A PUBLICATION OF THECOCHISE COLLEGE FOUNDATION

FALL 2016

A New Day for Culinary Arts

Page 4

2

BOARD PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

As you’ll see on Page 8, there’s been a flurry of newly developed connections just in time for the Cochise CollegeFoundation’s 50th birthday.

Incorporated on March 20, 1967, the foundation focusedearly on supporting the Douglas Campus rodeo grounds.Later, it raised funds for an anthropological resourcecenter and began awarding scholarships. Though it’s stilla young foundation, donor support of the college and itsstudents has continued to grow at a steady pace.

In some ways, the foundation’s mission of promotingstudent success has come full circle. In 2016, we’ve recon-nected with rodeo alumni and supporters to help recruit

top competitors to Cochise. The archaeology resource center has been replacedby displays of prehistoric items and a Pit Fire Festival, now in its 10th year,that demonstrates ancient pottery firing methods and celebrates the arts. Totalscholarship awards and program support now exceed $500,000 annually.

As a long-serving board member, I’m proud of that progress. I hope you enjoyreading about recent successes at Cochise College. I also hope you’ll join in thefoundation’s birthday celebration by making a financial contribution thatsupports excellent educational experiences.

Sincerely,

Mark Battaglia JDBoard PresidentCochise College Foundation

Cover:Culinary Arts Faculty Lora Miller made this cake in observance of the Cochise College Foundation'sgolden anniversary. Read about the culinary arts program on Page 4.

Help Us CelebrateLeadership of the Cochise College Foundation changed somewhat as it formed in the late 1960s. To help celebrate 50 yearssince its incorporation, the foundation seeks friends and family of the following former board members, listed with thetown where they lived at the time.

Col. Nicholas C. Angel, Fort Huachuca; Cordy Cowan, McNeal;Dr. Robert Fergus, Bisbee;Morris Fowler, Douglas;Dr. James F.Gabiola, Bisbee; J. Richard Heisey, Douglas; Mrs. Jesse Hooker, Willcox;* William Hughes, Willcox; Elizabeth Husband,Cochise; J. Newell Johnston, Douglas;Dr. Charles W. McMoran, Sierra Vista; Charles J. Randolph, Tombstone; Col. Maynard C.Raney, Fort Huachuca;Mrs. Paul Riggs, Pearce;* Martin F. Ryan, Douglas; Bobby Simpson, Willcox;George A. Swanson, Dou-glas; Louis Towle, Benson. *First name not verified.

FROM THE COCHISE COLLEGE PRESIDENT

The early county visionaries that saw a need for a commu-nity college in Cochise County also saw a need for a founda-tion to support it. The Cochise College Foundation,established in the early years of the college, will celebrate its50th anniversary in 2017. Since its establishment in 1967,the Foundation has provided donors a tax-deductible way tosupport Cochise College now and in the future. In fact, overthe past 50 years, millions of dollars have helped studentsachieve their goals.

With the opening of the Downtown Center this semester, wecelebrate our first scholarship for culinary arts students, aswell as new scholarship opportunities for nursing students.The contributions that support these scholarships are an in-vestment in the very people who will be part of the workforceand who will contribute to the well-being of our communities, our state, and ourgreat nation.

In addition, I’m honored that donors are stepping forward and sharing their inten-tions to make planned gifts. Allowing us to recognize them helps inspire others. Ifyou have made plans, or are considering leaving something to the college, no matterthe size of the gift, we would appreciate the opportunity to share your story in a fu-ture issue and acknowledge your generosity.

As always, enjoy the latest issue of “Accolade,” and thank you for your ongoing sup-port of Cochise College and our students.

J.D. Rottweiler, Ph.D.PresidentCochise Collegejdr@cochise.edu

Board OfficersMark Battaglia, J.D., PresidentGail Zamar, Vice PresidentGene Manring, SecretaryKaren L. Justice, Treasurer

Board MembersYolanda AndersonChuck ChambersSheila DeVoe HeidmanJean GiuffridaJan GuyDan Rehurek, Ph.D.David SmithBob StrainRuben Teran, J.D.Dr. Mark von Destinon

Board Member EmeritusShirley GregoryLinda Staneart

Ex-Officio MemberJ.D. Rottweiler, Ph.D. (ex-officio)

Honorary MembersMarsha ArzbergerGeorge Bugen

Cochise College Foundation StaffDenise Hoyos, Executive DirectorSheila Selby, Foundation CoordinatorRose Berumen, Administrative Assistant

“Accolade” is published by the CochiseCollege Foundation, 4190 W. Highway 80,Douglas, AZ 85607. (520) 417-4100

ContributorsAmanda HeltKeith RingeyRick Whipple

“Accolade” inspires charitable contributions insupport of Cochise College by raising awarenessabout competitive advantages of the collegeand the activities of the Cochise College Foun-dation, which promotes student successthrough scholarships, facilities development,and program support. By supporting CochiseCollege, the Foundation endeavors to increasethe college's accessibility to our diverse andchanging communities.

3

COCHISE COLLEGE HALL OF FAMEHonor your memories and the legacy of those who make a

difference at Cochise College and beyond.

Categories:

• Student/Alumni • Team/Group of Students• Faculty/Staff • Community Leader

Early Nomination Deadline: January 31, 2017Final Nomination Deadline: May 30, 2017

www.cochise.edu/alumni

4

CAREERS COOKIN’ INCOCHISE KITCHEN

By Amanda Helt

The largest culinary arts cohort in Cochise College historygraduated in May, thanks to renewed investment that hashelped the program expand.

Recently relocated to the Downtown Center in Sierra Vistafrom Fort Huachuca, classes have already grown in just the first12 weeks. The new facility involves less security restrictionsthan the former, as well as room for expansion.

With the latest equipment and technology in its new conven-ient location in the middle of downtown Sierra Vista, the pro-gram is receiving positive feedback from students, says ChefLora Miller, culinary arts instructor. In addition, the program hasdoubled class times.

“The location definitely makes it easier for students to get herephysically," said said Miller, who made the decorative cake onthe cover. "Every class is taught in the morning and in theevening, which helps the program to be more flexible for stu-dents.”

Miller’s professional career started as a pastry chef. She wasowner and operator of the local business Lora's Cakes and Cre-ations, and she also attended classes at the Culinary Instituteof America, Johnson & Wales University and le Cordon Bleu inParis, the world's largest hospitality education institution.

Miller changed her career to teaching nine years ago andbecame an associate faculty member and even-tually a full-time faculty member atCochise.

“Culinary, to me, is self-fulfilling.The rush of feeding largeamounts of patrons andgetting that immediatefeedback, knowing youhave a role in providingenjoyment and nourish-ment...it’s a satisfying ca-reer. I started baking at

11 or 12 years old. My mother was a phenomenal cook, but shedidn't make desserts, and so I took over the dessert part of thekitchen and fell in love with it.”

It’s a love she shares with students while also providing a topnotch education. The program revamped curriculum to covertechniques and topics that are invaluable for the culinary in-dustry, offering classes such as Advanced Nutrition in FoodService, Food Service Purchasing and Control, Breads and Bak-ing Theory and Pastry Basics. It also standardized the curricu-lum to ensure equal learning opportunities for every student.

Instructors can lecture in the commercial kitchens with the useof a smart TV and easily transition into a demo of that day’swork, followed by practical work by the students.

“Everything we lecture on we then turn right around and put itinto practical skills,” said Chef Dani Cardella, another facultymember. “Just this past week in class, students learned aboutbeef stew. So I lectured all things related to beef. Afterward,students set up their individual stations, pulled out their cut-ting boards, their knives, and they have this raw product thatthey need to cut, season, sear, and braise with vegetables andseasonings. In this one class period, they turn that raw productinto a completed dish of beef stew.”

Like many of her students, Cardella found her passion as a stu-dent attending Cochise College, following her dream to theCulinary Institute of America in New York to earn her bachelor’sdegree in 2011.

“From there I just gained overall experi-ence as a chef, both on the savoryside and on the pastry side,”Cardella said.

Cardella relocated back toher hometown of Bisbee,Arizona, and became a part-ner and executive chef atthe Bisbee Royale. This isCardella’s second year as a

5

full-time faculty member at Cochise College.

“Sharing my experience of the industry and justmy overall passion for cooking and for this indus-try, I think it definitely inspires my students andmotivates them to realize that there are great op-portunities here in Cochise County,” Cardella ex-plained.

On top of utilizing standardized curriculum andhands-on teaching techniques, the Cochise Col-lege Culinary Arts students volunteer for variouscommunity events such as the Cochise College PitFire Pottery Festival, where students prepare andserve a variety of soups and breads to attendees.

“It is an incredible opportunity to take these stu-dents out into the community and let them useeverything they have learned. They gain practicalexperience with actual guests,” Cardella said.

Students have also volunteered at Aridus WineCompany in Willcox, Arizona, where they preparedgourmet meals for the annual Willcox Wine Festi-val.

“The goal of the Culinary Arts Program is to givestudents a quality education that they are goingto be able to use…” Miller said. “We train them in aprofessional manner, so when they get a job in thefood industry they are working as professionallyas possible. We take an interest in every student.We nurture them and mentor them and see thatthey succeed.”

Some culinary students continue to a university topursue bachelor's degrees; others head straight tothe workforce.

Earl Rigg, an alumnus of Cochise College, recentlybegan his own business, Culinary Temp. Afterearning two culinary certificates, the small busi-ness owner aims to help companies in CochiseCounty who are short on staff.

“If a company's dishwasher or line cook calls insick, Culinary Temp will find a substitute,” Cardellaexplained. "It's actually become pretty popular."

“My education in culinary arts really helped pre-pare me for the food industry,” Earl explained. “Iwas able to recognize a need in the communityfor temporary culinary work, and now I can helpfill that need.”

Food service contractor A’viands has provided the first scholarship forCochise College culinary arts students. Michele Matthews, whosedream is to own a bed and breakfast, is the first recipient, pictured withJosh Black, who works at the A’viands location in the DowntownCenter in Sierra Vista.

6

Some 500 or more people participated in a rib-bon cutting and tours when Cochise Collegeopened an educational facility in the formerSierra Vista Regional Health Center buildingin August. Donated to the college by TheLegacy Foundation of Southeast Arizona, thebuilding is the new home of Nursing andHealth Sciences, Culinary Arts, Electronics,the Center for Lifelong Learning and theSmall Business Development Center, as well asthree community agencies. Pictured at themain entrance are representatives of the col-lege, City of Sierra Vista, The Legacy Founda-tion, and Fort Huachuca, including GoverningBoard members Jane Strain, Dennis Nelson,David DiPeso and Tim Quinn; Mayor RickMueller; college president Dr. JD Rottweiler;Legacy Foundation board chair Dr. JoannaMichelich; and Major General Scott Berrier.

Photo by Becky Smyth, The Legacy Foundation of Southeast Arizona

7

Assistant Registrar Heather Augenstein (‘08) is one ofmany employees who this semester modified their charita-ble giving to provide greater support for students atCochise College. Augenstein is inspired to give by the stu-dents she sees every day. Her giving is not limited toCochise College, but to date, she has given in excess of$2,300, primarily through payroll deduction, to support avariety of efforts that promote student success. This is herstory.

Q: Tell us why you started giving charitably to support col-lege needs?A: I began working with Cochise College in 2005 as the switch-board operator and the receptionist for the president’s office. Idid not start contributing right away. However, when I movedinto Student Services at the end of 2007, I began to see theneed of students for help to attend classes. So, I decided to do-nate to scholarships, and throughout the years, I have donatedto help endow scholarships and to help wherever money wasneeded.

Q: Describe how your giving has changed over time.A: Since I began, I adjusted the amount as needed. My perspec-tive is if I can spend that amount on coffee every payday, I canhelp contribute to someone’s education.

Q: What do you see in your job every day that inspires youto contribute to the Cochise College Foundation’s missionof promoting student success?A: I see students who need assistance with paying for tuitionand books. Without help from scholarships, some studentswould not be able to do both. It’s important that we help sup-port students because they are the future of the communityand of Cochise College.

Q: Do you give to other organizations?A: Yes, I contribute to the United Way and I donate todonorschoose.org, which is an organization that helps publicschool teachers fund special projects and needs by allowingdonors to choose the project/classroom they wish to help.(Heather also gives through AmazonSmile, a program that con-tributes a percentage of qualifying purchases to shoppers’charity of choice, including the Cochise College Foundation.)

Q: What feeling do you get from contributing? A: I guess the best way to describe the feeling I get is that Iknow I am helping someone with their future. I may not knowthe person and how much I’m actually helping, but someone isbenefiting from a simple payroll deduction that I don’t have toworry about. I filled out the form, and it was done.

Q: Why should people give to support Cochise College?A: Cochise is a great institution that cares about its students.Since we are in a rural area, not everyone has the same oppor-tunities, but a simple donation every paycheck can help thosestudents reach their full potential.

On behalf of the students she’s helped, the Cochise College Foun-dation thanks Heather for both the financial support and personalguidance she provides.

Students inspire employees to contribute

Help us celebrate 50 years of promoting student success through charitable giving.

Your gift of❏ $50 ❏ $500 ❏ $5,000

goes to the general scholarship fund and can bemailed with the envelope in this publication.

(520) 417-4735foundation@cochise.eduwww.cochise.edu/give

Circa 1967

�

8

Gift acknowledges ‘extra mile’Cochise College student nurses gave Virginia Thomas leg massagesand fixed her hair, making hospital visits prior to herdeath a little less uncomfortable. Sheand her husband Hal so appreciatedthe thoughtful care that they estab-lished the Virginia L. Thomas MemorialScholarship endowment for nursing afterVirginia passed away in June.

Married for 65 years, the Thomases lived inSierra Vista for 38 years. Virginia worked inthe Walmart fabric department and volun-teered at DES Children and Youth Services,Spouses Thrift Shop and the Sierra Vista Re-gional Hospital Auxiliary. She also was amember of the Hummingbird Stitchers QuiltGuild. Hal, a veteran of the US Air Force whocared for his wife at home in her last days,also was an educator, school board mem-ber, and active volunteer with many localeducation and civic organizations.

“We always made a special effort to gothe extra mile in our lives, and it’s the kindof thing we recognize,” Hal said. “‘Knocktheir socks off...that’s basically what we gotout of our experience with the nurses.”

The Virginia L Thomas Memorial Scholarshipfund will be invested and allowed to growfor several years before the first award ismade.

APS, memorial scholarshipshighlight 10th pit fire festivalCochise College’s 10th annual Pit Fire Festivaldrew more than 700 guests to the Douglas Campus in October. The eventshowcases ancient pottery firing techniques; ceramics pieces made bystudents and shipped in from around the globe are buried under a bon-fire. The Art Department selected student Icela Pareida to make ceramicbowls that were sold to hold soup made by culinary arts students. Fire-works kicked off a variety of dance and musical performances that in-cluded a bluegrass group led by Kevin Alvarado (‘82) and Mariachi Plata,which performs with Santa Cruz Center Director Gabe Galindo.

The announcement of five recipients of the $1,000 APS Art Scholarshipand five recipients of the $1,000 Larry Brazaskas Art Scholarshipmadethe 10th annual event extra special. The scholarships were awarded topromising Douglas and Sierra Vista Campus art students who submittedsamples of their work. The Brazaskas scholarship is named for an alumwho played baseball at the school in the 1960s and later contributed anart collection and funds. APS provided an additional $1,000 in support ofthe event.

New funds Raytheon supports training opportunities for veteransA new scholarship for transitioning soldiers pursuing post-military train-

ing in engineering and cybersecurity is now available.Raytheon Missile Systems will provide five $1,000scholarships in 2017-2018 and will also offer appli-cants a chance to be considered for a summer in-ternship in one of five states. To qualify, applicantsmust have a 3.2 or higher grade point average, beenrolled in an engineering or cybersecuritymajor, and provide a resume, DD214 and officialtranscripts. The application deadline is May 1,2017.

Vice president establishes newfund to support agriculturalstudiesInvesting in the future of agriculture atCochise College inspired Dr. Verlyn Fick, vicepresident for instruction/provost, to establisha new fund to support it. Fick has an extensivebackground in agriculture and recognizes,though hasn’t yet defined, a market in CochiseCounty for more educational opportunities inthat area.

Fick grew up on a farm in Minnesota workingwith hogs, cattle, chicken, corn, soybeans, alfalfaand oats. He earned bachelor’s degrees in soilscience and agronomy at the University of Min-nesota and taught vocational ag at the highschool level. He researched forage seed pro-duction, specifically birdsfoot trefoil, and heearned advanced degrees at Iowa State Uni-versity in crop production and physiology,emphasizing corn seed production. He hasalso taught agriculture, working with peanuts,cotton, sorghum, sugar beets and sunflowers,in North Dakota and New Mexico.

College curriculum includes associate of applied science degrees in agri-culture and equine science and management. Traditionally, classes havebeen offered at the Douglas Campus, and this semester, some were avail-able at other college locations. Another challenge is determining how tomeet the needs of the agriculture industry in Cochise County.

Endowment supports women's basketballFollowing the passing of retired Cochise College women's basketballcoach George Nicodemus on Sept. 3, his wife, Cochise College PresidentEmeritus Dr. Karen Nicodemus, established the Coaches George and KarenNicodemus Fund for Women's Basketball. The endowment supports ad-vancement of an athletics program that both George and Karen coachedand enjoyed. Before taking the coaching position at Cochise, which wasvacated when Karen accepted an administrative position, George coachedat John F. Kennedy College and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln andwas a pioneer coach in the Women's Professional Basketball League, a pre-cursor to today's WNBA.

Virginia and Hal Thomas

Karen and George Nicodemus

Jerry Harwood

9

1960sJohn Strand, identifiedafter his image appeared inthe last Accolade, retired asthe chief administratorfrom the City of Demingand is a consultant for Sun-Zia Southwest TransmissionProject.

1970sCalifornia native FrankMarcell (‘72) spent 42 yearsworking in law enforce-ment. His story recently ap-peared on the CochiseCollege alumni blog andcan be seen atwww.cochise.edu/alumni.

1980sAlex C. Brown (‘82) playedbaseball at Cochise and theUniversity of Texas at ElPaso. He is retired fromSouthwest Gas.

Anna Valenti (‘85) is a psy-chotherapist with Sane Re-sources in Phoenix.

1990sCheryl Mead (‘94, ‘97), whoearned associate’s degreesin English, psychology, an-thropology and Spanish, re-tired from her position asCochise College testingspecialist in June. Meadbegan working at the col-lege in 1992 and alsoearned a bachelor’s degreein cultural anthropology atthe University of Arizona. Aformer Student Govern-ment Association president,her husband, four childrenand two grandchildren allattended Cochise.

2000sAmanda Moffett Lane(‘02), who appreciated thestellar Cochise College fac-ulty and family atmosphereof the women’s soccerteam, is now director of thealumni program at WesternNew Mexico University.

Diana Hamberger (‘04) is ateacher at Ash Creek Schoolin Pearce, Arizona.

At Cochise College, LindaBarker (‘06) found hervoice and developed criti-cal thinking that she be-lieves made her a bettercitizen, voter and humanbeing. Now a faculty mem-ber in sociology at Co-conino Community Collegein Flagstaff, Arizona, she

Jacob Gersztyn (‘14) is pur-suing a bachelor’s degree incomputer engineering,software development atArizona State University’sPolytechnic Campus. He isan intern at Saife, Inc.

In MemoriamJack Corkery, Cochise Col-lege’s first dean of students,passed away in August.

Sammie Paschal, formerdirector of housing and theElderhostel program onceheadquartered at CochiseCollege, passed away Oct.25.

Patricia (Pallister) O’Brien,who served as assistantdean of students andbrought major lecturersand performers like LouisArmstrong to the DouglasCampus during the col-lege’s early years, passedaway in September.

carries her “passion andlove of community collegesbecause of my start atCochise College!” Barker ispursuing a doctoral degreewith a target completiondate in 2018.

Jon Stutzman (‘09) is an in-structor with Raytheon.

2010sNeal Fisher (‘10), is a majorin the U.S. Army, is an honorgraduate of the U.S. ArmyCommand and GeneralStaff College. He also hasgraduated from the FBI Na-tional Academy.

A crime analyst for the Tuc-son Police Department,Sean Clifford Rambaran(‘10) recently earned abachelor’s degree in politi-cal science from the Univer-sity of Arizona.

The family of Guy Farr (‘11)greatly appreciates CochiseCollege. Farr participated inthe MOS credentialing pro-gram for the Human Intelli-gence Collector course.Both his wife and son alsoare Cochise College gradu-ates.

Linda Bohling (‘14) cameto appreciate her Nebraskahigh school educationwhen she enrolled atCochise College in her 60s.“How fun it was to rubshoulders with the tradi-tional students.” Bohlinggraduated with honorsfrom Cochise and is an ad-ministrative assistant withthe media team at NTM(New Tribes Mission) Avia-tion.

Strand

Corkery

O’Brien

Lane

NEWS OF ALUMNI & FRIENDSHospital invests infuture workforceThe Copper Queen Hospi-tal, which provides clinicalsites for student nurses andhires many Cochise Collegegraduates, took a step to-ward training its future em-ployees by contributingspecialized equipment tothe Nursing Program. Tenhospital beds, four IVpumps and one simulationroom bed contributed bythe Bisbee-based health-care provider are now inuse at the program’s newhome at the DowntownCenter in Sierra Vista. Stu-dents now will learn to usethe specialized IV pumpson site, rather than experi-encing them for the firsttime at the clinical location.

Replicas help makecollege occasionsspecialPrior to her passing on Oct.30, 2016, Jerry Harwoodcontributed two silver teasets commemorating thecollege’s 50th anniversary,which was celebrated in2014-2015. The sets arereplicas of one given to thecollege when it opened.Harwood, who becameknowledgeable about silverand crystal when sheworked in the retail setting,helped the original donors -Russell and Marge Sharp ofNaco - select the set for thenew institution while herhusband Bill was collegepresident in the mid-1960s.The sets are used at certainspecial events hosted bythe college. Harwood alsoestablished the Dr. Williamand Jerry Harwood Scholar-ship for social science ma-jors seeking careers inpolitical science or law.

Marcell

10

Cochise College rodeo is enjoying a renewed relationshipwith alumni this year in light of an effort to engage formerstudents and coaches. Supporters gained 800 new friendsvia the Former Cochise Rodeo Facebook page establishedin May, organized a Meet the Team event at the CochiseCounty Fair, participated in the Willcox Cowboy Hallof Fame induction of former coach Don Kimble inSeptember, and hosted a brunch with family andfriends of former coach Frank Adams when he vis-ited Cochise College with his wife Barbara in Octo-ber.

Cochise College rodeo dates almost to the insti-tution’s beginnings, and team members have along history of success. According to CollegeNational Finals Rodeo standings, the 2015-2016 women’s team ranked eighth in the na-tion and finished the season with the No. 3and No. 7 goat tyers, as well as the 13th-ranked barrel racer and breakaway roper.The men’s team finished 48th in the na-tion and included the 14th-ranked teamroper.

The rodeo boosters goal is to build a baseof support to help identify potential recruits and providefinancial resources that help make Cochise College rodeoan attractive choice for those recruits. Preserving the tradi-tional Western way of life is also a priority.

At publication, rodeo boosters, which include former clubadvisor Dr. Mary Lee Shelden and coach Beth Hughes, andDouglas-area ranchers Kelly and Mackenzie Kimbro, wereconsidering next steps. So far this season, the men’s teamranks first and the women’s team third in the GrandCanyon Region. The spring schedule, not yet released,tends to be busier and includes a rodeo on Fort Huachuca.Team members hail from Arizona, Utah, Nevada, Montanaand Canada.

Join Former Cochise Rodeo on Facebook to find out aboutthe latest rodeo booster activities and visit goapaches.comto see the roster, schedules and news.

Rodeosupportersunite behind

team

Dr. Mary Lee Shelden,an early Cochise

College rodeo club advisor, greets former

coach Don Kimble at hisinduction into the Willcox

Cowboy Hall of Fame. Alsopictured is former rodeo

team competitor Jeff Haas.

Former Cochise College rodeo coach Frank Adams, right, and college nurse Bar-bara Adams, left, visited with friends, including former college rodeo team mem-ber Cody Lee, at a brunch at the college in October. Lee’s son is currently amember of the college rodeo team.

Rodeo booster volunteer Kelly Kimbro, right, interviewsCochise College goat tyer and breakaway roper Hayley DaltonEstes at the Meet the Team event at the Cochise County Fair.

11

She values individualizedstudent support.

So she gives.

Retired civil servant Jan Guy hasseen the good Cochise Collegedoes from the perspective of

student, Governing Board memberand foundation board member.Quality support and encourage-ment helped her complete an associate’s degree, advance her career when she needed it most,and earn a master’s degree.

Working with her attorney and theCochise College Foundation, Jan’splanned gift will help ensure

similar opportunities for others inthe future.

What do youvalue?

We can help you leave a legacythat supports student success.

Contact: Denise Hoyos520-417-4148 / 520-515-3690

hoyosd@cochise.eduwww.cochise.edu/give

From dream to realityRobert Ishoy’s 2008 degree in intelligence operations came years after his active militaryservice, and it’s played an important role in his work as a human intelligence instructor forthe US Department of Defense. But his passion for history and persistent efforts to study itare what made his dreams come true.

Twenty-nine years after penning a theory about the lost city of Atlantis for a class at Califor-nia State University, Fresno, Ishoy took a call from a Canadian production company inter-ested in his perspective for the National Geographic documentary “Search for Atlantis,” afollow-up to 2011’s “Finding Atlantis.” Producers reviewing literature on the topic stumbledupon Ishoy’s Atlantis Discovered website and invited him to participate in filming. He trav-eled to Sardinia in April. The two-hour documentary, directed by Emmy Award winner Sim-cha Jacobivici and executive produced by James Cameron, is currently set to air in February.

“A big lesson for younger people is to never totally give up onyour dream,” Ishoy said. “I kept putting it out there hopingsomebody would take notice, and it literally happened. Icouldn’t have asked for more, and it happened when I least ex-pected it.”

In researching Atlantis, a potentially mythical island that sankinto the ocean around 9,600 BC, Ishoy turned to the work ofPlato. He was studying a region he’d never seen. But after earn-ing his bachelor’s degree in history, the feeling that he’d dis-covered something remained. So he put the theory online in2001, about the time that Disney debuted the animated ac-tion-adventure film “Atlantis: The Lost Empire.” He received

calls from all over the world, but no leads on how to proceed. When crowdfunding becamean option, he created a campaign and produced a YouTube video. Ultimately, the web pres-ence resulted in an invitation to explore the region he had studied in college.

Ishoy, documentary director and crew spent three days exploring filming sites and even dis-covered information to support his theory about the island’s location. For example, smallmetal strips housed in a museum in Cagliari on the island of Sardinia, near where Ishoy be-lieves Atlantis disappeared, depicted Egyptian script.

“That is significant because Plato’s story of Atlantis originates in Egypt,” Ishoy said

Since the filming, Ishoy has worked to build on any momentum that may come of the proj-ect. He’s developing the Society for Historical Exploration, a non-profit that will conduct re-search on ancient civilizations, legends and myths to promote a new renaissance oflearning in the social sciences. He’d like to return to Atlantis to study the Nuragic Ruins, andhe has in mind other big projects to inspire curiosity and engage people in his passion forhistory.

He’s also assisting with the project to save Camp Naco, one of the last forts built by theUnited States in continental territory and the only remaining border fort of several thatwere constructed during the Mexican Revolution. He and members of the Naco Heritage Al-liance recently filmed a spot for “The Official Best of,” a program that highlights must-seeplaces in a variety of states.

“Our society has made so many advances in science and technology, but we are regressingwhen it comes to the social sciences and personal development,” Ishoy believes. Whilemuch of today’s education is geared toward the practical, “liberal arts education feeds thesoul.”

NON PROFIT ORGU.S. POSTAGE

P A I DTUCSON, AZ

PERMIT NO. 3341

4190 W Highway 80Douglas AZ 85607-6190

Who? What?When? Where?Why?

If you can identify thestudents who appearedon Page 62 of the 1966El Recuerdo, email us atalumni@cochise.edu..