June 16, 2015
Mesalands Community College is expanding their Allied Health course offerings and beginning this fall semester, students will be able to pursue certificates in Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) and Phlebotomy. In May the College hired a new instructor for the Allied Health Program and is now accepting student admissions applications for the program.
“I’m very excited to expand our Allied Health course offerings. It’s been quite some time since we have offered Allied Health courses leading to certificates,” said Ms. Natalie Gillard, Vice President of Academic Affairs at Mesalands Community College. “The Allied Health Program will allow students to obtain certificates that will enable them to obtain gainful employment in the health care field.”
Mesalands received $553,223 in 2014 for the Trade Adjustment Assistant Community College and Career Training (TAACCCT) competitive grant, which is a four-year grant. The TAACCCT grant program also awarded a total of $15 million to 12 two-year colleges in the State of New Mexico, and a total of $450 million was awarded to two-year colleges across the nation. The goal of this grant is to create pathways to train Americans for high-demand jobs in information technology, health care, and advanced manufacturing.
The grant funds three new positions at Mesalands. The following positions are still open: the Integrated Basic Education and Skills Training (I-BEST) Faculty and the SUN PATH Program and Online Course Sharing Coordinator.
The College recently hired Jeanne Moralez as the new Allied Health Program Faculty member, who will oversee the program and instruct the majority of the Allied Health courses. Moralez lives in Logan, NM and graduated from Logan High School. She is a registered nurse (RN) and obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing from Grantham University. She is currently working at Dr. Dan C. Trigg Memorial Hospital in Tucumcari both in the emergency room and in the operating room.
“I think these extra courses in health care will be a great opportunity for our community and for our future students,” Moralez said. “After one semester students will be able go into the workforce and start earning an income, while they continue their education.”
Mesalands also has a Career Counselor on-campus, Tiffany Dominguez, who was recently hired by Workforce Solutions to serve as the career counselor for the Allied Health Program students. Dominguez will be helping students find employment upon completion of their Allied Health Program certificate. Dominguez is also currently the local representative for the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions. Both Dominguez and Moralez will also be assisting students that plan to transfer to another institution to further their college education.
Students that would like more information regarding the Allied Health Program at Mesalands Community College, may pick up an information packet at the Student Affairs Office, or call (575) 461-4413, ext. 153 and request a packet. To contact Jeanne Moralez, Allied Health Faculty at Mesalands, please call (575) 461-4413 ext. 107 or via email [email protected]. Limited spaces are available.
