A Voice for Vo-Tech
Kerry Youngblood arrived at Mesa College in 1978 during a time of transition. Mesa’s first class of four-year degree students was graduating, and the college was balancing competing visions for its future. As a welding instructor, Youngblood was thrust into an ongoing conversation about the role of technical education at Mesa.
Vocational and technical offerings had been an important component of the junior college curriculum since the 1960s, but Mesa was never a fully formed community college. In Youngblood’s opinion, this made the vocational and technical programs vulnerable when the college began offering bachelor’s degrees.
In 1985, Youngblood received a master’s degree in education administration from Colorado State University (CSU), and he transitioned to Mesa County Valley School District 51, where he was the principal at an alternative high school with a strong vocational and technical focus.
During this time, a large local manufacturer and the local economic development council initiated a conversation with the school district and college about enhancing workforce training. The result was the creation of the Tilman M. Bishop Unified Technical Education Center (UTEC) in Foresight Park, which was structured to serve both high school and college students.
“Thanks to the strength of elected officials, particularly State Representatives Tim Foster and Dan Prinster, we got specific statutes written that allowed us to form a partnership [to] oversee the Unified Technical Education Center programs,” Youngblood explained. UTEC could employ K–12, college, and state-classified employees and access a wide array of educational, vocational and training funding sources.
In 1993, Youngblood returned to Mesa State College as the director of the School of Applied Technology. He became dean of the School of Industry and Technology in 1996. After completing his doctorate in community college leadership, Youngblood was named vice president for Community College Affairs for CMU, serving as president of Western Colorado Community College until 2007.
Youngblood continues to advocate for community college. “Students who start their college career at a community college complete their first two years of general education with a higher GPA,” he said, citing national data. “They go on to four-year programs and graduate with a higher GPA, and in less time than students who start and complete their first two years at a university.”
Looking back at the transformation of UTEC into Western Colorado Community College and now into CMU Tech, Youngblood is mostly positive about this evolution and his role in administration.
“[We] didn’t consistently share the same philosophical views about educational culture,” he laughs. “But okay, that’s why they made chocolate and vanilla. It was a wonderful experience with a lot of great people involved.”
A Story 100 Years in the Making
Want to learn more about CMU's history? Purchase Colorado Mesa University - A Century of the Maverick Spirit, written by Amber J. D'Ambrosio and Kristen Lummis. The 192-page book chronicles CMU's 100-year journey of growth, resilience, and community impact, celebrating the people and moments that shaped our Maverick history.
CMU's Century Project honors one hundred years of Colorado Mesa University's rich history - celebrating the people, milestones and spirit that have shaped our enduring legacy. As we reflect on this meaningful milestone, proceeds from the commemorative Century Book and events throughout the year will benefit the Century Scholarship, ensuring that future generations of CMU students can continue to grow, learn and carry the CMU legacy forward.