Latest News | Fort Lewis College | Durango, CO

Housing availability for students, faculty, and staff in Durango has become a pressing issue as small mountain towns across the state struggle to accommodate more renters and prices continue to increase. Fort Lewis College is looking at several solutions in collaboration with local partners.

Michaela Goade (Art, '14), an award-winning illustrator and painter, is among Time's Next Generation of Leaders, a distinction that honors her art and opens the door to more Indigenous storytelling and creators.

The Fort Lewis College Center for Innovation is one of the recipients of the Build to Scale Grant Program funded by the U.S. Economic Development Administration. The grant will allow the Center to expand its current opportunities to include mentorship, more coworking spaces, and more partnerships with local and aspiring entrepreneurs.

Veronica R. Lane (Accounting, '05) has helped lead economic development efforts across tribal nations as assistant vice president and business development officer for Native American Bank, the only Native-owned bank in the country.

In a digital story from The University of Arizona, Fort Lewis College Sociology & Human Services major Victoria Cannon explains how she chose her path to pursue social services work, how she wants to use her knowledge to help her family and community, and what it means to be an indigenous person with a disability seeking higher education.

Simon J. Ortiz (Chemistry, ATT '61-'62) has been recognized by Academic Influence as a notable figure in the arts. Ortiz, known for his contributions to the second wave of the Native American Renaissance, is an Indigenous writer with several published works.

Bill Hesford (Teacher Licensure, ATT '03-'13) and Amber Connet (Interdisciplinary Studies-Elementary Education, '06; M.A. Education-Teacher Leadership, '19) have been appointed as principals in the Bayfield School District. Both Hesford and Connet serve as models for current students in FLC's Teacher Education Department.

The La Plata County Incident Management Team hosted students from Assistant Professor Deanne Grant's Resiliency & Society course at a fire drill in the Edgemont Highlands subdivision. The drill was formatted as if it were an actual wildfire, teaching students about the wildland-urban interface as well as mitigation practices and incident command systems.

The Colorado FFA Foundation inducted Beth LaShell, coordinator of the Old Fort for Fort Lewis College, into the Farm Credit Colorado Agriculture Hall of Fame. LaShell was honored for her significant contributions to the Colorado agricultural industry, including her role in managing Old Fort cattle and hay production and training beginning farmers in vegetable and fruit production and financial management.

The Princeton Review included Fort Lewis College on its Guide to Green Colleges for 2022, a list based on each school's use of renewable energy, recycling, and conservation programs, the availability of environmental studies in academic offerings, and career guidance for green jobs.