Learning Opportunities for All: Colorado Mountain College
Articles - Life In BV

by: Allison AbdelnourCHF-Acad-Center-mtns

Have you ever wished that you had tried a little harder back in school to become more proficient in Spanish? Or maybe you’ve always wanted to take an art class but never had the courage. Perhaps you are thinking of starting a small business here locally and you would like to brush up on your accounting skills. Fortunately, opportunities to build your skill set and knowledge abound here in Buena Vista with the help of Colorado Mountain College.

CMC’s Chaffee County Center, near the airport just southwest of town, is one of the college’s 11 locations spread throughout the north-central region of the state. Campuses can be found in Steamboat Springs, Aspen, Summit County, and Leadville, to name a few. Founded in 1967, CMC’s course offerings reach approximately 20,000 students per year. The college offers both credit and non-credit courses, 2-year liberal arts and science certificate and degree programs, and provides customized business training programs. CMC has been recognized by Backpacker Magazine as one of the top five outdoor oriented colleges in the U.S.

It is the intention of all of CMC’s many locations to be deeply involved with their respective local communities. Part of the CMC mission states, “We join with other educational institutions, businesses, and government agencies to develop workforce training and learning opportunities that meet their needs and build our capacity to serve.” This is a significant part of what CMC continues to offer our local community.

The Chaffee County center was built in 2005 as a response to the growing need of the local community for a modern learning facility. In addition to the center’s course offerings, the new CMC facility also plays host to the Arkansas Valley Art Center gallery, which regularly features art shows of local and visiting artists. Part of the future vision for CMC in Buena Vista is to embellish even further on the scope of non-credit classes available to the community for personal enrichment, professional job training, and for cultural experience opportunities.

Partaking of the educational opportunities offered by CMC is a great way to broaden your perspectives and experiences. Potential students interested in receiving credit for their course work are encouraged to apply for enrollment. All other individuals are welcome to sign up to attend non-credit courses or to audit credit courses. Please visit the CMC Timberline Campus website for general information regarding application, registration and tuition. The Chaffee Center has just recently developed a web site where individuals can easily access specific information regarding non-credit course availability. Please visit at www.cmcneverstoplearning.com


Each month South Main sends out an eUpdate which features new articles for and about the local Buena Vista community. To subscribe, please visit our contact us page.