Ben Bain, weed manager for La Plata County, has asked Fort Lewis College students with GIS training to keep tabs on the spread of noxious weeds throughout the region. Bain and the students work in concert to monitor 1,700 square miles of land in La Plata County for potential incursions.

After a successful first year, the E. coli monitoring partnership between Fort Lewis College and Mountain Studies Institute produced findings. Their discoveries inform forest management as more people flock to public lands. This new body of research is being strengthened by tapping into citizen science and FLC student research.

Hanson Mike (Environmental Studies, '22), a Grand Canyon Trust intern, shines a light on the struggles experienced by the Diné people of the Bodaway/Gap region. This region, located near the confluence of the Colorado and Little Colorado rivers, was recently freed from a 43-year development ban.

Gift Puteho, an up-and-coming Zambian mountain biker featured in Teton Gravity Research’s latest film Esperanto, paid a visit to the Fort Lewis College cycling camp. Puteho mingled with the Durango Devo riders at Test Tracks with his coach Nora Richards (ATT '08-09), a former rider for FLC.

Scientists from Fort Lewis College have been negotiating hazardous mountain terrain in search of a different kind of hidden treasure—scientific knowledge. With various ecoregions to study, students and faculty are uniquely positioned to unearth fresh scientific insights.

The FLC Foundation recently announced a transformative grant from The Colorado Health Foundation. This grant will fund Fort Lewis College's new nursing program’s culturally inclusive simulation labs, support curriculum development, and provide student scholarships.

Bridging the gap between the traditional and the modern world, Camela Brown (Biology, ‘20) paves a new path forward for science educators and communicators working in Indigenous communities. “I want to fuse everything and get these kids to realize it’s okay to be good at something, to be strong, to excel,” she said.

Mentor, researcher, chemist — read the decades-spanning story of Ted Bartlett, a former professor of Chemistry at Fort Lewis College. Through student-driven inquiry and a focus on experiential learning, Bartlett transformed FLC’s Chemistry Department with his unconventional research focus. 

Outdoor Pursuits is on a journey to be as inclusive as possible as it seeks to serve all students and create opportunities for different cultural experiences of the great outdoors.

Travis Whipple joins FLC as the new Athletic Director. Whipple comes to Durango with more than 15 years of senior-level experience, serving most recently as the vice president of College Relations at Crown College in St. Bonifacius, Minnesota.

Since 2014, a group called Twin Cities Native Lacrosse has brought Minnesotans together, including FLC student Nina Polk (ATT '20-21), to participate in the Indigenous tradition of lacrosse, which originated before colonization by Europeans.

FLC cycling alumnae Kira Payer (ATT '17-20) and Sarah Sturm (Art, ‘12) went one-two in the women's pro road race at the 50th Annual Iron Horse Bicycle Classic.

The Board of Trustees approved a $3,000 raise for FLC employees for the 2022-23 fiscal year, which will go to about 375 faculty and administrative professionals. Additionally, about 115 classified employees will receive a 3% annual increase as legislated by the Colorado WINS agreement.

The Steamworks Half Marathon returned to Durango after a two-year hiatus, with Makiah Salzano (Business Administration, '22) winning the women’s race and finishing sixth overall in 1:28:09.

Nate Peach, visiting assistant professor of Economics, spoke to The Durango Herald about the labor shortages impacting local employers, who are trying to implement creative solutions to fill positions.