Press Releases

Western New Mexico University was host to 110 youth from Sinaloa and Sonora, Mexico, for the Winter 2017 Language Institute on Dec. 4-8, 2017. During the weeklong course, the group of high school students and college-aged youth stayed on campus, sampled some of WNMU’s offerings and the area’s cultural and natural assets. Their itinerary included experiences at local radio stations, museums and art galleries. The students were also introduced to welding and drone technology at WNMU and toured the greenhouse in WNMU’s natural sciences department. Participants came from Colegio Lux, Colegio Sor Juana, Colegio Progreso, Universidad del Fuerte, Universidad de Los Mochis and Universidad del Occidente—all private institutions. “Bringing students who can afford tuition is strategic. We invite them for short visits with the hope that they will come complete a full degree here,” said Manuel Rodriguez, who is the director of WNMU’s Language Institute. “A degree from an...

The study on the relationship between news coverage and mass shootings by Western New Mexico University psychology professor Dr. Jennifer Johnston and former Interdisciplinary Studies graduate student Andrew Joy continues gaining attention and respect worldwide. In the wakes of the nation’s increasingly frequent mass shootings, Johnston gets called on to speak about the probable connection between mass shootings and the media coverage around them. She uses her platform as the expert on this subject to encourage more responsible media practices. This fall, for example, Johnston has given interviews with The World Today (ABC Australia) and the online global business news site, Quartz, appearing most recently on Canadian Broadcasting Corporation Radio’s morning program. “I get a lot of response from other countries. I have been interviewed in Russia, Estonia, India and England, for example. I think they’re very concerned that the problem could spread to them. They want...

The Western New Mexico Board of Regents unanimously approved the Five-Year Plan for New Degree Programs, Sabbatical Leave Recommendation 2018-19, Capital Transmittal for Ritch Hall and Regents Row, and Mid-Year Budget Adjustment Request Fiscal Year 18 and Approval of Asset Disposal during their meeting on Dec. 7 on the WNMU campus in Silver City. Chair Jerry A. Walz, Vice Chair Janice Baca-Argabright, Student Regent and Secretary/Treasurer Arlean Murillo and regents Drs. Carl Foster and Dan Salzwedel were all in attendance. The board approved Drs. Alexandra Neves and Andrew Hernandez to take sabbaticals and continue research and academic work during the fall 2018 and spring 2019 semesters, respectively. “These are two outstanding faculty members that are doing exceedingly good work that will bring renown to the university,” Vice President for Academic Affairs/Provost Dr. Jack Crocker said. Commenting on WNMU’s Five-Year Plan for New Degree Programs, Crocker said,...

Western New Mexico University will again honor community members during its annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day event hosted by Student Affairs. Nominations for the 2018 Martin Luther King Jr. Service Award are open now, and this year’s event will be held on Monday, Jan. 15, 2018. “This is an opportunity to remember the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. by honoring an outstanding member of the community who has given of himself or herself selflessly and has made a positive impact on others,” said committee chair Abe Villarreal. Past Martin Luther King Jr. Service Award winners include retired judge Ron Hall, former Gospel Mission Director Randy Salars and Grant County Detention Center Director Mike Carrillo. Nominations for the 2018 Martin Luther King Jr. Service Award can be made at life.wnmu.edu/mlk-award. The 2018 Martin Luther King Jr. Day event will include a service project in historic downtown Silver City and a live performance by Hakim Bellamy, Albuquerque’s...

The first group of students to graduate from WNMU with a traditional pre-licensure Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree (BSN) will participate in a pinning ceremony on Thursday, Dec. 7, 2017, at 2 p.m. in Light Hall Auditorium. Graduates include Vince Torres, Sarah Chaires, Jasmine Romero, Sean Kishbaugh, Amanda Pryor, Starr Ann Moon, Angelica Aguirre, Jerrika Lewis, Jacob Lenhardt and Dolores Escudero. All were inducted into the Southwest New Mexico Honor Society of Nursing in November. “They are leaders in their chosen profession,” Assistant Professor of Nursing Alexis Harsh said. These graduates are leading their field simply by enrolling in the BSN program. The Institute of Medicine wants to increase the number of nurses with BSN degrees to 80 percent by 2020. “It’s a smarter decision to go into the bachelor’s program — from the academic and financial aid standpoints,” Chaires said. WNMU uses the New Mexico Education Consortium (NMNEC) curriculum...

Every Friday, we feature a Story of the Week from The Mustang student newspaper. This week highlights the news that Western New Mexico University student and soon-to-be graduate Thomas A. Durham II intends to run for office. Durham aims to take Steve Pearce’s place in the second Congressional District of New Mexico and will begin the process of filing and campaigning immediately after graduation. The Louisiana native grew up in San Antonio, Texas. He attended Texas A&M Corpus Christi for several semesters then worked for San Antonio Water Systems. Thomas served two years in the Air Force before eventually moving back to San Antonio and working for USAA. In 2012, Durham moved to Silver City to live closer to his father and stepmother. He briefly worked on a hurricane relief project then returned to Silver City and enrolled at WNMU. Involved in many community organizations, he served as President of the Young Democrats of Grant County on campus and is currently Vice President...

Western New Mexico University’s Bachelor of Social Work degree program topped the Students Before Profits Awards list of 2018 Best Online Bachelor of Social Work. The Students Before Profits Awards recognize colleges and universities that put students before profits and education before the bottom line. The Nonprofit Colleges Online awards committee chose online social work degree programs from accredited colleges and universities with lower-than-average tuition costs. WNMU’s Bachelor of Social Work degree is available entirely online and is nationally accredited by the Council on Social Work Education. In the program, students learn about social justice, dignity and the worth of a person. They study how to foster human relationships and create a nurturing environment. Students are not required to visit the WNMU campus to complete this 120-credit course of study, so most students live in rural areas and work full time jobs and support families. “We’re an option for...

An archaeologist and anthropologist from the University of Colorado will present “Mimbres Dimples, Slipslop, and Clapboard — What They Are and What They Mean” at Western New Mexico University’s Light Hall Auditorium on Thursday, Dec. 7, 2017, at 6:30 p.m. Dimples, slipslop, and clapboard are all technical terms for details of Mimbres pottery manufacture. Presenter Dr. Stephen H. Lekson thinks some of the evidence in these details may link early Mimbres and Hohokam and says that later evidence shows connections between Mimbres and Chaco. “His ideas are always thought-provoking. I think it’s interesting that he thinks there are links between the Mimbres and the Chaco area,” said archaeologist Dr. Cynthia Ann Bettison, who is Director of the WNMU Museum. “It’s important to bring to people different perspectives of what archeologists are thinking about the past so they can get a comprehensive view of how we look at archeology.” Lekson is a Professor of...

More than 300 Mustangs will graduate from Western New Mexico University on Friday, Dec. 8, 2017. They will walk across the Fine Arts Center Theatre stage with their diplomas at the fall commencement convocation at 2 p.m. Western New Mexico University will make it possible for people to watch their loved ones realize their accomplishments from afar by streaming the ceremony live online. See here for live stream. Indy racing legend Bobby Unser will give the commencement address. He, the older of the two famous racing brothers, established the family legend many years ago by capturing his first Indy 500 in 1968. He won again in 1975 and 1981. Unser has compiled one of the most impressive lists of accomplishments in American racing history. He logged 35 Indy car wins, 49 Indy car pole positions, eight 500-mile Indy car victories, four International Race of Champions (IROC) wins, and 13 Pikes Peak Hill Climb wins. The father of four has also served as an industry spokesman,...

Students from all the Western New Mexico University Expressive Arts studio classes will show their semester’s work on Nov. 30, 2017, from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. on both floors of the Chino building on campus (1000 W. College Ave.). From drawing, painting, print making and photography to clay, sculpture and weaving, this all-inclusive show features art of all media made by 165 students. Patty Countyman, who is a work study in the ceramics area, said, “It is pleasing to see artists work in different media. Everyone’s approach to each type of media is different. Someone could be making super fancy pots and then they go do something in photography that might have a darker feel to it. People capture different emotions in different media.” This show is up for one evening only. “It’s a rare chance to see student work and give feedback,” Michael Metcalf said. The students will return next week for their final critique. “It’s very useful for all artists or...