GRANTS N.M. — A few weeks ago, Karen Henry, a prominent instructor for the NMSU Grants computer technology program, retired from NMSU Grants after eight years of service. Now, the person to replace her is an instructor who served as an adjunct professor for NMSU Grants and worked very closely with Henry through the past few years. Her name is Sarah Johnson.
Johnson is originally from Boston and has been in Cibola County for three and a half years. Johnson was a software developer in airspace and manufacturing for 35 years, and she also volunteered at the local corrections facility for 20 of those years. Johnson first came to Cibola County to work in corrections, but one thing led to another, and now Johnson is working as a part of the computer technology faculty for NMSU Grants, while also working closely with the women’s corrections facility through the program that allows inmates to take courses.
According to Johnson, in high school she had no intentions or plans of attending college. However, she credits an academic advisor she had for putting secondary school in Johnson’s mind as something to consider and encouraged her to pursue it. Johnson earned a job the day after she graduated, working as a coder. As Johnson describes it, it was kind of like a dart hitting a board — certain people guided her towards a new path, she took it, and knowing nothing about it at first, she eventually fell in love with it. Her background and story is part of what motivates her to work closely with women’s corrections now.
“I was right place, right time, with one person who got involved in my life and said, ‘You can take a different path.’ And so, that’s kind of what I wanted to do in corrections, is make sure that they know that there is a different path,” said Johnson.
Some of the different course programs that Johnson will be teaching through NMSU Grants include topics of technology, maintenance, troubleshooting, programming, coding, and even creative media. Johnson is excited to see this program grow and see more people fall in love with it the way that she did. Johnson said she loved working with the corrections through NMSU Grants, she loved working as an adjunct professor, and she loves this program, so she was more than willing to step into that role that Henry once held. According to Johnson, there is a growing need for coders recently, and she is particularly excited to see more women enter the field.
“We’re dying for coders again, I think we really are. I’d love to see people at least have the opportunity. Everyone thinks it’s harder than it is. So I want them to at least be able to see it and decide for themselves like I got to decide for myself,” explained Johnson.
One of the newer computer technology program events that Johnson is looking forward to is something that Henry got started when she was in Johnson’s position, and that is the Fiber Optic Training Grant through Restart NM. This program is going to provide the community with a free training in fiber optic installation. According to Johnson, herself and some other NMSU Grants faculty would be meeting this week to finalize plans for that, and the training will be in September. Johnson is also excited about some new scholarships offered through the NMSU Scholar Dollar program, specifically for creative media students and sponsored by AT&T. Finally, Johnson is excited to continue her work with the corrections facility and bringing education and a new path to the inmates.
According to Johnson, a lot of these programs are due to Henry’s efforts and the many grants that she applied for. Now, Johnson is excited to continue Henry’s work and make a difference with it. As far Johnson’s future with NMSU Grants is concerned, Johnson said she looks forward to more growth, fun, and excitement within the program, within NMSU Grants, and within Cibola County. She hopes that hers and her students’ work branches out into Cibola County and truly makes a positive, beneficial impact on the community.
“I’m looking forward to working with more students, seeing higher enrollment, creating assignments, guiding people, the excitement when someone gets a web page up and running, when someone builds a packet simulator, that their network is working — I mean it’s just very exciting,” Johnson said with a smile.