Stories
Dr. Ron Carsten: Pioneering Alternative Veterinary Care
Veterinarian Dr. Ron Carsten is no stranger to blazing his own path. His career started somewhat nontraditionally with a two-year degree in animal health technology from Colorado Mountain College. But instead of becoming a veterinary technician, he became one of the few graduates of the CMC program to pursue veterinary school and earn a DVM…
Read MoreTim Hellickson: Personal Mentorship
When Tim Hellickson first arrived at Colorado Mountain College, he was more focused on snowboarding than academics. Today, he is at MIT on the team that is developing the world’s largest telescope. Although he had a less than stellar GPA in high school, the college’s open enrollment admissions process gave Tim the opportunity to take…
Read MoreAlex Curtiss: Immersive Experience Leads to Master’s at Brandeis
Following a 30 day NOLS sailing course in the Bahamas, Alex Curtiss wanted to give school another shot. He visited CMC, then decided to move to Glenwood Springs to pursue his education. He came late to college, focusing his time instead on civic engagement and community involvement. “Academia was never my thing,” he says. Prior…
Read MoreGeorge Jardine: Adobe Software Developer
When George Jardine’s mother dropped him off at the Spring Valley campus and drove away in 1972, he had no idea that his future career would take him to the heights of the tech world in Silicon Valley. He only knew that he wanted to study photography and he was thrilled to be in the…
Read MoreRob Goodwin: Lifelong Learner
By Mike McKibbin As the deputy fire chief for the Carbondale Fire District, Rob Goodwin taught emergency medical technician classes for many years and estimated having completed between 20-25 classes “at least” over the last three decades as a non-traditional student. “As you might guess, I love CMC,” he said. “It’s such a great and…
Read MoreMason Finley: From Buena Vista to Rio
While a student at Buena Vista High School, Mason Finley was encouraged by a school counselor to take some college-level classes at Colorado Mountain College Chaffee County. Finley now credits that experience with preparing him for future academic success. “I was interested in French, so I took that and a history class,” Finley said. “It…
Read MoreKathryn Howlin: Unseen Potential
As Colorado Mountain College student success stories go, Kathryn Howlin’s is a marvel. You could say she discovered her true self at CMC. After beginning her college career at the CMC Aspen, Kathryn, with the support and encouragement of her teachers, enrolled and was accepted into the neuroscience program at Columbia University in New York…
Read MoreTom Buesch: Energized by Teaching
A quarter century after he started teaching at Colorado Mountain College in Aspen, Tom Buesch is just as excited about helping students learn. And being able to reach students who need special attention is one of the best things about the small college atmosphere. Buesch’s teaching career started in 1965 at the high school…
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