ENMU Green & Silver Magazine - December 2021

MAGAZINE EASTERN NEW MEXICO UNIVERSITY

DECEMBER 2021

Green&Silver

Father Christmas Bob Norman Makes Dreams Come True

Green&Silver Features

MAGAZINE EASTERN NEW MEXICO UNIVERSITY

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Bob Norman is Santa Claus

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Eastern’s GSSC Earns Honors

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ENMU Senior Wins Award for Her Stunning Photography

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Luke Schrimsher Testing for Safety

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Dr. Umberson Always Loved ENMU

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Chemistry Graduate Thrives While Teaching

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Griffith Gave Generously to ENMU

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Buck Wilson on His Time as an Almost-Astronaut

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2021 Homecoming Honorees

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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 December 2021 Publication Managing Editor Noelle Bartl Design Editor Todd Fuqua Contributing Editor Desiree Cooper Writers and Contributors Taylor Bell, Todd Fuqua, Cameron Brennan, Desiree Cooper, Kemet Gatchell, Jay Hemphill, John Houser, Ashlin Penn, Laura Rowe, Holly Schrimsher, Mal Seback, Kendre Talley Cover Photo Storybook Experiences Inside Cover Photo Bust of science fiction writer and ENMU Alumnus Dr. Jack Williamson (MA 57, BA 57), photo by Todd Fuqua New address, questions, comments or story ideas?

Contact the ENMU Foundation toll-free at 888.291.5524 or email todd.fuqua@enmu.edu Looking for a past issue?

View all past issues of the Green & Silver Magazine online at enmu.edu/Magazine.

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Green & Silver | December 2021

FROM THE PRESIDENT Dear Greyhound Family, As we conclude the academic semester and the year 2021, I thank you for what we’ve achieved this past year. Your support – of ENMU faculty, staff and students, our Regents and well-wishers, our alumni and friends and the resilient community of Roosevelt County – made this possible. Thank you for trusting the Regents, this Administration and me to do the right thing for our Greyhound community.

We are fully back to work at ENMU, including making progress on our goals for this year. We re-opened the campus this fall with energy, excitement and care, assuring that vaccines and COVID best practices and information are readily available to the campus community and visitors. Communication to the campus and the wider community is a priority – with campus meetings, weekly campus updates, monthly “Coffee with the President” live streams and ENMU’s steady presence in community meetings, activities and ENMU System planning.

I’m proud to report that ENMU’s Golden Student Success Center (GSSC), formerly the Golden Library, was selected as one of the most outstanding learning environments in the U.S. The GSSC is a welcoming destination that connects students to one another and ENMU resources. The modern facility is a living, breathing example of ENMU’s focus on student success.

We are making steady progress on renovation plans for Roosevelt Science Center and, with voter support on November 2022’s GO Bond, a new Student Academic Services building to replace our beloved 1949 structure with a stateof-the-art facility. With the consulting firm Ruffalo Noel-Levitz’s advice, we have designed a recruitment and marketing plan that will build back our enrollment to pre-pandemic levels and bring ENMU’s message of student success to the next generation of college attendees.

Finally, we keep our eye on Santa Fe to ensure that the ENMU System is a visible partner and player in decision-making for higher education. We have a lot to offer this state. Thanks to you, we have the people, the reputation and the drive to be agents of change for our students, our region and the state of new Mexico.

Evergreen boughs and yew, centuries-old markers of this season, remind us that holidays reunite families over present, past and future generations. However you celebrate, may we keep this connection to our past and future be ever-green in our hearts, strengthened by our friendships, memories and our commitment to Eastern’s mission of student success. I am deeply grateful for your generosity and your commitment to this institution.

Happy Holidays.

Sincerely,

Dr. Patrice Caldwell ENMU President

Photo by Storyook Experiences

Bob Norman Enjoys Being a Symbol of Christmas

Becoming Santa How does one go from owning and operating a hardware store to being a professional Santa Claus? That’s a story only Bob Norman (MA 76) can tell.

Photo by Taylor Bell

by Todd Fuqua

“I minored in theatre at ENMU, one of the many things I was doing,” Bob said.

“When I came back to New York, I had a variety of different jobs, mostly in retail and in human resources.”

Eventually, Bob owned a hardware store, Babylon Paint and Hardware, in his hometown of Babylon, New York, on Long Island, which he ran for 15 years.

Customers would often suggest that he’d make a good Santa Claus.

“That was in 2000 when my beard was just turning white,” he said. “So, I began playing Santa in the store. And that’s how it all started.”

From there, Bob began appearing at private homes as the jolly old elf. He eventually partnered with Storybook Experiences in West Islip, New York, where he makes what he calls “modeling money.”

“I’m basically a model,” Bob said. “I don’t do malls. That’s what people think when they hear I’m a professional Santa.”

While most might think he makes his money as Santa making appearances in New York City on Manhattan island, he does all of his work at Storybook Experiences. It’s a perfect gig for Bob, who still lives in the same home where he grew up.

Bob has a thriving career portraying the jolly man with the white beard, creating holiday memories for kids and parents alike.

Working for Storybook Experiences makes it easy for Bob to make a living since he retired from the hardware trade,

although he’s also thinking of retiring from the Santa business.

He said that’s a tough decision to make since the job is so rewarding. Bookings for the Santa Storybook Experience start (continued Page 6)

Green & Silver | December 2021

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Photo by Storybook Experiences

(Continued from Page 5)

filling up in August each year and are usually sold out within a month or two.

At Storybook Experiences, Bob takes part in an immersive experience with young children, essentially putting on a half-hour play each time for an exclusive audience while cameras record the event.

“I’ve been there for eight years, and I work up to a five- or six-hour schedule,” Bob said. “I don’t do party visits as much anymore. Although I do still work with the local Chamber of Commerce, acting as the village Santa for Babylon for their annual Christmas Festival.”

Additionally, Bob gives his time to raise funds through Santa Paws, an annual event in Babylon that sees him sitting for pictures with family pets. Proceeds support maintenance and cultural and educational programs at the historic Conklin House, which preserves the history

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of that area of Long Island. As a result, Bob’s visage has adorned thousands of Christmas cards over the years.

While Bob didn’t receive his undergraduate degree at Eastern, he did return to finish a master’s degree. In reflecting on his years at ENMU, he is most proud of his and fellow student Tom Cummins’ (BA 76) efforts to secure funds for ENMU in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Among the issues he and Tom lobbied for was a referendum to allow alcohol sales in Portales. He also enjoyed being a teaching assistant in the Department of Communication while he pursued his master’s degree.

“My time at ENMU is what made me the man I am today.

In other words, it’s what made me Santa Claus,” Bob said.

“That’s where I grew up.

“I hope to continue bringing joy and laughter to children for a few more years.”

We hope so too, Bob.

Student Success Center Earns Accolades

By John Houser

The ENMU Golden Student Success Center (GSSC) was selected for publication in Endeavor Business Media’s American School and University 2021 Educational Interiors Showcase, which honors the nation’s most outstanding learning environments. The GSSC was featured in the August 2021 edition of the magazine, available online at SchoolDesigns.com.

A jury of American Institute of Architects (AIA) members and education administrators evaluated submissions from architectural firms, schools and universities across the country, choosing 75 projects for publication.

Each project was considered based on specific criteria, including green spaces, security features, durability and flexibility and ease of maintenance.

Beyond the physical attributes, the GSSC was recognized as a space that promotes students’ health, well-being and equity on campus, making it more open and accessible to all who use the facility.

“We are immensely proud of the GSSC,” ENMU President Patrice Caldwell said. “From the first week it opened, the Golden Student Success Center has been a popular campus destination. The student and meeting spaces are

welcoming and attractive. The wide range of services and resources are assets to our campus.”

Re-opened in summer 2018 after renovation, the GSSC is a state-of-the-art building featuring great study spaces, computer work stations, fast Wi-Fi, Einstein Bros. Bagels and more. The building houses the Golden Library, the Runnels Gallery, Tutoring, Supplemental Instruction and Distance Learning.

Senior’s Photo Garners International Recognition

by Todd Fuqua

It was a windy and dark day on May 16, 2021, near Earth, Texas, the kind of day that could fill the sky with spectacular thunderheads bursting with color.

ENMU senior and Greyhound basketball team member Laura Rowe (attending) took the opportunity to snap a photo of one of those thunderheads as it was lit up by the setting sun, and it has earned her internet fame the world over.

“This photo was what I like to call a ‘Godincidence’,” Rowe remembers. “My boyfriend and I saw a tornado form and touch down. We chased it for a few hours down some backroads before I took the photo.”

Laura Rowe

Rowe has since won recognition from the Extreme Weather Congress in Hamburg, Germany, for Picture of the Year for 2021.

“It is so strange to scroll on social media and see a photo that I took pop up every once in a while, or to be tagged in a post by an account that has millions of followers.”

Anyone interested in purchasing prints of the famous photo can visit laurarowe.smugmug.com.

“I still get so excited when a new order comes through or I get an email from someone wanting a signed print,” Rowe said. “It has completely changed what I may want to do in the future.”

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Luke Schrimsher Keeping Things Safe in the Aerospace Industry

by George M. Spencer

Photo by Holly Schrimsher

Reprinted by permission from Winds of Change © 2021 by the American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES).

A citizen of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma, Luke Schrimsher (BAAS 16) has what you might call an energetic job as a nondestructive testing engineer for Gulfstream Aerospace in Savannah, Georgia.

It’s one of many occupations he’s had in his career that involve precision testing on a tiny scale. At one point, while at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in Livermore, California, he was using alignment lasers to build an optical X-ray system. “That was the fun part of the job,” he says.

His team’s ultrasound, electromagnetic and X-ray tools revealed how manufactured materials will perform under stress by examining them at the micron level (a human hair is 70 microns wide). “These machines aren’t something you can buy in the store,” says Schrimsher.

His work also involves operating those systems, gathering data, advising on their quality and safety, and mentoring. “We’re on the leading edge of manufacturing science solving the nation’s most challenging problems using our technology,” he says. “We are often the only ones in the nation chasing these research questions.”

His fascination with the structure of things began as a boy growing up in the East Texas town of Longview. “I was raised to understand nature and to have a very dear respect for the land,” he explains. Felling trees and chopping wood to heat his family’s home taught him that red oak’s tight grain makes it difficult to split, but its density makes it slow to burn. White oak, on the other hand, splits easily and burns faster.

“It’s the same here with the materials we evaluate,” says

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Schrimsher, whose microscopic exams are related to the national defense. “Do you want something that has more compressive strength like concrete or something like metal that won’t snap?

The same basic principles apply whether you’re in nature or a lab.”

His career has followed a non-traditional path. After graduating from high school in 1988, he joined the Army, became an Apache helicopter mechanic and inspector and served in Desert Storm.

Then as an airframe and powerplant mechanic and member of the safety management team at Gulfstream Aerospace for 17 years, he performed in-service inspections of corporate jets and did quality control and assurance work.

Schrimsher’s college degree came slowly. He started at Eastern New Mexico University in 1998 and took a single online class at a time. At one point, he had to stop. “I had to work full time in aviation 60 hours a week, take care of my family and pay the bills,” he says. After getting an associate degree in 2003, he earned his Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences in applied Aviation Science in 2016.

“I see education not as a means to a goal but as a journey,” says Schrimsher, who is now working on a master’s of education.

Growing up, he never thought he would go to college, even though his mother was a teacher. His father was an aerospace manufacturing worker, and Schrimsher appreciates the “fantastic opportunities” offered by trade schools and the skilled trades.

“Our nation is starving for technically skilled individuals,” he says.

But whatever career paths present themselves to students, he urges them to follow those opportunities. “You may have the opportunity to go to a trade school or college, or you may just have to find the best job in labor,” he says. “Do your best. When the Creator shows us a path, we don’t see the end of the path. We see a choice of paths. We make our best choice, and we follow that path as best we can.”

ENMU Was Always Music to His Ears We Remember Dr. George Umberson

By Todd Fuqua

Dr. George Umberson (BME 55) died Oct. 16, 2021, after a music career that took him far beyond his humble beginnings at Hot Springs High School in Truth or Consequences, New Mexico, and even beyond his time as a student and choral director at ENMU. His entire life was defined by music, and he never forgot where he came from. He served as the dean of Music at Arizona State University and was the head of the music department at West Texas State (now West Texas A&M). Still, he always revered his alma mater of ENMU, where he had served as director of the choral program.

“Dr. George Umberson, known affectionately by his students as Coach, made an inestimable impact during his years as a student and as director of Choirs in the sixties,” said Dr. Jason Paulk, current director of ENMU choral activities and professor of music. “Even more importantly, George invested personally in his students, and many went on to have very successful music careers teaching, performing, composing and directing choral programs in major schools throughout the country.”

Dr. Umberson came to Eastern as a student after a semester of study at Abilene Christian University. While at ACU, he met with professor Robert Page, who later moved on to Eastern.

“I saw him at chapel, and he said he’d been talking with my friends that were at ENMU and that they really wanted me there. I transferred, and that was the best move I ever made,” Umberson said in a 2019 interview. “Robert set me on fire as far as being a conductor. I had a beautiful 3½ years with him.”

Dr. Umberson with a painting by Roswell, New Mexico, artist Richard Knadle, during the dedication of the Umberson Choral Room at ENMU in 2011.

Upon graduation, Dr. Umberson taught at Tucumcari and Roswell high schools, then a year at Pepperdine University in Los Angeles before being called back to ENMU in 1960 to lead the choral program.

Dr. Umberson spent 10 years as choral director at ENMU before heading off to Arizona State University, where he helped establish the School of Music. Through all his travels and accomplishments, ENMU has always held a special place in his heart.

Dr. Umberson and ENMU Director of Choirs Dr. Jason Paulk at Carnegie Hall in New York City in 2015.

Donations in memory of Dr. Umberson may be made to the ENMU Choral Department online at enmu.edu/donate or mailed to the ENMU Foundation, Station 8, 1500 S. Ave. K, Portales, NM 88130.

Green & Silver | December 2021

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Chemistry Drives Greyhound Alumna

By Todd Fuqua and Desiree Cooper

Jayamini Mudugamuwa Hewage (MS 18) is currently pursuing a Ph.D. at Mississippi State University, teaching chemistry to undergraduate students along the way.

Arriving in Portales, New Mexico, from Sri Lanka, Jayamini pursued chemistry with a passion, having fallen in love with the subject in high school. She knew then that any advanced degrees she earned would be in pursuit of chemistry.

“Color changes, observable chemical and physical changes in matter made me love it even more,” Jayamini said.

She also was in love with fellow chemistry graduate Dhanush Amarasekara (MS 19). The two are married and have a child, Adithya. Dhanush is a graduate chemistry research assistant at Mississippi State.

Teaching her favorite subject to students in Mississippi while continuing her research is rewarding, and she looks forward to continuing both after she earns a Ph.D. She recently gave a graduate seminar at Mississippi State on Oct. 26, 2021, titled “Detection of cancer cells using electrochemical sensors.”

“Chemistry is a wonderful subject; it gets updated every second,” Jayamini said. “The limit of learning is endless. You don’t have to be the smartest to study chemistry, just be consistent and keep in touch with the subject. I love what I do.”

Jayamini Mudugmuwa Hewage, left, husband Dhanush Amarasekara, with their child, Adithya.

ENMU Grad Loved and Provided for His Alma Mater Richard Griffith (MBA 67) died July 15, 2021. He dearly loved

ENMU and was an ardent supporter of the University, donating $400,000 to help build Greyhound Stadium.

During the Korean War, Richard served as a 1st Lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force as an atomic weapons officer assigned to the Strategic Air Command in Lake Charles, Louisiana. He later served on various committees supporting Cannon Air Force Base near Clovis, New Mexico.

He founded, invested in and managed several retailing and agricultural-related businesses, expanding his father’s grocery business into Portales, New Mexico, when he and Walter “Cotton” Clark opened the Food Town store in the Sands Center.

He served on the Affiliated Foods and Affiliated Finance boards in Amarillo, Texas, was a founder of North Plains Compress in Tulia, Texas, and AVC Veterinary Supplies, with locations in Texas and New Mexico.

On September 10, 2016, Richard was joined by ENMU President’s Ambassadors Andrew Anaya (AA 15) and Ryan Pecotte (attended) at the dedication of the Griffith and Field Scoreboard at Greyhound Stadium. The scoreboard is named for Griffith and longtime colleague Dan Field of Lovington, New Mexico.

Dr. Buck Wilson, (Almost a) Rocket Man

By Todd Fuqua

Dr. Buck Wilson (BS 1960) may not have been to space, but he was instrumental in helping others get there. After graduating with a degree in engineering, Dr. Wilson went to work at the Brooks Aerospace Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas.

“In 1959, most people didn’t know what astronauts were,” Dr. Wilson recalled. “I was going to be an engineer at Brooks, but they didn’t need that. They made me a scientific aide. All those physiological tests we put the astronauts through, we had to go through first.”

It was there that he met up with the group he called “the Magnificent Seven,” also known as the Mercury Seven. They were the first astronauts in the history of the U.S. space program.

“We had to work out and run every day,” said Dr. Wilson. It was a tough workout, even with his past athletic experience as a member of the ENMU football team. “We had a man named Dr. Kenneth Cooper, and his goal was to get people back into shape. We worked out his way.”

Dr. Cooper’s “way” was aerobics, a term Dr. Cooper coined himself. He put Dr. Wilson and the other scientific aides through the same rigorous training the Mercury astronauts would later experience. Numerous electrodes and tubes were used on their bodies to measure stress levels, all of which were new cutting-edge designed instruments.

“The researchers were collecting parotid fluid from a salivary gland inside the cheek to measure stress levels after the zero-g and g-force testing in jets and withstanding three gs in the centrifuge,” Dr. Wilson said. “We weren’t guinea pigs; we were ‘scientific aides.’”

Photo Courtesy of Buck Wilson

Before the astronauts could be tested and trained, the brand new experimental equipment had to be tested, and Dr. Wilson and his colleagues were the ones that served as test subjects.

Dr. Wilson stands outside of the anti-gravity ball used to simulate movement in space. He said this was tested only once, with no one in it, when it exploded.

The space program instead used a similar setup at Wright-Patterson AFB near Dayton, Ohio.

There were physicians present at all times because these tests pushed the limits of the test subjects’ endurance levels.

“One test they did on me was put me upside down on a tilt table overnight, for about 12 hours,” Dr. Wilson said. “When they set me back upright, my heart stopped, and it took them 21 seconds to revive me. I was clinically dead. That’s why we had all those physicians around.”

Thankfully, Dr. Wilson was a strong young man and was able to get back to work,

Dr. Wilson, left, receives the Greyhound Hero Award from ENMU Foundation President Stephen Doerr at the annual Foundation Barbeque in 2019.

preparing everything for the test pilots that were to become astronauts. He even met President John F. Kennedy, who came to San Antonio to dedicate the new School of Aerospace Medicine

Dr. Wilson strapped into the G-Force accelerator at the Brooks Aerospace Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas.

Dr. Wilson and the other scientific aides were put through rigorous training to evaluate the equipment before the aspiring astronauts could be trained and tested.

Photo Courtesy of Buck Wilson

at Brooks Air Force Base. Dr. Wilson and the other aides received medals for their work. This special honor occurred on Nov. 21, 1963, the day before Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas.

Dr. Wilson continued his work at the Aerospace School until 1964, when he left the program to attend dental school at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. In 1968, he returned to Portales to open his practice.

“It is amazing someone from the high plains in eastern New Mexico could be part of this historic program,” Dr. Wilson said. “For me, it was the luck of the draw that I was a part of all of this.”

Green & Silver | December 2021

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2021 HOMECOMING HONOREES

Honorees at this year’s Homecoming breakfast were (L-R) Randy Harris, President of The Bank of Clovis, John W. Templer, Rose Robbins, Dr. Joseph Gallegos, and Wayne Anderson representing University Friends of Music. Not pictured is Dr. Gregory Sawyer.

Volunteers of the Year

University Friends of Music In the fall of 1967, a small group of supporters met with personnel from the ENMU Department of Music about a community-based group to support music students. On Nov. 29 of that year, a board was elected, and the Eastern New Mexico University Friends of Music was born.

Photo by Todd Fuqua

Philanthropist of the Year John W. Templer John W. Templer has found success in the banking industry in both Texas and South Dakota. In 1975, he became president of the Commercial State Bank in Palmer, Texas, and later sold the bank to become a co-owner of the Amarillo Livestock Auction in 1982. In 1983, the auction held its first video sale, which later became Superior Livestock Auction.

During his career, John had ownership in eight banks in West Texas. He also owns and has ranched the Bar L Cattle Co. ranch for more than 40 years in Union and Colfax counties in New Mexico.

Recently, John Templer gave generously to the ENMU Rodeo program. He recalls that ENMU’s rodeo facilities were limited compared to others, but he was always impressed with the strength of the program. He knew that coach Albert Flinn and his Portales volunteers made significant enhancements to the arena in recent years. To continue this positive momentum, John generously supported funding the construction of the new metal 250-foot-long metal building. This facility houses the concession area, public restrooms and a large area for storage, team meetings and other events.

Business of the Year

Since that fall day 54 years ago, Friends of Music has worked tirelessly to support music students at ENMU, from raising money for scholarships to promoting student concerts to purchasing suits and sewing dresses for the ENMU Symphony.

Each year, the most memorable and anticipated event is the Pops Concert, held annually since 1968, when Dr. Art Welker directed the ENMU Symphony Orchestra in a selection of popular and light classical music based on the Boston Pops concerts.

The orchestra has transitioned to a wind orchestra, with no string instruments, but the Pops Concert remains a beloved tradition on the ENMU campus. The high point of each concert is when the orchestra is guest-conducted by a concert attendee. The winner of the “name that tune” competition conducts a spirited rendition of the ENMU fight song.

In addition to all the work Friends of Music does to support ENMU music students, the organization has also aided public school children through the School of Music’s preparatory department and funding guest artists who come to perform on the campus.

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Although he’s not an alumnus of Eastern New Mexico University, CEO/Chairman Randy Harris, and The Bank of Clovis have supported ENMU and its educational mission ever since Clovis National Bank became part of the Sunwest Bank network in 1997.

Randy helped create the 4.0 Program, recognizing all Clovis High School seniors who achieved a perfect 4.0 GPA in their four-year high school careers. The ENMU president was asked to speak at each banquet, inviting these dedicated students to attend ENMU. Since then, the program has evolved and encourages the best and brightest of Curry County to attend ENMU. With the founding of the Bank of Clovis in 2000, the tradition of supporting Eastern continued, as the Bank’s combined giving surpassed $100,000 in 2020.

Distinguished service award Rose Robbins Having never been away from her hometown of Ennis, Texas, Rose Robbins (BS 81) was grateful to be greeted with welcome arms at ENMU. Many people made her feel at home and mentored her. Duane Ryan, ENMU’s director of broadcasting, worked tirelessly with her voice and diction abilities, knowing the difference it would make in Rose’s future success.

Rose credits Don Criss and Clyde Powell at KENW-TV for spending countless hours with her to hone her broadcasting skills and opening her eyes to career possibilities. Her mentors imparted a valuable education, but her true learning was in acquiring her passion for volunteering.

More than anything, Rose came to understand the importance of helping others.

Among the many volunteer opportunities and awards she’s garnered over the years are ENMU Greyhound Club Member of the Year in 2019, Cannon AFB Honorary Commander from 2015-2017, Member of Leadership Portales in 2016, ENMU Volunteer of the Year in 2014 and Portales Chamber of Commerce Volunteer of the Year in 2013.

Rose Robbins embodies the spirit of volunteerism. She knows first-hand the difference that giving back to the community can make, and she hopes others follow suit and “pay it forward.”

outstanding alumni award Dr. Gregory Sawyer After a very brief retirement, Dr. William Gregory Sawyer (MA 78) was appointed vice president for Student Affairs at Sonoma State University in 2018. Before joining Sonoma State, Dr. Sawyer was the founding vice president for Student Affairs at California State University Channel Islands, where he established a nationally recognized student affairs division. Under his leadership, Channel Islands’ Division of Student Affairs was recognized as one of the nation’s Most Promising Places to Work in Student Affairs for four consecutive years.

Dr. Sawyer, or “Doc” as most know him, began his professional career in Student Affairs at the University of North Texas (UNT) as a residence hall director. He later served at UNT as coordinator of Intercultural Services, assistant and associate dean of students and finally as dean of students. Later, he was named the founding dean of students and senior student affairs officer at the newly-chartered Florida Gulf Coast University.

After seven years there, he was offered another chance to be in on the ground floor of a new state university, California State University Channel Islands.

outstanding alumni award Dr. Joseph Gallegos In his 30-year career as an educator, Dr. Joseph Gallegos (MED 98, BS 91) has served as an instructor, assistant principal and instruction services director at schools throughout Texas. He returned to Portales in 1998 to serve as assistant superintendent for Portales Schools before moving back to Texas in 2000.

Since his return to the Lone Star State, Dr. Gallegos was superintendent of schools in the Sierra Blanca Independent School District. He returned to the Odessa area in 2006 and served as chief academic officer.

In 2006, he created an online high school, Orion High School, and founded Orion Online Learning, Inc., intending to open additional digital schools in the future. Since then, Orion Online Learning has added two other schools – All Gifted School in Singapore and New Mexico Trinity Prep, an online school for New Mexico students.

Dr. Gallegos has been involved in researching digital education since 1999 while working as an adjunct at one of the first online, accredited universities in the nation. He explored different digital universities to create a high school that could follow the best practices. Orion High School is now in its 15th year and has graduated more than 12,000 students internationally.

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ENMU ATHLETICS NEWS Softball Players Named to Scholar-Athletes List

By Cameron Brennan

Eastern New Mexico softball landed six student-athletes on the 2021 Easton/National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-America Scholar-Athletes list.

The accolade is given to students that maintain a 3.5 GPA or higher during the 2020-21 academic year.

The Hounds saw sophomores Haleigh Behncke, Jordan Bowman, Brook Leger, Aylene Lucero, Bella Mendoza and Juliana Vidal all recognized for their accomplishments in the classroom and exemplifying what it means to be a student-athlete.

Haleigh Behncke

Jordan Bowman

Brook Leger

Aylene Lucero

Bella Mendoza

Juliana Vidal

The rankings and honors acknowledge the academic drive of softball teams across the association’s membership categories. The NFCA set a new high of honorees with over 8,800 student-athletes recognized in 2021.

Four Greyhound Runners Earn LSC All-Conference Honors

Kenyawani and Kosgei placed in the top-15 during the women’s 6K race, earning LSC All-Conference honors.

Photo by Jay Hemphill

Photo by Mal Seback

Kipkemboi earned LSC Men’s Newcomer of the Year after his time of 26:10.88 on the 8K championship course, earning 10th place. The top-10 Kelvin Kipkemboi finish earned LSC All-Conference honors, awarded to the top-15 runners in their respective race.

Photo by Ashlin Penn

The Eastern New Mexico cross country program saw four student-athletes earn all-conference honors after the 2021 Lone Star Conference Cross Country Championships. Kelvin Kipkemboi was awarded Men’s Newcomer of the Year, along with all-conference recognition. Aminata Kenyawani and Dorcas Kosgei also received all-conference honors, while Kayla Sisneros was named Academic Runner of the Year and earned a place on the 2021 Women’s Cross Country All-Academic Team.

Photo by LCU Sports Info.

By Cameron Brennan

Aminata Kenyawani

Corcas Kosgei

Kayla Sisneros

Sisneros was named Academic Runner of the Year and earned a spot on the 2021 Women’s Cross Country All-Academic Team for her efforts in the classroom. It is Sisneros’ first appearance on the LSC All-Academic Team.

For more news, please visit GoEasternAthletics.com or download the ENMU Athletics app 14

Green & Silver | December 2021

ENMU Football Alums Returned to Campus Photo by Kemet Gatchell

From the 70s and 80s Teams

Photo by Kemet Gatchell

A large number of former ENMU football players from the 70s and 80s gathered at Eastern’s home game against Adams State in September. Pictured left to right are: Rusty Pounds (BBA 78), Steve Olson (EDSP 81, BS 77), Mace Kuester, Marvin Grimes (partially hidden), Brook Reeves (BS 84), Greg Zielinski (BS 92), Kirk Potter (BS 78), Jim Conger (BS 85), Bill Birkhead (BS 77), Mike Moore (BBA 83), George Bailey (BS 80), Lou Mora (BS 90), Pat Brady (MS 83, BS 82), Jack Turner (BBA 84), Bryan Brittain (BS 83), Tracy Diamond, Scott Weidner (BBA 83), Glenn Johnson (MS 84, BSE 81), Craig Heineman (BBA 85), Jim Garfield (MS 90, BS 87), Robert Graham (BS 83), Alvin Hargers (BUS 92), Danny Prince, Carey Chambers (MS 84, BS 78), Willie Hall (MS 80, BS 78), Mike Meeks (BSE 88), Marcus Smith, Lebron McPhail (BS 77) and Jeff Ebert (BS 88).

1991 Lone Star Conference Champions

Members of the 1991 Lone Star Conference championship football team and some special guests reunited during Eastern’s home game against Texas A&M-Kingsville in September to celebrate the 30th anniversary of their title. Pictured left to right are: coach Tommy Standefer (MS 91, BS 89), J.D. Aceves (BS 93), David Holland, Trainer Rich Bomgardner, Daniel Gonzalez (BS 83), Rueben Sanchez, Bob Gilbreath (BS 90), John Sain (BS 91), Tommy Gonzales (BS 92), John Gossett (BS 88), Carlton Liggins (BS 92), Steve Groeschel (BS 93), Vic Tarin (BA 93), Billy Ray Thompson, Todd Lacey, Mark Montoya (BBA 89), Ed Gurrola (BS 97) and Head Coach Don Carthel (MS 75, BS 74). Not pictured is Kevin Braggs (BBA 96).

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Class Notes People oY u May Know Dr. Barbara Russell Chesser (BS 63) recently published ”The Gifts of Christmas: A Treasury of True Stories.”

A summa cum laude ENMU graduate (also earning the top GPA of her class), Barbara became an award-winning university professor, researcher and New York Times Bestselling author.

“Portales,” written and performed by Ronny Cox (BS 63), was named a winner in the folk category for 2021 at the New Mexico Music Awards, held in Santa Fe, New Mexico, in July. Ronny’s album, “Live at the Kitchen Sink,” also won the Norman Petty Award for his producer, Tom (Panda) Ryan.

Dennis Hoy (MED 74, BS 70) recently published his book, “Letters From Vietnam,” detailing his experiences in that conflict in which he earned a Silver Star for gallantry under fire. As part Potawatomi Native American, he is recognized on the Wall of Honor at the Potawatomi Nation’s Citizen Cultural Heritage Center in Shawnee, Oklahoma. He currently lives in Elephant Butte, New Mexico.

Anthony Airhart (BBA 94) serves as the associate dean of Finance and Administration for the University of Colorado College of Nursing in Denver, Colorado, taking on the position in December of 2019.

Charlotte Fellers (MA 96) retired from teaching at Green River Community College in Auburn, Washington, in August. She served as an adjunct in the Communication Studies department for 15 years. In addition to her time at Green River, Charlotte taught part-time at Highline College in Des Moines, Washington, Renton Technical College in Renton, Washington, and Central Texas College on the Fort Lewis

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campus in Lakewood, Washington. She now lives in the Denver, Colorado, area.

After some time in graphic design and retail, Morgan Whitehouse (BFA 95) has been a radiologic technologist at Washington Orthopedic Center in Centralia, Washington, since September.

Janice Morrow (BS 97) is the executive director of the Society of American Indian Dentists (SAID), a national, non-profit organization dedicated to promoting and improving American Indian (AI)/Alaskan Native (AN) communities’ oral health and strengthening the educational pathway for AI/AN students.

Jonathan Harvey (BS 98) was named brigade commander to the 18th Field Artillery Brigade at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, in June 2021. Jonathan has been an officer in the U.S. Army since graduating from ENMU and has been deployed to Kosovo, Afghanistan, Iraq and Haiti during his career.

Dr. Celina Bryant (BS 01) is the executive director for Grammy’s House Artesia Domestic Violence Shelter Inc. in Artesia, New Mexico. She is also an adjunct professor in the social sciences department of New Mexico State Univeristy-Carlsbad. Dr. Bryant serves on several non-profit boards in Artesia and earned her Ph.D. in social psychology in 2020.

Sarah Stubbs (MBA 13, BS 04, BS 00) was named the New Mexico Association of School Business Officers (NMASBO) Roadrunner Award as Administrator of the Year for 2021. Sarah has served the Portales Municipal School District since 2006 as payroll manager and controller before being named business manager in 2011.

Rodrick Chambers (MA 13, BS 07) has published his book, “Almost Doesn’t Count, Or Does It?,” detailing his life experiences and lessons learned in his career of motivating others. Rodrick has lived in China and operated Northern Latitude 30 (NL30), dedicated to bringing college students and young professionals to that country for leadership workshops and networking opportunities. He is now the chief executive officer for Healing 2 Organization (H20), serving as a licensed massage therapist and certified nutrition and life coach in Katy, Texas.

Molly Stevens (MBA 17) was recently honored by Albuquerque Business First magazine as a 40 Under Forty award recipient for her contributions to the business community in Albuquerque.

Molly is the general manager for the Courtyard by Mariott Journal Center, a hotel property where she has worked since high school.

Chazz Bailey (MBA 17) is a life coach, mentor and motivational speaker with his business, the Lifted Lifestyle, in Houston, Texas. He is also a liaison for Sasol, a petroleum and energy company based in South Africa, working to develop skillsets and communication skills of employees and management.

Mateo Chavez (BS 11) is a user experience (UX) researcher for Oracle in Seattle, Washington, collecting and analyzing user data to assist in the product development process. Mateo has also been a UX researcher and statistical analysis for Microsoft and consulting firm Penn Schoen Berland, all in the Seattle area.

Rae Arnett (MA 17, BS 14) has been employed with the U.S. Navy as a labor and employee relations coordinator for three years, following positions in ad sales and political campaigns.

John Rosner (BAAS 15) has been a certified prosthetist at Agile Orthopedics in Colorado Springs, Colorado, since December of 2020. In his profession, he sees many patients needing assistance in healing and getting back to fun and fulfilling activities.

Photo by Kendre Talley

Santana Chavez (BS 13) has served as a sign language interpreter for the University of New Mexico, Hospitals in Albuquerque, New Mexico since June 2021. Prior to that, she worked as a sign language interpreter for the Rochester Institute of Technology in Rochester, New York.

Joshua Alvarez (BS 18) is a kindergarten teacher at the Academy of Math and Science Camelback in Phoenix, Arizona. In his education career, he has also been a cheerleading coach at Willow Canyon High School in Surprise, Arizona, and worked for the Arizona Department of Child Safety.

Dan Hays (MS 70, BS 68), center, was recently inducted into the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame, honoring his 30-plus years as a basketball coach at four different schools in Oklahoma, including a 33-season career at Oklahoma Christian (OC) University. During his time at OC, Dan was named Sooner Athletic Conference coach of the year five times and NAIA District 9 coach of the year twice. He also served as an assistant to Jim Boeheim of Syracuse University, coaching the USA Basketball Junior World Championship team in 1998, and assisting Lon Kruger in coaching the 1991 gold-medal-winning USA team at the World Championships for Junior Men in Edmonton, Canada. Dan is also a member of the NAIA Hall of Fame, the OC Athletic Hall of Fame, and the ENMU Athletics Hall of Honors. Pictured with Hays are former ENMU basketball teammates (from left) Dale Severson (MED 80, BS 70), Jim Thrash (BS 69), Richard Schalk (attended) and Gary Coffman (MA 71, BA 70).

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Class Notes In Memory 50s Reba (Cavener) Camp (MED 71, BS 56) died Aug. 15, 2021. Reba and her family believed everyone should have a good education. She taught physical education at Gattis Junior High and Highland Elementary School in Clovis, New Mexico.

Roy Rackler (attended) died July 30, 2021. After learning the trade of concrete masonry, Roy earned his general contractor’s license and later became a real estate broker in Portales, New Mexico. He was also a member of Gideon’s International and served as that organization’s president for several years.

60s Marinell (Dungan) Shockley Minium (MA 61) died July 29, 2021, one month shy of her 102nd birthday. An elementary music teacher throughout New Mexico for almost 50 years, Marinell taught music on television in Albuquerque at KNME, broadcasting to all fourth-grade elementary schools in New Mexico.

Jacqulin Garrison (MA 61) died July 20, 2021. She had a 37-year career with Clovis Municipal Schools and enjoyed being active in the community by sponsoring high school cheerleaders, teaching Sunday school and volunteering at the hospital as a Pink Lady.

Bob Baxter (attended) died March 3, 2021. Bob ran several ranches with his family before being named city manager of Coalgate, Oklahoma. He was also city manager at Tishomingo, Okemah and Okmulgee, all in Oklahoma.

Ronnie Merle Hagar (BBA 67) died May 4, 2021. Ronnie built a successful career in banking and finance that took him all across the southwest United States. He loved a good game of dominoes, walking his dogs, talking sports, sitting on his deck with a view of the mountains, collecting ball caps and winning office betting pools.

Marian Ruth Martin (MED 73, BME 67) died in September of 2021. Marian Ruth was the choir director at Marshall Junior High in Clovis, New Mexico, with one of her choirs earning the honor of top junior high choir in the state during her career. She also served as the pianist and organist at First Baptist Church in Clovis for more than 40 years. After retirement, Marian Ruth lobbied to develop a wind farm to generate electricity, eventually resulting in the Martin Wind Project near Grady, New Mexico.

William (Billy) Pace (Attended) died May 21, 2020. Billy’s career was as a service technician for several propane companies over the years.

Married to Yvette Pace (BS 67) for 53 years, Billy served as a deacon at First Baptist Church in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Sherrye (McGuyer) Burleson (AA 68) died Aug. 7, 2021.

Sherrye had a 38-year career with Eastern New Mexico University, working in the Office of the Registrar for Ruth Wheeler, in the University Theatre Center under Dr. Lyle Hagan and with Duane Ryan at the KENW broadcast center. After a 15-year hiatus in which she worked for the family business, Sherrye returned to ENMU, working in Media Services in the Golden Library/ Golden Student Success Center,where she worked until her death.

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Jackie Vaughn (MA 68) died Aug. 16, 2021. He was a school teacher in New Mexico, first in Roswell and then in Carlsbad, teaching for 28 years at Carlsbad High School. After retirement, he also spent a few years teaching at the College of the Southwest campus in Carlsbad.

Anita McSorley (BS 69) died Sept. 23, 2020. Anita worked for the OntarioMontclair School District in Ontario, California, producing education support materials and games for teachers to use in their classrooms.

She was also a member of the National Association of Women’s Gymnastics Judges, officiating meets across Southern California, including volunteering for the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles, California.

Anita also worked part-time as a writer and editor for the Night and Day Guide entertainment magazine in California, publishing monthly feature articles. She returned to New Mexico in 1991 and became active in the New Mexico Quilters Association, with her works in fiber arts winning awards at local and national levels.

70s Bill Joy (MS 70) died Sept. 6, 2021. Anyone who was an athlete or athletic fan at Eastern New Mexico University from 1966 to 1991 at least knew Bill’s face, as he served as the school’s athletic trainer and assistant professor of health and physical education during that time. He was nationally certified by the National Athletic Trainers Association in 1973 and appointed to the New Mexico Athletic Trainers Advisory Board by former Gov. Toney Anaya for a six-year term. Upon his retirement, Bill was voted into the ENMU Athletics Hall of Honors. He was also instrumental in starting the tradition of the Burying of the Beef, part of the annual alumni barbeque weekend hosted by the ENMU Foundation each summer.

Steven Reid (BS 70) died Aug. 13, 2021. Steven worked as a geologist for Texaco in New Orleans, Louisiana, later founding Associates in Geology with fellow ENMU graduates Jimmy Goolsby (BS 70) and Danny Miller (BS 70). He was a consulting geologist with many operators but spent most of his years consulting with Yates Operating. Steven also operated wells with Vertex Operating before retiring in 2018. He had served as the president of the Wyoming Geological Association and was a board member of the Wyoming Board of Professional Geologists at the time of his death.

Jesse Porter (BS 71) died Oct. 4, 2021. Always referred to as “Judge Porter,” Jesse was elected District Magistrate Judge in Portales, New Mexico, in 1972 and served in that office until his retirement in 1999.

Many people sentenced to jail by Jesse later stated it was the best thing to happen to them, as they were prompted to straighten out their lives.

Dr. B.J. (Joe) Henderson (BS 73) died March 8, 2021. Joe was a practicing dentist in Hobbs, New Mexico, beginning in 1977. He was also active in athletics, both as a participant and sponsor for his two sons, driving them to soccer tournaments and enjoying the adventure.

Hellen Marie (Taylor) Daily (BSE 73) died April 18, 2021.

Hellen moved to New Mexico from Iowa in 1964 and earned a bachelor’s degree in education. She taught at Holloman AFB near Alamogordo, New Mexico, for 13 years before retiring in 1985.

Julie (Johnston) Groneman (BS 74) died Oct. 24, 2021.

Julie taught for 25 years at Washington Middle School and another eight years at Cibola High School, both in Albuquerque, New Mexico. She also served as a

union representative for the Albuquerque affiliate of the American Federation of Teachers.

90s Chase Gentry (BBA 92) died Aug. 31, 2021. Chase was well known in Portales as the owner of many different businesses, including traveling around New Mexico and Texas as the mobile D.J. “The Chaser,” making appearances at dances and events even while he was in high school. After graduating from ENMU, he worked for the Roosevelt County Chamber of Commerce and became the chamber director and economic development director in 1999. In 2002, Chase joined the Curry County Chamber of Commerce and was later named the executive director for the Clovis Industrial Development Corporation. During his tenure, he received the Dallan Sanders Economic Developer of the Year award two times and was pivotal in creating the Norman and Vi Petty Rock ‘n’ Roll Museum.

Gary Nunnally (MBA 75, BBA 74) died Sept. 23, 2021. Gary and his family traveled the world while working for Conoco, including heading the office in Singapore, in which he and the family toured southeast Asia. He drew on his travel experiences to write a suspense novel in his later years, titled “The Gambit.”

Timothy David Van Hecke (MED 80, BS 74) died July 25, 2021.

Timothy played for the ENMU baseball team during his time as a and later earned his master’s in education. He went on to be a teacher and coach, educating students and players in New Mexico and Texas for 40 years.

Cynthia Kaye Cornelius (BA 76) died in September 2021. Cynthia spent a 40-year career in social work before retiring from University of Texas Southwestern in April 2021. She was also a member of St. Paul United Methodist Church in Dallas, Texas, and was a co-founder of the Body and Soul Ministry, which has served the Dallas homeless population for 30 years.

Lucille Ortiz-Lawless (BA 77) died in August 2021. Lucille was an administrative aide to New Mexico United States Senator Harrison “Jack” Schmitt and later worked as a flight attendant for Eastern Airlines. She also managed a nightclub, “Julianas,” in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and owned and operated the Silverado apparel and home decor business.

Russell Baker (BS 93) died July 27, 2021. Russell was the academic and program director of Student Support Services at ENMU-Roswell, later working at New Mexico Highlands University in Las Vegas, New Mexico, as a supplemental instruction supervisor. He returned to ENMU-Roswell in 2015 to be the director of Student Support Services and director of the Student Success Center.

Carol (Washington) Fails (BBE 93) died Aug. 10, 2021. After receiving her degree from ENMU, Carol taught in New Mexico for several years and later worked for an accounting firm. She continued her accounting career after moving to Florida, where she retired.

Celina Brito (MED 82, BA 79) died Oct. 15, 2021. She spent her entire teaching career in Portales, New Mexico. As an active member of the San Miquel del Vado Catholic Church, Celina volunteered with the Altar Society. She and her husband Joe earned the Archbishop’s Saint Francis of Assisi Award for their work.

80s

Kathy Lopez-Medrow (BSE 94) died Sept. 21, 2021.

Kathy had a 25-year career with Clovis Municipal Schools and had previously worked for ENMU’s Office of Enrollment Services.

Wesley (Wes) Poteet (attended) died Aug. 28, 2021.

As a student at ENMU, Wes studied accounting and discovered his love of computers. As an IT professional, he spent a career specializing in mainframe systems support, putting in a 25-year career with IBM before retiring in 2016. Wes spent his later years volunteering at a radio station and singing in local chorales.

Todd Bailey (BS 96) died Oct. 31, 2021. Todd worked as a sports reporter and editor for many news outlets, including the Santa Fe New Mexican, Houston Chronicle, Kirkland Air For Base newspaper Nucleus and at his hometown newspaper, the Hobbs-News Sun. He was an award-winning journalist, even winning second place for columns in the New Mexico Press Association’s annual contest the day before his death.

Ed Pothul (BS 87) died Oct. 25, 2021. Ed had a love of sports and broadcasting that led him to work as a broadcaster for WSBS in Great Barrington, Massachusetts, starting when he was 15 years old.

After graduating with a degree in communication from ENMU, Ed began his professional broadcasting career in Brenham, Texas, working for KWHI, where he served for the rest of his life. He eventually became known as “The Sports Doc,” broadcasting many sporting events in the area.

Dr. Pat Rucker (faculty emeritus) died Aug. 1, 2021. Dr. Rucker joined Eastern’s faculty in 1976 and was a gifted actor, director and administrator. He served ENMU as chair of Theatre and Dance and as interim dean of the College of Fine Arts. Having directed many productions in Eastern’s old theatre, Dr. Rucker was a critical player in the design and construction of the University Theatre Center, completed in 1989.

Wanda Martinez (Staff) died Aug. 29, 2021. Wanda served as a teacher’s aide at Steiner and Lindsey elementary schools in Portales, New Mexico, before being named the accounts payable supervisor for ENMU Purchasing. After marrying pharmacist Manuel “Marty” Martinez, she owned a gift shop inside her husband’s pharmacy. Additionally, she served as a Pink Lady for the Roosevelt General Hospital Auxiliary.

Claudia Coon (MED 88) died Sept. 16, 2021. Claudia was an elementary school teacher and avid member of Kingswood United Methodist Church in Clovis, New Mexico, cherishing watching her students learn and grow.

Brian O’Niell (BS 88) died July 19, 2021. Brian coached the Cibola High School boys basketball team in Albuquerque, New Mexico, for three years, later working as an assistant coach at the University of New Mexico and Baylor University in Waco, Texas. He returned to New Mexico to be the deputy executive director of the New Mexico Sports Authority, a New Mexico State Tourism Department division. He also did color analysis for high school basketball broadcasts on Albuquerque radio.

CORRECTION H.G. “Johnny” Eastwood did not graduate with a BBA in 1988.

Similarly-named alumnus Johnny Eastwood (BBA 88) is currently a senior claims representative at AMERIND in Santa Ana Pueblo, New Mexico.

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