By Stefanie Kilts
Colorado Mountain College faculty and students, past and present, recently gathered in a special ceremony at the college’s Glenwood Center to honor the first-ever class of alumni inducted into the CMC Alumni Hall of Fame. The ceremony noted inductees who attended at any time during the past six decades, from the 1960s to the 2013 inaugural class of bachelor’s graduates.
“In an effort to honor noteworthy alumni and share the amazing stories of students who have been influenced by Colorado Mountain College, the alumni board selected one alumnus or a group of alumni to represent each decade of CMC’s history,” said Jamie Raynor, the CMC Foundation’s director of development, at the ceremony.
The college’s alumni board selected inductees based upon noteworthy accomplishments and contributions to their community, Raynor said. The first inductees were Copi Vojta (class of 2009), David Allen (class of 1991), Maegan Carney (class of 1990), Michael O’Hara (class of 1976) and Saed Tayyara (class of 1968).
Bachelor’s graduates, other alumni honored
In addition to the five individual recipients, all spring 2013 graduates who earned bachelor’s degrees were given a place of honor in the college’s inaugural Alumni Hall of Fame, as well. Colorado Mountain College started offering bachelor’s degrees in business administration and sustainability studies in the fall of 2011. Two years later, the first enrollees who brought with them previous college credits or an associate degree were among this historic class of graduates.
“Your dedication to your education with your investment of time, energy and money in obtaining a bachelor’s degree is a great gift to the communities where you live,” Raynor said.
Tayyara, Allen, O’Hara, Carney and Vojta or their representatives were given aspen-wood vases, and the 13 bachelor’s graduates who attended the event received certificates and alumni hats.