By David Abbey and Ronnie Birdsong Nelson Mandela said it best, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” This fall, voters can invest nearly $230 million in our state’s public colleges, universities, and specialty schools serving blind, deaf, visually impaired or hard of hearing students without raising their property tax rates. Supporting General Obligation Bond 3 would provide funding to pay for renovations, safety improvements, technology upgrades and replacement of decades-old facilities at educational institutions in 29 communities across 23 counties throughout New Mexico. It would also create an estimated 2,300 new jobs. A certificate, two-year or four-year degree makes financial sense for our students. Research shows individuals with an associate’s degree earn about $141 more a week than those who have a high school diploma. At the same time, bachelor’s degree holders earn about 86% more, on average, than individuals...

After a childhood spent straddling the U.S-Mexico border, fourth-year student Valeria Adame has found a niche for herself studying Business and Marketing at Western New Mexico University. Her choice of majors seemed a natural fit. “My family has always had different kinds of businesses,” she explained. Adame grew up in Puerto Palomas, Chihuahua and went to school in Columbus and Deming, New Mexico. “I would commute every single day,” she said. Going to grade school in Columbus, her commute was fairly short, but the border crossing lengthened her days. “We wouldn’t get back home sometimes until about 5:00 ,” said Adame. In high school, with the extra distance from the border to Deming, her days were even longer. “Some students would take naps on the way to high school,” she said. Despite the long days, Adame’s parents wanted her to go to school in the United States for the opportunities that were opened to her. “I have always been guided toward...

Katie Poirier, the new Director of Food Security and Sustainability at Western New Mexico University, is ramping up for a busy fall semester. In October, Poirier expects a new greenhouse to arrive on campus, the centerpiece of a campus garden being developed on a plot of land on the WNMU Silver City campus. The new food security and sustainability initiative was launched by WNMU President Joseph Shepard late in 2023 at a well-attended and lively Town Hall event. The initiative is backed by a generous donation from WNMU Regent Vice President Lyndon Haviland and her husband, Thomas Neff. Poirier, who most recently served as Executive Director of the Growe Foundation in Boulder County, Colorado, is a graduate of Arizona State University, where she received a BA in sustainability with a concentration in urban dynamics and an MS in sustainable food systems. Poirier is not daunted by taking on a project of the scale WNMU is launching. “I have done vacant lot transformation...

While most people associate Arbor Day with the month of April, Western New Mexico University held its own Arbor Day celebration Friday, September 20, 2024. Holding the annual celebration is one of the standards that WNMU maintains to be an official Tree Campus, named by the Arbor Day Foundation through its Tree Campus Higher Education program. The university has held this status since 2023. The Tree Campus Higher Education program provides a simple framework for colleges and universities to grow their community forests, achieve national recognition, and create a campus their students and staff are proud of. “For our event we planted a row of peach trees, berries, and herbs in our all-edible landscape project on the future food security site,” said WNMU Horticulture Coordinator Chala Werber, referring to the site off Mississippi Street where the university plans to construct a greenhouse and develop a sustainable garden as part of its food security and sustainability...

Western New Mexico University hosted the New Mexico Legislative Health and Human Services Committee in J. Cloyd Miller Library, September 23-25. While on campus, the committee heard from health care leaders, including a presentation about expanding the rural health care workforce by WNMU Associate Dean of Nursing and Kinesiology Kim Petrovic and Director of Health Care Workforce Programs Victor Stephen Gonzales, Jr. In addition to hearing presentations on topics ranging from social safety-net programs to psilocybin, the committee also opened the floor to public comment. The committee was welcomed to campus by WNMU President Joseph Shepard who spoke about the importance of strengthening the health care workforce in New Mexico. “I know we have our differences at times,” he said, “but I think one thing that we don’t have a difference on is the desire for excellent health care. … Health care is critical.” The state is facing a looming crisis due to the shortage of...

Western New Mexico University recognized Banned Books Week on Tuesday, September 17, 2024, with an event in J. Cloyd Miller Library. Miller Library Director Samantha Johnson opened the event by speaking about how the American Library Association created Banned Book Week over forty years ago to call attention to the increase in challenges to books in libraries, bookstores and schools. “Unfortunately,” she said, “we are still dealing with the problem of censorship in libraries today, as well.” Following Johnson, WNMU Writer-in-Residence JJ Amaworo Wilson spoke about the power of the written word. “Reading opens your mind,” he said. “It teaches you that there is another way to live in this world. Books are often likened to both a mirror and a window. They are a mirror in that you can see yourself reflected in stories. They are a window in that you can see beyond yourself. You can see outside. You can see how other people live, and, of course, that is how reading...

Going to college was never part of the plan when WNMU undergraduate Kelly Snyder was younger. “I dropped out of high school when I was like fifteen,” said Snyder. “I grew up outside of Philadelphia, and I pretty much lived on the streets for a long time in Philly.” After having her two daughters, however, Snyder knew she needed to make a change in her life, so her first move was to leave Philadelphia and settle in New Mexico. “I just got tired of everything , the rat race and everything,” she explained. “I just needed to get out of there and change my lifestyle.” Her life in New Mexico has been far from the urban bustle of Philadelphia, as she made the decision to homestead, first in Belen, then Williamsburg and eventually in Pie Town, in rural Catron County, where Snyder and her husband are homesteaders on just over eleven acres. They are now living “off grid and in the middle of nowhere,” as she puts it. They raise animals—rabbits, chicken, and...

The Lone Star Conference announced their Academic Excellence Awards and Individual Sport Academic Champions List. Topping the latter list with three individual men’s sports champions were the Mustangs of Western New Mexico University. The Mustangs earned top GPAs in football (2.780), men’s outdoor track and field (3.356) and men's golf (3.815). “Achieving top GPAs across multiple sports is a testament to our student-athletes’ commitment to excellence both on and off the field.” said Executive Director of Athletics, Scott Noble. “Our student-athletes taking advantage of resources, such as academic advising, tutoring, and study facilities, allow them to thrive academically and demonstrates that academic success and athletic excellence are not mutually exclusive, but rather, they complement and reinforce each other.” “Additionally, our coaches’ dedication to recruiting individuals who embody the values of our university has been crucial. They seek out...

Western New Mexico University celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of its Law Enforcement Academy on September 11, 2024 at the Besse-Forward Global Resource Center. Those in attendance were welcomed by Director of the Law Enforcement Training Academy Gil Najar and Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs Jack Crocker. Crocker emphasized how the academy has not just contributed significantly to public safety in southwest New Mexico but to the state as a whole. “Many have gone on to be leaders in law enforcement and are keeping our communities safe,” he said. “We are continuing to serve the community and the state well trained officers who move into the community and serve in leadership positions as well as protect us.” The keynote speaker for the event was Fred Radosevich, a member of the first graduating class who served as chief of police for multiple New Mexico communities. Radosevich reminisced about his time at the academy and how regimented the...

The Western New Mexico University (WNMU) Board of Regents approved updates to university handbooks, accepted a financial certification, approved an adjustment to the student textbook fee and discussed performance goals for WNMU President Joseph Shepard, during their meeting of September 12, 2024. Regent Chair Dr. Mary E. Hotvedt presided over the meeting from the Thomas B. McDonald Student Memorial Building with Regents Dr. Lyndon Haviland, Dal Moellenberg and Student Regent Trent Jones joining virtually while Regent Dr. Dan Lopez was absent. In his report to the board, President Shepard noted the university’s enrollment numbers remain steady, reflecting similar figures to last fall’s enrollment, while highlighting university housing sits at 98% occupancy for the fall semester. Additionally, President Shepard briefed the Regents about the shooting incident that occurred near the Silver City campus, which led to a campuswide shelter-in-place order. “During this incident, no...