The ENMU Effect Alumni & Friends Making a Difference
Eastern New Mexico University Marks 75th Anniversary
Seventy-five years ago this June, Eastern New Mexico Junior College opened its doors to 145 students for its first summer session. Ten months later, the first graduating class marked a milestone in Roosevelt County’s and Portales’ long campaign to bring a college to its community.
FOUNDERS PICNIC-JUNE 28, 2009
Eastern’s 75th Anniversary Year will open with a Founders’ Picnic on Sunday, June 28, 2009. Beginning at noon, with the historical Administration Building as its stage and the beautiful campus as its backdrop, Eastern will host an old-fashioned picnic, with entertainment, dignitaries from around the state, tours of the historic sites on campus and plenty of visiting with friends and viewing of campus memorabilia. The event pays tribute to the community founders of the University who worked long and hard to win legislative support for locating the college in Portales.
YEAR-LONG CELEBRATION
All year long, Eastern will pay tribute to its “roots”—the growth of the University, the additions of its facilities, colleges and programs, the faculty who built these programs and the successful students they prepared and always the strong support of its community.
Each event of the academic year will recognize the people and the ideas that shaped the University’s mission and vision for its future. Homecoming, the traditional President’s Holiday Reception and special events sponsored by each college will showcase an aspect of Eastern’s history or pay tribute to one of its successes. Graduations in December and May will provide another opportunity to showcase the accomplishments of current and past students. The Anniversary Year also celebrates the 35th Anniversary of a jewel in Eastern’s crown, KENW, Eastern’s public broadcast station. Short historical “memories” of Eastern’s history are being prepared by the staff and students at KENW to air prior to and during this anniversary year.
NEW GREYHOUND FOUNTAIN
Finally, as a special recognition of the 75th Anniversary Year, the organizing committee will install a special commemorative sculpture in the newly renovated campus fountain located at the heart of campus. This sculpture, designed by the late sculptor, Barry Lambirth, will be cast by House Bronze in Lubbock, Texas and installed sometime during the anniversary year. The sculpture depicts three greyhounds in chase of their prey. The University is very grateful to the Lambirth family for their permission to use this beautiful model for this campus sculpture.
Eastern New Mexico University’s long partnership with the community of Portales and Roosevelt County is rooted in history but it remains as vital and active as its early history records. ENMU and its community can look forward to another successful seventy-five years. For additional “Anniversary Year” information, please visit www.enmu.edu/75Annniversary or contact Information Services at 575.562.2134.
Who Are Ron and Nell Bass?
You might think that Ron (BS65 MED68) and Nell Bass (MBE65) are a lot like other ENMU alumni. They became teachers, play golf and enjoy spending time with their Boston terrier, Bea. Like you, they also have fond memories of their years at ENMU. Ron remembers taking classes with Dr. Albert Bettina and Dr. Ralph Black in Industrial Education and Nell recalls the courses she took with Dr. Geraldine Ebert and Dr. Becky Sharp in Business Education.
SO, WHAT MAKES RON AND NELL UNIQUE?
For one, Ron and Nell made their first visit back to ENMU and Portales in January 2009 after being gone for 41 years. They were surprised at how familiar the layout of the campus was to them. Ron particularly remembered most of the buildings by name and function. Nell noted after touring the campus, “In talking with employees, who were also alumni, it seemed they had similar reasons for attending ENMU as we did.”
Second and even more unique, Ron and Nell Bass have remembered ENMU in their estate planning. Their will bequests their estate for ENMU Starter Scholarships and the University Fund. “For Mr. and Mrs. Bass to leave everything to ENMU is a remarkable tribute and gift,” states ENMU Foundation Director Noelle Bartl. “Alumni love ENMU and are grateful for the education, but most never take the steps to include ENMU in their estate plans.”
“We both received degrees in education from ENMU and have spent our entire professional careers in teaching,” stated Ron Bass. “We feel ENMU gave us the background for this opportunity. By providing a bequest to the ENMU Foundation, we feel it is a way of providing opportunities for ENMU students like those we have experienced.” Nell Bass added, “Our will specifies our funds are to be used for Starter Scholarships and the University Fund.”
“If other alumni are considering a bequest to the ENMU Foundation, we encourage them to make contact with the director, Noelle Bartl,” stated Nell Bass. “We had a desire to do a bequest but had many unanswered questions. Ms. Bartl has been most helpful.”
And finally, even though they were both graduates of ENMU, Ron and Nell did not know each other until they were teachers in Hobbs, New Mexico. They have been married almost 42 years and currently live in Austin, Texas. Nell is retired from teaching business subjects for 30 years, and Ron teaches computer science at Austin Community College. “It seems it is a small world. We have met several other ENMU graduates in Austin,” said Nell.
“Updating a will is a lot of work and there are many details to attend to,” added Ron, “However, once the process is done it is satisfying to know that you will have a part of making an education at Eastern a possibility for others. Maybe it will change future students’ lives as it has ours.”
New Weight Room Equipment
All students at ENMU benefit from a strong athletic program and excellent facilities. An integral part of the athletic experience for all sports is conditioning and training. Without strength conditioning, our athletes would be prone to injury and be unable to perform well in competition. Currently, athletes share the Max Pac facility with other students and the public. They are using aging equipment, and the student athletes are locked into taking shifts to utilize the current facility available to them.
Our goal is to build a new facility and fill it with $200,000 worth of appropriate equipment that athletes can use for weight training and conditioning. This would resolve the competition for the Max Pac, free time for the general student population and general public to work out and improve the overall conditioning of our athletes for game time. The legislature has made an initial appropriation for the construction of the building. We are asking you, as friends and donors, to support the $200,000 campaign for fitness equipment and installation. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to properly furnish the facility for our current athletes and generations of athletes to come.
Support the Sciences Campaign
The Science Building was opened in 1949, the same year the University’s name changed from Eastern New Mexico College to ENMU. Renovation and expansion was completed in 2008. Construction costs of approximately $10.5 million were funded by a 2004 G.O. Bond approved by voters, New Mexico state general funding, U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) grants and ENMU auxiliary bonds.
The larger portion of the former building was gutted and completely renovated. The back portion consisting of chemistry laboratories is new construction, adding 33% additional space. The building includes three classrooms; one which is 2,200 square feet, used for large science classes and two which are 1,100 square feet each, used for moderate-sized science classes. The new facility will allow students to benefit from advances in biochemistry and molecular biology, including vast improvements in scientific instruments and safety features.
The Athletic Depart-
ment is an integral part of the educational endeavor at Eastern.
While the Science Building renovation and addition are complete, we need funds to equip the new labs with up-to-date balances, pH meters, spectrometers, centrifuges and other scientific instruments. Your gift now can help Eastern deliver the kind of quality scientific education required in a world that is increasingly technologically complex. Solutions to problems we face now and in the future will require citizens with enough scientific knowledge to make the tough decisions we may face. Supporting the sciences now will help us solve environmental and technological challenges.
Approximately
400 athletes are active members of the intercollegiate teams of football, basketball, baseball, softball, soccer, volleyball, track and field, cross country and rodeo. In addition, non- athletes frequent the athletic facilities to participate in an active intramural program, classes in our HPE program and to work as trainers, assistant student coaches and student hire staff in the offices.
Please consider a
“Hall of Famer” level pledge of $5,000. Major gift donors will be able to fulfill this pledge over two or three years. A two-year pledge of $5,000 would be $208.33 per month or a three-year pledge would be $138.88 per month. Automatic bank draft or credit card billing is available upon request. Other levels such as $2,500 or $1,000 are also available at these significant major gift levels with complimentary gifts, plaque, honorary coach invitation, etc. provided.
Talent is always going to be an important part of the mix for success in NCAA Division II athletics, but a positive environment and exceptional facilities can make a world of difference also. Being a student athlete at ENMU means hard work, balancing busy schedules and consistently competing at a high level. A lot is asked of these students. The facilities and equipment ENMU athletes use must be up to the challenge. Together, you can help us purchase the quality fitness equipment needed to strengthen and benefit our athletes for many years. For more information about the benefits of giving at this significant level and multi-year pledge payment options, please call Noelle Bartl, executive director of the ENMU Foundation at 575-562-2412 or toll free at 888-291-5524.
Nominations for the Educator Hall of Honor Requested
The preparation of outstanding educators has been central to the mission of Eastern New Mexico University from its authorization as a normal school in 1927 and founding as a junior college in 1934 through its development into the state’s premier comprehensive university today. Education graduates from ENMU long have exemplified professional excellence throughout the state of New Mexico and beyond. Today’s education graduates continue the traditions of excellence established by their predecessors and are eagerly sought for the quality educational experiences they can provide.
Eastern New Mexico University, the College of Education and Technology, and the ENMU Foundation are pleased to announce that nominations for the Eastern New Mexico University Educator Hall of Honor now are being accepted. The purpose of the Educator Hall of Honor is to celebrate education alumni who have demonstrated distinguished professional accomplishments, exceptional character and commitment to community service. Inductees will be noted for their long-term talents to impart knowledge, inspire a willingness to learn and instill confidence in the classrooms, schools or agencies to which they contributed. Last year, eight notable educators from throughout the nation were inducted into the Hall of Honor.
Nominees selected for membership in the Eastern New Mexico University Educator Hall of Honor will be recognized at a formal induction ceremony to be held in conjunction with Homecoming. Permanent recognition will consist of a photograph and plaque placed in a prominent area in the Education Building as well as an on-line version to be placed on the College of Education and Technology and ENMU Foundation Web sites. Inductees will receive a duplicate plaque as well as other materials from the induction ceremony. Individuals wishing to nominate alumni for the
Donors at the following levels will be acknowledged by a plaque placed in the Science Building:
• Platinum (Pt) level-$10,000 or more
• Gold (Au) level-$5,000-9,999
• Silver (Ag) level-$1,000-4,999 Copper (Cu) level-$100-999
For additional information or to make your contribution, contact Noelle Bartl, executive director of the ENMU Foundation at 575-562-2412 or toll free at 888-291-5524.
What Your Gift Will Buy
$ 100 $ 1,000
$ 5,000 $10,000
magnetic stirrer, bunsen burner or buret electronic top-loading balance, digital pipettor set, electrophoresis cell or pH/ISE meter
tabletop centrifuge or microscope
rotary evaporator, UV/Vis spectrophotometer, lab freezer or incubator
Larger gifts will help us fund major instrument purchases of up to $250,000, such as an NMR spectrometer or Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS) unit.
Eastern New Mexico University Educator Hall of Honor begin by completing a nomination form available on the College of Education and Technology or ENMU Foundation Web sites (www. enmu.edu/friends/foundation/education-nomination.pdf) as well as from the ENMU Foundation and College of Education and Technology Dean’s offices. Additional supporting material addressing the following selection criteria also must be submitted by the person making the nomination and, if possible, from other individuals having knowledge of the nominee’s accomplishments:
1. Alumnus/a (living or deceased) of ENMU who earned any level of an education degree (bachelor’s, master’s, and/or education specialist).
2. Has a long and distinguished career in education, retired or not.
3. Professional accomplishments, exceptional character and community service should be verified by testimonies identifying talents to impart knowledge, inspire a willingness to learn and instill confidence in students.
4. Candidates may be nominated from private or public school careers; as classroom teachers, administrators or counselors; and from primary, elementary, secondary or higher education levels.
All nominating materials must be submitted to the dean of the College of Education and Technology and postmarked by June 6, 2009. Selections will be made by a committee consisting of ENMU administrators, faculty and staff; emeritus faculty members; and ENMU Foundation personnel. Educators often work in relative obscurity and seldom receive recognition commensurate with their contributions to the lives of others and to society as a whole. The Eastern New Mexico University Educator Hall of Honor is one means of beginning to provide the much deserved recognition that outstanding educators have earned. Please take the time to nominate a deserving educator for this distinction.
ENMU Foundation Board Members ENMU Homecoming October 26, 2008
Front Row (l-r): Steven Gamble, Thurman Elder, Patrice Caldwell, Van Ragsdale, Nikki Kull, Al Bettina, Renee Neely and Janie Moberly
Middle Row (l-r): Scott Smart, Ray Hammond, Charles Britton, Fran Redinger, Steve Doerr and Melveta Walker
Back Row (l-r): Buck Wilson, Gene Walker, Ron Holcomb, Jo Nell Brooks, Lee Black, Duane Ryan and Larry Combs
ENMU Grad Investigates Unsolved Murder in New Book
“…a meticulously researched book that gets as close to the truth as we are likely to get. Moore’s narrative is more than just a rehash of an old case; it is a graphic snapshot of life in Las Cruces after World War II.”—Tucson Citizen
“…for people unfamiliar with the case and those who want a wellresearched look at the crime and its aftermath, Cricket in the Web delivers the goods.”—Santa Fe New Mexican
Inthe early hours of March 31, 1949, after a long night of drinking in downtown Las Cruces, New Mexico, Ovida “Cricket” Coogler climbed into a car never to be seen alive again. The disappearance of
the eighteen-year-old waitress sparked a grand jury investigation that resulted in the ousting of a sheriff, the murder accusation of a professional football player, the downfall of political officials involved in an illegal gambling network and others for morals allegations.
Author Paula Moore’s (AA64) exhaustively researched account of the Cricket Coogler case, Cricket in the Web: The 1949 Unsolved Murder that Unraveled Politics in New Mexico, marks nearly sixty years since this unsolved crime and corruption occurred. In her research, Moore used accounts of El Paso Herald-Post reporter Walt Finley (nominated for a Pulitzer Prize for his coverage) and scoured archival court documents. Moore also interviewed people who were in Las Cruces at the time (including some who worked downtown in close proximity to Coogler) and uncovered FBI files and previously unseen videotaped interviews with suspects and others close to the case. “I was occasionally warned to be careful when writing this,” recounts Moore, “as if some retaliation might be expected. More than one person asked specifically that I not use their names. A few refused person-to-person meetings or even brief phone conversations.”
Cricket Coogler was a spirited young party girl who invariably wore clicking high heels. She had a reputation for maintaining relationships with power brokers and probably knew about the vast gambling networks around Las Cruces and the US-Mexico border. Sheriff “Happy” Apodaca’s investigation into Cricket’s death brought sleepy Las Cruces national attention in Time Magazine and the New York Times. Marred from its late beginning on April 6—a full week after Cricket had gone missing—the investigation’s delay drove speculation of a cover-up, and Apodaca’s reputation for womanizing, gambling, and other misuses of power incited suspicion of him. Seventeen days later on the eve of Easter Sunday, young rabbit hunters found Cricket’s body badly decomposed in the desert twelve miles south of Las Cruces. Apodaca and Pittsburgh Steeler Jerry Nuzum, in town for the college spring semester, were asked why they had taken off for Albuquerque the afternoon of Cricket’s disappearance and how they knew her.
This new book revisits a longtime mystery of the southern New Mexico desert for a fascinating account of true crime, political intrigue, and a girl too young to die. Arguably twentieth-century New Mexico’s best-known unsolved case and a source of fascination for more than fifty years with its elements of rough sex, politics and payoffs, and unforgettable characters that some people are still afraid to talk about, Cricket in the Web takes readers into the wild, sometimes lawless atmosphere of 1949 New Mexico.
Paula Moore, a native of eastern New Mexico, is the former executive assistant to the president of New Mexico State University. Her short stories and poetry have appeared in several literary journals, and her first book, One Man’s Word, won the 1989 New Mexico State University Book Award. She holds a master’s degree in English from NMSU and an M.F.A. from Warren Wilson College in Swannanoa, North Carolina. Since 1974, she and her husband have lived in Doña Ana County in southern New Mexico. Cricket in the Web is available at bookstores or directly from the University of New Mexico Press. To order, please call 800-249-7737 or visit www.unmpress.com.
Dr. Donald Bailey Receives Texas Choirmaster Award
Dr. Donald Bailey (BME65, MA66) was recently presented the Texas Choirmaster award, the most prestigious award given by the Texas Choral Directors Association. The award is the highest honor given by TCDA and is given to a person who has “exhibited unparalleled leadership in the choral field and is a consummate conductor and musician.” Dr. Bailey served as Director of Choirs at ENMU in 1966-67.
Dr. Donald Bailey recently retired as the Director of Choral Activities and the Mary Gibbs Jones Professor of Music at Baylor University, where he conducted the A Dr. Donald Bailey
Cappella Choir, Chamber Singers, Choral Union and taught choral conducting. He was also the music director and conductor of Schola Cantorum of Texas from 2002-2007. His choirs have appeared with the Rochester (NY) Philharmonic Orchestra, the Buffalo (NY) Philharmonic, the Phoenix (AZ) Symphony Orchestra, the El Paso (TX) Symphony Orchestra, the Lubbock (TX) Symphony Orchestra and the Orchestra of Santa Fe (NM). His choirs have sung three times for the American Choral Directors Association National Convention as well as six times for the Texas Music Educators Association. Other appearances included the New York State School Music Association, the Arizona Music Educators Association and the Music Educators National Conference. Prior to coming to Baylor University in 1993, he held similar positions at Arizona State University, Texas Tech University, Houghton College and Eastern New Mexico University. He received his Bachelor of Music Education summa cum laude and Master of Arts in vocal performance degrees from Eastern New Mexico University and his Doctor of Arts in conducting from the University of Northern Colorado. In 2000, the University of Northern Colorado named Dr. Bailey an “Outstanding Alumnus” for his contributions to music. Particularly active as a guest conductor and clinician, he frequently appears as an All State Clinician having conducted All State Choirs in Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, Montana, New Mexico, New York, Tennessee, and Texas. He has appeared as a guest conductor at both Carnegie Hall and Avery Fisher Hall in Lincoln Center. An active composer, Dr. Bailey is represented by Alliance Music Publications and Gentry Publications.
In its 53-year history, TCDA has only awarded the Texas Choirmaster Award to ten conductors. Donald Bailey joins the ranks of Euell Porter, Frank McKinley, Lloyd Pfautsch, Charles Nelson, Gene Kinney, B. R. “Bev” Henson, Hugh Sanders, James A. Moore and Kenneth Fulton as a recipient of TCDA’s prestigious Texas Choirmaster Award.
Dr. Alexander Named 2008 Family Physician of the Year
Dr. Lonnie Alexander of Portales was named the 2008 Family Physician of the Year by his peers. He received the award during the New Mexico Academy of Family Physicians’ annual family medicine seminar in Taos. Alexander, a family practitioner with a specialized emphasis in obstetrics and gynecology, has been practicing medicine in Portales since January of 1986. “It is a great honor to be selected for this award,” Alexander said. “I highly respect the physicians that have won this award before me and to be placed in their company means a lot to me.” Recipients of the award are nominated by other NMAFP members, said board chair Lana Wagner.
Alexander was nominated by Joel Sievers, a doctor of sports medicine in Portales. “Lonnie embodies what a family physician should be,” Sievers said. “I have had the privilege of knowing Lonnie for seven years and the honor of working with him for five years.” Sievers said he admires Alexander for his determination to continue to provide service when Portales was without a hospital. “Many of the doctors left Portales, but he continued to see patients. Many times he was there late at night providing care for the patients, but he never turned anyone away,” Sievers said.
A New Mexico native who grew up in Espanola, Alexander attended Eastern New Mexico University for undergraduate studies in 1972. He graduated from medical school at the University of New Mexico in 1982 and served his residency in Colorado from 1982-1985. He has been an associate faculty member of UNM’s Department of Family Medicine since 1986.
Dr. Stuart Lacey Gives Conjoined Twins Separate Lives
from The Arizona Republic by John Faherty, Jan. 18, 2009
Dr. Stuart Lacey (BS76) stood over the table and looked down at the boys. The operating room at Phoenix Children’s Hospital was a blur—nurses draping the patients, anesthesiologists monitoring their vital signs and scrub techs checking equipment. Lacey stood still, saying goodbye. In the five months since Alex and Angel Mendoza’s birth, their bodies fused together below the chest, Lacey had come to love them, slipping into their room just to hold them. But, he had to put that aside, disassociating himself from his feelings. His wife calls it “when his veil comes down.” Alex and Angel were no longer babies he loved but patients, and he had work to do. In May 2008, Ashley Frank went to her doctor’s office for an ultrasound to find out the sex of her baby. The technician told her she was having twins. A few moments later, he went to find a doctor. Conjoined twins are created when a fertilized egg, on its way to becoming identical twins, fails to split completely. Typically, identical twins divide within a day of conception. Conjoined twins’ incomplete split usually happens about two weeks later. Where the split stalls defines the resulting anatomies. The condition is rare. Statistics claim fewer than one in 200,000 live births are conjoined twins with prognosis usually not that good. Only 35 percent of those born survive the first day. Lacey was there in Aug. when Alex and Angel were born, strong and healthy. They had two beating hearts and four healthy lungs with the proper number of kidneys and bladders, arms and legs. They cried loudly. But the news was not all good. Alex and Angel were joined from their chests all the way to their bottoms. Their pelvises, phalluses and livers were each fused. Their kidneys did not function ideally, their lower intestines were entwined and their hips were splayed at bad angles. Lacey knew that separating the two boys would be complicated, but he knew he could do it. Surgery began at 7:30 a.m. At 10:48 a.m., the surgeons separated the boys’ combined phalluses and rebuilt one for each boy, leaving each with his own urethra. For two hours, the methodical beep of the boys’ heart monitors beeped in unison. At 12:15 p.m., the boys were re-draped and repositioned. Dr. Lacey began to cut following Alex and Angel’s twisted contours through skin and muscle. At 1:09 p.m. came the next step, the livers. Stuart Lacey is 54. His flat, country voice reveals a childhood spent in Portales, N.M. He makes jokes about his height, which is lacking, but not about his skill as a surgeon, which is not. Lacey had never before separated conjoined twins. But he had experience doing each of the things he needed to do. The operation had a master plan. Ten other doctors would complete parts of the procedure. Lacey as head surgeon, would be involved in all of them, in and out of the room all day. Months of preparation, ultrasounds and X-rays could not show the doctors every problem they might find once the operation began. Lacey made the fine cuts into the livers. The organs looked healthy with some shared tissue. The two began to separate. Lacey spent more than 90 minutes untangling their lower intestines. The urologists returned to work on the boys urinary tracts. Ten hours into the operation, Lacey got a good look at the bladders and kidneys where he found a surprise. Even before the boys were born, Lacey knew they would be a lot of work. But he didn’t foresee how he would be so taken by them. Lacey has four children, all boys. He is also married to an identical twin, and works every day with her sister. That may explain some of why he fell so hard for the boys. The rest is what he calls their captivating personalities. When they were born by Caesarean section, Alex and Angel were facing each other. Lacey was struck by how the brothers started caring for each other on their very first day. Later, he would stand over their crib watching them. When Alex began to cry, Angel raised his tiny hand to rub his brother’s tear-stained cheek. But on the day of the surgery the veil would come down. Only when they saw inside the boys did doctors see what was wrong. It was known there are four kidneys and they drained into bladders. What they did not know was one of Alex’s two kidneys drained to his own bladder and the other to Angel’s. Angel’s kidneys were the same way, their systems shared and confused. Lacey and the other doctors decided to cleave each bladder in half—and swap the halves so each set of kidneys aligned. Then they would stitch the halves back together. It was an improvisation, but it worked. At 7:21 p.m., it was time to begin the final separation. There were 17 doctors, nurses and technicians in the room. Lacey started cutting the last bits of bone and soft tissue that were connected. Another operating table was waiting. At 7:48 p.m., Dr. Lacey made the final cut. Ten minutes later Alex and Angel were on separate tables. Hours of work remained. The urologists started again on the reconstruction of the boys’ bladders and phalluses. At 1 a.m., the boys were brought back to the NICU where they were stable, slept and began to recover There will be more surgeries ahead, more reconstruction and rehabilitation. Lacey suspects their hips and pelvises and urinary systems will pose challenges, but knows not to what extent. Most of Lacey’s work with the boys is complete, their care now in the hands of neonatologists. At a press conference, a television reporter asked Lacey how normal the babies will be when they grow up. “They have normal bodies and abilities from the chest up,” Lacey said. Then he allowed the veil to lift, his feelings for the boys to return. “They have marvelous personalities. So in the most important ways, they will be fine.”
Dr. Stuart Lacey
Eastern sponsored a hot air balloon in last year’s Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. The “Avoid Soaring Tuition” slogan for Eastern’s balloon was suggested by Stephanie McClary who went up in the balloon. The design of ENMU’s message was created by Casey Gregerson, ENMU graphic designer.
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Clovis Banker Sworn in as ENMU Regent by Argen Duncan, Portales News-Tribune
A Clovis banker has joined the Eastern New Mexico University Board of Regents. At the regents meeting on Jan. 21, 2009, in Santa Fe, Randy Harris, president of the Bank of Clovis, was sworn into his new position on the board, according to ENMU President Steven Gamble. Harris is a longtime Clovis resident and past president of the Committee of 50, an organization that supports Cannon Air Force Base.
“I think Regent Harris will be a great addition to our Board of Regents,” Gamble said. “The financial expertise he brings as a bank president will be very valuable to
Regent Randy Harris Eastern New Mexico University. The fact that Regent Harris is respected throughout the state for his work with Cannon Air Force Base is another plus.” Gov. Bill Richardson appoints regents, and the state Senate ratifies them, Gamble said. He said Richardson chooses people he believes are familiar with the community, will take the job seriously and will help the school.
Regent President Pauline Ponce expressed appreciation of Harris’ appointment as well. “We’re very pleased that he’s come on board as one of our regents,” she said. Ponce said Harris’ financial expertise would help as the regents looked over ENMU’s budget in current difficult economic times. She has appointed him to the Audit and Finance Committee.
ENMU Grad Chosen as New NMSU-Carlsbad President
Russell Hardy, the former campus finance officer at New Mexico State University Carlsbad, has been named the new NMSU Carlsbad president.
Hardy has worked at NMSU Carlsbad since Jan. 4, 2000. He worked as associate professor of business and division coordinator of business, foreign languages, humanities and social sciences during his tenure. “I’m excited about the prospect and look forward to new opportunities for NMSU Carlsbad and the surrounding community,” Hardy said. After receiving his tenure in June 2004, Hardy worked as the campus finance officer. He was responsible for the financial, facility, auxiliary and information technology functions of the campus.
Hardy was raised in Hobbs, N.M., and received an associate’s degree in business and automotive technology from New Mexico Junior College in Hobbs. He also received a bachelor’s degree in business management from West Texas State University in Canyon, Texas and a master’s in business administration from Eastern New Mexico University in Portales, N.M. Hardy is a Certified Management Accountant (CMA).
Before joining NMSU Carlsbad, Hardy was an ASE certified master auto technician and worked as a full-time auto technician at dealerships in Hobbs, N.M. and Amarillo, Texas. He also worked as a service manager at dealerships in Tulsa, Okla. and Hobbs. In 1994, Hardy became a professor of business and automotive technology at New Mexico Junior College, starting his career in education. “I got a call from a former professor asking me to teach a class,” Hardy said about the beginning of his career in education. “It happened by circumstance.”
Hardy lives in Carlsbad with his wife Kerry and their three children Colton, 14, Mason, 11 and Raegan, 8, where he is a board member of the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce and is a board member and treasurer of the Carlsbad Community Development Corporation.
In 2008, President-elect Barack Obama visited with ENMU grads at the home of Deborah Sawyer in Ohio. Pictured are (l-r): Ricky Redmond (family friend); Deborah M. Sawyer, president of Environmental Designs International, ENMU M.S. microbiology major (1982); Betty Pride Sawyer, mother of three ENMU grads: Leslie, Deborah and Gregory; William Berkely (family friend); President Barack Obama; Leslie Joy Sawyer, ENMU M.A. communication major (1982), Ohio Commission on Higher Education; and Dr. William Gregory Sawyer, ENMU M.A. communication major (1978), Vice-President for Student Affairs at California State University Channel Islands.
ENMU Grad Receives Honorary Degree from Medical School
by Mickey Winfield, Portales News TribuneAs much as J.W. Carmichael (BS61) hates traveling, he hates publicity even more. But the Dora High School and Eastern New Mexico University graduate got a little of both sprinkled with a pinch of recognition from Meharry’s Medical College in Nashville, Tenn. Meharry’s presented an honorary degree to the Xavier University chemistry professor and pre-med program director late last fall as part of the medical school’s 133rd convocation. Meharry’s credits Carmichael for sending many African-Americans into the medical field. “I get credit for what other people do, to be honest,” Carmichael said. “I really don’t care about the award, but I do appreciate the recognition for the school.”
The 68-year-old Roosevelt County native has been the pre-med advisor at Xavier University since 1970. According to the Xavier Web site, the predominately black college has sent more African Americans into medical school than any other college in the country over each of the past 15 years, including dental, doctoral and other health programs—and Xavier credits Carmichael for that success. “Carmichael’s close contact with and guidance of his pre-med students have contributed much to Xavier’s success,” according to Xavier’s Web site.
As valedictorian of his 13-person class at Dora in 1967, Carmichael received a $50 scholarship from Eastern New Mexico University—good enough to pay much of his tuition. He graduated with a double-major in math and chemistry. “I was so thankful to get to go to college,”
Carmichael said. Carmichael has also received the National Professor of the Year award by the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education, the Charles A. Dana Foundation award for his innovations in teaching science and the Harold W. McGraw Jr. prize in education. “I guess I just really care for the students,” Carmichael said.
More Ways YOU Can Help ENMU
As 2009 begins, many pause to review, reflect and plan. Thoughtfully addressing your charitable giving priorities will ensure you have accomplished your charitable goals. Remember that time spent deciding what, when and how to best make your gifts can result in maximum tax savings and other financial benefits. Your accountant or other advisor can provide you with more information specific to your needs.
Enjoy Tax Savings
The amount and timing of your charitable gifts are totally within your control. This is why each year millions of Americans take advantage of the opportunity to make charitable gifts while also reducing their tax liability. For example, if you itemize your taxes and are in the 25% tax bracket, a donation of $1,000 offsets your income on the federal return resulting in a tax savings of $250. For New Mexico alumni, this figure would save an additional 5% in taxes which equates to $50. In the end, a $1,000 donation would cost you only $700 while at the same time changing the lives of ENMU students.
Give From Your IRA
If you are over the age of 70½, you may want to consider making gifts directly from an Individual Retirement Account (IRA). As part of the Tax Extender and Alternative Minimum Tax Relief Act of 2008, Congress has made it possible to make tax-free charitable gifts directly from your IRA to a charity in 2009. Giving in this way assures that these funds will never be subject to income or estate tax. This may make it possible to give more at the same or lower cost as in the past.
Sound Investment Music Campaign
Gifts and pledges to the “Sound Investment” capital campaign have now well exceeded $200,000 and have passed the quarter-million mark if we include a $65,000 grant from the Kresge Foundation that was awarded during the summer. We are deeply grateful to the individuals, organizations and to the Kresge Foundation for support that continues to enhance the possibilities of the Music Building project.
Last year the Alumni Band assembled for a wonderful reunion and concert on the ENMU campus, and under the enthusiastic leadership of Van Ragsdale, quickly exceeded a goal of $50,000 in gifts and pledges to the Music Building “Sound Investment” capital campaign to designate the new band room in honor of the late ENMU bandmaster, Floren Thompson Jr.
We are pleased to announce that the choir alumni, under the leadership of Thomas Poole, have undertaken a similar effort to raise $50,000 and name the new choral rehearsal space in honor of former director of Choral Activities George Umberson. It is fitting that in the renovation plans, the “new”
Gifts of Cash
While all gifts mailed or otherwise delivered by December 31 qualify for tax deductibility, gifts of cash or by check are the most popular giving methods.
Charitable Gift Annuities
There are also ways to provide for more meaningful future gifts while generating income, immediate income tax savings and other benefits today. Charitable gift annuities are just one of these tools that help you retain lifetime income while helping your favorite cause. In exchange for a gift of cash or marketable securities, the Foundation pays you a fixed, guaranteed amount of money each year for life. The amount you receive is not dependent on interest rates or the stock market. Please call if you would like us to draw up an illustration for you to review.
Save More When You Give Other Assets
Gifts of property such as stocks, bonds, mutual funds and other appropriate assets that have increased in value since you have owned them can result in extra tax savings. If you have held su ch assets for longer than a year, you can generally give them and deduct their current value, including any “paper profits,” from your taxable income.
Leaving a Legacy
Toward the end of each year, many people also review their long-range estate and financial plans. Wills, life insurance policies, retirement accounts and other planning vehicles can offer exceptional opportunities for leaving a lasting legacy to charitable interests. For more information about giving to the ENMU Foundation, please call Noelle Bartl toll free at 888-291-5524 or e-mail to enmu. foundation@enmu.edu.
Name
Address City, State, Zip Telephone E-mail
consider a gift to assist our students.
O Yes, I’d like to help ENMU with a gift to:
O University Fund
O Weight Room Equipment
O Sound Investment Music Campaign
O Support the Sciences Campaign
O Other_____________________
My Payment Option:
O I have included a check in the amount of $________
(Make check payable to ENMU Foundation) or
O Charge my account once for the amount of $________ or
O Please process a gift of $________each month for ________ months via:
O Visa
O American Express
O MasterCard
O Discover _________________________
Credit Card # Expiration
Please mail to:
ENMU Station 8 Portales NM 88130
choral space is in fact space that once was used by the choirs, so we come full circle not only in returning to the room’s original uses but also in naming it for one of ENMU’s distinguished leaders in vocal and choral music.
Dean Michael Sitton, College of Fine Arts, reports asbestos abatement in the Music Building is complete, and construction will soon be in full swing. The complete renovation and addition of the new band rehearsal room is expected to take just over a year. Most music faculty, the department office and some practice rooms have been moved to Chaves Hall. Additional faculty offices, the choral rehearsal area and music classes are housed in the College of Business. Band and percussion rehearsal areas, as well as the college offices, have been relocated to the old KENW Broadcast Center.
The goal will be to raise $50,000 in gifts and pledges by the end of 2009. As with other pledges to the “Sound Investment” campaign, payments may be extended up to two years, and the ENMU Foundation will discuss other arrangements that would accommodate giving plans. For more information on giving for these campaigns, please call the ENMU Foundation office at 575-562-2412 or toll-free at 888-291-5524.
The College of Fine Arts office will also be glad to take calls about these initiatives at 575-562-2373.
For more information on how to contribute and/ or volunteer your time and talents for ENMU, please contact Noelle Bartl, executive director of the ENMU Foundation at 575-562-2412, toll free at 888-291-5524 or e-mail noelle.bartl@enmu.edu. Online giving is available at enmu.edu/giving.
OR Join the Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) Program and have your contributions automatically sent to the ENMU Foundation. You save the cost of writing a check and postage; we save processing time and expense!
O Please debit a gift of $___________ monthly (on or about the 15th) from my:
O Checking account (please include a voided check)
O Savings account (please include a savings account deposit slip)
My account number is _________________________
The bank routing number is _____________________
This authorization is to remain in full force and effect until ENMU has received written notification from me of its termination in such time and in such manner as to afford ENMU a reasonable opportunity to act on it.
Signature ___________________________________________
Thank you for supporting the ENMU Foundation! Your gifts are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.
O My company has a matching gifts program that will benefit ENMU. (Please include your matching gifts form.)
O I have included the ENMU Foundation in my will.
O Please send me information about giving through my will or estate plan.
O Please send me information on how to make a gift of stock, real estate or cash.
O Please send me more information about planned giving.
