Jennifer Yazzie
Email-jenyazzi@nmsu.edu
505-287-6656
About the Program:
The computer technology program at NMSU Grants Community College provides an excellent foundation for those looking to launch a career in information technology. This program provides the opportunity to students in the Grants, NM and Cibola County area to earn a computer technology certificate or associate degree locally.
Students begin with the fundamentals of computer hardware and software and progress to advanced topics like cloud computing and cybersecurity. Students will have the opportunity to earn several industry certifications alongside their college certificate or degree from organizations like CompTIA, CIW, Microsoft and more. Many of the program’s courses train and teach directly to CompTIA certifications, not just a side note.
Our graduates have gone on to work in local school and government systems, Apple, CenturyLink, Facebook and National Labs. Many graduates started at entry level support technicians and moved their way up to higher positions to become network administrators and infrastructure technicians.
Hands-on experience is a core part of the curriculum, so we give our students access to multiple labs at the Grants Community College Campus allowing them to gain hands on experience with Hardware, Software and Network scenarios on real equipment.
Our program is built with the student’s time and investment in mind. Students who begin in the Fall semester can earn their Certificate in Computer Technology in just two semesters. The certificate includes all the program specific courses and leads directly into the Computer Technology Associate of Applied Science degree which then can be used to transfer to most other 4-year institutions in the state.
The industries that utilize Computer and Information Technology remain a growing space for employment according to data and projections gathered by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
“Overall employment in computer and information technology occupations is projected to grow much faster than the average for all occupations from 2024 to 2034. About 317,700 openings are projected each year, on average, in these occupations due to employment growth and the need to replace workers who leave the occupations permanently.
The median annual wage for this group was $105,990 in May 2024, which was higher than the median annual wage for all occupations of $49,500.” – Sourced from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Associate’s Degree/Certificate:
Computer Support Specialist – Computer support specialists maintain computer networks and provide technical help to computer users. – Median Pay $61,550
Bachelor’s Degree:
Computer Systems Analysts - Computer systems analysts study an organization’s current computer systems and design ways to improve efficiency. – Median Pay $103,790
Computer Network Architects - Computer network architects design and implement data communication networks, including local area networks (LANs), wide area networks (WANs), and intranets. – Median Pay $130,390
Database Administrators and Architects - Database administrators and architects create or organize systems to store and secure data. – Median Pay $123,100
Network and Computer Systems Administrators - Network and computer systems administrators install, configure, and maintain organizations’ computer networks and systems. – Median Pay $96,800
Meet the Faculty:
Jennifer Yazzie is the primary faculty in the computer technology program at NMSU Grants Community College.
She has earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Information and Computer Technology from New Mexico State University and has been an instructor in the computer technology program for several years, serving as adjunct faculty before transitioning to a full-time faculty position.
Jennifer focuses on teaching the core courses of the program, making sure that hardware/software, networking and security are given the attention and support students need.
Along with Jennifer, we have multiple Adjunct Faculty in the program to ensure consistency in course delivery. They are listed below:
Emmanuel Luke, eluke@nmsu.edu
Jonathan Morrison, jonmorri@nmsu.edu
Harlan Webb, hwebb@nmsu.edu
