The new West Garfield Campus, EnCana Academic Center in Rifle

New West Garfield Campus Now Open

The West Garfield Campus opened its doors on Monday, Sept. 10, 2007, serving local communities from New Castle to Parachute. Activity started early in the morning, as four brand-new classrooms in the West Garfield Campus, EnCana Academic Center in Rifle filled up with excited students. See related eNews article.

The new campus boasts an auditorium (soon to be completed), state-of-the-art science and computer labs, and classrooms with topnotch technology, not to mention a very original and visually appealing architecture.

The project was launched with a $3 million gift from EnCana Oil & Gas (USA) Inc. Colorado Mountain College broke ground on the project in December 2005.

New associate degree programs in Process Technology, Paralegal, and Occupational Safety and Health are offered at the West Garfield Campus.  Natural Resource Management and a two-year Engineering transfer degree will be available soon after the move to the new campus.

Watch for courses developed through collaborations with local chambers of commerce and with Grand River Hospital District. Finally, we have begun programming courses to fit the busy schedules of West Garfield County residents by designing short courses, “Friday Only” courses, and Saturday courses.

The West Garfield Campus is CMC’s 40th anniversary campus. We opened doors exactly 40 years after CMC’s campuses in Leadville and Glenwood Springs held their first class in the fall of 1967.

As CMC looks to the future, the past deserves to be recognized as well. The western heritage of West Garfield County will be honored through campus displays and events at the new campus.