Author Archives: Abe Villarreal

The Early Childhood Program department is offering free pre-k services for the new academic year beginning in August. Children who will turn four prior to August 31, 2014 qualify. The services are for full-time hours from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Full-day wrap around childcare is available from 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. for a fee. As providers of New Mexico Pre-K Services, WNMU offers an award winning, state licensed program with a 5-Star rating. The curriculum is play based and is designed to provide foundational skills necessary for school readiness. The services will be guided by qualified, experienced staff of the nationally accredited Child Development Center on the WNMU campus. Services are provided through a grant awarded by the State of New Mexico Children, Youth and Families Department. To enroll your child, contact...

Longtime Western New Mexico University employee Cynthia Martinez was recently named Director of the Small Business Development Center (SBDC). Martinez will oversee the day-to-day operations of the Silver City-based office, one of 20 located throughout the state. Most recently, Martinez was the Director of Fiscal Affairs for WNMU. “What I want to focus on right away is to go out into our communities in Grant, Luna, Hidalgo and Catron counties and let people know who we are and what we can do for their small business,” stated Martinez. Located in Watts Hall, the SBDC office serves four counties and offers free services for small businesses seeking assistance with developing a business plan and management consulting. The office also hosts workshops throughout the year covering topics such as taxes and marketing. “We are a nationally accredited business program and member of America’s Small Business Development Centers,” said Martinez. “The SBDC is an essential...

Silver City, NM – At its annual May meeting, the Western New Mexico University Board of Regents met to vote on several action items and elected a new slate of officers. Janice Baca-Argabright was elected to serve as the new Board Chair, Dan Salzwedel will serve as the vice-chair and Camille Hawkins will remain as the secretary/treasurer. Regents Tony Trujillo and Jerry Walz will serve as members. The Board approved the promotion and tenure of 12 professors and the post tenure review of eight professors. Emeritus status was awarded to retiring faculty including DeAnne Miller, George Muncrief, Sharman Russell, Janet Wallet-Ortiz, Patricia Cano, Pat McIntire and Linda Beattie. Approval was granted to new programs including two Graduate Certificates in English and Writing; and a Graduate Certificate in Leadership in Healthcare Systems. The English and Writing certificates will benefit students in the Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies program who are looking to...

Silver City, NM – At least 350 students will be earning certificates, associate, baccalaureate or master degrees on Friday, May 16 at the spring commencement ceremony, scheduled to begin at 6:00 p.m. in Old James Stadium. Harrison Schmitt, former astronaut and US Senator, will be delivering the commencement keynote address. The ceremony will be streamed online live and can be seen at http://www.wnmu.edu/events/commencement. Silver City, NM Associate Degree: Monica Barela, Keith Bounds, Jacob Bryan, Kyndra DeMarco, Kim Godfrey, Annette Jacquez, Anna Johnson, Ellen Johnson, Kenyon McNeill, Jessica Miller, Ethan Ortiz, Christopher Orton, Katherine Perales, Christen Rogers, Valerie Serna, Thomas Sookiasian, Angel Torres, Hufan Yang Baccalaureate Degree: Mehron Arasteh, Bruce Ashburn, Jory Bascom, David Billings, Jennifer Bjornstad, Jana Lee Brown, Melissa Bustamante, Alyssa Castillo, Michelle Castillo, Thomas Castillo, Analyssia Chavez, Erika Christian, Justin Collins,...

Silver City, NM – More than 100 students, faculty and staff members at Western New Mexico University were pictured holding signs with the wording #BringBackOurGirls, in support of the safe return of 276 kidnapped Nigerian girls. Kidnapped by an Islamic militant group, the nearly 300 girls are aged 15 to 18 year old girls were kidnapped while attending a Nigerian school. The school was subsequently burned and many are thought to have been sold in mass marriages. WNMU students and employees are sharing the #BringBackOurGirls hashtag images in support of bringing awareness to an international social media campaign. “I hope that we can make a small difference in helping to bring knowledge and pressure to world officials through these pictures,” said Marc Villanueva, WNMU junior. Administration officials were also pictured with the hashtag campaign. “We value education very highly in this country, so it sad that these young ladies were kidnapped while in school,”...

Silver City, NM – Former US Senator Harrison Schmitt will deliver the keynote commencement address for the spring graduation ceremony on Friday, May 16 at 6:00 p.m. in Old James Stadium. A Silver City native, Schmitt received his B.S. from Caltech, studied as a Fulbright Scholar at Oslo and earned his Ph.D. at Harvard. Schmitt received Air Force jet pilot wings in 1965 and Navy helicopter wings in 1967. Selected for the Scientist-Astronaut program in 1965, Schmitt flew in space as Lunar Module Pilot for Apollo 17, the last and longest Apollo mission to the moon. On December 11, 1972, Schmitt landed in the Valley of Taurus-Littrow as the only scientist and the last 12 men to set foot on the Moon. Elected to the U.S. Senate in 1976, Schmitt served a six-year term. In addition to serving on corporate boards, he chaired the NASA Advisory Council from November 2005 to October 2008. Two students were selected to deliver the student response addresses. Tasha Cooper is earning a...

Silver City, NM – The Extended University has announced the summer classes offered through the Kids Kollege summer enrichment program. Seven classes for area youth aged 7 through 18 will be offered in two to three hour sessions throughout June and July. Registration for all classes is available by contacting Rebecca Estrada at 575.538.6149 or estradar@wnmu.edu. Funk Music (Ages 12 – 16) -       Tuesdays and Thursdays, 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m., from June 3 through July 3. Cost is $25 per student. Take a journey exploring the roots of this quintessential American music style. The course will include Funk music listening sessions and an opportunity for students to bring instruments to class. Outdoor “Plein Air” Painting (Ages 9-14) -       Thursdays and Fridays, 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., June 5, 6, 12 and 13. Cost is $39 per student. Students will be doing “in the open air” painting. The focus will be on trees, plants, landscape drawing and...

Silver City, NM – The Western New Mexico University Police Academy is sponsoring a seven-hour seminar on Digital Forensics that is free and open to the public. The seminar runs from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 14 and will repeat on May 15. Both sessions will be held in the Student Memorial Center Meeting Room. The seminar is “hands-on” as each student will be using a laptop computer during the presentation to learn topics such as how to crack passwords, “man in the middle” attacks, onion routing, steganography, and network traffic analysis. Register for one of the 20 seats available by contacting the WNMU Police Academy Director, Gilbert Najar, at 538-6266 or najarg@wnmu.edu. Western New Mexico University and Mississippi State University are collaborating on a National Science Foundation grant that provides funding to establish certificate programs in digital forensics and to provide training in the field to police officers and the general public...