Author Archives: Abe Villarreal

Adult Education students achieve goals despite odds

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Joshua Odom and Ruth Moyer were determined not to become statistics when they enrolled in the Adult Education Services program at Western New Mexico University. Both high school dropouts, and without a steady job, this past fall they decided to make a turn in direction. “I felt like it was time for me to do something with my life,” said Odom a 29-year-old Las Cruces native. “I had been in and out of jobs and had a rough childhood.” A few months after enrolling in the Adult Education program, Odom is one of two students to be recognized as the Outstanding Student of the Year by the State of New Mexico in February. Of the 28 Adult Education Services program in the state, Odom and Moyer were selected from the WNMU-based program. “This is the third year in a row that the Outstanding Student of the Year is chosen from our program,” said Debbie Maldonado, program director. Odom was born with cerebral palsy. His left hand is immobile which he describes as a small...
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Indigenous poet Joy Harjo featured in Women In The Arts series

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Indigenous poet and memoirist Joy Harjo will be the featured artist in the next Edwina and Charles Milner Women in the Arts event on Thursday, March 2. Harjo will share her works and her experience as an international poet, writer, performer and saxophone player of the Mvskoke/Creek Nation beginning at 6:30 p.m. in Light Hall Theater. Harjo will also be featured as the guest speaker for the Women’s Voices: Past and Present event earlier in the day, at 4:00 p.m. in the Miller Library. A Writing Across the Curriculum program, Women’s Voices will also feature readings by several WNMU faculty and staff members. Often cited as a playing a formidable role in the second wave of what critic Kenneth Lincoln termed the Native American Renaissance of the late 20th century, Harjo is the author of several books and has released five award-winning albums of original music. In 2009, Harjo received the Native American Music Award (NAMMY) for Best Female Artist of the Year. She is the...
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Alumni registration open for fiftieth annual Great Race

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Western New Mexico University will be celebrating the annual Great Race competition for a 50th time during the last weekend of April and alumni are invited to participate in the festivities. The Office of Alumni Affairs has opened registration for Great Race weekend, which begins Friday, April 28 with several events culminating with the race among alumni throughout the Silver City campus. “The entire university community is excited to welcome back alumni for this special event,” said Amanda Moffett Lane, WNMU Alumni Director. “This is going to be a memorable weekend for former students that have participated in WNMU’s biggest tradition.” Alumni events include a Welcome Social with live music on Friday, April 28; the Breakfast of Champions prior to the race on Saturday, April 29; and a special VIP race for former Great Race team members following the student race, among other events. “WNMU graduates know that among the memories made while on campus,...
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Education Hall of Fame nominations open

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The WNMU School of Education is calling for nominations for its Education Hall of Fame. "For selection to the Education Hall of Fame, the individual must have demonstrated a dominant interest in classroom teaching and devoted the major portion of his/her professional career to classroom teaching at the primary, secondary or higher education level" - Education Hall of Fame Charter 01/20/1987 To nominate a person, please submit the person's name, address and WNMU graduation date(s). Please attach a supporting statement indicating why selection is merited. Those eligible for consideration for selection to the Hall of Fame include bachelor degree graduates and the teaching faculty who are graduates of WNMU or its predecessor institutions. Nominations and supporting documentation must be postmarked by March 12 of the nominating year. The person nominating a candidate must provide adequate documentation and evidence to support the worthiness of the nominee, including information...
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Students form search and rescue club

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Mustang Search and Rescue, a student club formed in Fall 2016, was certified as an official resource by New Mexico State Police Search and Rescue on January 13, 2017. With this recognition, Mustang Search and Rescue team members became eligible to participate in search and rescue (SAR) missions run under the jurisdiction of New Mexico State Police. To prepare for SAR mission assignments, several Mustang SAR members obtained their NM SAR Field Certification on Saturday, February 4. Other team members will also be obtaining Field Certification in the near future. Under the SAR Act of 1978, the Department of Public Safety (DPS) is responsible for SAR activities in the State of New Mexico.  The New Mexico State Police (NMSP) division of DPS is tasked with the management and administration of SAR operations. When a mission occurs, a NMSP SAR Incident Commander is responsible for managing the incident, within the guidelines of the Incident Command System, and maintaining the...
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Tax Help New Mexico program returns to WNMU

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Tax season has arrived and with it comes Tax Help New Mexico. Western New Mexico has offered the program in partnership with the State of New Mexico for over 30 years as a free service to those that qualify. Students work as volunteers at the WNMU site, one of the states’ 48 locations. All students are accounting majors that can also use their experience as a three-credit course. Student volunteers are required to pass three exams testing their knowledge of tax preparation prior to working for Tax Help. The free service is available for people with annual family incomes of $54,000 or less, with an exception for people who earn more than that due to Social Security income. To have a tax return prepared, individuals must have an original Social Security card, a picture ID, W-2s from all employers and a bank account with routing number for direct deposit. Housed in Light Hall room 119, tax preparation is offered Mondays 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., and Tuesdays and Thursdays...
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Digital Media and Marketing Series To Focus on Small Businesses

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The Small Business Development Center at Western New Mexico University is hosting series of four workshops for small businesses focused on digital media. The workshops are designed to educate area business owners and non-profit organizations on how to grow their businesses through effective online marketing, branding and customer service tools. Keynote speaker is David Anderson of Tokmatik, the leading platform for TikTok promotion. With millions of customers having made orders for TikTok likes, followers, and views on the Tokmatik platform, Anderson will share his insights in growing an online business in this competitive landscape. “The question today is not whether to be online, or to have a well done website,” said Lawrence Garcia, Small Business Development Center business advisor. “The real question is how far can you go in your online marketing journey.” Wednesday, February 15 Marketing Your Brand for Success (Part 1) with Sabrina Pack 5:30 p.m. – 7:00...
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Inmate art to be exhibited in Miller Library

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Art created by inmates in the Grant County Detention Center will be on display on the Western New Mexico University campus beginning with an exhibit opening on Thursday, February 16. The exhibit is titled “Art From Within” and is meant to showcase the talents of the incarcerated. “Inmates are seen as numbers or cases, and this exhibit is designed to remind everyone that we all have value and a point of view, no matter what mistakes we’ve made in our life,” said Abe Villarreal, WNMU Director of Communications. WNMU partnered with the local Inmate Support Program that works to support inmates after their release through several organizations such as the Adult Education Services programs at WNMU. The exhibited pieces will be on sale at designated donation amounts. All proceeds will be used to support inmates. “I think that those who get to experience the art will be overwhelmed by the thoughtful expression and talent that these individuals are displaying...
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Gila River Valley farm named Star Client of the Year

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Small Business Development Report:  Each year one small business is selected by the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at Western New Mexico University as the Center’s Star Client. The Star Client is selected from the hundreds of clients served at the center and is recognized for their entrepreneurial spirit and contribution to the local economy.   The SBDC at Western New Mexico University has a long history of assisting small business owners in many aspects of business ownership including start-ups, expansions and even exit plans. The Small Business Development Center at Western New Mexico University is proud to announce EZ Does It Farm as the recipient of 2016 ‘Star Client’ award. Center Director, Jane Janson, said, “This year’s choice represents the energy of our young people carrying on a tradition that has been vital to our Southwest New Mexico Community.” EZ Does It Farm is located in the heart of the Gila River Valley, 30 miles northwest of Silver...
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Regents meet in Santa Fe, hear from state legislators

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The Western New Mexico University Board of Regents met for its first meeting of 2017 on Thursday, February 2, in Santa Fe. The Board heard from state leaders including State Senator John Arthur Smith, Chair of the State Finance Committee, who briefed the Regents members on the current economic outlook. Lieutenant Governor John Sanchez detailed the efforts of the Governor’s office to balance the budget and applauded WNMU’s recent work to create relationships with education partners throughout Mexico and Latin America. “The world is becoming smaller and one of the things that I have always appreciated about working with Latin America has been the idea that we have these shared values,” Sanchez said. “Western has really blazed the trail.” David Abbey, Director of the Legislative Finance Committee, provided a recap of economic indicators over the last year including the current state of wages, jobs and revenues. Abbey spoke to increasing oil and gas revenues and a...
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