Press Releases

Todd Denny, M.S.W., will be implementing a series of innovative rape prevention workshops for Western New Mexico University students, faculty and staff during January and February. The planned prevention programs will be innovative and sustainable, including experiential workshops and male bystander training. “Most campuses offer one shot education programs,” said Denny. “That doesn’t make sense and doesn’t work. Creating long-term behavioral change occurs through prevention programs that are engaging, ongoing and include men as allies, a critical component in preventing campus inter-personal violence and rape.” Denny has been planning the workshops since the fall semester, developing curriculum based on specific needs to the WNMU campus, working with several university departments to coordinate the initiative. “Our comprehensive strategy will empower the campus in developing a sustainable interpersonal violence prevention program,” said Denny. Four...

Western New Mexico University is celebrating the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr with an annual ceremony on Monday, January 18. The event begins at 9:30 a.m. in the Mustang Dining Hall. Free to the public, the ceremony will include a viewing of the I Have A Dream speech, delivered by King in 1963. Each year, a community member is recognized for distinguished service to the community with the Martin Luther King Jr. Service Award. This year’s honoree is Mike Carillo, Administrator of the Grant County Detention Center. A WNMU graduate, Carillo has an extensive career in the criminal justice field. He served as a Grant County Sheriff’s deputy from 1972 to 1979, a Bayard Police Chief from 1980 to 1982, Grant County deputy from 1983 to 1985, and Grant County Sheriff from 1987 to 1990. Most recently, Carillo served as Deming Police Chief during a 20-year career with the Deming Police Department. Carillo has been active with the community, partnering with Western New Mexico...

Area children attending Growing Tree, a program of the Early Childhood Programs at Western New Mexico University, will soon benefit from a grant awarded by the Brindle Foundation. The $15,000 grant will support the Growing Tree program, a 5 star, nationally accredited infant and toddler program, located at Silver Opportunity High School. Growing Tree serves children of teen parents as they pursue continued educational opportunities at both the Silver High School and at WNMU. Currently serving 14 students, Growing Tree’s tuition fees do not cover the cost of the program. The grant will support the operations of the program, allowing Growing Tree to continue to provide high quality care and education for the children of area teen youth. “The cost of providing quality infant and toddler care continues to,” said Shannon Rivera, Executive Director of Early Childhood Programs. “This funding supports us in delivering consistent caregiving in the classroom by qualified...

Dr. Dale Zimmerman’s life experiences are as colorful as the birds documented in a new memoir, Turaco Country: Reminiscences of East African Birding, a lengthy publication that took more than a decade to write. Zimmerman’s memoir details a half-century of ornithological investigations in East Africa, researching birdlife and wild habitats through decades of change in the country for which he considers a second home. “I have been in love with Africa since I first went there in 1961,” said Zimmerman. “The memoir details my experiences from 1961 to 1992 where I made over 20 trips to the country.” While a professor and head of the biology department at Western New Mexico University, Zimmerman was awarded a national science grant allowing him to explore birdlife, at a time when the subject material had seen little investigation. Often traveling with his wife Marian, also an ornithologist and botanist, the couple’s adventures are brought to life in the more than...

An exhibition of the work of Silver City artist Karen Lauseng opens January 14. Ms. Lauseng will speak at WNMU Parotti Hall at 6:30 p.m., followed immediately by an opening reception at 7:30 p.m. at the McCray Gallery, adjacent to Parotti Hall. The exhibition runs January 14, 2016 through February 18, 2016 at the McCray Gallery of Contemporary Art on the Western New Mexico University campus. Karen has an MFA in metalsmithing and jewelry making from Kansas State University. She traveled extensively and moved to Silver City in 2003. From 2009-2011 she was the Silver City Arts and Cultural District (ACD) Coordinator. During her two-year tenure at the ACD she helped establish a strong foundation for meeting the visionary goals and objectives of the town's Cultural Plan. For the past 5 plus years she has been teaching an art class at the Santa Clara Housing Authority on a volunteer basis. Her students are seniors and disabled folks; most reside in the mining district. Karen has...

For spearheading successful cyberterrorism and cybersecurity initiatives in the country of Spain, Jose Luna has been awarded the distinguished Merit Cross by the Spanish Guardia Civil, Spain’s elite military organization and police force. Since 2010, Luna has been assigned to the Naval Station in Rota, Spain. He serves as a criminal investigator for the Department of the Navy and supports counterterrorism operations in Europe. The Merit Cross award, which he received on November 20, is the latest in several recognitions through the last two decades. After graduating from Douglas High School in Douglas, Arizona; Luna enlisted in the Marine Corps and served in Okinawa, Japan. He graduated from Cochise College before earning degrees in Sociology and Administration of Justice from Western New Mexico University, where graduated summa cum laude in 1993. Since then, Luna has led a prominent career in criminal justice at the national level working for the U.S. government in several...

Year-end lists are popular this time of the year and Western New Mexico University has ranked high on at least two lists for affordability and academic excellence. WNMU ranks among the best online teaching programs for 2015-2016 by AffordableCollegesOnline.org (AC Online), a leading resource for online learning and college affordability information. "We featured institutions across the nation that are doing an incredible job of preparing tomorrow's educators," said Dan Schuessler, CEO and Founder of AC Online. "With a shortage of teachers in the classroom, the demand for educators is at an all-time high." AC Online ranked WNMU at #31 for its Most Affordable Online Colleges listing. WNMU’s School of Education offers fully online programs including the Master of Arts in Educational Leadership and bachelor degrees in elementary and secondary education. Ranked schools meet a number of criteria and metrics, including the following: must be a public or private, not-for-profit...

Former Secretary of Higher Education for the State of New Mexico Dr. Jose Garcia will teach a political science course at Western New Mexico University beginning in January. Recently retired from teaching at New Mexico State University, Garcia jumped at the opportunity to teach an entry-level course at WNMU for the upcoming spring semester. “My mother attended Western New Mexico University,” said Garcia. “I always thought it would be nice to teach here.” Garcia, who served as a Cabinet Secretary in the Susana Martinez administration from 2011-2014, describes the course as an overview of the world of politics, covering politics in the Western tradition as well as the differences international systems of government. “I am going to talk about what politics is with dialogue that begins with Aristotle and an emphasis on the key concepts of democracy,” explained Garcia. “We will also cover the upcoming national election.” Garcia’s life work includes...

For many alumni and friends of Western New Mexico University, the end of the year is a traditional time for giving. Gifts to the University Foundation provide invaluable support for educational programs and scholarships and can also yield timely tax savings. The University Foundation has scheduled special holiday hours before year’s end for giving opportunities. During the University’s winter holiday break from December 19 through January 3, the University Foundation will be open on select dates to receive year-end contributions from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Monday, December 21 Tuesday, December 22 Wednesday, December 23 Thursday, December 24 Monday, December 28 Tuesday, December 29 Wednesday, December 30 Thursday, December 31 Donations are also accepted online at any time by visiting foundation.wnmu.edu. For more information, contact the University Foundation at 575.538.6310. Offices are located in the lower level of Hunter...

A new face is greeting former Western New Mexico University students at Hunter Hall. Amanda Moffett was recently named Director of Alumni Affairs and already she is gearing up for a busy spring semester of events and outreach efforts. “WNMU has such a positive impact in the community and I want to continue to reach out to former students and employees who have benefited from their time here,” said Moffett. Moffett’s background is primarily in the resort and hospitality industry, helping to plan large business and social events for resorts, golf and country clubs and conference center. A native of Tucson, Arizona, Moffett is familiar with the area having earned a degree from Cochise College in Douglas, Arizona. Her most recent experience is as a Conference Manager at Loews Ventana Canyon in Tucson. “I hear from graduates all the time that are wanting to give back to their alma mater because WNMU was such a special place for them,” said Moffett. “I’m here to...