March Newsletter

As we welcome March, we celebrate Women’s History Month. We are honored to have spoken with two incredible women who have made remarkable strides in their careers and shared their experiences with us.

We are excited to highlight Santa Fe Community College’s President, Dr. Becky Rowley, who discusses how more and more women are stepping into leadership positions and making a difference in the world. We also had the opportunity to speak with Dr. Melanie Zollner, an SFCC alumni who is now uplifting and inspiring others, especially Hispanic and Latinx individuals, to follow their dreams.

Empowering Women in Leadership and Making a Difference

We spoke with Dr. Becky Rowley, Santa Fe Community College’s (SFCC) President. She has contributed to and witnessed the 30 percent increase of female college and university presidents over her career. 

Being the President of such an esteemed institution is important to Dr. Rowley, but most important is the leadership of faculty and students alike. Dr. Rowley talks about her leadership perspective as a woman, “women in leadership roles have a great appreciation for where they are and have all had to overcome all sorts of issues.”

Inspiring others is an innate characteristic of the president of a college, but Dr. Rowley makes it her mission to help uplift the students and faculty at SFCC. She says, “SFCC students are driven and strong, they have faced adversity in their lives.” Dr. Rowley wants to make it as easy as possible to achieve their dreams. Helping non-traditional students at SFCC graduate, join the workforce, or continue on with higher education is an integral part of Dr. Rowley’s mission. She understands the honor of getting a bachelors, Masters, and a PhD and wants to “bring that same honor to students who have varied backgrounds.” All of this, with the help of Santa Fe Community College Foundation, non-traditional students are able to afford an education and fully realize their dreams. 

For SFCC students, learning from leaders in their institutions, like Dr. Rowley gives them the tools to reach their goals. Dr. Rowley says, “I’m proud to feel like I’m a role model in some way, and that I let other young women know that if this is the route you want to take, you can make a lot of positive change.” For many students and faculty alike, seeing someone like themselves in a high position is an inspiration to never stop learning, growing, and chasing their dreams.

Inspiring the Next Generation to Follow Their Dreams

Dr. Melanie Zoller was born in Peru. She had 2 children, aged 6 and 9 when she first started as a student at SFCC, they even did homework together. She wanted to go back to school to provide for her young children, to be an inspiration to them. All of her life, friends, family, and fellow classmates have looked to her as a leader, mentor and teacher. Dr. Zollner was born to become an educator, others sought it out in her.

Starting college at SFCC was initially difficult. Juggling classes and raising her two kids while working was an incredible feat. Dr. Zollner didn’t feel alone though, she had Anna Gabaldon, the international student support member at SFCC. Being mentored by a woman that understood Dr. Zollner helped her to feel like she could do this for others. She became a tutor at SFCC and started teaching classes.

Eventually, Dr. Zollner started her Masters at New Mexico Highlands University. She is now a professor in the Business college, providing her students with hands-on experience in the business world. She wants students like her, particularly Hispanic and Latinx students to feel welcome and determined to succeed in her class. She says, “I am a role model for other Hispanic and Latina women. They can see themselves in me. Students that are non-traditional, post-traditional, that went back to school later on in life understand me. They know, if I did it as an international student and English is not my first language, other students can do it.”

Dr. Zollner knows the importance of being a sounding board to students, “I think that offering support to all the students, being accessible, being understanding, and being supportive is important. Going back to school can be intimidating and people are at different levels. Some people are straight out of college, out of high school. Other people may be going back for a second career. For others, it might be the first time that they’re going to college. So I think it’s important to know your students, to understand them first hand. I’m here for them.”

She wants to see the so-called “adobe ceiling” broken, she wants to see more Hispanic and Latinx students in higher education leadership positions, she hopes to inspire others to this goal.

Dr. Zollner is an inspiration to all that she has mentored. She says,“I did work hard, but my motivation to succeed is my daughters. I was a role model to them. Now, they’re two successful women that have masters.” Dr. Zollner believes in meeting students where they’re at. Being an educator is more than just teaching, it’s emotional support and empathy as well.

SFCC Newsletter

Inside SFCC is Santa Fe Community College’s monthly newsletter, featuring exciting events, program updates, and the latest news from around campus.

Thank you to everyone who makes education accessible to students at SFCC. Stories like those of Dr. Zollner and Dr. Rowley inspire students as they begin their educational journeys, showing them that if others can succeed, they can too. With the right support, students can follow their dreams and create success stories of their own. We are truly grateful for all that you do!

Kelly A. Marquez, MBA
Executive Director
kelly.marquez@sfcc.edu