Northern Celebrates Website and Online Catalog Launch with Special Luncheon

Northern New Mexico College recently marked a significant milestone with the successful launch of its new website and online catalog, a major project that spanned four months of dedicated work. In recognition of this achievement, President Hector Balderas hosted a special lunch to celebrate the Web team and their incredible efforts in bringing the project to life. During the event, President Balderas expressed his gratitude to the team, stating, "It's the dedication of individuals like you that makes large-scale projects like this possible."

Sandy Krolick, Creative Director of Communications and Marketing, who led the project, introduced each team member and acknowledged their invaluable contributions. Milam Shah was credited for her key role in designing the site navigation and interface, ensuring a seamless user experience. Arin McKenna was praised for writing the majority of the website’s stories, while Deborah Trujillo was lauded for her work in building the Business Office and IT pages and handling the complex task of moving and re-linking hundreds of documents.

The collaboration didn’t stop there. Scott Stokes and Juan Gallegos ensured a smooth transition during the critical Go Live phase, and Janice Baca helped lead the development of the new catalog. Northern alum Jafett Garcia was instrumental in linking the new catalog to every academic program. In total, more than 200 pages were built and written in collaboration with academic departments, all while the team learned a completely new customer relationship management (CRM) system.

Kristy L. Alton, Title V Director, also shared her appreciation for the team, emphasizing that it was the critical funding provided by Title V that made the project possible. She highlighted that this effort represents just the beginning, with more technical advancements planned to support the college's growth and future needs.

Chief Information Officer Scott Stokes energized the room by discussing exciting plans for integrating advanced security measures and artificial intelligence (AI) technology into the college’s digital platforms. These innovations are set to revolutionize how Northern serves its students and faculty, streamlining processes and enhancing the overall user experience. “These forward-thinking initiatives will help position Northern New Mexico College as a leader in innovation, ensuring our digital platforms stay at the cutting edge,” said Stokes.

While the event celebrated those present, special recognition was also given to team members Janett Orozco and Lisa Pelletier, who were unable to attend but contributed significantly to the success of the project.

The launch of the website and catalog is a testament to college-wide collaboration, with contributions from every department. As President Balderas stated, this is just the beginning, and the college plans to continue improving the website to meet the growing needs of the Northern community.

A big thank you to everyone involved in this project for pushing the boundaries of innovation and teamwork, building a stronger foundation for Northern's future!

[Pictured: Kristy Alton, Arin McKenna, Milam Shah, Deborah Trujillo, Sandy Krolick, Janice Baca. In the back: Juan Gallegos, Scott Stokes, and President Hector Balderas.]