ENMU Green & Silver Magazine - December 2022

FROM THE PRESIDENT

Dear Greyhound Family,

What a wonderful time of the year we are entering, and how thankful I am that this last phase of my time at ENMU has been marked by such progress for our students and our ENMU System! Thankfully, I offer a few special recognitions.

First, grateful, festive evergreen wreaths to the New Mexico communities who supported the GO Bond “3” for higher education, funding infrastructure improvements for ENMU-Roswell, $9M toward a new Student Academic Services in Portales, and multiple projects around the state. We are grateful for this support.

Second, bottomless cups of hot chocolate for our alums, donors, and friends who support scholarships and so much more with their gifts, especially this time of year. With New Mexico’s Opportunity and Lottery scholarships and special funding for our campuses ably supported by our New Mexico legislators, ENMU can offer students the dream of higher education and the better future it assures.

Giant gingerbread reindeers to recruiters, staff, faculty, and community members at Roswell, Ruidoso, and Portales for enrollment increases this fall, particularly in teacher education and workforce programs. Our enrollment recovery required collaboration across campuses and communities, and I know those numbers will continue to grow. Thank you!

A ribbon of silver bells to everyone for navigating the Chancellor’s search with care, commitment, and courtesy. This leadership change means a new, dynamic direction for the ENMU System but the same commitment to student success, community engagement, and support for the work of faculty and staff who create that quality educational experience for our students.

Eastern green mufflers to all our ENMU students who inspire us with their curiosity, intelligence, and energy, support their peers in the classroom, athletic fields and concert halls, and build and treasure relationships with our faculty and staff. In the ENMU System, students are the reason for our being.

Sincere thanks to ENMU’s Board of Regents, the Foundation and Alumni Boards, the Administration team at Portales, branch presidents Shawn Powell and Ryan Trosper, and the entire ENMU community. I will never forget your generosity, support, and kindness over 42 years, especially these past 32 months.

Finally, to all readers and the entire ENMU Family, I wish joy, peace, health, friendships, and an abundance of opportunities for you for 2023. I look forward to seeing you in town and at ENMU events to thank you personally for all that your support has meant to me.

Gratefully,

Patrice Caldwell ENMU President

Reyne Telles Live!

Scenes From Reyne’s Career

Top left: Reyne helped arrange Austin, Texas, Mayor Lee Leffingwell’s appearance on ABC’s Jimmy Kimmell Live during Kimmell’s stay in Austin at the South By Southwest Music Festival in 2014. During a skit on the show, Leffingwell presented Kimmell with a key to the city.

Top right: Reyne with Guillermo Rodriguez of the Jimmy Kimmell show.

Bottom left: Reyne listens as Elizabeth Powell with Sanders\Wingo Advertising speaks about Austin ISD’s efforts to increase enrollment, at a national conference of The Council of the Great City Schools (CGCS), an organization for the nation’s largest urban public school systems.

Bottom right: Reyne with Austin ISD television producer Bobby Longoria (center) and executive producer Tiffany Saunders (far right) at the 2019 Lone Star Emmy Awards.

Opposite page: Reyne teaching students at Gus Garcia Young Men’s Leadership Academy in Austin, Texas, to tie their ties.

Crafting the Message for Fort Worth

At its core, the art of communication is about persuasion. To persuade, you must first inform, which is Reyne Telles’ (BS 94) goal as the first-ever Chief Communications Officer for the City of Fort Worth, Texas, the 13th-largest municipality in the country. The newly-created position represents a new direction for the city regarding interaction with the community.

“I really want to focus on how the city uses two-way communication to interact with Fort Worth residents, listening to their needs and questions,” Reyne said. “We’re trying to create an environment where residents can trust that they can come and give input. Sometimes it’s

tiny things, like how to create a municipal website that is easier to use.”

Prior to starting his role in Fort Worth, Reyne also worked for the City of Austin, the Austin Independent School District, and as a vice president and Public Sector Practice Leader with Cooksey Communications of Irving, Texas. After graduating from ENMU, he worked in local broadcast news in Amarillo, Texas, first as an executive producer at KAMR-TV and later as a political reporter at KFDA-TV. These positions trained him to boil down the complicated governmental and political issues into short, easy-tounderstand soundbites.

Not long ago, Reyne finished his Masters degree at the University of Texas at Austin Lyndon Baines Johnson School of Public Affairs. Attending classes on a campus with more than 50,000 students helped him realize how ENMU had been the right school to prepare him for this endeavor.

“As a first-generation college student, ENMU provided the academic guidance and financial support I needed to be a successful undergraduate student,” Reyne said. “ENMU also provided fundamental skills and experiences I believe I use to this day.”

With Cooksey Communications, Reyne worked with many municipal clients in Texas on communications audits, figuring out what is and isn’t working when it comes to informing the public about such things as bond elections, infrastructure messaging and other city needs.

While with the City of Austin, the 11th-largest city in the nation, Reyne earned recognition many times from the Texas Association of Municipal Information Officers for Best Media Relations and Best Social Media. His experiences include working for Austin Mayor Lee Leffingwell, who was nearing the end of his final term.

“It was supposed to be for a few months, and it ended up being much longer,” Reyne said. “I asked the mayor what

By Todd Fuqua

Courtesy Photo

(Telles, continued from Page 5) he wanted to focus on in his last two years in office, and he said he wanted to be ‘fun.’”

Being mayor of a major metropolitan city might not be fun to some, but Reyne did his best to achieve the mayor’s objective. Among the events he secured was an appearance for Mayor Leffingwell on Jimmy Kimmel Live. Kimmel brought his show to Austin for the South By Southwest Music Festival in 2014 and was given the Key to the City on the show; only after the mayor had trouble finding the exact key on a very large key ring full of keys.

With the Austin Independent School District, Reyne led communications efforts in support of 130 schools, serving more than 81,000 students. Among his accomplishments was the messaging about a successful $1.1 billion bond, the largest in Central Texas history by any public sector entity at the time.

“The school district was such a large entity. Though I tried, I knew I couldn’t possibly visit all the schools I was a spokesperson for,” Telles said. “That’s where I cut my teeth on the engagement portion of communication. If you don’t have the trust, people won’t pay attention to your messaging.”

Reyne is doing much more than writing press releases in his Fort Worth position. He has oversight of Legislative

Affairs and Educational Partnerships and oversees a team of like-minded professionals dedicated to creating an image of positivity and involvement with residents. That means he’s integral to city planning, funding and administration.

“It’s a hands-on position. That was the idea at inception, to have someone as a part of the decision-making process,” Reyne said. “It’s essential to have someone in there when tough decisions are made, so the message can reflect the reasons why.

Above: Reyne shares a moment with television personality and author John Quiñones at Dan Rather’s Austin home.

Below: Reyne with Fort Worth City Council members, officials and former mayors at a groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of new council chambers at Fort Worth City Hall in September.

“I’m glad I work with a team that understands the message crafted is important,” he added. “Whether that be information shared with employees, elected officials, partner school districts, other government entities, the public or the media. The message crafts perception. I see it as a big responsibility.”

Courtesy Photo

Courtesy Photo

Gigi Bella: Poetry In Motion

We may be far removed from the days of famous poets like Shakespeare, Poe or even Clement Clark Moore, writer of “The Night Before Christmas,” but don’t think for a moment that poetry is dead. Gigi Bella (attended) is here to avow poetry is alive and well. It’s so alive that she won several slam poetry titles, wrote a book, and travels the country and the world, perfecting her writing and performing.

“My book, Big Feelings, is a collection of my poetry, detailing two years of my life moving between Albuquerque and New York,” Gigi said. “It’s personal, talking about my Mexican heritage and coming through many struggles to the other side.”

The book was published in early 2020, and Gigi was set to do a book tour to promote it. That was before the COVID-19 pandemic hit and everything ground to a halt. Never one to give in, Gigi still did the tour.

“I did it virtually, hosting 120 shows from my house,” she said. “I found every opportunity I could to promote myself, reading for online poetry festivals and book clubs on Zoom. It was amazing when the world came back and we could all be together again.”

After moving to New York, an acquaintance invited her to a poetry slam, a competition in which the best poetry performances are named the champ. Initially, poetry slams were judged by random people from the audience. Gigi was part of a movement determined to make poetry slams respected, courting writers and performance artists to serve as judges.

Gigi was not new to poetry slams, as she had represented Albuquerque before her move. When she was done with her first one in the Bronx, she learned she qualified for the finals. Later, she was the poetry slam champ.

“I didn’t even know I was on the fast track to be a champion,” she said. “I had been in New York for a month, had just found a place to

stay and a restaurant job, and here I was in competitive poetry. It was so insane, I did it twice.”

Gigi learned much about herself in New York and literary poetry’s importance. She eventually returned to school in New Mexico and earned her degree online. She’s been a drama teacher and recently took a job as a customer service representative for Southwest Airlines.

“They’ve been wonderful,” Gigi said of the Southwest Airlines management. “It’s fantastic that they’re supporting my career as a performance artist. The job strikes a good balance in my life.”

It’s a job that will pay the bills while allowing her to travel far and wide for performances, including an appearance for ENMU students in October.

“I had 45 minutes and a big stage, and I packed it with as much as possible,” Gigi said of her show. “I went from reading poetry to having a live band with eight costume changes. It’s a big deal.”

Photo by Sante Guajardo

By Todd Fuqua

Photo by Sante Guajardo

Dr. Petrone, Shark Angler

Dr. Petrone, Shark Angler

By Todd Fuqua

While sharks might command absolute terror in many, they are an important subject of study for marine scientists off the coast of Long Island, New York, and ENMU professor Dr. John Petrone is among those assisting. He’s not a marine biologist, he’s an education professor, but he is an experienced angler and spends every summer on the water helping to reel in sharks for tagging.

“I was raised around water for much of my young life, growing up on Long Island,” Dr. Petrone said. “Several of my college friends from Long Island University, who were all marine science majors, became rather hard-core researchers in the field. I help them each summer.”

Among those friends is Greg Metzger, a science teacher at Southampton High School in New York and the chief coordinator for the Shark Research and Education program at the South Fork (SOFO) Natural History Museum and Nature Center. Also involed is Dr. Tobey Curtis, who is the lead scientist for the SOFO Sharks program and a researcher for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

When Dr. Petrone is on the boat, he always makes sure he wears an ENMU shirt while reeling in one of those big fish. Marine biology students from various universities are assisting them in their research, many of whom have never dealt with sharks up close. Dr. Petrone said it’s rewarding seeing them learn new things in this

Banner photo: Dr. John Petrone, left, reels in a shark as Greg Metzger, coordinator of SOFO Sharks, prepares to secure it. Top left: Dr. John Petrone touches a sandbar shark after reeling it in. Bottom left: Petrone and Metzger show off a juvenile dusky shark before release. Right: Stony Brook University Ph.D. student Brittany Scannell makes an incision on a shark to insert a tracking device.

exciting field. Species of shark they’ve studied are spinner sharks, sand tiger sharks, white sharks and others.

“Sometimes it’s the first time they ever see a shark, and their eyes are huge,” Dr. Petrone said. “As an educator, that’s what you want to see. It’s the ‘a-ha’ moment in real-time. I started wondering why we can’t have ENMU students participate in the shark research.”

Dr. Petrone connected with Dr. Ken Craddock, the ENMU Biology Department chair, to begin the conversation that could see Eastern students studying sharks on the high seas. It would require some grants or other funding, as getting students to the East Coast from New Mexico and out on the boat isn’t cheap.

It might take some time, but don’t be surprised if you start seeing a few more people on that boat sporting ENMU gear in the coming summers.

“It would be a dream come true if we could get ENMU students doing shark research on the Atlantic Ocean from a landlocked, Hispanicserving institution,” Dr. Petrone said. “It’s such an amazing experience and it’s so hard to describe it to someone who hasn’t seen it.“

Photos Courtesy John Petrone

Supreme Court Honors Retired Justice Edward Chávez

The state Supreme Court in Santa Fe, New Mexico, celebrated retired Justice Edward Chávez (BBA 78) by dedicating its robing room in his honor and publishing a commemorative volume of opinions he wrote during his 15 years as a member of New Mexico’s highest court.

The Edward L. Chávez Robing Room is where the justices gather before entering the courtroom to hear oral arguments in cases. Afterward, they return to the room to deliberate in its conference area.

“I appreciate the kind and generous gesture by the justices and am honored to have the robing room bear my name,” said Justice Chávez, who joined the Court in 2003 and retired in 2018. He served as Chief Justice from 2007 through early 2010.

“The robing room is where we don our robes to symbolize the independence of the Judiciary and a judge’s fidelity to the rule of law and equal justice for all,” he said. “The robe is also a reminder of the importance of civility and collegiality as we work together to uphold the constitutions and laws based on our own individual reading of the laws, unconstrained by political fear, fear for physical safety or other undue pressures, and uninfluenced by the status of the parties.”

The Court held a surprise informal dedication ceremony for the robing room in July. Justice Chávez was presented with a bound volume of some of the significant opinions he wrote. This volume and those in the future will be kept in the Supreme Court Law Library, the Supreme Court clerk’s office and at the law library of the University of New Mexico School of Law.

“In many respects, Justice Chávez not only contributed to the growth and maturity of the law in New Mexico, he wrote

the foundation of that law,” Justice Michael Vigil wrote in the book’s foreward.

Among the seminal opinions in the commemorative volume are those recognizing same-sex couples’ right to marry and nonEnglish-speaking citizens’ right to serve on juries in New Mexico. Other opinions include those that declared unconstitutional an exclusion of farm and rancher laborers from worker’s compensation coverage and recognized the right of same-sex partners to custody rights of adopted children. The volume includes about a fourth of the more than 200 opinions he wrote.

He said his favorite opinion in the volume was Moongate Water Co., Inc. v. City of Las Cruces, a 2013 decision that involved a utility and the issue of wrongful taking of property.

“I went to law school because a Vietnam veteran told me at ENMU about his dream to become a lawyer so that he could speak for those who could not speak for themselves,” the justice recalled. “I loved the idea and remembered that my grandparents were kicked off their property along I-40 near Clines Corners and I thought that would never have happened if grandpa and grandma had a lawyer. So I committed to trying to become a lawyer. I have told that story since graduating from law school in 1981 all the way up to 2013. Turns out I was wrong.”

While researching to write the Moongate opinion, Justice Chávez found two legal cases involving his grandparents – Enrique and Isabel Chávez – and the state’s highway commission. The couple won their cases at the trial court level and on appeal.

“They did have lawyers, and while the lawyers did not prevent them from being kicked off the land, they received compensation. I cited one of their cases in the Moongate opinion,” said Justice Chávez.

Members of the New Mexico Supreme Court with retired Justice Edward Chávez, center, and his wife in the newly-named Justice Edward L. Chavez Robing Room. From left to right: Justice David Thomson, Justice Briana Zamora, Chief Justice C. Shannon Bacon, retired Justice Chávez, his wife, Sandra, Justice Julie Vargas, and Justice Michael Vigil.

Photo Courtesy New Mexico State Supreme Court

Shop and Support Scholarships

ENMU.edu/Products

Eastern Sunset is a dry red wine with the flavors of dark cherry, raspberry jam, smoked plum and hints of black pepper and chile, produced by Enchantment Vineyard of Portales, New Mexico.

Greyhound Crunch popcorn and Enchanted Pistachios mix sweet, savory and spicy for unforgettable tastes! Produced by Heart of the Desert in Alamogordo, New Mexico.

The ENMU Victory Cookie is a spicy date with pecan creation made by Snugglecubs Cookies of Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Eastern Sunrise Wine is a sweet carbonated white wine with hints of peaches and honeydew from New Mexico’s Lescombe Vineyards.

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.

Greyhound Grind, a medium-dark blend with a great body and a long, sweet, chocolaty finish. Created by Red Rock Roasters of Albuquerque, New Mexico.

New EET-Renewable Energy Scholarship

ENMU’s Electronics Engineering Technology (EET)Renewable Energy Program is the beneficiary of an endowment established by EDF Renewables North America, a market-leading independent power producer and service provider with 35 years of expertise in renewable energy. On Oct. 14, representatives from EDF Renewables presented a $25,000 check to ENMU Chancellor Dr. Patrice Caldwell and toured the ENMU Electrical Engineering Labs. The new endowment will provide scholarships for ENMU students majoring in the EET program with an emphasis in Renewable Energy.

Pictured are (left to right) Dr. Sarbagya Ratna Shakya, assistant professor of Electrical Engineering Technology - ENMU, Dr. Hamid Allamehzadeh, Professor of Electrical Engineering Technology - ENMU; Kenton Martin, Project Development Manager - EDFR-DSP; ENMU Chancellor Dr. Patrice Caldwell; Johnny Garcia, Site Manager - EDFR-AO; Nathan Tarango (AA 17), Sr., Wind Technician - EDFR-AO.

More Than $3 Million in New Grant Money

Eastern New Mexico University has been awarded more than $3 million in new grant money to be used over the next one to three years with an additional $1 million in grant money pending for use in future years.

ENMU was awarded $749,976 over three years as the lead institution on a grant from the Department of Energy. Dr. Juchao Yan, professor of chemistry and chair of the department of physical sciences, has been awarded the grant for research on use of carbonyl as an infrared reporter for probing the nature of charges in donoracceptor type conjugated molecules. Grant partners include New Mexico State University and University of New Mexico.

This work is supported by the Department of Energy’s state and national laboratory partnership program.

The New Mexico Early Childhood Education and Care Department (ECECD) awarded a one-year early childhood education student success grant to Dr. Kathie Good, professor of special education and chair of the educational studies department in the amount of $308,000.

The New Mexico Public Education Department (NMPED) awarded ENMU a $2.135 million one-year grant for NMPED teacher residency to the College of Education and Technology. The grant was written by Dr. Lee Hurren, dean of the College, and Dr. Rebecca Davis, assistant dean.

“A benefit of attending ENMU is that students work with professors who are researchers and innovators in their fields,” said ENMU

President Dr. Patrice Caldwell. “These grants, and others in the pipeline, demonstrate ENMU’s commitment to seeking external funds to enhance university programs and opportunities for students.”

ENMU also has pending grants totaling over one million dollars including a National Science Foundation grant to enhance STEM project-based learning, an ECECD early childhood education and care higher education investment endowment and an ECECD grant in collaboration with the Kellogg Foundation.

2022 HOMECOMING HONOREES

Honorees at this year’s Homecoming breakfast were (L-R) Dr. Joel Sievers, with of Sievers Sports Medicine, Megan Hamilton, Barbara Pash, Dr. Dwight T. Pitcaithley, Dr. Gay Su Pinnell and Lori Roberts, representing her parents Bill and Marilyn Joy.

Philanthropists of the Year BILL AND MARILYN JOY

(Posthumously)

Bill Joy (MS 70) and his wife Marilyn created a lasting legacy of service to the university and community they loved, and included ENMU as a beneficiary in their estate.

The couple generously supported ENMU programs and scholarships. They established the Myrtle Joy Sports Medicine Scholarship, donated to Greyhound Club, Football, general scholarships, unrestricted support and made a significant gift to help build the new Greyhound Stadium.

They supported ENMU even in their estate plans by making ENMU a beneficiary of an insurance policy. This legacy gift established the new Bill Joy Scholarship for Student Athletes totaling over $147,000.

Business of the Year

For more than two decades, Dr. Joel Sievers and Sievers Sports Medicine have provided care for Eastern New Mexico University athletes, working closely with the training staff at ENMU. As the school’s honorary team doctor, Dr. Sievers has missed just four football games in 21 seasons.

He has also been present for numerous basketball and soccer matches in that time, both due to his profession and because his daughters Jenna (BS 17)

Volunteers of the Year MEGAN HAMILTON AND CASSIDY SELF

Megan Hamilton (BS 05) and Cassidy Self (BBA 07) assisted alumna Dr. Gay Su Pinnell (BA 66) of Columbus, Ohio, who purchased the Casa Del Sol in 2017 and worked to renovate the John Gaw Meem-designed home into an ENMU event center with guest apartments for dignitaries. That facility was dedicated in May.

Additionally, ENMU asked the sisters to design the new floor plan and interior for the Presidential Home, which needed repairs and updating. The University is excited to showcase the renovated property at annual picnics and gatherings at the home.

In 2018, the sisters opened the doors to Enchantment Vineyard, which produces world-class wines and Eastern Sunset red wine. Sales of Eastern Sunset benefit ENMU Foundation scholarships.

and Jaci Sievers (BA 20) both played for Eastern women’s soccer teams.

As a former All-American pole vaulter, Dr. Sievers also volunteers his time to coach pole vaulters at ENMU, Portales, and Clovis high schools.

Photo by Todd Fuqua

Distinguished service award

DR. GAY SU PINNELL

Dr. Gay Su Pinnell (BA 66), of Dublin, Ohio, grew up in Portales and became a world-renowned early childhood literacy education expert. She purchased the Casa Del Sol property south of the ENMU campus in October 2017, having fallen in love with the adobe-style home built in 1948 and designed by famous Santa Fe architect John Gaw Meem.

She employed Portales sisters, ENMU alumnae Megan Hamilton (BS 05) and Cassidy Self (BBA 07), to help renovate the property. They worked to stay true to the architect’s original aesthetics

while reconfiguring the space for ENMU to host all manner of events. The facility was dedicated on May 20, 2022.

In 2021, she donated $1 million for ENMU to expand a coteaching initiative with the Portales Municipal School District. In 2017, Dr. Pinnell’s grant of $310,000 to the ENMU Child Development Center, located on the Portales campus, expanded services to enhance hands-on learning and hundreds of new books and materials for the early childhood literacy library.

outstanding alumni award DR. DWIGHT T. PITCAITHLEY Educator Hall Of Honors Barbara Pash

Barbara Pash (BS 84) graduated from ENMU in 1984 with a Bachelor of Arts Degree. She also completed a Master of Arts Degree from New Mexico State University. Barbara earned a New Mexico Teaching License with an endorsement in Kindergarten through eighth grades.

Barbara taught Kindergarten and first grade for 25 years in Kirtland, New Mexico. She taught second and third grades in Farmington, New Mexico, for nine more years. As a teacher, Barbara was always cheerful, upbeat, and pleasant.

She taught in creative ways that held her students’ attention, adapting teaching materials, strategies, and lessons to meet all students’ learning needs. Barbara also constantly and consistently challenged all students to do their best and be their best. Her lessons often included hands-on learning, critical thinking, and problem-solving activities. Barbara is a New Mexico Level III teacher of the highest caliber.

An early interest in music at ENMU didn’t lead to a career in performance or education for Dr. Dwight T. Pitcaithley (MA 71, BA 70). Indeed, he didn’t finish a degree in either of those pursuits, but he did return to Eastern to pursue degrees in history and eventually embark on a public history career with the National Park Service (NPS), retiring in 2005 after holding the position of Chief Historian for ten years. In his 30-year career with the NPS, he served in Santa Fe, Boston, and Washington, D.C., where he focused on historic preservation and the interpretation of historic sites.

Following his retirement, Dr. Pitcaithley taught at New Mexico State University from 2005 until 2019. He is the author of numerous books and chapters in books dealing with slavery, civil rights, and historic preservation. Pitcaithley is the recipient of a Distinguished Service Award from the Organization of American Historians, and an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from the University of North Carolina.

ATHLETICS HALL OF HONORS 2022 INDUCTEES

A two-time Greatest Greyhound in 2015 and 2016, Lauren Frye (AA 17) helped lead the volleyball program to a 19-13 record in her senior campaign. That year, she was recognized with Lone Star Conference honors for the fourth time and earned AllAmerican and All-Region accolades.

BECKY MEEK LEWIS

LAUREN FRYE HEATH RIDENOUR

LUIS QUIÑONES

PATRICE CALDWELL

Luis Quiñones (BBA 13) started in 169 games for ENMU. The leadoff center fielder was known for his consistent bat and flawless defense. He did not commit a single error in his junior campaign and led the program with a .374 average and 66 hits.

Dr. Patrice Caldwell has called Eastern New Mexico University home for more than 40 years. Her service to the institution includes stints as an assistant professor, program director, dean, chief of staff, and chancellor. If you have attended an athletic event at ENMU, you likely have seen Dr. Caldwell sporting the Green and Silver.

LARRY CHAVEZ EARL DIDDLE

Becky Meek Lewis (BSE 88) was a member of the 1981 women’s NIRA National Championship team and the Southwest Regional Champion teams in 1980 and 1981. From 1998-2000, she served as the rodeo coach at ENMU. Lewis is a retired teacher of 27 years from Melrose Schools.

Heath Ridenour (attended) was a three-year starter who earned all-conference honors three times and was recognized as the d2football.com player of the week in 2002 when he led the school to a 37-34 win over Texas A&M-Kingsville. The 2002 squad finished with an 8-3 record, including a 27-16 win in the Wagon Wheel Game.

A three-time national meet qualifier in cross country, indoor track & field, outdoor track & field, and an All-District 7 Cross Country honoree in 1977, Larry Chavez (MS 87, BS 82) is a member of the New Mexico Activities Association Hall of Fame, New Mexico Track and Cross Country Coaches Association Hall of Honor and Rio Rancho High School Sports Hall of Fame.

As the men’s basketball coach for ten seasons from 1988-1997, Earl Diddle compiled a record of 156-124 for the second most wins for a coach in program history. During the 1992-93 season, Coach Diddle led the Hounds to a 23-7 record, winning the Lone Star Conference Tournament and advancing to the NCAA South Central Regional championship.

Women’s Rodeo Off to Good Start

After ENMU’s women’s rodeo team won the College Daze Rodeo at Lewis Cooper Arena in September, the Greyhounds had a pair of women with their sights on the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association (NIRA) Finals in Casper, Wyoming, this coming May.

Shacie Marr placed in the breakaway roping event at College Daze, while Greeley Eastep reached the short round in goat tying, but couldn’t she score any points.

The two achieved the same feats at the Clarendon College Rodeo in

By Todd Fuqua

Clarendon, Texas. Additionally, Quinn Leslie accumulated points in the breakaway.

According to coach Albert Flinn (MBA 70, BBA 68), Shacie and Quinn have the opportunity to get to Nationals with that start.

“We might have an outside chance to get four girls to Casper. It just depends on how three of those four girls do at the rest of the rodeos,” Albert said. “If we can get a full women’s team to Caspar, that would be a great achievement.”

Getting a full women’s team to Nationals is a challenge, given that ENMU is located in the Southwest Region with some powerhouse teams.

“This is one of the toughest regions in the NIRA, no doubt,” Albert said. “It’s a growing region, and the numbers are increasing more on the women’s side.”

For the men, freshman Reese Polk had a good time in steer wrestling at Clarendon, coming up just short of points.

Men’s Soccer is Back at ENMU

By Todd Fuqua

As the only NCAA men’s soccer program in New Mexico, the ENMU Greyhounds have both a challenge and an extraordinary opportunity, according to Head Coach Brandon Misuraca.

The challenge comes from re-starting a program after a two-year hiatus. The opportunity comes from being the only New Mexico university to offer scholarships and state-supported education for men’s soccer.

“When bringing back a program like this, everything is brand new,” said Misuraca, who came to ENMU from Panhandle State in Oklahoma. “We’re building relationships within the community and state, getting that buy-in attitude and filling the roster with talented players. We’ve had to do that all at once.”

Measuring the success of Misuraca and his team depends on your definition of “success.” The Greyhounds have a few things to celebrate, such as this September when they went without a loss and a 1-0 victory over Lone Star Conference rival Midwestern State, the No. 8-ranked team in NCAA at the time.

“The biggest thing is getting the program off to the right start. Right now, we’re trying to find the top talent, and we ultimately want to create a roster with 50 percent state-grown talent,” Misuraca said. “We had some objective and lofty goals.”

Misuraca is happy with players who buy into what he’s trying to do.

“It isn’t important to me where students are from, as long as they come in with a desire to work hard and represent ENMU and our state with pride,” Misuraca said. “It was a good first year, getting our feet wet and being hungry for more.”

ENMU Men’s Soccer Coach Brandon Misuraca, center, speaks to his team during practice this season.

ENMU Athletics

Shacie Marr is one of two ENMU rodeo Greyhounds with points from rodeos in the fall.

ENMU Athletics

Class Notes

People You May Know

88)

Richard Dealey (BBA 89) was appointed in May 2022 to the Board of Directors for Compass Minerals, headquartered in Overland Park, Kansas. A certified public accountant, Richard came to Compass Minerals from Pioneer Natural Resources, where he was president and chief operating officer of the oil and gas exploration and production company.

Michael Stephenson (BS 91) is the provost and senior vice president for academic affairs at Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas. He was named to the position in July 2021 after a nearly 20-year tenure at Texas A&M University, where he was vice provost for academic affairs and strategic initiatives.

Dennis Roch (BA 94) was named a distinguished service awardee by the New Mexico Activities Association in October.

Dennis is the superintendent of schools in Logan, New Mexico, and has been an assistant superintendent in Tucumcari, New Mexico, a teacher and coach in Texico, New Mexico.

Leo Lovett (MBA 10, BBA 97) is now the regional vice president at Pioneer Bank in Alamogordo and Ruidoso, New Mexico. Before the Pioneer Bank position, Leo was a community relationship manager, community bank president for U.S. Bank in Clovis, New Mexico, and a business banking manager for Wells Fargo.

Dr. Diane Kemp (MED 00, BS 97) won the Educated Adviser Award during the 2022 Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) conference in San Diego, California. Dr. Kemp is an FCCLA adviser at Texico High School in Texico, New Mexico.

Dr. Rana Johnson (MA 94) was recently named vice president of diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging at Kansas State University (KSU) in Manhattan, Kansas. She is the first-ever vice president in that field at KSU, slated to start her new position on Dec. 1. Currently, Rana is the associate vice president for inclusive excellence and strategic initiatives at Indiana State University in Terre Haute, Indiana.

Robert Smith (BS 01) discovered a unique way to entertain, creating “The Conjurer” fortune-telling machine and dispensing fortune cards and wisdom. Robert – who based The Conjurer on the Zoltar SpeaksTM machine from the 1988 movie “Big” –came up with the idea while building a magic act that could be booked across the country for corporate events, fairs and festivals. The Conjurer makes regular appearances at the New Mexico State Fair and has also appeared at county and state fairs across the country.

Wanda Newberry (AA 15) retired from her position in October as coordinator of Duplicating Services at ENMU after 25 years working for her Alma Mater.

Carlos Mendoza (BS

recently celebrated his 20th year with Abbvie Incorporated and Abbott Laboratories, currently serving as those companies’ rheumatology business specialist from their offices in Phoenix, Arizona.

Jill Vance Bukowski (BS 82) designed the Church Under the Bridge Troll balloon for the Baylor University Homecoming parade in Waco, Texas.

(Courtesy Photo)

Alumni and friends celebrated during the tailgate and Homecoming game at Greyhound Stadium. Pictured here are: (l-r) William Leger, Barbara LopezLeger (whose daughter, Brook Leger, is a member of the ENMU softball team), Michael Gallegos (BS 96), Alicia Flores-Gallegos (BS 97), Sophia Gallegos, Fred Cota (MS 98, BS 95).

(Photo Courtesy Robert Smith)

In September, Wes Cowen (BBA 98) took the national vice president of client success role with OneDigital, an insurance brokerage, financial services and human resources consulting firm located in Atlanta, Georgia. Prior to joining the national leadership team, Cowen held the role of vice president of consulting in OneDigital’s Atlanta market, leading the local consulting and analytics teams.

Tammy Chandler Hunton (MED 06, BS 01) retired in the summer of 2022 after a 20-year teaching and counseling career at Portales, New Mexico, schools. She’s returning to the schools to finish the year as a counselor at Valencia Elementary in Portales.

Bryan Hahn (MA 12, BFA 04) is the 2022 New Mexico High Education Art Educator of the Year, named by the New Mexico Art Education Association. Bryan was nominated for his contributions to higher education as the coordinator for the Runnels Gallery, located in the Golden Student Success Center.

Dr. John Garcia (BS 16) graduated from Meharry Medical College in Nashville, Tennessee, in May and is now an emergency medicine resident at the University of New Mexico Hospital in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

In August, Naeemah Reese (BSE 17) began as the school counselor at Dexter Elementary in Dexter, New Mexico. Before being hired at Dexter, she was a teacher at the Los Pasitos Learning Center in Roswell, New Mexico.

Austin Lucero (BS 18) completed his white coat ceremony in June on the UNM Campus in Albuquerque, New Mexico, officially making him a student at the UNM School of Medicine and will be graduating in 2024.

Jennifer Martinez (BA 19) is an associate attorney in the Trademark, Copyright & Advertising department of the law firm Foley & Lardner in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She provides clients with counseling, procurement and enforcement guidelines.

Jim

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Eduardo Rios (MBA 20, BBA 16) owns the Barbacoa Juárez restuarant in Albuqeurque, New Mexico.

Lucero (attended) is the Region 6 Representative for the New Mexico Economic Development Department, representing Chaves, Curry, De Baca, Eddy, Lea, Lincoln, Otero and Roosevelt counties.

Christy Waite (BS 12) has traveled far from her home state of New Mexico, landing at WHNS FOX Carolina TV in Greenville, S.C., as the morning anchor in August 2022. Before Carolina, Christy had been a reporter and anchor at stations in Albuquerque, New Mexico; Cheyenne, Wyoming; and Sherman, Texas.

Ken Wolske (MS 75, BS 71) and Carol Caudell Wolske (MED 87, BS 73) celebrate their 51st anniversary with family and friends on Dec. 23. They currently reside in Fort Worth, Texas.

(Courtesy Photo)

Class Notes In Memory

50s

Joe Ford (BA 50) died July 11, 2022.

Joe was a teacher in Aztec, New Mexico starting in 1954, but quit teaching to move into real estate. He founded Ford Realty in Aztec, Durango Realty and other brokerages in La Plata County, Colorado. He was also elected mayor of Aztec in 1964 and 1966.

Jack Murphy (BA 55) died Aug. 8, 2022.

Jack served in the U.S. Navy before starting his business, Tote, Inc., in Fort Worth, Texas, with his wife, Ladeane (AA 54). The couple owned the business for 26 years before retiring in 1995. Jack and Ladeane were ENMU Foundation Philanthropists of the year in 2007, having established five scholarships for ENMU students in business and marketing, agriculture, education, math and science, and music education.

Ralph Langston (MA 55) died Oct. 14, 2022. Ralph had a 30-year career coaching and teaching in public schools in Odessa, Texas.

Cecil Cook (BA 57) died Oct. 13, 2022. After serving in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War, Cecil returned to Portales, New Mexico, to finish his degree at ENMU, purchasing his first insurance company in 1960. He stayed in the insurance business until 1990 and later managed real estate properties. Cecil was a New Mexico State Legislator from 1968 to 1978 and was named a Distinguished ENMU Alumnus in 1971.

commenced a 40-year career as a musical instrument technician, eventually starting the businesses Caldwell Music and NTune Music. He became a master of woodwind repair.

A. Lynn Johnson (BBA 64) died Oct. 13, 2022. Lynn spent many years in retail management with Goodyear Rubber and Tire, Big O Tires and The Jewelry Works, and retired from JC Penney Home Store in Albuquerque, New Mexico, as the top regional salesman.

Mary Sumner-Tipps (BS 64) died Aug. 26, 2022. Mary taught in numerous schools across the United States as she moved with her husband, Ronald, during his many Air Force deployments.

Jimmy Ray West (BS 64) died June 25, 2022. Jim retired after a 25-year career of teaching public schools in Roswell, Mountainair and Clovis, New Mexico, having coached and taught industrial arts and driver’s education to many generations of students.

Richard Langford (BS 64) died July 4, 2022. Richard had a 48-year career, mainly in the computer systems field. He worked with Shell Oil, General Electric, Sperry-Univac, Associated Grocers, Tymshare Banking Systems, McDonnell Douglas Banking Systems, The Langford Search and Strategic Business Systems.

60s

Dr. Howard Conley (MED 64, BA 61) died Sept. 20, 2022. Howard took on a leadership role at Chandler High School in Chandler, Arizona, transforming it from a low-achieving school to one of the top 50 high schools in the U.S. He was named Superintendent of the Chandler Unified School District in 1991 and was later named Superintendent of the Year in 1996. Howard was named to the ENMU Educators Hall of Honor in 2012.

Tommy Evins (BME 62) died Aug. 17, 2022. Tommy taught music and directed bands in schools across eastern New Mexico and the Texas Panhandle, in addition to the music ministries of many churches he and his family attended. After 15 years in education, he moved to Odessa, Texas, and

Leona Faye

Ernest Conrad Turner (BBA 64) died Aug. 9, 2022. Conrad retired from Amoco after 33 years spent in Andrews, Odessa and Houston, Texas. He also umpired Little League baseball, junior high and high school basketball, and high school and small college football for the Houston and Permian Basin chapters of the Texas Association of Sports Officials.

(MED 70, BS 64) died Sept. 23, 2022. Before

Jon,

Gary Reed Myers (BS 65) died Jan. 11, 2022. During college and after graduation, Gary worked as a disc jockey for radio stations across eastern New Mexico and the Texas panhandle, later hiring on with IBM in 1969 to begin a four-decade sales career.

Purcell

retiring, Leona taught first grade at San Jon Elementary in San

New Mexico.

70s

90s

John Burke (BBA 70) died Feb. 22, 2022. John taught English while coaching football and track in Loving and Carlsbad, New Mexico, before entering into Christian ministry as an evangelist, traveling across the nation and internationally.

Mary Ruth Burns (MED 74, BA 72) died Aug. 30, 2021. Ruth taught in the experimental Early Childhood Bilingual Nursery School in Clovis, New Mexico. She later taught second-grade bilingual classes at La Casita Elementary School, the first bilingual program in the Clovis school system. In 2012, she published the book, “A Man Was a Real Man In Them Days, Pioneers of the Llano Estacado, 1860 to 1900,” using her mother’s interviews with first settlers.

Richard Olsen II (MED 77, BBA 70) died July 23, 2022. Before moving into administration, Richard had an 18-year teaching career in Clovis, New Mexico, and Canadian, Texas. He was an assistant principal in Dimmitt, Texas, and a junior high principal in Spearman, Texas, before settling at Edgemere Elementary School in Plainview, Texas, where he served as principal for nine years before retiring. He later found a new career with Central Plains Center mental health services and Tommy Lewis Industries before retiring a second time.

Robert F. Andrews (BA 72) died July 6, 2022. Robert opened Andrews Pueblo Pottery in Old Town Albuquerque, New Mexico, after graduating from ENMU and ran the business as an Old Town staple for 40 years. He also served as the Santa Fe Indian Market president for many years.

Rosemary Oswald (AA 73) died Aug. 9, 2022. As a Registered Nurse, Rosemary served more than 30 years in various specialties before retiring. Later, in Denison, Texas, she volunteered with the Denison Service League and worked for a nonprofit medical clinic.

Claudia Starr (BS 79) died Sept. 9, 2022. Claudia was a bilingual teacher in Morton, Texas, and Sacramento, New Mexico, before moving to her native California to teach and earn a Master’s degree. She taught for more than 19 years in Arvin, California, before retiring in 2001 and moving the Witchita Falls, Texas, to be closer to her children.

Lavonn Guthals (BS 91) died Aug. 24, 2022. She worked for the state of New Mexico Department of Social Services for 28 years, progressing to the senior supervisor position. After retiring, Lavonn was a medical social worker at Farwell Convalescent Center in Farwell, Texas.

Dana Martin Johnson (BS 91) died July 20, 2022. Dana had a multi-faceted career, serving with the United Way, West Texas Gas, Inc. and as Director of Marketing and Public Relations for the Springboard Center in Midland, Texas. She moved to Burnet, Texas, to work at Burnet High School and later was a social worker and investigator with the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services.

Phillip May (BS 98) died July 8, 2022. After serving in the U.S. Army, Phillip was an insurance agent for Aflac for more than 15 years.

2000s

Leah Burke (BUS 11) died July 9, 2022. Leah worked in retail in Portales, including as a Walmart sales associate for more than 10 years.

Dr. William (Bill) Wood (faculty) died July 27, 2022. Dr. Wood was a music professor for ENMU’s music department for 31 years, retiring in 1999. His specialty was Music Elementary Education, and he served in many capacities while at Eastern, including graduate coordinator and director of the School of Music. Dr. Wood is particularly noted for his direction of handbell choirs both at the university and in the community.

Dr. Nancy Warr (faculty) died Sept. 2, 2022. Dr. Warr joined the ENMU faculty in 1969 to teach American and British Literature, Renaissance and 17th-Century Literature. In 1988, she received the President’s Award for Excellence in Teaching and was named a Distinguished Faculty Emerita in 2007.

Dr. Candido Tafoya (faculty) died Sept. 28, 2022. After serving in the Korean conflict with the U.S. Air Force, Candido taught Spanish to high school and middle school students at Santa Rosa, Roswell and Carlsbad, New Mexico. He later taught Spanish and Literature at ENMU from 1970 to 1994, acting as an adjunct professor for several years after his retirement.

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