staff members received grants for their programs and departments, ranging in size from $750 to $120,000.

Just a few days after graduating, Malik Badawi (Sport Administration, '17) served as the center referee for a National Women's Soccer League game between the Boston Breakers and the North Carolina Courage.

President Dene Thomas offered the 2017 commencement address at her alma mater, Southwest Minnesota State University.

Over 500 graduates accepted their diplomas at Whalen Gymnasium on April 29, 2017 -- the culmination of years of hard work. Here's a peek at the day:

The Division I FLC cycling team finished their season ranked #2 in the nation.

Mr. Kevin Gover, director of the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of the American Indian, offered the Commencement Address at Fort Lewis College’s 2017 Spring Commencement. 

At the conclusion of the 2017 Hozhoni Days Powwow, senior Business Administration major Natalia Sells was named the 38th Miss Hozhoni, joined by junior Business Administration major Jocelyn Frank as First Attendant.

The 2017-18 Fort Lewis College award winners represent the best of the best faculty and staff. These individuals have distinguished themselves in their teaching and service to the students of Fort Lewis College. 

“My path to teaching at FLC has been non-traditional. My degree is a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, not a PhD. I was (and still am) a practitioner, a veterinarian, who had always dreamed of teaching as that other thing I might love to do.”

“The in-class moments that are the best are when I watch a student finally grasp a difficult concept that they have been struggling with,” he says. “Getting to watch those ‘a-ha’ moments may be the most rewarding part of this job.” 

“The academic environment at Fort Lewis is one in which faculty with ideas can make things happen that have real impacts on students and our society. I'm lucky that I've been able to take advantage of that openness to forge a career that I really love.”

The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, or AACSB International, announced that Fort Lewis College has extended its business accreditation. This puts FLC in rarified air as only about five percent of the world’s business schools have achieved AACSB accreditation.

Over 500 Skyhawks will take that important and exciting walk across the stage and graduate. Addressing them as Commencement Speaker will be Kevin Gover, director of the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of the American Indian.

FLC's School of Business Administration extended its accreditation with AACSB International, following a process of rigorous internal review, engagement with an AACSB-assigned mentor, and peer review. Only 5% of the world's business schools achieve this honor.

Daniel Steffensen (Business Administration, '12), FLC men's basketball associate head coach, was named to the National Association of Basketball Coaches Under Armour 30 Under 30 list, recognizing up and coming young coaches in men's college basketball.

One of the cornerstones of a Fort Lewis College education is the opportunity for students to do real-world, graduate-level research. With FLC professors as mentors, these students choose topics from the arts and sciences that drive them. 

Sitter Family Hall, completed in 2017, reflects Fort Lewis College's commitment to the sciences with a facility dedicated to Geosciences, Physics & Engineering.

Justin McBrayer, associate professor of Philosophy, had a guest commentary published in the Denver Post regarding the ethical nature of chemical warfare in Syria.

Senior Psychology major and Honors Scholar Carlie Anderson presented a 40-minute summation at the April 2017 Western Regional Honors Conference on the subject of “Tele-medicine in Rural Areas.”

FLC was named the #3 Anthropology program in the country by College Values Online. The ranking was based on tuition cost, financial aid availability, academic customization, and location.

The Fort Lewis College assistant professor of chemistry was awarded a Support of Competitive Research (SCORE) award from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), which was followed by her being named a 2017 Cottrell Scholar from the Research Corporation for Science Advancement. 

The Powwow is one of the largest and longest-running Fort Lewis College traditions. This year’s Powwow honors the veterans of all conflicts.

Four FLC students -- Lauren Watson, Haley Escheman, Alicia Nequatewa, and Sienna Wells -- presented "Celebrating Indigenous Peoples: A Pathway to Peace" at the 2017 Notre Dame Student Peace Conference.

Kathy Fine-Dare, professor of Anthropology and Gender & Women's Studies, was recognized by the Latin American Studies Association with Honorable Mention for the Dolores Cacuango Prize for Best Essay on Ecuadorian research.

Three FLC students representing the FLC Taekwon-Do Club -- Cory Patterson, Eric Van Geet, and Scott Johnson -- competed in the 2017 Yom Chi Colorado State Championships and won multiple gold, silver, and bronze medals across varied events.

Alumna Julie Levy Duvall (Political Science, '05), the new state director for U.S. Senator Michael Bennet, talks about the lessons she learned at FLC in a recent interview with The Durango Herald.

Five faculty and staff award winners for the 2017-18 academic year were announced on March 30, 2017.

Dr. Peters is coming from the University of North Carolina at Pembroke (UNCP), where he is a professor of English and American Indian studies. He has served as dean of the Esther G. Maynor Honors College and the director of the Pembroke Undergraduate Research and Creativity Center.

Five FLC students -- Meryl Ramsey, Lauren Smith, Connor Cafferty, Ian Fullinwider, and Isabelle Farrell -- went on a lobbying trip to Washington D.C. in late March, where they met with representatives to discuss Native American education, the future of the American economy, healthcare, and politics.

Anna Ortega (Biology, '14) was awarded a highly competitive and prestigious National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship. Her research will focus on will focus on the migration of mule deer in the Red Desert of western Wyoming.

The FLC Foundation will host its annual celebration and fundraiser, TLC for FLC, in the building on April 6.

Duke Jackson (Environmental Studies, '16) is making an impact on the local food community by creating food forests on campus and near Turtle Lake. [VIDEO]

The traditional track of teacher education puts student teachers into classrooms for their final year of college. But there’s little traditional about the way Jen Rider, Lecturer of Teacher Education at FLC, introduces her students to the foundations of education.

No one can accuse Greyson Junggren of being lazy, even though he’s been just hanging out for most of his college career. For him, hanging out is a business endeavor—Junggren, a senior Economics major, runs a hammock company he founded and developed alongside his full-time studies at Fort Lewis College.

Nineteen FLC students attended the Durango Chamber of Commerce's Tech-Knowledge Conference on March 15 to learn about current technology and marketing issues and assist with the operations of the event.

The Skyhawks men’s basketball team finished the 2016-17 season 26-7 overall -- the second most wins in program history, after last season's 28 wins. The Skyhawks rank No. 23 in the NCAA Division II final poll, and rode their success to the semifinal round of the South Central Regional Tournament.

Rihab Ammar, an exchange student from Tunisia, is learning electrical engineering concepts to take back home, while exploring the U.S. coast to coast.

The Fort Lewis College School of Business Administration became the first public liberal arts college with undergraduate-only business programs to be accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International in 1974. Today over 600 students are enrolled in SOBA’s programs.

Associate Professor of Biology Heidi Steltzer reflects on the impact of her experiences on an Antarctic expedition with 75 other woman scientists from around the world. Steltzer's research trip is sponsored by Homeward Bound, an international program aiming  to enhance the influence and impact of women in science and policy.

In the Chronicle article “Highest Representation of Racial and Ethnic Groups at Liberal-Arts Colleges, Fall 2015,” Fort Lewis College was ranked first among liberal arts institutions for percentage of Native American students.

In February, FLC welcomed author Craig Childs and his book Apocalyptic Planet: Field Guide to the Future of the Earth for this year’s Common Reading Experience. In the book, Childs ventured to the earth’s extreme environments to explore what the end of the world looks like.

Dr. Bernard Adams became president of Fort Lewis College in 1985, replacing the retiring Rexer Berndt. A memorial service for Dr. Adams will be held at 1:00 p.m., Saturday, March 11 at the Broadmoor Community Church, 315 Lake Avenue, Colorado Springs 80906.

Five FLC students and young alumni were matched to valuable internships with regional innovation-based companies through the first cohort of the Southwest Innovation Corridor's Innovation Internship Program.

FLC's newest commercial!

Cody Ferguson, assistant professor of history, was mentioned by The Verge for his research into the early EPA and the organization’s Documerica project.

Over two months, eight faculty and staff members received grants for their programs and departments, ranging in size from $1,000 to $339,554.

Grace Fullmer (Biology, '12), was named Outstanding Americorps VISTA Member for her work with the Poudre Learning Center in Greeley, Colorado.