Learning Center Staff

Valley Campus Staff

Victor Salazar

Valley Campus as Director, TRiO Student Support Services

589-7031

Victor M. Salazar, M.A., has joined Trinidad State Junior College – Valley Campus as Director, TRiO Student Support Services. In his new position Salazar will coordinate the screening and selection of participants and serve as a liaison between the Project, agencies, and the community. Salazar holds a Master of Arts in Higher Education Administration and Leadership, Hispanic Serving Institutions from Adams State University. Previously, Salazar served as the TRiO Retention Specialist where he worked closely with other TRiO colleagues to design and implement a new pattern of retention services. Mr. Victor, as he is politely referred to by students is very active in the community and participates on a number of regional and state boards. As an Upward Bound Alum, Salazar understands the importance of student support and is honored to be the new Director of TRiO Student Support Services at Trinidad State Junior College Valley Campus. Victor Salazar can be reached by calling 719-589-7031 or by e-mail at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Trinidad Campus Staff

Nicholas Goodsell

Student Support Services Director

846-5645

Nicholas Goodsell is currently the Director of the TRIO Student Support Services (SSS) federal grant program at Trinidad State Junior College. Previously, Nicholas has worked for two other SSS programs at Colorado State University – Pueblo and Pueblo Community College. He received his BS degree in Political Science from Colorado State University – Pueblo and his MA degree in Leadership – Student Affairs in Higher Education from the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs.

Nicholas serves on the Executive Alumni Board for UCCS and will participant with various alumni activities in an attempt to motivate alumni to give back to UCCS. Nicholas plans to make Higher Education a long standing career and is currently research Doctoral programs for Higher Education Administration.

Meri Ralston

SSS Program Assistant

846-5655

SSS Program Assistant – 14 years
Employed at TSJC for 16 years
Meri began working for the family aircraft business at the early age of 10 years old answering the evening phone line for 10-cents a call. In high school she went on to working the weekend shift which led to full-time office work in Bookkeeping, Payroll and Accounts Payable to Human Resources, Employee Benefits and Insurance.
As a self-learner Meri set up and ran all aspects of the helicopter parts department. During that time Meri also pursued a degree in Accounting at Portland Community College.
As a single mother, she then moved to California and continued working in Account Payable, Inventory and was also trained on the job as a Tax Preparation Assistant. Often juggling as many as five jobs at one time, Meri also completed an Administrative Medical Assistant Certificate.
In 1996 Meri moved to Trinidad and began working at Trinidad State Junior College with the Adult Basic Learning Center before transferring to the TRIO Student Support Services Program in 1999. During this time Meri has also assisted many TSJC departments and programs including Continuing Education, GED Testing, ACCUPLACER Testing, Colorado DOC CIOPP, and is currently also assisting the Human Resources Department.

Lori Holdread

Learning Center Coordinator

846-5664

Lori Holdread received her degree in Interdisciplinary Studies with a minor in Fine Arts from the University of Texas, El Paso in 1991, and taught in the El Paso Independent School district. Upon arrival in Colorado, Lori began working as a Curriculum Specialist and grant administrator at Trinidad State Junior College. Currently, she works as the Coordinator of TSJC’s Learning Center and is a TRIO Student Support Services Counselor. Lori provides study skills and tutorial assistance to students, counsels and advises at-risk students and presents workshops on a variety of support topics in classrooms and for SSS grant participants. She is certified as a tutor trainer and administrator through the Association of Tutoring Professionals, and is a certified Supplemental Instruction administrator, a program which trains student facilitators to work with student groups as they process content in TSJC’s most rigorous courses. She is a visual artist and loves to teach visual journaling classes and does graphic design for fun!

Terre Compton

College to Career Coordinator

846-5561

Terre Compton has been a poet and an educator for twenty plus years and believes as Tom Peters said, “If you’re confused, you’re not paying attention.”

The College to Career program helps students acquire skills within their field of study and teaches them the expectations of a professional work environment.