San Juan College issued the following announcement on Sept. 30.
Below is a letter from a former employee of San Juan College encouraging others to contribute to the San Juan College Foundation so an endowment can be established in Dr. Henderson’s honor.
Dear Friends of San Juan College,
One of the saddest aspects of the coronavirus pandemic is that it has not only deprived us of the opportunity to gather together to celebrate happy occasions and great achievements, but is has also deprived us of the chance to come together to commemorate the lives of those we have lost. In my case, I am sorry that there could not be a public funeral for one of Farmington’s greatest leaders and a man with whom I had the privilege of working with on a daily basis from 1991 to 2001. I am speaking, of course, of Dr. James C. Henderson, who passed away on March 17, 2020.
Looking back on a 37-year career as a community college teacher and administrator, I can say without equivocation that I never met anyone like Jim Henderson. As I quickly learned when I came to SJC, he was the heart and soul of the college, a pillar of the community, and a force to be reckoned with in New Mexico higher education. He embodied the community college spirit, and I wish I had a nickel for every time he asked the rhetorical question: “If we aren’t making life better for our students and building a better community, what are we doing here?”
Of course, such words are only meaningful if they are backed up by actions, and Jim was the epitome of action. At some point in my ten years of working with him, I lost count of the educational programs that Jim initiated at SJC. He was always thinking of what we could be doing to help our students and community. It was hard work, but, when you worked for Jim, you always had the feeling that you were making a difference.
When I moved from San Juan College to a college in the Phoenix area, I found that the “big city” colleges had nothing on San Juan College and that the atmosphere that Jim created at SJC was second to none. Although it may sound like a cliché, working at San Juan College during the Henderson years was not a job – it was a calling. It gave you a sense of being a part of something greater than yourself. It has been almost 20 years since I left San Juan College, but the passage of time has only increased my appreciation of the opportunity that I had to work with such a great leader.
John Neibling
Former Vice President for Learning at San Juan College
Scottsdale, Arizona
Help the San Juan College Foundation with a donation of any size in memory of Dr. James Henderson. The goal is to establish a $10,000 endowment which will stand in perpetuity honoring Chancellor Emeritus Henderson. Visit SJCFoundation.org to donate or call 505-566-3200.
Original source can be found here.
Source: San Juan College
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