Current Students

Cerro Coso Community College will be closed for winter recess from Monday, December 19, 2022 through Sunday, January 1, 2023.

Online registration will be available 7 days a week, 24 hours a day through the College website at www.cerrocoso.edu. Try this easy and convenient way to register for classes. The spring schedule of classes is also available online.

Operations at all CCCC sites will resume on Tuesday, January 3, 2023, and staff will be available to assist via email, phone, and scheduled Zoom sessions.

Spring semester classes at the college officially start on January 17, 2023.

View on the Cerro Coso College website.

June Wasserman (far right) Scholarship Committee Chairwoman of the Pink Ladies Auxiliary at Ridgecrest Regional Hospital presented Jan Hoagland Vocational Nursing Scholarships to Cerro Coso nursing students (pictured l to r) Tamara Williams and Valerie Lucero.

These graduating Cerro Coso Community College vocational nursing students each received a $500 check from the Pink Ladies Auxiliary. “We only wish we could have awarded one to every nursing student,” said Wasserman.

Founded by Jan Hoagland in 1958, the Pink Ladies Auxiliary raises money to fund these scholarships. Their efforts support Ridgecrest Regional Hospital’s mission to provide outstanding healthcare in our community.

View on the Cerro Coso College website.

RIDG Gaming and the Cerro Coso Community College Foundation are teaming up for a Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Gaming Tournament and Fundraiser on December 10, 2022, to begin at 11 a.m. in the College's Main Building Student Center.

The cost to enter the tournament is $10 per individual. Interested gamers may register for the tournament at https://cerrocoso.ticketspice.com/2022-gaming-tournament . The Registration deadline is December 2 at 12 noon. Entry fees will be waived for any individual donating the use of their Switch for the competition. Contact Chandler Petrovitch at 760-384-6262 for more details.

General rules for the completion include rounds-best of 3 matches; style-stock/lives; stock-3 lives; time limit-5 minutes; final smash meter-off; spirits-off; damage handicap-off; stage selection-loser; items-off/none; damage ratio-10x; pause-off; hazard toggle-off; Mii-all move sets legal. Permitted stages will include: Battlefield, Big Battlefield, and Final Destination. Permitted Controllers will include GameCube Controller and Switch Pro Controller. Gamers will be allowed to play with their own controllers.

Prizes for the event compliments of event sponsors: Saalex, Teya Services, Ridgecrest Regional Hospital, State Farm – Gary Charlon, Raw Media Pros, and Jim Kear. Individual cash awards for $300 for best player, $200 for second place, and $100 for third place. Business competition winners will receive the coveted 2022 Coyote Legends championship trophy.

Gamers are also encouraged to come dressed as their favorite character.

The CCCC Foundation and its Board members are passionate about making a difference in the lives of individual students, campuses, the workforce, and their communities. Together, they are making it possible for students to not only improve their own lives, but also change the lives of others. They do this by supporting student scholarships, the Cerro Coso Promise, Campus Hunger FREE program, student programs and activities on campus like Phi Theta Kappa, and professional development for employees. “We couldn't do what we do without the support of our foundation and the generous donations of private individuals, businesses, and organizations,” said College President Sean Hancock. “It's a game changer.”

For more information on the upcoming Gaming Tournament contact Natalie Dorrell at 760-384-6260.

View on the Cerro Coso College website.

Caption: (L to R) SCPO Matthew Kreamalmyer, Mayor Eric Bruen, Juliette and War War II Veteran CPO Victor Monacelli (retired); KCCD Trustee Jack Connell (Retired Naval Officer); and Dr. Sean Hancock, President of CCCC.

Cerro Coso Community College Veterans Services kicked off Veterans week with a presentation of colors and 13 Folds ceremony by SCPO Matthew Kreamalmyer, Naval Air Station, China Lake; AC2 Edward Prida, Naval Air Station, China Lake; HM2 Walker E. Garrett, Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Unit (NMRRTU), China Lake; AT3 Vegas Monroe, Airtevron 9 (VX-9); and AE3 Noah Sloan, Airtevron 9 (VX-9); around the fountain at the Ridgecrest campus on Monday, November 7, 2022.

“This is the first of a week of activities here at Cerro Coso, to celebrate with gratitude the sacrifices made by our military and veterans,” said Dr. Sean Hancock, President.

“The heroism that has been demonstrated, time and again, by veterans from the American Revolution to the global war on terrorism is sometimes unnoticed by those who enjoy the security that their sacrifice has provided. Our debt to these heroes can never be re-paid, but our gratitude and respect must last forever,” stated Hancock.

Speakers and guests of honor for the event included: Cerro Coso President Dr. Sean Hancock; KCCD Trustee and retired officer Jack Connell, Ridgecrest Mayor Eric Bruen, War War II Veteran Chief Petty Officer Victor Monacelli (Retired, October 1942 – October 1961) and his wife Juliette; and SCPO Matthew Kreamalmyer, Naval Air Station, China Lake.

The college Veterans Services department presented veterans Monacelli and Connell with folded flags and certificates of appreciation for their service to our country.

“I encourage each of you to say thank you to our military and veterans,” ended Hancock. “As president of Cerro Coso Community College I thank you for your many sacrifices in defense of our freedom.”

View on the Cerro Coso College website.

Coyote Christian Schultz set a phenomenal 19.16-course record at the Mt. SAC Cross Country Invitational on October 14^th in Walnut, California.

He shattered El Camino College‘s David Cardona’s 2010 record of 19:52 by 34 seconds.

The 74^th Mt. SAC Cross Country Invitational welcomed athletes from the elementary school to the community college level, across two weekends to compete over its famed courses. The names “Valley Loop,” “Switchbacks,” “Poop Out Hill,” and “Reservoir Hill” are part of cross-country lore.

An outstanding performance by Schultz puts Cerro Coso’s new cross-country program on the competitive map.

Congratulations Christian.

View on the Cerro Coso College website.

Caption: (L to R) Flight Line Tap Room owner Ross Shingledecker, Student Government CCCC student Julianna Gorduyn, and Cerro Coso Public Relations Director Natalie Dorrell.

Julianna Gorduyn a student at Cerro Coso works at Flight Line Tap Room and saw an opportunity to help her fellow students.

With the approval of owner Ross Shingledecker, Julianna has coordinated a Fall Food Drive to take place on Saturday, November 5, 2022. Beer lovers can bring a non-perishable food donation for the college food pantry into the Flight Line Tap Room located at 259 North Balsam Street and receive a reduced flight price between 3 and 6 p.m.

It’s a win, win for everyone!

“Cerro Coso understands that it is very hard to focus on being a successful student if you are worried about your next meal, unsure where you are going to sleep, or struggling with a lack of health care,” stated Outreach Director Katie Bachman. 

The Coyote Cupboard, a food pantry for college students, was established in 2017 to address the basic food needs of students. 

“It was already a constant struggle to keep the food pantry stocked,” said Bachman.“The increase cost of gas and food has tripled the demand on the Coyote Cupboard this fall.”

“I cannot say enough good things about partnerships like this that help us in our effort to ensure students don’t have to learn on an empty stomach. Flight Line Tap Room is helping to meet a critical need of our students. It’s the power of partnerships. Thank you,” she concluded.

The Cerro Coso Coyote Cupboard accepts all food and monetary donations. For more information on how you can help, contact the Outreach Office at 760-384-6353.

View on the Cerro Coso College website.

Cerro Coso’s Ridgecrest campus was even busier than usual on Wednesday, October 19th as the college welcomed 250 high school students from 8 different high schools to Career Exploration Day.

With only a few years left of high school, it’s time for these students to get serious about college and start making plans for their future. This highly successful event is designed to give participants a firsthand look at why Cerro Coso should be their first choice. Our students are pushing the limits of what is possible to support their families and grow their communities. They are rising to the challenges before them and giving tirelessly of themselves so that they can achieve their dreams. They are preparing to dig deeper. They are preparing to reach higher. And most importantly, they are preparing to take flight. High school students explored all the college has to offer and were exposed to the wide range of careers available to graduates locally.

The day began in the gymnasium with a warm welcome from Cerro Coso President Dr. Sean Hancock and Outreach Director Katie Bachman, followed by a lively visit to college department booths, tours, food, and drawings.

In addition to receiving valuable information on how to prepare for college, students were given the opportunity to spend time interacting with CCCC’s expert faculty and staff and asked career questions from area employers.

Cerro Coso students provided tours of the campus and answered questions about their personal college experiences.

The Career Fair portion of the event was opened to Cerro Coso students and the public to provide an opportunity for high school and college students to meet with representatives from various employers and learn about the different careers and vocations available locally.

“A huge thank you to Katie Bachman for her tireless coordination and to EVERYONE who participated and supported Career Day,” stated Vice President of Student Services Heather Ostash.

The sky is the limit at Cerro Coso. Take flight. Spring 2023 registration begins in November. Contact a college counselor today at 760-384-6219.

View on the Cerro Coso College website.

Men of Worth, featuring Donnie MacDonald and James Keigher, will once again delight an Indian Wells Valley audience when they appear in concert at Cerro Coso Community College on Friday, November 18, 2022, at 7:00 pm, in the College Lecture Center (MB 250), courtesy of the Cerro Coso Foundation. The concert features the very best in Celtic music–songs that come from past generations as well as stories from present-day observations. Donnie MacDonald, a Scotsman, and Jimmy Keigher, an Irishman, combine music with humor in a very special union that leaves an audience laughing and cheering for more.

On stage, they perform with octave mandolin, accordion, bodhrans, guitar, banjo and mandolin while singing their songs in both English and Gaelic. Their vocals are rich with harmony and strong in unison. Together Men of Worth have a simple approach to their presentation, and in keeping with tradition, remain true to the music and story. They have been recording and performing since 1986 and have gained popularity from audiences all over America, Canada, Scotland, and Ireland.

CDs will be offered for sale during intermission and after the concert.

Price of general admission is $20. Tickets are available online at cerrocoso.ticketspice.com/men-of-worth-2022, or in person from the College Business Office and Red Rock Books. Tickets can also be purchased at the door if space is available. For more information contact the Cerro Coso Foundation Office at 760-384-6260.

Purchase Tickets »

View on the Cerro Coso College website.

Update: We are happy to report that after two long days the temporary solution to energize our Ridgecrest campus is solidly in place and we will return to normal operation on Monday, October 10th.

When you return to campus you will see that our two exterior stairwells from the parking lot are blocked off. This is to ensure safety associated with the temporary solution and with SCE’s work on a permanent solution.

To access the East Wing classrooms and the LRC, please enter and use the main building stairwells or elevators.

Thank you for your patience and understanding this past week. We are looking forward to seeing everyone back on campus!

View on the Cerro Coso College website.

Cerro Coso Community College is deeply saddened by the loss of former President Dr. Mary E. Retterer. She passed away on Thursday, September 8, 2022, in Gardnerville, Nevada.

Dr. Retterer became Cerro Coso’s sixth President July 1, 2007, after serving as Interim President for one year. She retired in June of 2010.

Her time as the president left a lasting impact on Cerro Coso Community College and the communities it serves.

She was a dynamic leader with a wealth of experience in community colleges, including colleges with centers in rural areas. Her prior experience with the California Community College System provided a valuable foundation from which she led the college in a strategic direction to meet the needs of the college’s diverse service area.

Her 35+ years in education included 3 years of administrative service to California Community Colleges. Prior to assuming the interim assignment at Cerro Coso, she served as the Superintendent/President of Shasta-Tehama-Trinity Joint Community College District, from June 2004 to 2006. She was President of Pima Community College’s East Campus, in Tucson, Arizona, from August 1998 to June 2004.

Her administrative career began in a variety of positions that were part of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities System, including President of Ridgewater College in Wilmar and Hutchison. She also served as Interim Regional President, Arrowhead Community College Region, and Interim President Minneapolis Community College, as well as Dean at the Rainy River Community College in International Falls.

Dr. Retterer began her educational career teaching at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona in 1980. She taught business and accounting in the San Bernardino Community College District from 1981 to 1993, and at the University of Texas at Austin.

Dr. Retterer was at the college when it received a $250,000 grant from the State of California to strengthen Career Technical Education (CTE) programs through “Project Lead the Way,” in partnership with Sierra Sands Unified School District and the Naval Air Weapons Center, to meet the future workforce needs of our region. She was here when the Mammoth Lakes Foundation broke ground for student housing, and when the college held its first Phi Theta Kappa induction ceremony. She led the college through a very important accreditation review and created a collaboration between the college and the IWV Water District on a large scale water conservation project on the Ridgecrest Campus. She was an expert fundraiser and started many of the college’s signature events like the Star Party and Denim and Diamonds to help support the college and its students. Her accomplishments were many and her legacy will live on in so many ways at Cerro Coso Community College.

She once referred to Cerro Coso as a “diamond in the dessert” and stated how proud she was of the people within as she looked to an exciting future here. She noted the tremendous creativity of the college’s employees and looked to “harness that creativity and turn it into growth and improved service to all the communities within the college service area.” She was an essential part of our institution’s history, and spent a lifetime being an influential advocate for education. “I had hoped to personally meet Dr. Retterer at some of our 50^th Anniversary activities beginning next year,” said current President, Dr. Sean Hancock. “And I am sad that I will not get that opportunity.”

“Like myself, Dr. Retterer was a former community college student,” said Hancock. She earned an Associate of Arts Degree from Craft Hills College, California. She transferred to California State University, San Bernardino, where she received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Administration with a concentration in accounting, and a Master of Business Administration Degree, with a concentration in accounting. She earned a Doctorate of Philosophy in Educational Administration, Community College Leadership Program from the University of Texas at Austin.

An active member of the local community, Dr. Retterer served as a Rotarian on the China Lake Rotary Club and an active member of the local Elks lodge.

“Cerro Coso honors the legacy of Dr. Retterer, and mourns her loss alongside her husband Richard, family, and friends,” concluded Hancock.

A celebration of life will be held for Dr. Retterer at the Elks Lodge in Gardnerville, Nevada next week.

View on the Cerro Coso College website.