​ROTARY HONORS COPPER MOUNTAIN COLLEGE “ROCKET SCIENTIST”

Highlighting the high level of instruction offered at Copper Mountain College, a former NASA physicist was honored as “Professor of the Year” at the Twentynine Palms Rotary Club meeting of May 29.
 
Ramon Abrego III, Dean of Instruction, Distance Education, and Learning Resources introduced the honoree, Professor of physics and astronomy, John Watkins.
 
Abrego said Watkins' impact on the college and the community has been remarkable. He said that Watkins’ advocacy for astronomy recently resulted in seeing the “Sky’s The Limit” site on Utah Trail near the entrance to Joshua Tree National Park become an official satellite campus for the college. He also has introduced astronomy to local Junior and High School students. Described as “An amazing colleague who is always willing to help out” Abrego said Watkins is “Connected to good things happening at CMC”.
 
Watkins, who started teaching 15 years ago, moved to the Morongo Basin from Los Angeles, where he was a physicist for NASA.
 
The Twentynine Palms Rotary club, founded in 1948, has been honoring local educators for their positive impacts on their students and communities. Rotary International is dedicated to community service and world peace. The local club meets Wednesdays at noon at the Little Church of the desert meeting room. More information is available at rotary29.org

 
Photo:
From left, 29 Palms Rotarian John Cole presents “Professor of the Year” honoree John Watkins with a certificate and a gift certificate as Dean Ramon Abrego III looks on. (Rotary Club Photo).