News

More than 400 students will earn degrees on Friday, May 13 at the spring commencement ceremony in Ben Altamirano Field. The ceremony will begin at 3:00 p.m. and can be seen live online: http://wnmu.edu Students will be earning certificate, associate, baccalaureate and master degrees. Silver City, NM Associate Degree – Shealynn Allison, Jennifer Aragon, Eric Benavides, Shayna Bloom, Chris Camacho, Patricia Carrasco, Daniel Casaus, Angie Duval, Trent Eby, Samantha Gomez, Cameron Graves, Monique Inez Gulick, Brandy Hernandez, Richard Hughes, Autumn Hunte, Sara James, Gregory Leavitt, Brianna Renee’ Ortiz, Serina Pack, Angelica Polanco, Amanda Quintana, Bianca Rivera, Marisela Ogas Sanchez, Abigail Sievers, Jennifer Thurnherr, Jory Torres, Tristan Toth, Michael Valenzuela, Rhea Valles, Louann Velasquez, Gabryelle Villines-Morales, Clinton Wolfe Baccalaureate Degree – Erin Anderson, Alyssa Bell, Chelsea T. Boone, Benjamin Cardoza, Maria Carrillo, Antoinette Castillo,...

Retired Justice of the New Mexico Supreme Court Judge Patricio M. Serna will deliver the keynote speech at the Western New Mexico University spring commencement ceremony on Friday, May 13 at 3:00 p.m. in Ben Altamirano Field. Justice Serna retired from the New Mexico Supreme Court on August 24, 2012 having served as Justice since 1996. He served as Chief Justice during 2001 and 2002. He was appointed as a District Judge to the First Judicial District in Santa Fe and served from 1985 until 1996. This service included a term as Chief Judge and also a term as President of the New Mexico District Judges Association. As the first person in his family to attend college, Justice Serna earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from the College of St. Joseph on the Rio Grande, a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from the University of Denver School of Law, a Master of Laws (L.L.M.) degree from Harvard Law School, and an honorary Doctor of Laws (S.J.D.) degree form the...

Polynesian students at Western New Mexico University will be showcasing traditions in music and food at the fourth annual Polynesian Night on Saturday, May 7 at 6:00 p.m. in Old James Stadium. The event will include musical performances by Polynesian Club members representing different islands. Club members will also cook and serve an authentic dinner including drinks and desserts. The cost is $5 per plate for community members and $2 for WNMU students with Mustang Card. Organized by the Polynesian Club, at least 17 students can describe themselves as either 100 percent or part Polynesian. They represent the peoples and cultures from different islands including Hawaii, Samoa and Tahiti. The performances showcase traditional dance routines and...

The annual Economic Development Course at Western New Mexico University will soon benefit from a $10,000 donation by Freeport-McMoRan. The weeklong course is one of a handful offered throughout the country for community leaders looking to enhance their economic development skills. The course is accredited by the International Economic Development Council. “This is in direct alignment with one of our priorities in Economic Development,” said Kevin Cook, Freeport-McMoRan. “I attended the course and found it of great value. We see this is an integral component of economic development.” The 2016 course is scheduled for July 17-21 and has a 30-seat limit. The one-week intensive training schedule includes sessions by thirteen faculty and networking opportunities. Topics include strategic planning, real estate development and social media marketing. Hosted by the Small Business Development Center, the course has been offered since 1993. The donation will be used for the...

Four students who exemplified leadership in the classroom and in the community will be inducted into the Student Hall of Fame for 2016. The ceremony will take place Tuesday, May 3 at 5:30 p.m. in Light Hall Auditorium and is open to the public. An outdoor reception will precede the official ceremony beginning at 6:00 p.m. The 2016 inductees are Dylan Contreras, Lawrence Garcia, Omar Lopez and Chyler Imai. Dylan Contreras is from Peoria, Arizona, and will be graduating in May with a degree in psychology and a minor in political science. During his time at WNMU he has served in several positions for the Associated Students including his current role as Vice-President. A player on the Mustang football team for four years, Contreras excelled academically being named to the President’s List, Deans List, and the RMAC All Academic Team. He will be attending law school in the fall. Lawrence Garcia, from Mimbres, New Mexico, earned a business management degree in December and...

The community is invited to celebrate a newly renovated area on campus coined as The Gardens at WNMU, adjacent to Light Hall on College Avenue. Attendees can access the area from the steps off College Avenue or the Light Hall parking area. The outdoor concert will take place Friday, May 6 from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. and feature local musicians Brandon Perrault, Jessie Thetford Trio and Gypsy Feet. Beer, wine and food will be available for purchase. The concert is free admission. The Gardens at WNMU is a newly accessible area on campus, recently renovated with a terrace, marquee, green space, flowers and plants and outdoor seating. It is a part of a larger effort to create opportunities for outdoor events and leisure for students and campus visitors. Brandon Perrault will open the event at 6:00 p.m. followed by the Jessie Thetford Trio. Gypsy Feet, a five-member folk band will close the evening. Attendees are encouraged to bring their lawn chairs or picnic blankets to...

The school year may be coming to a close; however, the Early Childhood Programs at Western New Mexico University are busy gearing for an upcoming year of growth after experiencing several recent successes. Selected by readers of the Silver City Sun-News as the top childcare center in Silver City, leaders of the Early Childhood Programs are pleased with the community’s opinion of the program and facility. “We administered our bi-annual family survey and 98 percent of the respondents were extremely pleased with the services we provide,” said Shannon Rivera, Early Childhood Programs Executive Director. “Many parents provided positive comments regarding the development of their children in the program.” Rivera credits the high marks from families and community members to the ongoing professional development opportunities provided to the program’s staff and teachers. Within the last several months, Early Childhood Program staff members attended the annual NMAEYC...