ENMU Green & Silver Magazine — Summer 2025

GREEN & SILVER A L U M N I

M A G A Z I N E

Answering The Call Stepping up to impact the world around us

SUMMER 2025

In T h is I s s ue

FEATURES Dear Greyhounds 03 Editor’s Note

Eastern's Call 04 Letter From the President

Fine-Tuning the Instrument of the Body 06 Linda Weems' Kung-fu Journey Author: John Houser

Stepping Up to the Plate 10 Marc Vega - From the Baseball Diamond to the Control Tower

By Malia Poyer

Bloom Where You're Planted 14 Jacob Lee - Answering the Call of His People

By Malia Poyer and Staff

Call of the Greyhounds 20 The Legacy Behind the Mic - Doc Elder

By John Houser

Class Notes 24 On The Cover

Jacob Lee and Darienne Nez Read more on Page 14 New address, questions, comments or story ideas?

Contact us at alumni.affairs@enmu.edu or call 575.562.2125.

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People You May Know

In Memoriam 27 Remembering Our Own

E d it o r s ' N o t e

DEAR GREYHOUNDS will hold beneath our feet. It is a challenge, a responsibility, and at times, a burden, but Eastern instills within each of us the courage to embrace that burden and to move forward even when the path might be unclear. It is in these moments of doubt that our true character is revealed. It is in our ability to rise, even when we stumble, that our strength is forged. What we do matters—not just for ourselves but for those who come next. Every action, every choice, and every answered call ripples outward, shaping the lives we touch and the legacy we leave behind.

To answer the call is to embrace something bigger than ourselves—to recognize that our impact does not end at the edge of campus but continues in every classroom we teach in, every workplace we strengthen, and every community we uplift.

Calls come in many forms—a quiet nudge, an urgent cry, a steady rhythm that beats within us.

To answer is an act of faith, of resolve, of knowing that what lies ahead may demand more than we think we can give. It is an instinct that moves us forward, and this is the mark of a Greyhound—resolute in the pursuit of purpose. This is the heartbeat of our community— an unspoken promise that we will show up again and again for ourselves and for those around us.

In this issue, we celebrate those who have heeded that call with unwavering spirit. While some have overcome obstacles to pursue education, proving that persistence is its own reward, others have set aside their personal aspirations to serve a duty larger than themselves. Some have dedicated their careers to guiding and uplifting others, shaping lives through their devotion, and there are those who remind us that purpose is not always found elsewhere—it is cultivated where we stand. Each story serves as a reminder that answering the call is not just about personal fulfillment but also about making a lasting difference in the world around us.

Responding to the call is rarely easy. It requires stepping into uncertainty with faith that the ground

So, as we turn these pages, let us reflect on those who have answered before us. Let us recognize the calls in our own lives and rise to meet them with courage and conviction. Let us carry forward the lesson, the perseverance, and the unbreakable spirit that define Eastern. And may we ever be loyal and true to the Green and Silver.

Malia Poyer (Expected BFA 26) Guest Writer and Editor

Ashley Stevens (BFA 20) Editor of Digital Design and Content

We Want to Hear From You! Submit your story ideas, news, and memorials to us at alumni.affairs@enmu.edu, or call 575.562.2125.

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L e t t e r F r o m T he P r e s id e nt

EASTERN'S CALL owed it to my family, my community, and society.

He helped me with the application process, and before I knew it, I was accepted and I was thriving. That moment sparked my calling, and it has guided me ever since.

Fast forward to today, and I’ve spent a career caring for people, researching, teaching, and leading. Now, I have the privilege of leading this great University. I share my story not to highlight my own journey, but because it serves as a reminder of something greater. I keep my grandfather’s plow out back as a tangible symbol—not just of untethered capabilities, but of perseverance, purpose, and the power of education. It reminds me that the blood, sweat, tears, and prayers of our ancestors make our future possible.

Dear Greyhound Family, Answering the Call is what Greyhounds do. As I reflect on the time since my last note, I am struck that it has been two and a half years since Stephanie and I answered the call to become part of the Greyhound Family. When we were considering the opportunity to come to Portales, we were clear that we were not interested in just any leadership opportunity. We sought an opportunity that truly called to us. ENMU was, and remains that call.

Allow me to explain.

In the backyard of my home, I have an old plow—a treasured family heirloom. Many of our guests, faculty, staff, students, and supporters have heard its story. It was my grandfather’s plow, the same mule-drawn plow he used in the cotton fields of West Texas, where I grew up with eight siblings. The same fields my father and I later plowed with our old tractor. During those long hours, I rarely thought about the future, let alone college.

That changed when my basketball coach and teacher asked me where I planned to attend college. He was convinced I needed to go—that I

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From cultivating the dry fields of West Texas to working with the most talented faculty and staff I have ever known, together we are cultivating an environment for all students—no matter their background or stage of life—to feel safe, to belong, and to thrive. Our commitment has never been stronger, and our resolve to meet the challenges of a rapidly changing future has never been clearer. Stephanie and I see ourselves in the students here, and we are committed to helping others see themselves in us and in our shared work.

It is fitting that this fall, we proudly broke ground on the new Student Academic Services (SAS) building, a state-of-the-art 25,304-square-foot facility that will serve as the new front door to campus. Blending the historical neo-gothic architecture of our campus with the cutting-edge technology of the 21st century, the new SAS building will allow us to answer the call of our students.

Continuing the theme, since my last note, we administered the first-ever comprehensive alumni survey. The results were resoundingly positive—ENMU alumni care deeply about this institution and want to become more engaged in meaningful ways. Stay tuned for more ways to reconnect with your Pack.

Our mission is clear: to provide higher education access and opportunity for the students and families of our region while raising the visibility of this great university. I am proud that our enrollment numbers continue to rise, and this year, our on-campus housing reached 89 percent capacity.

For commencement, we will welcome ENMU alumnus and Olympic medalist Mike Boit (‘74) back to Portales to deliver our commencement address. His remarkable accomplishments— as an athlete, philanthropist, and educator— exemplify what it means to be a Greyhound.

Inspired by leaders like him, we launched the President’s Athlete Leadership Academy this spring, thanks to a generous gift from the Steve Loy Family Foundation. This academy is designed to translate the leadership skills developed on the field and court into the skills that will empower Greyhounds to answer their calling as tomorrow’s leaders in their careers and communities.

We are also introducing an honorary doctorate program, recognizing extraordinary Greyhounds who exemplify what it means to “answer the call” through their careers, communities, and disciplines. This initiative not only honors their achievements but also serves to inspire our current students by showcasing the myriad possibilities their futures hold.

As we bring another academic year to a close, our fundraising efforts continue to break records, and our advocacy at the state and national level is yielding significant results. ENMU remains a model for how universities can get it right in the increasingly tumultuous times in higher education. While others react to change, we stay quietly fixed to our mission and our region, “steadily plowing the fields,” preparing tomorrow’s leaders and instilling within them a foundation of hard work, character, and a deep commitment to service, leadership, community, and family.

That old plow in my backyard is more than an heirloom—it is a reminder of the transformative power of education and the responsibility we all share to cultivate that power in others.

I wish you all the best as you answer your call.

James Johnston, Ph.D. President and Chancellor

Watch Dr. Johnston’s 2025

STATE OF THE UNIVERSITY ADDRESS at enmu.edu/StateOfEastern

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FINE-TUNING THE INSTRUMENT OF THE BODY A Bl ac k B el t P rofessor of the C all 6

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Contrary to the message of the famous ‘70s disco novelty hit Kung Fu Fighting, which focused on the fun of martial arts, Kung Fu is about much more than just fighting.

It is an ancient discipline that integrates the mind, body, and spirit, allowing practitioners to develop focus, strength, and resilience—qualities that extend far beyond the martial arts studio. For Dr. Linda Weems (BS 75), the art became about more than just a physical practice; it became a path to inner peace and self-improvement.

“Almost immediately, I realized I should’ve started this years ago,” Weems said, acknowledging that while an earlier start might have made the physical demands easier, she still experienced significant benefits. “I’d have been so much more able to do the physical things required, but my memory and movement improved.”

Her journey to Shao-Lin Kung Fu began with her son, Sawyer Heath, who took an interest in the martial art while attending the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque. Learning under Senior Master Abram Tamez at the Chinese Shao Lin Center of Albuquerque, Sawyer became deeply invested in the practice, urging his mother to join him.

Though the idea interested her, Weems was balancing being a full-time Communicative Disorders (CDIS) professor at Eastern while also running Eastern's Speech and Hearing Rehabilitation Outreach Program (SHROC). Weem's role at SHROC was an outgrowth of her research interests as a doctoral student, in which she observed the anatomy of the throat and head

The essence of the call lies not in the starting point but in the courage to keep moving forward.

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to understand how the instrument of the body tunes and retunes itself after significant injury. Balancing the demands of academia with her passion for helping students, traveling regularly to Albuquerque for lessons seemed impractical. Despite her son’s persistence, she begrudgingly pushed the calling of Kung Fu aside.

When the COVID-19 pandemic emerged in 2020, it reshaped daily life for many, forcing widespread social changes. With in-person training no longer an option, Master Abram began teaching remotely. Following another push from Sawyer, Weems finally decided to try Kung Fu for herself.

What began as an experiment quickly developed into a passion; Weems improved physically and sharpened her focus, gained clarity, and rediscovered a sense of discipline she hadn’t realized she was missing. As her devotion to Kung Fu deepened, so did her desire for a lifestyle that fully embraced it. Weighing the overwhelming benefits of Kung Fu against her career, she made a life-changing decision—to retire from her position at ENMU and relocate to Albuquerque, where

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Weems improved physically and sharpened her focus, gained clarity, and rediscovered a sense of discipline she could fully integrate her unwavering commitment to this new path.

Weems saw her retirement not as an end but an opportunity to answer another call. She set a challenge for herself: to earn her first-degree black belt before turning 70. With the same determination that shaped her career, she poured herself into training, embracing the discipline and perseverance the journey required. Just a month and a half before her milestone birthday, she achieved what she had set out to do, proving that a calling is always worth pursuing, no matter when it arrives.

A calling is always worth pursuing, no matter when it arrives

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STEPPING UP TO THE PLATE F ro m t he Baseball D iamond t o t he Control Tower

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From a small-town athlete with big-league ambitions to a decorated Navy air traffic controller, Marcelino “Marc” Vega’s journey has been anything but predictable.

For Vega, it wasn’t a matter of abandoning his dreams—it was about reshaping them into something that fit the life he wanted to build

A chance encounter with love shortly after graduating college shifted his course, steering him away from a career in a sports agency and toward his calling to service and sacrifice. Balancing a high-pressure career, a growing family, and an unwavering drive to give back, Vega has proven that the greatest victories aren’t always won on the playing field—but rather, learned from the choices we make when life calls us to step up to the plate.

graduating from high school, he started at Texas Tech University in Lubbock but transferred to ENMU after his freshman year in pursuit of a more personal experience.

From an early age, Vega’s world revolved around athletics. Raised in Corpus Christi, Texas, he grew up as Marc Riddell, taking his stepfather’s last name until he married. In the Riddell household, competition was second nature. His father coordinated high school sports events, while his mother trained cross-country runners, creating an environment where athleticism and drive were always in the air.

“Coming from a small high school, [with] 40 people in our graduating class to 200 students in my first lectures at Texas Tech, was a giant culture shock,” Vega said. “At Tech, you could go to class the whole semester and never talk to your teacher, but at Eastern, you know your teachers and interact directly with them daily. Going to Eastern ended up being much better for me; it was much more personable.”

Whether he was rounding the bases, chasing down a fly ball, or sprinting toward the end zone, Vega lived and breathed competition. “Sports are a big part of who I am,” he said. Combined with academics, his passion for athletics left him little time for a social life. Upon

Even when injuries threatened to sideline him, Vega stayed involved with his athletic commitments.

His coaches, recognizing his determination, gave him managerial roles that allowed Vega to remain connected to the team even when he was injured. “I was still doing things day-to-day,” he said. “I would

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go to class, work, the training room, and then still go to practices to help wherever I could.” Even when he wasn’t actively playing, Vega remained integral to the team, learning valuable skills that would unknowingly prepare him for the next chapter of his life.

During an injury-prone track season, Vega took on logistical responsibilities, learning the behind-thescenes intricacies of running a team. This experience later influenced his aspirations. He realized success in athletics wasn’t just about physical ability but also about strategy and leadership. It was during this time that Vega connected with the Kappa Sigma fraternity through Alex Torres, the president of the ENMU chapter. Torres, who was on the track team, invited Vega to the fraternity house, where he found a sense of belonging.

Joining Kappa Sigma marked a turning point for Vega, where the solitary pursuit of personal achievement gave way to a deeper call to that of brotherhood and shared purpose. While he didn’t dive headfirst into fraternity life, the connections he made planted seeds for his understanding that true strength lies not just in individual success but in belonging to something greater.

When Vega met ENMU Kappa Sigma alum Kevin Kaplan, founder and CEO of Coaching Charities, it solidified his interest in the sports industry, a career path he had been considering. “I have friends in the professional athletic world; I wanted to represent them and people like them, to ensure they’re taken care of,” he said. Vega hoped to bring a new level of ethics to the field he felt needed a stronger sense of moral and ethical structure, advocating for players both on and off the field.

Vega’s post-college path seemed set until he met the love of his life. After graduating from ENMU in 2019, Vega moved to Post, Texas, where he met the woman who would become his wife. Suddenly, the reality of constant travel as a sports agent lost its appeal. The idea of missing out on important moments with his growing family made him reconsider everything.

Vega’s original call to competition and sports, once rooted in fellowship and brotherhood, had transformed into something even greater as he now felt the profound call to family and service.

Scan to read more about Marc on the Silver Pack!

Or visit enmu.edu/SilverPack

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Run with your pack, no matter the distance Explore stories and share your voice at enmu.edu/SilverPack

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BLOOM WHERE YOU'RE PLANTED “They just need someone to hear them... someone to see them... someone to feel them” said Jacob Lee (MA 24, BS 14), describing the 38 students of the Nizhoni Accelerated Academy. Lee, one of only six staff members, is answering the call of his people and their land, helping some of the Navajo Nation's most troubled and nearly forgotten youth and young adults earn their high school degrees.

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Lee embodies what he says, the feelings behind his message and the experiences he has felt aren't just relayed with words but emoted with the body.

Lee lowers his voice, his gaze dropping as he recalls one student who, before class each morning, would carefully empty his pockets of sticks and rocks. As the cold mornings passed, Lee simply listened to the young man, allowing trust to build in the quiet spaces he built into their conversations. Eventually, the student opened up and revealed that he was homeless, sleeping out in the open plains surrounding the school.

Lee's voice lifts again, and so too does his contagious smile as he proudly reports, "He is now just one class away from graduating."

For Lee, helping students earn their degrees is only part of the call. To truly serve his students, his people, and their land, he knows education must be reframed.

In an interview on the Nizhoni Academy website, he reflected on how Western education often emphasizes

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a culture of "verticality"—a relentless climb upward, always reaching for something just out of grasp.

Degree-earning, in this framework, becomes another rung on a ladder, a measure of progress defined by height rather than by depth. Lee reminds his students that learning is not just about ascent; it is about the growth of the soul and the self. For him, education is rooted in hozho—the beauty of the process itself. Unlike the rigid structure of a ladder, hozho moves in circular shapes, ever-reshaping, ever-evolving—an overlapping cycle of growth, healing, and transformation.

Learning is not just about ascent; it is about the growth of the soul and the self

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Greyhounds like Lee live their lives attuning to their call, sensing its pull, even as they are being shaped by it. To answer their call—to family, to community, to service, to self—is to move in rhythm with something greater, something uniquely their own.

Their impact does not follow a straight path but radiates outward, like the widening circles of the wind, carving ripples into the desert floor with the ceaseless breath of the land.

Raised by his grandmother in Tł' ohchiní� —"the land of the wild onions"—in Ramah, New Mexico, Lee was steeped in the traditional values of the Navajo people.

Educated in a reservation school, he formed a deep connection to his language, culture, and traditions. His grandmother's encouragement carried him forward, but so did another image—Martin Luther King Jr.— a voice calling across time, on his grandmother's television set. Inspired by both, he followed an early call of his own, one that led him to Eastern.

Lee loves the famous American novelist and essayist James Baldwin and quotes him often. "‘You go to church to find out what's wrong, and you go home to learn how to live with it,'" Lee remarks, quoting Baldwin's biography "Go Tell It on the Mountain." For Baldwin, the church was a metaphor that represented the complex tension between positive and negative forces that ultimately lead one to a wider, less institutional, form of spiritual understanding. Jacob's call has been formed by and through the complex tensions of Baldwin's metaphorical church. He has faced and overcome challenge after challenge and found spiritual realization in the process.

Once at Eastern, Lee found himself hundreds of miles removed from his home—both in distance and in spirit—Lee felt out of place, unwelcome in a world that seemed unwilling to make space for him.

Jacob was ready to deny his call. Pride and a string of bad decisions left him untethered, homeless, and living out of his truck. Long before he was to meet the student outside Nizhoni Academy, emptying his pockets of sticks and rocks, Lee stood at the edge of a similar fate.

For the first time, his call fell silent. He was ready to walk away, to leave school, to turn his back on the path that had once felt so certain. But then, a moment of intervention—a conversation with Diana Cordova (MED 06) in Multicultural Affairs occurred.

"I sat in Diana's office, telling her I needed to leave school for a year to make some money. I had made poor decisions and been kicked out of the dorms,

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I was living out of my truck," Lee said. She listened, then spoke—not just of leaving, but of what leaving might mean.

She reached for a $20 bill, but before handing it over, she pulled him closer. "This is for food and gas, or you can hold on to this and double it. Work for me in the office of Multicultural Affairs and push through this challenge." At that moment, $20 felt like winning the lottery. But that evening, as he sat alone after class, a different emotion took hold. Hunger gnawed at him, but something deeper stirred. Staring at the bill in his hands, he wept. "You better be right," he thought, before tucking it away. After classes that evening, as he contemplated buying food, he found himself weeping, thinking to himself and repeating in his mind, "You better be right," before tucking the bill away again.

Ten years later, Lee still carries the same $20 bill in his pocket.

For Lee, answering the call is about transformation.

"It means answering things we can't ignore. If someone needs help and you can lead, it's a transformative moment," he said. "How can we transform something from good to great, hurting to healing, sad to hopeful? It's about trusting that the journey has meaning."

"How can we transform something from good to great, hurting to healing, sad to hopeful? It's about trusting that the journey has meaning."

Follow Jacob’s journey further on the Silver Pack, where a single word on a crumbling wall, a $20 bill tucked away for years, and a grandmother’s unwavering stand in a canyon claimed by others drive the call that Jacob follows. His call echoes in ways unseen, shaping lives that entwine in unexpected places. Jacob Lee and Darienne Nez, are called together for each other, their people, and for those they have yet to meet.

Scan to read more about Jacob on the Silver Pack!

Or visit enmu.edu/SilverPack

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CALL OF THE GREYHOUNDS T he Legacy B e hind the Mic Amid the hum of California freeways and the restless rhythm of city life, Dr. Donald “Doc” Elder and his late wife Janine longed for something quieter, something truer to their roots.

Raised in the close-knit communities of small-town Iowa, they yearned for open skies, familiar faces, and a place where their two boys could grow up with the

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same sense of belonging they felt at home. In the summer of 1995, an opportunity called their names— an invitation to trade the rush of Redlands for the wide-open promise of Portales. Without a second thought, they packed up and let the wind guide them home to Eastern.

Doc didn’t just step onto campus as a history professor; he found his voice in a community that would come to echo his passion. In lecture halls, he brought history to life; in classrooms, he brought his students’ stories to life not just as names on a roster

but as individuals still trying to understand their callings, which were still waiting to be discovered.

With the help of his wife, his passion for storytelling took him beyond the classroom. While working at the Roosevelt County Chamber of Commerce, Janine informed the owners of a local radio station that her husband had once provided live commentary for high school football games. In the spring of 1996, the owners phoned Doc and asked him to use his skills to fill in as a speaker on the weekly coaches’ show.

Like most Greyhounds, he was built for speed. By the fall, he had a permanent seat behind the microphone, broadcasting Greyhound football and basketball games. “I love to broadcast these games,” Doc said.

“It honors my dad, who was a broadcaster in Chicago.

But more than that, I love telling these athletes’ stories.” He added, “This allows me to give back to these student-athletes and all the hard work they put in, in the classroom and on the field.” The following year, he was providing commentary for Portales Rams football games, narrating the plays his oldest son made during the game.

Doc’s passion in the announcer’s booth became an avenue for mentorship. His guidance has shaped many careers, including that of Adam Diehl (BA 09), who transitioned from an eager student in Doc’s classroom to an award-winning sports broadcaster.

As a commentator alongside Doc during Ram Football games, Diehl received invaluable guidance that helped him hone his craft. Diehl’s journey led

He brought his students’ stories to life not just as names on a roster but as individuals still trying to understand their callings, waiting to be discovered him to ESPN radio, where he would go on to win the prestigious title of Best Sports Broadcaster in a Large Market. On the night he received the award, he stood on stage, found Doc in the crowd, and bowed in silent tribute—a wordless acknowledgment of the mentor who had helped him find his calling. Gratitude, too, is the call of the Greyhound.

“It was an enriching experience that I have only seen happen because of the opportunities students get at Eastern,” Doc said. “Seeing a former student of mine get an award and then acknowledge me makes it all worth it.”

In the spirit of gratitude, Elder, in true Greyhound fashion, is sharing his generosity. Doc is now answering the call to give back, investing in the institution that shaped his career—ensuring future generations can continue to make their voices heard in the story of Eastern. Starting in the summer of 2025, he will establish the Doc Elder Student

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Success Endowed Fund, providing financial support for internships, undergraduate research, and other student needs—creating opportunities that will shape futures, just as Eastern shaped his. “Giving back to ENMU is a small token of what ENMU has given to me and my family,” he said.

Though Doc chose not to limit his scholarship to those pursuing broadcast journalism, his impact on the field remains undeniable. Doc's current wife, Jan Hamilton, set out to honor him in a way he would have never expected. Inspired by his generosity and humility, she quietly set out to honor him in a way he never expected. Knowing his deep love for broadcast journalism and his unwavering commitment to students, Jan established the Donald “Doc” Elder Scholarship for Broadcast Journalism—a tribute to both his passion and the legacy he continues to build.

“Doc has gone above and beyond with broadcasting, putting many hours of work into a true passion that helps to support the University and the community.

I felt like I wanted to do something to honor him for all this work and all the students he has supported throughout the years,” Jan said. “This endowment will

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help students in the future and will honor Doc's 30 year passion for them.

Even after three decades of service, Doc refuses to slow down. Whether he’s teaching in the classroom, sinking jump shots over students 50 years his junior at noontime basketball—a tradition he has led for over 30 years—or uniting the community through the airwaves of KSEL 105.9’s Morning Throwdown, like a relentless Greyhound running the high plains, he remains a constant force.

His mentorship reaches beyond campus—guiding students on Sports Look at KENW since 2011 and serving on statewide boards for the New Mexico Space History Museum and the New Mexico Sports Hall of Fame. Through every lesson, every broadcast, and every act of service, he embodies ENMU’s mission—lifting students, strengthening community ties, and answering the call to make a difference.

“I want to be here—teaching, impacting students, and broadcasting games—when this university turns 100,” Doc said. “I love this community, and I want to continue giving back to this community and this university for as long as I can.”

“Giving back to ENMU is a small token of what ENMU has given to me and my family.”

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P e op le Yo u M ay K no w

CLASS NOTES

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Calvin Smith

Robert Potter

Mitchell Paliga

(MS 71) retired as an emeritus professor in 2003 after serving 20 years as Chair of the Department of Museum Studies at Baylor University. He later founded Legacy Museum Consulting and directed the Western Heritage Museum at New Mexico Junior College, and he recently published A History of the Waco Mammoth Site.

(BS 75) served as a U.S. Army second lieutenant before becoming an educator. He taught high school social studies for 18 years and later spent 15 years as a faculty member in the University of Central Florida’s Economics Department where he earned his MAAE in 2001. Now retired, he lives in Winter Haven, Florida.

(BM 85) has been a professional musician and college educator in the Chicago area since 1990.

From 2007 onward, he has performed with Gary Sinise’s Lt. Dan Band, with appearances at the Kennedy Center, the National Memorial Day Concert, and the Grand Ole Opry.

Salah Abdulaziz

Steven Fulkrod

Sherry Lynn

(MA 85) has spent decades in government service, joining the U.S. Department of State in 1998 as a language and culture instructor before moving into a training specialist role. He also contributed to communication, translation, and education efforts across multiple federal agencies. Now retired, he resides in Virginia.

(BAA 87) has dedicated his career to nonprofit work.

His family established the Victor N. & William V. Fulkrod Memorial Scholarship at ENMU and the Lawrence & Thelma Ey Memorial Scholarship at Salisbury University. He currently resides on Maryland’s Lower Eastern Shore.

(BS 87) is an infection preventionist and CBIScertified specialist. She works remotely from Savannah, Georgia, helping to maintain healthcare safety standards.

After graduating from ENMU, she received her BSN from Baylor University and her MSN from Post American Sentinel University.

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CLASS NOTES

Mike Swearingen

Susan Cramp

Douglas Anderson

(BS 90) had a 20+ year career as an electrical engineer in power systems and worked as an analyst for Department Of Energy projects and other government agencies. He was a speaker at many cyber security conferences, including at U.S. Air Force Cyber Command. Now retired, he is an Institute of Electrical Electronics Engineers Senior Member, Smart Grid Pioneer, and Marquis Who’s Who in science and engineering.

(M.Ed. 00, BA 96, AA 95) has dedicated 22 years of service to ENMU-Portales, currently as Director of the Advising Center and previously as the leader of the TRIO Upward Bound program for seven years. In August 2024, she earned her Ed.D. in Higher Education Administration with a concentration in Student Affairs from Liberty University.

Carson Joachim

Sarah Stubbs

Juan Rivas

(BBA 99) is a practicing attorney in Houston, Texas, focusing on criminal, family, and law enforcement union employment law, as well as civil litigation. He and his wife, Maegan, have four daughters.

(MBA 13, BS 04, BS 00) has been with Portales Municipal Schools since 2006, working in payroll before becoming Director of Finance/Chief Procurement Officer in 2011.

She serves on the New Mexico Association of School Business Officials board and was named School Business Official of the Year in 2020.

(MA 16, BS 07) is an online advisor for Colorado State University (CSU) and the host of Let’s Talk TRIO, a longrunning podcast now in its seventh season. He plans to pursue a second master’s degree in communication and media management at CSU.

(MA 99) is a Lead Instructor and Subject Matter Expert in Cultural Anthropology at University of New England Online. His global experience includes teaching health classes in Ecuador through the Peace Corps and ESL in Colombia. He recently completed a Peace Corps Virtual Service project with the Philippine Science High School.

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CLASS NOTES

Carolyn Vigil

Jamie Hernandez

(MBA 15) plays a key role in student advocacy as the Title IX and Compliance Coordinator for Las Cruces Public Schools. She also serves as the district’s Foster Care liaison.

(MA 16) is the Manager of Scholar, Mentor and Placement Support for Golden Apple, a non-profit organization that works to develop and support teacher and school leader excellence, especially in schools of need.

Amanda Eavenson

Kathleen Gentry

Marisa Luna

(MA 22) teaches English Language Development at Pojoaque Valley High School, where she received the Los Alamos National Lab Foundation’s Excellence in Teaching Award in 2024. She recently began teaching AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) and plans to transition into an administrative role within the next five years.

(BA 22) took ownership of Luna Tax & Accounting in May 2023, where she provides tax preparation, bookkeeping, and payroll services. Demonstrating her commitment to the community, she also serves on the Altrusa Club of Portales board and is an active member of St. Helen’s Church.

(BS 17) built her career as a hydrologist with the Bureau of Land Management, starting in Arizona before transferring to Carlsbad, New Mexico, to support oil and gas development in the Permian Basin. She recently stepped into a management role in Roswell, New Mexico.

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GREEN & SILVER | Summer 2025

Kelsey Miramontes (MA 21, BS 17) is a committed mother of one and middle school culinary arts and health educator, helping her students to understand nutrition and healthy eating.

R e mem b e r ing O ur O w n

IN MEMORIAM 50s Norma Engman (BA 57) February 9, 2025 Willis Cregar (MED 64, BA 60) March 9, 2025 Dr. Glenn Wesley McCoy (MA 71) March 26, 2025

60s Carolyn Doyle January 8, 2024 Nancy Garland (BA) February 1, 2025 Coy Hunt (MA 69, BS 67) February 23, 2025 Robert Steven Hill (BS 63) February 28, 2025 Zelta Wolfenbarger (MED 79, BS 70) March 10, 2025

Faye Keener (MA 76, BS 72) February 2, 2025 Joe Rettinger (MBA 74, BBA 73) February 11, 2025 Jerry Deen (BS 73) February 24, 2025 Mary (Manderfield) Legault (AA) March 12, 2025 Tim O'Quinn (MBA 81, BBA 73) March 13, 2025

80s Tommy Marshall (BS 93) March 12, 2025 Martin M. Martinez (BS 89) March 17, 2025 Paul Briones March 26, 2025

90s

Fern Gore (MED 82, BS 73) March 10, 2025

Mike Thomson August 2, 2024

Jimmie Ellison March 23, 2025

Adelaide Speck (BUS 98) December 20, 2024

Steven Harmon (MBA73, BBA68) March 23, 2025

Lola Mae LaShawn (Griffin) Brooks (BS 97) February 9, 2025

70s

Faculty

John A Tator (BS 78) 2024

Dr. Eldon Walker March 11, 2025

Gordon T. Getz (BBA 80) December 14, 2024

Dr. James Devlin March 18, 2025

James Hagan (AS 76) December 30, 2024 Daniel Franks (BS 75) October 6, 2024 Donna Woolley (BS 83) Jan 29, 2025 Michael Garcia (BBA 76) January 30, 2025

Every Hound Matters Read obituaries of our beloved Hounds’ lives and see photos online at enmu.edu/SilverPack

GREEN & SILVER | Summer 2025

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