MAGAZINE EASTERN NEW MEXICO UNIVERSITY
SEPTEMBER 2021
Green&Silver
Entrepreneur Sisters
Megan Hamilton and Cassidy Self
Green&Silver Features
MAGAZINE EASTERN NEW MEXICO UNIVERSITY
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Sisters Investing in Their Hometown
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Curt and Lisa Jaynes’ Business Is “Growing”
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Dougherty Tsalabutie Helping Native Americans Succeed In Healthcare Professions
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Hopes and Dreams of a Recent Graduate
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ENMU-Branded Coffee and Salsa Benefit Scholarships
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Lewis Cooper Rodeo Arena’s New Addition
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ENMU Professor Names New Beetle Species
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ENMU Athletics News
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Class Notes: People You May Know
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Class Notes: In Memory September 2021 Publication Managing Editor Noelle Bartl Design Editor Todd Fuqua Contributing Editors Desiree Cooper, Christy Ruby Writers and Contributors Noelle Bartl, Christy Cross, Todd Fuqua, Kemet Gatchell Nicolle Holcolmb, Scott Knauer, Larry Lethgo, William Miller, Alicia St. Denis Cover Photo Christy Cross New address, questions, comments or story ideas? Contact the ENMU Foundation toll-free at 888.291.5524 or todd.fuqua@enmu.edu
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Photo by Kemet Gatchell
Looking for a past issue? View all past issues of the Green & Silver Magazine online at enmu.edu/Magazine
FROM THE PRESIDENT Dear Greyhound Family, We are thrilled to welcome back staff, students and the community to a completely open campus at Eastern New Mexico University this fall! While attentive to health advisories and state mandates, we are ready to bring back every bit of the Eastern experience for our students – from Dawg Days, student organization events, midnight breakfasts and Homecoming to faculty research forums, freshmen seminars, athletic competitions, fine arts performances and everything in between. So grab a cup of “Greyhound Grind” coffee and some “Silver Dawg Salsa,” and let’s talk about what’s ahead. The best part of our summer is registering some wonderful new and returning students. I can’t wait to see their energy, new ideas and insights born of this pandemic.They will bring much to their educational experience. We’ve also hired some extraordinary staff and faculty to join the ENMU family – all of them committed to Eastern’s mission of student success. If it takes a village to raise a child, it certainly takes a community to support a university. I’m convinced that every alumnus, community member, staff and faculty member is part of Eastern’s success agenda. The custodian who points a lost student toward the Science Building, the alumnus who donates to a scholarship fund, the faculty member who helps jump-start a student’s car after a night class, the staff member who tells a worried student, “You’ve got this. Go ace that exam,” and the community member who says, “Are you going to school at ENMU? Well, welcome!” – we are all Eastern. Thank you, staff, alums and community, for standing with us through this pandemic! The challenges we have faced through this past year and a half have taught us many things — the value of friends, of relationships, of persistence and of optimism. And though much has changed in the past months, our University’s values have not. This academic year will be measured not by win-loss records or GPAs and enrollment numbers. It will be measured by the quality, commitment and integrity of our programs and people and the success of our students. Always has been. Always will be. I begin each day believing that every student at ENMU is a success story waiting to happen. I know this, because many of you who are reading are our success stories, or you have substantially contributed to them. That’s why I am confident we are ready to begin this next chapter of Eastern’s history. Go Greyhounds! Sincerely,
Dr. Patrice Caldwell, ENMU President
r u e n e r p e r Ent Born in Portales Megan Hamilton (BS 05) and Cassidy Self (BBA 07) grew up playing and working among aisles and aisles of hardware store merchandise. After school and their little league or dance lessons, the Portales, New Mexico sisters spent many evening dinners listening to their parents Max (attended) and June Merrick (attended) discussing the challenges of running Trader Horn True Value (now ACE Hardware). The two learned all about credits and debits, profits and losses, how to manage checkbooks and what it means to serve the community that allowed the business to grow. Later, Max and June purchased a furniture store that would become Ashely Furniture and is now an Ashley Furniture Outlet.
Photo by Christy Cross
When asked what the two sisters thought they wanted to be when they grew up, each had very different visions for themselves. Megan dreamt of being an astrophysicist, and Cassidy knew she always wanted to be in business and work as an interior designer. Max and June encouraged their daughters to earn college degrees and follow their dreams. Their parents didn’t push them to work in the family business. Both Megan and Cassidy discovered that their true calling was to return to Portales, build their lives in their
Sisters hometown, buy out their parents from the businesses and eventually become entrepreneurs. “I couldn’t imagine having a career in astrophysics from, say, the top of a mountain in Chile and still raise a family,” recalled Megan. “I realized family and community were
by Noelle Bartl
Photo by Christy Cross
…Investing in the Community
more important to me than following what might have been an expensive lifelong hobby. I knew I had more to offer with all my skills and could find my future right where I grew up.” Cassidy is thankful for her ENMU business degree but is even more grateful for her parents’ tough business lessons to get the sisters thinking like entrepreneurs. “ENMU gave me book smarts, but my parents showed us street smarts.” Entrepreneurship has run in the family for three generations. After their grandfather Charlie “Trader” Horn, finished serving in the United States Air Force as an airman based at Cannon Air Force Base, he recognized that Portales was a unique and loyal community that cared for its own and deserved quality businesses. Trader started all kinds of ventures when he first left the military, including selling vacuums, cars and mobile homes, owning an Army surplus store named Surplus City and holding extensive farmland. “When we were little, we thought Surplus City was the neatest place to explore with all the mismatched military shoes and equipment,” remembers Cassidy. “In fact, our corporation has kept the name Surplus City as a reminder of our family’s belief in reinvesting in Portales in all that we do.” Today, Portales Homes is known as Homespot and owned by the girls’ uncle Scott (MBA 85) and aunt Jane Christensen (MBA 83, BBA 80), along with cousin Amelia Christensen (BBA 08) and business partner ENMU alumnus Jody Bailey (BBA 91). The girls’ other aunt, Jackie Burns (MSE 91), put her Eastern degree to good use, serving as principal at James Elementary and special education director for Portales Schools.
Cassidy and Megan at ACE Hardware, reviewing new floor samples.
Megan and Cassidy’s talents balance each other and have served them well as they evolved into business partners. Eleven years ago, Megan and Cassidy became business partners with their parents, Max and June Merrick. Later this winter, the sisters and their husbands will purchase their parents’ half of the business interest in ACE Hardware and Ashley Furniture. The COVID pandemic added an extra year to the 10-year game plan, but the two sisters and their husbands are now all business partners in the two retail stores as of this year. For most, the story might end there, but it doesn’t. If you don’t know these two women, their vision, determination, tenacity and business sense are never-ending. Besides buying the businesses, the sisters and their husbands started a furniture store in Clovis, New Mexico, from the ground up and it is now the Ashley Furniture store. Their father, Max, was the contractor on this construction project. (continued Page 6)
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The extended Merrick family in the Enchantment Vineyards.
Photo by Donita Privett
(Entreprenuer Sisters, continued from Page 5)
Cassidy and Megan are the youngest Ashley Furniture owners in the United States in the male-dominated retail furniture industry.
of us all balance each other very well. Megan and I really lucked out with those two.”
Megan’s husband, James Robert “Bobby” Hamilton (BBA 06), works with Cassidy at Ashley Furniture, while Cassidy’s husband, Rustin Self (attended), works with Megan at ACE Hardware. “Ensuring that we weren’t spending every waking hour with our spouses has kept marriages intact,” Megan said. “Our parents warned us not to work with our husbands day-to-day, so evenings aren’t consumed with only shop talk.” Cassidy added, “We married the best guys that respect our drive to attempt new challenges. Rustin and Bobby are equal business partners and terrific to work with. The four Photo by Scott Knauer
Speaking of new ventures, in 2014, the entire family took a vacation to California’s wine country. Over numerous samples of wine, all six of them started discussing starting a vineyard and if it was something that would serve to enhance eastern New Mexico and the Portales community that they love. After returning from their travels, Megan and Cassidy got right to it by sending soil and water samples to be tested, talking to experts, examining wine conditions and temperature fluctuations and learning that New Mexico is the oldest wine-growing region in the United States. They studied up on the industry and developed a business plan. Megan also earned a certificate in oenology, the scientific study of wines and winemaking, from the University of California, Davis. They planted the first five acres of grapes in 2015 and opened the doors to Enchantment Vineyard’s wine tasting room in 2018. Enchantment Vineyard produces world-class wines and has won numerous awards. “We wanted the tasting room to be a retreat in Portales for the community, alumni and old friends to enjoy,” said Cassidy. You can find all their wine the next time you are in Portales or online at enchantmentvineyards.com. The sisters are exploring two more possible business ventures. There is no guessing what those new projects might be, but their past successes suggest they will be innovative, improve Portales and be successful.
From left, Cassidy, Greyhound Club board member Rose Robbins, and Megan in the vineyard.
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(continued next page)
But Wait... There’s More!
Megan has a general contractor license and, with her three partners, began building homes in the Oakwood Manor neighborhood in Portales in 2011.
Many recall the Casa Del Sol home south of the ENMU tennis courts, built by Dr. Bartlett Taggard Dewey and his wife, Evelyn, in 1947. Others may remember the property as the home of Dallan Sanders (MA 69, BS 61) and his wife, Mickey, or when it was later converted to a bed and breakfast by their daughter Dr. Penny Sanders (BS 85) and her partner, Carol Cotter.
The sisters have a successful interior design business which takes their middle names, Sage and June. They host podcasts and sell furniture and décor online at SageandJune.com
Now, Megan and Cassidy are assisting alumna Dr. Gay Su Pinnell (BA 66) of Columbus, Ohio, who purchased the property in 2017 and is working to renovate the John Gaw Meem-designed home into a future ENMU event center with guest apartments for dignitaries.
ENMU requested they design the new interior and floor plan for the Presidential Home, which was in need of repairs and updating. It is currently under renovation, and the University is excited to showcase the property in 2022 at future picnics and gatherings at the home.
A selection of the wines produced and bottled by Enchantment Vineyards. Their new ENMUbranded wine will be revealed this winter.
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A Blossoming Success By Todd Fuqua
Regardless of what it is, any new business venture finds itself in a fight for its life in the beginning. It takes about seven years for a business to establish itself and end constant worry about bankruptcy and failure.
“They had a landscaping job done at their house, and it cost
At least, that’s what it took for Curt (BBA 90) and Lisa (White) Jaynes (BBA 91) to realize success for their business, GardenSource Nursery and Landscaping, in Portales, New Mexico.
Curt knew how much it should cost. That’s what triggered
“I remember some people asking us how we thought we were going to make it with this business given all the competition in Clovis and Portales,” Curt said. “I told them we’d set ourselves apart. We grow many of our flowers, and we have different things you can’t find in other places. We knew we had competition, but having that competition makes us better. I didn’t look at it as a hindrance. I looked at it as a challenge.”
has now thrived thanks to their attention to customers and
Curt came to ENMU through the ROTC program. After graduation, he did a six-year active duty tour with the National Guard. After that, he worked in financial planning, first at the Albuquerque branch of First Command Financial Planning, later transferring to Clovis. During this time, Lisa worked part-time and was a stay-at-home mom. After three years in Clovis, Curt was ready for a change. “I got tired of wearing a suit and tie all the time,” he quipped. According to Lisa, the real impetus to start GardenSource was an experience involving her parents.
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so much money and took them forever to do it. Curt didn’t know how it could cost that much,” Lisa said. “He’s been doing gardening with his parents since he was a little kid. our move to getting into the gardening business.” It wasn’t easy at first – Lisa remembers being close to bankruptcy at least once – but the business survived and a few plum contract jobs. One job they love to have is providing fresh flowers and foliage for ENMU’s commencement ceremonies in the fall and spring. Now, 17 years after opening their doors, Curt and Lisa feel they’ve finally arrived and have been able to weather any storm, even the COVID-19 pandemic. “I never dreamed people would turn to gardening because they were stuck at home,” Curt said. “Our sales were up during all that. We sold out of plants, and it carried over to this year. We’ve had a record year.” “We have a huge amount of customers that are friends now,” Lisa added. “We can give them personal attention, and we have made some wonderful friends because of this business. The relationships we’ve made are part of what has sustained us.”
Dougherty Tsalabutie Helping Tribal Members Join the Healthcare Field By Alicia St. James As director of the National Center for American Indian Health Professions (NCAIHP) at the Mesa campus in Phoenix, Arizona, Dougherty Tsalabutie (BS 92) has made it his mission to assist American Indians and Alaska Natives to join and thrive within the healthcare field. Tsalabutie was born and raised as a member of the Pueblo Zuni tribe in southwestern New Mexico, and his upbringing was a significant influence on his life and work. “The Pueblo Zuni community is a very close-knit family. They hold onto their traditional values and customs with lots of history,” Tsalabutie explained. It can be challenging for American Indians and Alaska Natives students to leave their tribe to attend a university. Even as an ENMU undergrad, Tsalabutie’s recognized his desire to serve fellow Native American students and became the American Indian adviser. After Tsalabutie graduated, he returned home to get more involved on the Pueblo and regain his status as a Zuni community member. Tsalabutie worked in a jewelry store on the reservation that taught him customer service skills and aligned with his innate ability to help others. In discovering his talents, Tsalabutie decided to leave his tribe to work for the University of New Mexico, where he assisted in building a satellite campus on the Pueblo Zuni reservation. “It is a great inspiration that I could do something so beneficial for the community,” Tsalabutie said. His ambitions quickly made him realize he did not just want to help only his people but all American
Indians and Alaska Natives students struggling to find their paths. After earning a master’s degree in Public Health Administration, Tsalabutie worked for Arizona State University and later became the director of the NCAIHP at A.T. Still University in Kirksville, Missouri. Three weeks before the COVID 19 pandemic’s onset in early 2020, Tsalabutie’s team managed to complete a pre-admission workshop for anyone interested in attaining a healthcare degree, reaching out to all tribes across the Indian country. They have begun to connect with other higher education institutions on possible MOUs and joint endeavors for a seamless transition into a healthcare program. “The possibilities are endless on what we can provide for any potential student: mentorship, resources, rotation assistance into rural America and serving as an advocate for any student,” Tsalabutie explained. “In-house, we are trying to establish American Indian and Alaska Native concepts, lifestyle and awareness of our difference in culture, language and similarities, to better bridge the gap of our uniqueness within mainstream society.”
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Graduate Recounts Her Dreams of Success
By Alicia St. Denis
Be bold, be daring, but most importantly, be unique. These are the words that describe this alumna’s spirit. M’zondwase Mumba (MBA 21, BS 19) is ready to accomplish her dreams in the working world for which she prepared.
“My hopes are for this institution to concentrate on aspects of aviation, knowing that there is such a variety of professions in the field,” M’zondwase said.
M’zondwase is no ordinary student. She traveled to Portales, New Mexico, from the small town of Luanshya in Zambia, in southeastern Africa. She came to the United States with aspirations of one day becoming a pilot, a dream since she was a young girl. She took her grand-uncle’s advice and set forth on her adventure to the United States. “My grand-uncle lives in Albuquerque. He believes that the United States is full of endless opportunities and would be the best place to get my pilot certification,” M’zondwase said. M’zondwase chose Portales because of its similarity to her hometown. ENMU’s low tuition was an added benefit. M’zondwase spent six years achieving her dreams, earning an associate’s degree in General Studies and bachelor’s degree in Aviation Science before finishing her MBA. All this while completing two minors in Business Administration and Accounting. M’zondwase was hired at Barr and Company LLP in Roswell, New Mexico, before her graduation in May. Now that M’zondwase has graduated with her MBA, she has big plans for her future. Once she has obtained her pilot license, she plans on going back home to Zambia to build an institution that can support and educate less fortunate children.
Art Donated in Memory of Beloved Alumna
Kendall Schlenker (BA 55) and his wife, Andrea, donated a painting by artist Bruce Eastman to ENMU and presented it to Dr. Patrice Caldwell on July 9, 2021, in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The oil painting features an adobe winter scene from the Picuris Pueblo in Taos County, New Mexico. Mr. and Mrs. Schlenker donated the artwork in memory of Mr. Schlenker’s first wife, Wilda Schlenker (BS 54).
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ENMU-Branded Products Proceeds to Benefit Scholarships By Todd Fuqua This spring and summer, Eastern New Mexico University partnered with two New Mexico-based companies to produce a pair of ENMU-branded products, with a portion of the proceeds to benefit ENMU scholarships. Red Rock Roasters of Albuquerque, New Mexico, produced an ENMU-branded coffee dubbed Greyhound Grind, while Taco Box of Clovis and Portales, New Mexico, has created a special salsa known as Silver Dawg Salsa. The owner of Portales business Sweetwater’s at Landall’s, Landall Goolsby (BFA 95), recommended Red Rock Roasters as the perfect partner for Eastern to market Greyhound Grind. Founded in 1993, Red Rock Roasters takes the craft of coffee roasting seriously, having won the New Mexico Coffee Roaster Competition in 2018 and is the only New Mexico-based roaster to score more than 90 points in a tasting by the Coffee Review. “We are so excited to partner with ENMU to offer Greyhound Grind,” said Rachel Langer of Red Rock Roasters. “We took inspiration from the rugged natural beauty of the Llano Estacado, in which Portales is situated, and developed a mediumdark blend with great body and a long, sweet, chocolaty finish. We think it’s going to be a real crowd-pleaser.”
Order online at enmu.edu/GreyhoundGrind
The coffee is available online or can be purchased in Portales at Sweetwater’s at Landall’s or Farmer’s Country Market. ENMU received more than 200 entries for naming the new coffee product. Former ENMU student Karey Hogan (attended) was the winner for being the first to enter the Greyhound Grind name. Silver Dawg Salsa continues a partnership with Taco Box that has been steadfast since owner Tom Martin opened his Portales location directly across from the ENMU campus in 1987. “We are excited to partner with ENMU on this salsa,” said Taco Box owner Tom Martin. “It gives both of us a way to showcase and extend the partnership that we have had for more than 50 years. We think it is the perfect blend of heat and flavor.” Jars of the salsa, named by ENMU professor Dr. Darrell Roe, are available at Taco Box locations in Portales and Clovis, and can be ordered online.
Order online at enmu.edu/SilverDawgSalsa Green & Silver | September 2021
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Lewis Cooper Rodeo Arena’s New Addition Eastern New Mexico University’s rodeo program entered its first phase toward building a fully enclosed Lewis Cooper Arena by constructing a new enclosure. “This is a good step in the right direction,” said ENMU rodeo coach Albert Flinn (MBA 70, BA 68). “The new metal building shows people that we’re serious about what we’re doing.”
Photo by Todd Fuqua
By Todd Fuqua
Albert and the rodeo team’s vision is to make the Lewis Cooper Arena a premier destination for regional rodeos and to showcase ENMU’s rich rodeo history.
Left to right, Regent Dan Patterson, Connie Patterson, Student Regent Chandlar Head (attending), Regent Trish Ruiz (attended), ENMU President Patrice Caldwell and ENMU Foundation Board Member Peter Serena (BBA 68) gather in the new facility at Eastern’s Lewis Cooper Rodeo Arena during the ENMU Foundation’s Annual Barbecue on June 26. Photo by Todd Fuqua
After construction completed in May, ENMU staff began to plan the first events to be hosted in the new venue. Both the ENMU Foundation’s Burying of the Beef and Annual Barbecue were successful and well attended, despite a rainstorm blowing through at the start of the Saturday event. All 110 guests were protected from the elements and enjoyed some incredible barbecued beef. “Not wind nor blowing dirt or rain will stop those of us that live on the high plains from our beef fix,” stated Noelle Bartl (BS 92), executive director of the ENMU Foundation. “The new building was the talk of the evening as folks toured the structure while catching up after 18 months of living through the pandemic.” An anonymous donor, secured by Greyhound Club President Charles Bennett (BBA 81), provided generous funding for the 250-foot-long building, including covered handicapped parking and entry to the bleachers. Coach Flinn said the eventual goal is to install an industrial kitchen and dining area in the structure, along with a possible luxury suite for alumni and guests. Photo by Todd Fuqua
A look at the inside of the facility, before the interior wall was installed, gives an idea of the size of the building. The structure in the center houses the restrooms.
Banners honoring Eastern’s National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association champions are on display in the building. “When we’re able to begin fundraising again, we hope to build a similar structure on the other side of the arena, then eventually put it all together providing a covered competition arena for the athletes,” Flinn said. “This is phase one of what will likely be a five-phase project. “It’s hard to say how long all this project will take,” Flinn explained. “It will be a long haul, but our goal is to get it done. We just have to keep going.”
Volunteers put beef into a metal box to be slowly cooked overnight for the ENMU Foundation Annual Burying of the Beef at the new facility.
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The general public will get a chance to see the new facility when ENMU hosts its annual College Days Rodeo, scheduled for September of this year. Last year, the 55th College Days Rodeo was hosted by Eastern but held at the Mallet Events Center in Levelland, Texas.
Articuno
Moltres
Zapdos
ENMU Professor Discovers and Names New Beetle Species By Alicia St. Denis After Pokémon Characters When most people see a bug in their home, they see a reason to call an exterminator. When Dr. Darren Pollock sees one, he sees a research opportunity. Dr. Pollock, professor of Entomology at ENMU, and his colleague Yun Hsiao, a Ph.D. student at Australian National University, have named three new species in a genus of Australian beetles. Hsiao was revisiting the dissertation Pollock published in 1995 about a newly described genus of beetles named Binburrum, based on an Aboriginal name for eucalyptus, one of the trees where these beetles are found. Hsiao soon realized that three Binburrum species represented in the Australian National Collection of Insects were new species and had never been characterized or named. The pair collaborated on the paper, published by the Canadian Entomologist in 2020, where they introduced the three new named species to the scientific community. “We wanted to make sure that the names were unique. In his youth, Yun was a real Pokémon enthusiast. He mentioned to me that he wanted to be a Pokémon trainer when he grew up,” Dr. Pollock said. “So, we figured that if we named the three Binburrum species after Pokémon characters, there was almost no chance of us accidentally duplicating somebody else’s earlier name.”
Photo by Todd Fuqua
“What makes ours special is the two specimens,” he said. “The top specimen on the pin is the predator, and the bottom specimen is the prey. Very few collections have both the robber and its prey associated.” The ENMU collection is currently sitting at 9,983 flies plus their prey. Dr. Pollock considers the collection a veritable goldmine of information about these important but understudied flies.
The Pokémon names chosen are in honor of three rare “legendary” bird Pokémon. The two selected these bird characters because of the newly identified beetles’ extreme rarity in collections. “That’s how Binburrum articuno, B. moltres, and B. zapdos were born,” Dr. Pollock explained. Naming new beetle species is nothing new for Dr. Pollock, who has described many others and named a newly-discovered beetle species known as Trictenotoma pollocki. Dr. Pollock is now looking to the future with anticipation of adding to one of the world’s largest and most unique assassin fly collections.
A
B
C
Meet the Beetles: The three species jointly discovered and named by Dr. Darren Pollock and Yun Hsiao. (A) Binburrum articuno, (B) Binburrum moltres, (C) Binburrum zapdos.
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ENMU ATHLETICS NEWS Greyhound Trio Represents Eastern at NIRA Finals By Todd Fuqua
NIRA. Jackson won the regional steer wrestling title, Marr was second in barrel racing and Schauer was third in goat tying. Coach Flinn said the competition in the Southwest Region is fierce, making the Greyhounds’ appearance at nationals quite the achievement.
Madelyn Schauer
Trey Jackson
Shacie Marr
You can ask any rodeo competitor, amateur or pro – just getting to the national finals is a significant accomplishment. It’s an feat three Eastern New Mexico University team members can boast about following the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association National Finals (NIRA) in June in Casper, Wyoming. Freshman Shacie Marr (attending) in barrel racing, senior Madelyn Schauer (attending) in goat tying and recent graduate Trey Jackson (BBA 21) in steer wrestling each represented ENMU well, even if they weren’t atop the standings by rodeo’s end. “They did as well as they could, given the circumstances,” said ENMU rodeo coach Albert Flinn (MBA 70, BBA 68). “To get three to go to nationals, given what was happening this year with the pandemic, is a success.” The Greyhound trio earned a spot in the finals with top-three finishes in their respective events in the Southwest region of the
At nationals, there were 45 competitors in each event, and they were sometimes subject to the luck of the draw or a slight miscalculation. “Shacie could have been in the finals,” Flinn said. Marr would have had the lead after the second run but for a fallen barrel in the first round. “Madelyn could have finished a lot higher but just went too long on her fourth try,” Flinn said. “For Trey, it was a tough rodeo. He didn’t draw [steers] well.” Schauer had the best finish of the three Greyhounds, taking seventh overall in her event against 44 other competitors. She was fifth after three rounds. What makes Flinn proud is how the three performed as students in their academic year. “Shacie and Madelyn are 4.0 students, and Trey graduated with a high grade point average,” Flinn said. “Besides being great rodeo athletes, they’re also great students. Trey graduated in four years, which is a real challenge when you’re competing in 40 rodeos.”
Athletic Leadership Changes Eastern New Mexico scored a major coup when it landed Dr. Paul Weir as its next director of Athletics. Weir comes to Portales, New Mexico, after having been the only person to be the head men’s basketball coach at both the University of New Mexico and New Mexico State University.He is currently an adjunct faculty member for UNM’s Anderson School of Management. New ENMU Head Football Coach Tye Hiatt comes to Portales from Shepherd University in Shepherdstown, West Virginia. As the offensive coordinator, he helped Shepherd post a 10-3 record and secure a spot in the NCAA Division II playoffs.
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By Todd Fuqua
He takes over a program that had success under coach Kelley Lee, winning the 2019 Heritage Bowl before the COVID-19 pandemic effectively canceled all practice and competition on the ENMU campus. Coach Abbey Barnum took on the women’s soccer position in March of 2020, while Coach Brent Owen was named men’s basketball coach in May of 2020. Neither have coached the Greyhounds in a game due to COVID restrictions but worked during the 2020–2021 school year to keep their athletes focused and ready to compete when their respective seasons kick off this coming academic year.
Caroline Bachman
Liam Sabiston
Bachman and Sabiston Earn LSC Scholar-Athlete Awards Many Other Student-Athletes Recognized For Their Achievements at ENMU By Nicole Holcomb Eastern New Mexico student-athletes Caroline Bachman (BS 21) and Liam Sabiston (BS 21) earned the Lone Star Conference (LSC) Scholar-Athlete Award for 2020–21, as announced by the conference office. Each academic year, the LSC presents a Scholar-Athlete Award to one male and one female student-athlete at member institutions. These student-athletes represent the outstanding accomplishments in athletics, scholarship, and leadership that are on display at each LSC campus during the year.
field LSC All-Academic Team honoree. During her junior year, at the Indoor LSC Championships, she placed 14th in the 800-meter and helped the Greyhound 4x400 relay team to a fourth-place finish. Sabiston spent three years with the Greyhounds baseball team as a pitcher. During the 2021 season, he made 14 appearances on the mound with a 0-1 record and one save. In 29.2 innings of work, he had an 11.83 ERA with 21 strikeouts.
To be eligible for this special honor, student-athletes must have participated at least two years in their sport and be a member of the graduating class.
ENMU also saw 97 student-athletes named to the 2021 Spring Lone Star Conference Commissioner’s Honor Roll, highlighting those who achieved a minimum 3.30 GPA while maintaining their status on the current athletic roster. Thirty-five Greyhounds had a 4.0 GPA in the Spring 2021 semester.
Bachman spent four years as a member of the ENMU cross country and track and field programs. She is a three-time track and
The ENMU football squad boasted the highest team GPA out of all LSC football programs.
Paul Weir
Tye Hiatt
Abbey Barnum
In July, Eastern announced Amanda Fefel as the new softball coach, coming to ENMU from Division I Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina, where she served as pitching coach.
Brent Owen
Amanda Fefel
As of this publication’s print deadline, four candidates for the women’s basketball coaching position interviewed on the Portales campus, with an announcement to be made as the school year begins in August.
For more news, please visit GoEasternAthletics.com or download the ENMU Athletics app Green & Silver | September 2021
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Class Notes People You May Know Photo by Larry Lethgo
Denise Haeber Hahn (BS 92) was recently honored as Teacher of the Year at Berry Miller Junior High in Pearland, Texas. A communication major at ENMU, Haeber is making good use of her degree as instructor of audio/video production and technology at Berry Miller. Reyne Telles (BS 94) has joined Cooksey Communications, based in Austin, Texas, as vice president and public sector practice leader. Reyne’s
Several former ENMU staff, faculty and administration gathered in Albuquerque, New Mexico, to celebrate the 100th birthday of Dr. Milt Swenson (faculty, seated left). On hand was Dr. Swenson’s wife, Dr. Anne Swenson (faculty, seated right). Standing, left to right are Dr. Patrick Rucker, Bob Goodrich, Dr. Bob Matheny (MA 62, BA 60), Dr. Karyl Lyne (MA 79), Sandra Matheny (MBA 74, BBA 72), Leticia Goodrich (MA 80), Ed Dowlin, May Dowlin, Judy Ashmore and Dr. Timothy Ashmore. Rafael Ocasio (MA 82) published two books – “Race and Nation in Puerto Rican Folklore: Franz Boas and John Alden Mason in Porto Rico” and “Folk Stories from the Hills of Puerto Rico/ Cuentos folklóricos de las montañas de Puerto Rico.” As a professor of Spanish at Agnes Scott College in Decatur, Georgia, Rafael has published a number of books on Latin American culture and history. Dr. Lynn Burlbaw (MED 84) recently retired after 32 years at Texas A&M University, where he was a professor of social studies and educational history. He has served as the executive secretary of the Society for the Study of Curriculum History since 1991. Wayne Propst (BS 87) was named to serve as the New Mexico State Public Regulation Commission’s chief of staff. Prior to his appointment, Wayne was the executive director of the New Mexico Public Employees Retirement Association.
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media career has spanned more than 20 years, including six years as the executive director of communications and community engagement for the Austin Independent School District. Sallie Damron (BS 97) is the director of client success at ADP, a payroll and HR company for businesses in the San Francisco Bay area in California. She specializes in data analytics and increasing retention and productivity of employees, as well as professional development of those employees. Jeremy Barela (BBA 00) currently resides in Rio Rancho, New Mexico, with his wife, Holly (BBA 00), and their two children. He has worked for Sanofi Genzyme, a pharmaceutical company that develops treatments for people living with rare lysosomal storage disorders, for over 16 years and was recently promoted to regional business director. Chipper Moore (MED 12, BOE 08) was named interim division dean of Advanced Technologies at Doña Ana Community College (DACC) in Las Cruces, New Mexico, in November 2020. At DACC, Chipper has served as the department chair and professor in architecture and construction technologies, and interim department chair of Industrial Studies.
Stephanie McCorkle (BBA 15) is an inventory analyst for Walt Disney World, where she uses data for storytelling for upper senior managers. She is also working on her second master’s in business administration with an emphasis in finance. Dr. Gay Su Pinnell (BA 66) Stands next to the billboard featuring her on I-40, east of Albuquerque, New Mexico. The billboard is one of several across the state that advertises ENMU and its accomplished alumni.
Emerson Schroeter (BAAS 08) is based in Berlin, Germany, as the senior marketing content editor at CareerFoundry, an online career development resource in web and computer language design. Lance Pyle (BBA 04) was recently appointed as the New Mexico counties’ representative to the New Mexico Retiree Healthcare Authority Board of Directors. Lance has been with Curry County government in Clovis, New Mexico, since 1998 and has served as the Curry County manager since 2007. Additionally, he is the vice president of the ENMU Board of Regents. Byron Dixon (BAAS 13) was named deputy fire chief with the Clovis Fire Department in New Mexico in November 2020. For 30 years, Byron worked as a paramedic for the Arlington County Fire Department in Virginia, and was one of the first responders to the terrorist attack on the Pentagon on 9/11.
CORRECTION Alumnus Doug Defoor (BBA 95) is actively employed at Ag New Mexico Farm Credit as the chief credit officer and chief appraiser officer.
Jill Hurley (BS 16) is the project manager and administrator at Tascosa Office Machines in Lubbock, Texas, since January 2021. She has also served as an adjunct professor for Eastern University in Pennsylvania, teaching anthropology online. Lori Spangler (MBA 18) works for NASA in the Office of the Chief Financial Officer supporting the Launch Services Program at the Kennedy Space Center in Titusville, Florida. She manages budgets for missions such as Landsat-9 and JPSS-2, as well as the Launch Services contract with SpaceX.
ENMU President Dr. Patrice Caldwell (center) had a chance to visit with former ENMU President and First Lady, Dr. Robert (MA 62, BA 60) and Sandra Matheny (MBA 74, BBA 72), in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in early July.
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Green & Silver | September 2021
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Class Notes In Memory 40s Mary (Frear) Grimm (MA 55, BA 45) died June 12, 2021. A passionate lover of music, Mary taught the subject in New Mexico and Arizona schools before taking a position with the U.S. Air Force (USAF), teaching in Germany, Denmark, Japan and Korea at Air Force bases and U.S. embassies.
50s David Buckner (MA 56, BA 55) died April 28, 2021. Before attending ENMU, David served in Korea, performing the duties of a platoon leader and battalion adjutant. He continued his military career, finally retiring with the rank of Brigadier General in the U.S. Army. La Joyce Freeman (MA 57) died February 23, 2021. Joyce taught school in Clovis and Hobbs, New Mexico, in the late 50s before moving to Oklahoma to teach in the Byng school district near Ada. In 1965, she returned to Hobbs to teach and later finished her career in Odessa, Texas. Joyce was involved in church and school choirs and often filled in as pianist at her church and others when needed. Henry Kenneth Rhodes (MA 58) died July 1, 2021. Starting as a member of the staff at Lubbock Christian College in 1959, Kenneth was known as “Dr. Rhodes” to generations of students at Lubbock Christian High School and Lubbock Christian University. He retired in 1993.
60s Ida Belle (Herrin) Malewski (MA 62, BA 60) died April 15, 2021. She taught typing, general business and English for 19 years at Northeast Junior High in Kansas City, Missouri. After retiring, she and her husband worked as professional genealogists. Tyler Allen (AS 68) died June 8, 2021. Tyler worked at General Dynamics Mission Systems and was later an engineer with the Santa Fe Railroad in a 30-year career.
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Marjorie O’Connell (MED 65, BS 63) died May 2, 2021. Marjorie enjoyed a 35-year teaching career in New Mexico, and was a skilled seamstress as a member of the Bernina Sewing Club. John Stephen Spray (BBA 65) died May 15, 2020. As a member of the ENMU golf team, he won NAIA individual championships in 1962 and 1963 and was part of the Greyhounds’ national championship team in 1963. Steve went on the PGA Tour in the 1960s and 1970s. In 1976, Steve was the head golf professional at the St. Louis Country Club, where he spent 34 years before retiring in 2010. Shirley Gail East (MS 68, BS 65) died March 12, 2021. Shirley worked for the ENMU Department of Anthropology, where she was instrumental in developing the Paleo Indian Institute Museum and Blackwater Draw Museum. She did extensive work with local amateur archaeologists, cataloging their private collections. Shirley also uncovered the oldest well in North America at the Blackwater Draw Site. Nedra (Smith) Isbell (MA 72, BA 68) died April 21, 2021. Nedra had a long career with Clovis Schools, teaching English and serving as the librarian at Yucca Junior High and Clovis High School. She was also the district librarian and taught English at Clovis Community College for 25 years. Brian Houger (BS 69) died February 19, 2021. Brian spent most of his working career in the glass manufacturing industry, working at Owens Illinois and the Ball Foster/St. Gobain Container Corporation. In his career, he built a reputation for turning around underperforming plants.
Carroll (Barnes) Leatherwood (Attended) died April 25, 2021. Carroll worked in the animal health industry for more than 40 years, working for the Clovis Veterinary Hospital before owning and operating Clovis Veterinarian Supply for 15 years.
70s
Deborah (Staley) Rhodes (Attended) died December 24, 2020. Deborah taught sixth grade at Cathedral Elementary School in Gallup, New Mexico. Deborah moved with her husband, Larry Rhodes (BS 75), who was in the Army and was assigned to many posts in New Mexico, Wyoming, Texas and Oklahoma for much of her life.
Andy Hayter (BBA 82) died June 25, 2021. He was a certified underwater diver and completed his training at Kino Bay, Mexico. He enjoyed operating and repairing farm machinery, working on farms in Walkterton, Indiana, and Portales, Clovis and Pleasant Hill, New Mexico. He also worked in chemical operations and production in Texas and Indiana. Estella Garcia (BS 83) died June 7, 2021. Estella held many jobs in her career, including managing Blake’s Lot-a-Burger, working in food services at ENMU and serving as production manager at the Portales News-Tribune. She retired as safety coordinator for Sodexo Food Service at ENMU in January of 2020.
Victoria Duran Sanchez (MBA 71, BBA 70) died April 25, 2021. Victoria was an assistant instructor of Business Management, later a full professor, at ENMU. She was the chairperson of the Department of Administration and Economics from 1989–1991 and retired in 2001.
80s
Melvin Holland (MS 77, BS 74) died April 22, 2021. While attending ENMU and playing for the Greyhound football team, he earned the Mr. Greyhound Award for the top offensive lineman before finishing his degrees in education. He then began a decades-long career that saw him teaching and coaching in Clovis, Fort Sumner, Capitan and Carrizozo schools in New Mexico. He was coach of Capitan’s 1982 state football championship team and led the Carrizozo girls’ track team to a state title in 2003. Michael Jones (AS 82) died November 25, 2020. Michael worked at Poyner’s, Joe D. Ray Trucking, and ENMU in Portales moving to Lubbock, Texas, in 1982 to work as a test engineer at Texas Instruments. He later worked as an engineer for Signetics, Phillips and Intel in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Colorado Springs, Colorado, before returning to Portales in retirement.
Teresa (Lacchia) Pipkin (MED 90, BSE 85) died April 9, 2021. “Terry” was a lifelong educator, spending most of her teaching career in the Clovis, New Mexico, school system for 25 years. She also taught many classes at Clovis Community College.
90s Annette (Baugh) Gregg (BS 97, BS 90) died May 2, 2021. Annette spent more than 30 years in education as a classroom teacher and speech pathologist. She was also a bell ringer for Methodist churches in Portales, New Mexico, and Levelland, Texas.
2000s Edgar “Tino” Muñoz (BS 19) died June 26, 2021. Originally from Dexter, New Mexico, Edgar went on to serve as Grand Master of the ENMU Kappa Sigma chapter while working on his degree in physical education. Edgar worked at Signs By Tomorrow in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
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WEEKEND EVENT SCHEDULE FRIDAY, OCT. 1 8 a.m.–5 p.m.
Homecoming Golf Tournament Portales Country Club Contact Norma Stroik to participate, 575.562.2141
6:30–10 p.m.
Bonfire and Pep Rally Greyhound Arena (GA)
6–9 p.m.
ENMU Alumni Mix and Mingle Location TBD RSVP at 575.562.2125
SATURDAY, OCT. 2 8–10 a.m.
Annual ENMU Foundation Awards Breakfast Campus Union (CUB), Ballroom Invitation and registration required; contact ENMU Foundation, 575.562.2412
11 a.m.
Homecoming Parade US Hwy 70
Noon
Women’s Soccer vs. St. Edwards Greyhound Stadium (GS)
For an up-to-date schedule, visit enmu.edu/homecoming
3–6 p.m.
ENMU Tailgate Greyhound Stadium (GS)
6 p.m.
Greyhound Football vs. California Lincoln University Greyhound Stadium (GS)