Class Notes
Alumni

Mark Lobato (Political Science, '86) serves as Chief Operating Officer, EVP of First Southwest Bank, a Community Development Financial Institution serving rural Colorado. The Durango native brings 30+ years of banking leadership from Washington, D.C., where he led transformational growth at Congressional Federal Credit Union. Now overseeing operations across HR, IT, compliance, and branches, Mark advances FSWB's mission while maintaining active board involvement with multiple organizations serving Durango and Southwest Colorado.

Kent Curtis (Business Administration, '82) leads First Southwest Bank, a certified CDFI serving rural Colorado. He is also President of nonprofit First Southwest Community Fund, a 501c3 loan fund, and Co-founder of a financial B2B technology company, HelloBello Financial. In a unique way, these three entities fulfill the bank’s mission in serving the underserved and unbanked. With 40+ years in rural Colorado banking, Curtis serves on boards tackling community issues and recently completed his term as Chair of the Community Development Bankers Association, championing capital availability in rural America.

Tim Jenkins almost made it to the NFL. After playing for the Skyhwks from 2008-2010, he played in one pre-season game with the St. Louis Rams in 2013. Since then, he has amassed 53,000 subscribers on his YouTube channel. Jenkins posts longform analytical videos on his All Things QB channel, drawing on his on-field knowledge of the sport. The videos also help attract clients to Jenkins' coaching business. Read more about Jenkins on Front Office Sports. 

MODSTREET, a company co-founded by Fort Lewis College alumnae Maggie Kavan (Marketing, '06), was selected to provide bus platforms for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The company makes bump outs, parklets, and other infrastruture in Durango. The bus platforms for the World Cup will be installed at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey for this summer's competition. Read more about MODSTREET in The Durango Herald. 

Turquoise "Chenoa" Velarde (Business Administration, ‘14) was selected for the W.K. Kellogg Foundation Community Leadership Network, an innovative fellowship for leaders in local communities and the national child- and family-serving ecosystem to connect, grow and lead collaborative, transformational change on behalf of children, families and communities. The fellowship begins in January 2026 and continues for 18 months. Through six in-person and three virtual gatherings, the fellows will have a chance to build relationships and begin their journey of self-discovery and transformation. 

Two Fort Lewis College Cycling Team alums have joined new teams heading into the 2026 season. Gravity racer Cole Fiene (Marketing, '23) will race for the T3 MTB Race Program focused on downhill and enduro. Fiene worked for the FLC Cycling Team as a gravity coach during the Fall 2025 season. The Skyhawk mountain bikers finished third place overall at the Collegiate Mountain Bike National Championships at Powderhorn Mountain Resort near Grand Junction, Colorado. 

Cobe Freeburn (Computer Information Systems, '24) signed a contract with the Trek Driftless gravel cycling team. He will focus on the national Life Time Grand Prix series during the 2026 season. As a Skyhawk, Freeburn competed at several Collegiate National Championship races and helped FLC stay competitive in the Rocky Mountain Collegiate Cycling Conference. 

Peter Bloomquist (English, '10) won first place in the Vail Film Festival for his screenplay titled "Age of War" about the Roman General Arminius. It's Bloomquist's second screenplay but the first to win first prize. The Bayfield Middle School teacher graduated from FLC with a degree in English in 2010 before earning his teaching license from FLC in 2013. 

“I took a class at Fort Lewis, actually a screenwriting class, and it was super enjoyable. And I really enjoyed telling stories that way,” he told The Durango Herald. “I always liked reading and writing, but screenwriting just felt like it was more for me. So I started writing pretty consistently.” 

Read more here. 

Christian Covyeau (Business Administration, Management, '12) is the Director of Football Operations for The American Bowl, the country's new college football all-star game taking place January 22, 2026. The event brings together NFL draft-eligible players from across the country as they travel to Orlando to compete in front of scouts from the NFL, CFL, and UFL. The Bowl also partners with Soldiers to Sidelines, who will provide veterans and members of the military community the opportunity to learn from former NFL coaches and serve as coaching assistants during The American Bowl. The game will be broadcast live on the NFL Network. An FLC Football Team alum, Covyeau went on the earn his Master of Science in Sport Administration from the University of Louisville before coaching for several college football teams.