Panorama - Spring 2015

PANORAMA

New Mexico State University Alumni & Friends Magazine

Volume 64 Spring 2015

Making an

IMPACT

Partnership helps students excel in cancer research, outreach

ALSO INSIDE:

Internships, cooperative education teach valuable lessons about work and life

HELLO AGGIES

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n my travels as NMSU President, I’m always delighted to speak with our alumni and friends. We’re fortunate to have such an outstanding group to represent NMSU and to help us spread the news about all of the wonderful things happening here.

One of the more exciting recent developments at NMSU is the announcement of the Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine. It’s a freestanding, privately funded, separately licensed and independently operated entity that will produce more doctors to assist underserved populations around our state. BCOM will be located at NMSU’s Arrowhead Park and construction on their new facility is already underway. Classes there begin in August 2016.

Another new development is an effort to help our students find better success in the classroom by increasing the GPA needed for admission to NMSU from 2.5 to 2.75. Right now, too many students with high school GPAs below 2.75 enter NMSU, incur debt, and leave before earning a degree. To remedy this, we’ve created the Aggie Pathway Program in which students who do not meet the new enrollment standards will instead enroll at one of NMSU’s community colleges and, if successful, will later transfer to NMSU to complete their degree.

The Aggie Pathway Program wouldn’t be possible if not for an increased level of coordination between NMSU and our community colleges. To further cement this relationship, the NMSU president will now hold the title of NMSU President and Chancellor of the NMSU System. It’s by working together, as part of the NMSU system, that we’re able to better serve our students and the people of New Mexico. NMSU is truly a caring community, transforming lives through discovery.

Garrey Carruthers ’64 ’65 NMSU President and Chancellor of the NMSU System

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s the executive director of the Alumni Association, and a three-time graduate of New Mexico State University, I am excited about every opportunity I have to engage and connect with my fellow alumni. Each connection allows us to work toward continuing the legacy of our great alma mater – a legacy that starts with our graduates who have gone on to distinguish themselves in a wide variety of fields, many of them taking leadership roles in their respective areas of expertise.

Our graduates also distinguish themselves as donors, knowing yearly financial support is central to NMSU’s efforts to recruit and retain the best faculty and staff members, while offering advanced curriculum, technology and facilities. With every gift, no matter what size, our donors are enhancing the quality of education each student receives.

The opportunities to give are numerous. One of the newest ways to give is through our Alumni Association Scholarship Challenge. This scholarship program was started in the Mesilla Valley, Crimson Central, Army ROTC, Phoenix, Bay Area and Southwest Florida Alumni Chapter groups in January. With a dollar-to-dollar match from the NMSU Alumni Association, together we are creating scholarship endowment funds that will have an impact on student success again and again. If you want to know more about an alumni chapter near you, or to get your chapter group involved in the scholarship challenge, contact our office.

I am strongly committed to the mission and vision of NMSU and look forward to your involvement, participation and continued support through giving, campus involvement and recruitment. Call me at 575-646-3616, email me at alumni@nmsu.edu or visit the NMSU Alumni Association at www.alum.nmsu.edu. Go Aggies!

Panorama is produced by the office of University Communications and Marketing Services, New Mexico State University, 575-646-3221.

Correspondence may be sent to University Communications and Marketing Services, MSC 3K, New Mexico State University, P.O. Box 30001, Las Cruces, NM 88003-8001 or panorama@nmsu.edu.

The magazine can be found on the Web at panorama.nmsu.edu.

Editors Julie M. Hughes ’95 ’09 Justin Bannister ’03 ’13 Assistant Editor Amanda Bradford ’03 Art Director Gerald Rel Photographer Darren Phillips Contributors Tiffany Acosta, Jocelyn Apodaca ’13, Minerva Baumann ’13, Ellen Castello, Nylkhalid “Bo” Jungmayer, Jane Moorman, Ann Palormo, Darrell J. Pehr, Leah Platero, Bill Powers, Isabel A. Rodriguez ’12, Angela Simental ’08 ’13, Charlotte Tallman ’02, Margaret West, Robert Yee President and Chancellor of the NMSU System Garrey Carruthers ’64 ’65 Vice President for University Advancement Cheryl Harrelson Associate Vice President for University Communications and Marketing Services Maureen Howard NMSU Associate Vice President for Alumni Engagement and Participation and Executive Director for Alumni Association Tammie Campos ’86 ’89 ’96 NMSU ALUMNI ASSOCIATION INTERNATIONAL BOARD OF DIRECTORS President James “Lee” Golden ’89 President Elect Amy Bigbee ’79 Past President John E. Kutinac ’97 ’00 Secretary/Treasurer Joel L. Granger ’98 Executive Council James “Lee” Golden ’89, Amy Bigbee ’79, John E. Kutinac ’97 ’00, Joel L. Granger ’98, Dinah Jentgen ’71, Gary Beene ’74, Steve Duran ’90, Jack Fox ’69, Nancy Ryan Serna ’80 ’81, Mike Rogers ’73, Scott Sponseller ’96 ’98, Abigail Goodin ’12, Crystal Lay ’02 ’10, Tony Martinez ’96 ’98 Class Representatives Rich Markman ’69, Kay Brilliant ’71, Barbara Harrison ’83, John Galassini ’86, Patty Wagner ’91 ’92, Cyrus Salazar ’96 ’99 ’01, Cindy Brown ’04 ’06, Daniel Archuleta ’05, Daniel Sonntag ’14 College Representatives Connie Lee ’69 ’73, Marianne Shipley ’83, Kim Archuleta ’95 ’02, Krista Madril ’01 Representatives at Large Andrea Sparkevicius ’91 ’99, Daniel Topley ’01, Paulo Tomasovich ’02, Michael Law ’05, Adam Thompson ’08, Mauri Weidnaar ’13 Copyright 2015 New Mexico State University

Tammie Campos ’86 ’89 ’96 NMSU Associate Vice President for Alumni Engagement and Participation and Executive Director of the Alumni Association

New Mexico State University is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer and educator.

POSTMASTER: Send address change notifications to Panorama, MSC 3590, P.O. Box 30001, NMSU, Las Cruces, NM 88003-8001.

Spring 2015 DARREN PHILLIPS

INSIDE

8

FEATURES 8 Making it personal

20 Play ball!

Alumni stories are a powerful tool for recruiting and retaining students

Major upgrades to Presley Askew Field thanks to Mike and Judy Johnson

11 A driving spirit Pat and Lou Sisbarro give back to the community that has helped make them successful

22 Building on traditions

12 Beyond the classroom

24 Powering education

Internships, cooperative education teach valuable lessons about work, life

El Paso Electric’s decades-long partnership energizes NMSU

14 Preserving our shared history

25 Home-grown healers

Museum conservation alum continues studies in European program

NMSU, Cibola General partner to deliver nursing program in Grants

15 Fulfilling a dream Chemical engineering sophomore’s research helps provide clean water in Palomas, Mexico

16 Battle with cancer Expert researchers, young scientists, expanded outreach teams join forces in the fight

19 Back in the game Aggies bring home one of their own to lead athletics program

Tribal Extension agents help the Navajo people improve their lives

ALSO INSIDE 2 Around Aggieland 26 Alumni Connections 30 Aggie Whirl 34 Press Check 36 Aggie Pride

A note from the editor

Anyone who has set foot on the campus of New Mexico State University knows that this is a special place. Students who graduate not only leave with a degree, but with fond memories from some of the most exciting times in their lives.

As the planners, editors, designers and writers of Panorama, it’s our job to tell you about the wonderful things that are happening all the time at NMSU. One of the most impactful stories in this magazine focuses on NMSU’s cancer research and efforts to increase awareness and combat effects of the disease that unfortunately touches far too many people (p. 16).

NMSU is a land-grant university, and as part of our statewide mission, NMSU has a Tribal Extension program. In this issue, you can find out how Extension agents are working with the state’s Native American population on a wide range of issues, including efforts to improve agriculture, health and nutrition (p. 22).

Exciting things are happening with NMSU Athletics. Read about the university’s new director of athletics and the energy he’s bringing to campus (p. 19).

You can also see the tremendous impact Mike and Judy Johnson have made to NMSU’s baseball program through their generous donation (p. 20).

I sincerely hope you enjoy this issue of Panorama. If you have any thoughts or suggestions, we always welcome feedback at panorama@nmsu.edu. Thanks!

Justin Bannister ’03 ’13 Editor

On the Cover: New Mexico State University graduate Adriana Diaz interned at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, NMSU’s partner in the National Cancer Institute’s Comprehensive Partnership to Advance Cancer Health Equity. Diaz is now a master’s of public health candidate in health behavior and health education at the University of Michigan. See more about the partnership on page 16. (Photo by Nylkhalid “Bo” Jungmayer.)

New Mexico State University | Panorama Spring 2015 | 1

AROUND AGGIELAND

To read more about one of the students who worked on the retablos, turn to page 14.

2 | Panorama Spring 2015 | New Mexico State University

Museum Conservation Program Director Silvia Marinas-Feliner works to restore an antique retablo in the art conservation lab.

COURTESY PHOTO

New Mexico State University’s massive collection of retablos – a genre of folk art portraying religious or historical events – is the subject of a feature-length film.

“Painting My Miracle: The Story and Conservation of New Mexico State University’s Retablo Collection” debuted on campus in November 2014 and will air on public television this year.

The documentary was produced by an NMSU professor with the help of some of his students and NMSU alumni.

“When I heard about the retablo collection at NMSU, it just seemed like a perfect match,” says Philip Lewis, a professor in NMSU’s Creative Media Institute in the College of Arts and Sciences.

“The largest collection of retablos in the United States is right here at New Mexico State LEARN MORE University, and not To see a short video about many people know the documentary project, about them.” find this story online at

Retablos are panorama.nmsu.edu. religious paintings usually on wood, copper or tin.

NMSU’s collection of 1,700 retablos was obtained between the late 1960s and early 1970s from a number of independent collectors in the area. Most were made in the 19th century in central Mexico, though there are some from the late 18th century.

“There are three stories we are trying to tell with the film,” Lewis explains. “The first is about the retablos here at NMSU; nobody really knows too much about them. The second is, since 2000, we’ve been doing conservation of the retablos. The NMSU museum conservation program is one of only three in the United States.”

The third aspect is an app for smart phones or tablets that would make stories in the retablos come alive through short films visitors can watch while touring the collection at the NMSU Art Gallery.

The interactive films at the gallery are expected to be available in the spring. The documentary will air on KRWG-TV after the gallery show begins and will be offered to all western PBS stations. DVDs of the documentary will also be available through Lewis sometime in the spring at plewis@nmsu.edu.

Proceeds from the DVDs will support the mostly student volunteers who helped make the film.

Minerva Baumann ’13

DARREN PHILLIPS

Documentary highlights NMSU retablos collection, largest in the nation

NMSU Creative Media Institute professor Philip Lewis, right, produced the documentary “Painting My Miracle” about NMSU’s retablos collection, with the help of Aaron Macias, left, a graduate of NMSU’s CMI program, Scott Saiz, a cinematographer, and Cynthea Molina, a current senior in the CMI program.

Max Evans received an honorary Doctor of Letters degree from New Mexico State University during the 2014 fall commencement.

The author of 30 novels, including “The Rounders” and “The Hi Lo Country,” which were adapted into movies, has received, among other honors, the Western Writers of America Owen Wister Lifetime Achievement Award for his creative works depicting the cowboy way of life in the 1940s and 1950s.

Evans and his wife, Pat, have established the Rounders Award Scholarship at NMSU. The royalties from his novels will help rural undergraduate students seeking degrees in animal science or media communications.

Jane Moorman DARREN PHILLIPS

New Mexico State University provides educational opportunities to more than just the students on the university’s campuses. As part of its commitment to connecting with the broader community, the College of Health and Social Services is hosting its second Dean’s Health Symposium in Las Cruces this year.

This year’s one-day seminar, “Starting the Conversation about End of Life,” is slated for May 1 at the Las Cruces Convention Center. The event is free and open to the public.

“We hope this event will encourage residents of the area and members of our health care community to come together to talk about what is often a difficult topic for both the health care providers and the family members of a dying person,” says Donna Wagner, interim dean of the College of Health and Social Services.

The conference topics are selected for significance and timeliness. Wagner chose the end-of-life conversation because of her interest in advanced care planning and the importance of engaging the health care workforce to provide meaningful services to the dying patient and his or her family and friends.

The college’s first educational community outreach effort, “Understanding the Affordable Care Act,” was held in 2013. The inaugural event helped prepare residents for the law that went into effect in 2014, which was designed to increase the number of people covered by health insurance and implement numerous health insurance-related reforms.

The 2015 event has options available for consumers and family caregivers as well as clinicians.

Workshop topics include legal issues, the conversation across the lifespan, communicating effectively with health professionals, advanced care planning, New Mexico regulations affecting end-of-life care, hospice and palliative care, pharmacological issues at the end of life, assembling and managing the care team and writing an obituary.

The morning session’s keynote speaker will be Margaret Battin, a bioethicist at the University of Utah. She is not only an expert on end of life, but also has a captivating personal story. She and other experts will give presentations throughout the day.

Tiffany Acosta

NM author receives honorary doctorate

Honorary doctoral degree recipient Max Evans, center, stands for a photograph with members of the NMSU Board of Regents.

NMSU student named national FFA officer

Among 42 candidates from across the country, New Mexico State University student Caleb Gustin became one of just six chosen to serve on the 20142015 National FFA Officer Team.

Gustin was elected to national office after interviewing one-on-one, delivering extemporaneous speeches, leading workshops and demonstrating his knowledge of agriculture, FFA and education.

Serving as the Western Region vice president, Gustin will travel the United States, speaking, conducting workshops and spending time with fellow FFA members, building relationships with agricultural industry leaders and sponsors.

Gustin previously served as president for District 3, New Mexico vice president in 2012-13 and state president in 2013-14. In the latter role, he visited more than 30 FFA chapters across New Mexico.

Jocelyn N. Apodaca ’13

COURTESY PHOTO

Dean’s Health Symposium will explore end-of-life planning and care

Caleb Gustin will represent New Mexico and New Mexico State University as the FFA Western Region vice president.

New Mexico State University | Panorama Spring 2015 | 3

AROUND AGGIELAND

Retiring NMSU chef ready to go from searing fish to catching ’em

4 | Panorama Spring 2015 | New Mexico State University

AGGIE Milestones

125

Fabian Garcia, NMSU’s first Hispanic graduate and member of the university’s first graduating class, enrolled in 1890.

He earned a bachelor’s and master’s degree from NMSU and went on to pioneer work in chile peppers, onions and pecans.

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Construction of McFie Hall, the first building project on the NMSU campus, began in September 1890. Better known as “Old Main,” the building housed offices, classrooms and the library. Twenty years later, the building was destroyed in a fire.

years

DARREN PHILLIPS

If you’re looking for Chef students – the National Agri-MarMaurice Zeck ’11 this sumketing Association selected him mer, you won’t find him in the as Outstanding Professional, an usual locations – the classrooms, award given each year to recognize kitchens and dining areas of New a professional involved with a Mexico State University’s School NAMA student chapter who goes of Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management.

No, if you want to track down the veteran restaurateur-turned-college professor, whose list of professional awards ranges from the American Culinary Federation President’s Medal for Service to the Industry to the New Mexico Restaurant Association Chef of the Year, you’ll need a sun hat instead of a toque.

“I have a beautiful boat, a tackle store in a bag and a quiver of rods and reels,” Zeck explains when asked about his plans after his June 1 retirement. “I am going fishing.”

Prior to joining the Chef Maurice Zeck, a college assistant professor NMSU faculty, Zeck was in the School of Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management, will retire from NMSU this summer. the corporate executive chef and business develabove and beyond to improve the opment manager for Sysco Food quality of the students’ experience Service of New Mexico, where in the program. he directed the “Born in New

“Maurice Zeck has been a Mexico” program to purchase tremendously dedicated faculty fresh produce from local growers. member and a great and positive

Zeck began teaching at influence on all of our students,” NMSU in 2007. Already a says Greg Blanch, interim director respected leader in the restaurant of the School of HRTM. “We are industry in New Mexico and very appreciative of his efforts on beyond, Zeck added a bachelor’s behalf of NMSU.” degree in business information

An endowed scholarship to systems to his résumé in 2011. benefit an HRTM student has

He says working closely been established in honor of Zeck with students has been a deeply and his wife, Linda. For informarewarding experience, so he was tion on supporting the endowespecially pleased to receive a nament, contact Debbie Widger at tional award recently for which he dwidger@nmsu.edu.

Amanda Bradford ’03 was nominated by some of those

years

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The Carlsbad Instructional Center, known today as NMSU Carlsbad, was created in October 1950 by an agreement between NMSU and the Carlsbad Board of Education.

60

Roger Corbett began his 15-year tenure as NMSU president in 1955. Under Corbett, enrollment nearly quadrupled, NMSU’s first doctoral programs were initiated and 87 new buildings were constructed.

60

Clyde Tombaugh came to NMSU as a faculty member in 1955, 25 years after making history by discovering Pluto. At NMSU, he was largely responsible for making the astronomy program its own department.

40

NuMex Big Jim, developed by NMSU chile breeder Roy Nakayama, was released in 1975 and was the first NuMex cultivar of any kind. Since then, NMSU has released dozens of NuMex chile, onion and other agricultural plant cultivars.

years

years

years

years

Wall of Excellence touts achievements in NMSU School of Nursing

The Nursing wooden plaques Wall of Excellence for the wall, includes a timeline which will include of the School of the special nurse’s Nursing history name, a short and achievements, quote and a photos of photo. NMSU individuals President Garrey who have made Carruthers and substantial CHSS Interim contributions and Dean Donna important events Wagner are that shaped the among those The Nursing Wall of Excellence greets students and nursing program, honoring nurses visitors to the College of Health and Social Services. along with video special to them. interviews of retired and current faculty

Alumni and friends of the School of members and alumni.

Nursing can honor a nurse by purchasing

The Nursing Wall of Excellence inspired a plaque to be featured on the wall as space the Nursing Recognition Wall, which will allows. All proceeds will go to a nursing allow alumni and friends to honor a nurse scholarship fund. For more information who has touched their lives. To kick off this or to purchase a plaque, contact Jennifer important initiative, the Nightingale Circle Cervantes at 575-646-5985 or Courtney was established – 25 friends of nursing have Lopez at 575-646-5061. come together to create the first engraved

Tiffany Acosta DARREN PHILLIPS

The entrance to the New Mexico State University College of Health and Social Services building received a new look in fall 2014 with the addition of the Nursing Wall of Excellence. The newly constructed 3-D wall features visual and audio historical accounts of the NMSU School of Nursing.

The college worked with NMSU’s Art Department to design and build the wall, which was created with resources from a generous gift from Memorial Medical Center. Gatis Cirulis, a college assistant professor in the Art Department, designed, created and installed the unit, which was celebrated with an unveiling ceremony in October 2014.

“The Nursing Wall of Excellence is a visual tribute to the nursing profession,” says Pamela Schultz, School of Nursing director and associate dean of the College of Health and Social Services. “Our faculty, staff and nursing students can point to the wall as a living example of the nursing presence at NMSU.”

Aggie Cupboard partners with Albertsons to keep students focused

As a social worker at New Mexico State University, Lori Martinez Haussamen helps students succeed and stay in college. A few years ago, she noticed that certain trends prevent some students from staying in school and maintaining a good grade-point average – one of them is hunger.

In October 2012, she founded the NMSU Food Pantry, which serves NMSU and Doña Ana Community College students, faculty and staff who experience food insecurity. Here, they have access to nonperishable items, such as protein, beans, soups and rice, as well essential toiletries in some cases.

“I came up with the idea,” Martinez Haussamen says, “after discovering that in recent years, many universities have opened a food pantry. We had a campus-wide naming contest, and the winning name was Aggie Cupboard.”

The availability of food and essential items has had a real impact on student success and retention, Martinez Haussamen says.

Aggie Cupboard gets its supplies primarily through food drives done by student groups and other campus entities, as well as community and church groups. New this

year, Aggie Cupboard joined the Albertsons Community Partners program.

“We give out laminated key tags,” she says, “and every time you make a purchase at Albertsons and swipe your card, a part of the sale comes back to us.”

As time progresses, Martinez Haussamen explains, Aggie Cupboard tries to adapt to what clients need, and one request this year was to extend the service to NMSU alumni.

“To receive a bag, you need to show a valid NMSU ID,” she says.

“But we definitely have thought about including alums. When that

is going to happen or how it’s going to work is still being decided.”

To donate to Aggie Cupboard, bring non-refrigerated food or essential items such as toilet paper, toothbrushes and toothpaste to Garcia Annex Room 100. Donations can also be made through the NMSU Foundation online at giving.nmsu.edu, where you can specify your donation is for the Aggie Cupboard.

To request an Albertsons Community Partners card, contact Martinez Haussamen at mlori@nmsu.edu.

Angela Simental ’08 ’13

New Mexico State University | Panorama Spring 2015 | 5

AROUND AGGIELAND

College of Education’s longtime leader set to retire this summer DARREN PHILLIPS

Responding to the needs of students and faculty has always been the focus of his 23-year career at New Mexico State University, and when College of Education Dean Michael Morehead retires at the end of June, he will continue to work to serve the community he loves.

“As I reflect on my career, I have tried to work from a premise of always doing what is best Morehead for our students and faculty,” Morehead says. “The last 23 years have gone by incredibly fast.”

Morehead has served as dean since 2010. He was interim dean twice and was the associate dean for students and programs beginning in 1992. As an educator since 1971, he taught at the middle- and high-school level and was an administrator in secondary schools. He is a tenured

professor of education in the college.

Morehead is particularly proud of the progress in innovations and dedication to service under his leadership. His careerlong involvement with K-12 education has built linkages and outreach initiatives of collaboration between higher education and public schools.

He helped establish the Alliance for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning – a collaborative among NMSU, K-12 education and other agencies that support teaching and learning in New Mexico. He served on the committee to establish the first Early College High School in Las Cruces.

Morehead considers outreach critical to facing the nation’s educational challenges. Under his leadership, the college works with about 70 percent of the school

districts in the state through programs that assist thousands of students and teachers.

He plans to finalize several projects before his retirement, including assisting Curriculum and Instruction in the development of a master’s offered in Spanish, the opening of the College of Education Community Clinic, and planning for a statewide organization to recruit teachers.

Morehead’s leadership will continue to serve students through the Michael and Jan Morehead Endowed Scholarship, established in 1998 for secondary education and early childhood education majors in their student teaching semester with a minimum 3.0 GPA. It provides support when students must work full-time as a student teacher and are not able to have other supplemental income. Contact Ashley Jurado at 575-646-8072 or ajurado@ nmsu.edu for more information.

“This university and this community have touched the hearts of myself and my family,” Morehead says. “We plan to continue our service to the community.”

Julie M. Hughes ’95 ’09

NMSU string quartet earns second nomination for Latin Grammy Martinez-Rios on the viola, violinist Daniel Vega-Albela, violinist Roberta

in NMSU’s College of Arts and Sciences was nominated for Best Classical Composition for their single “String Quartet No. 2,” by Cuban composer Yalil Guerra. The piece is featured on La Catrina’s latest album, “America Latina: A Musical Canvas.”

“I was very excited,” says Jorge Martinez-Rios, describing his reaction when he learned of the nomination. “I never thought that would happen once, and now we’ve been nominated twice.”

The ensemble members who participated in the recording are

Arruda and Latin American cellist Jorge styles and modEspinoza. All are ern repertoire, assistant profesas reflected in sors of music at the members’ NMSU. threefold mission

The group – to perform the kept only a Ensemble members who participated masterworks of nomination this in the Latin Grammy-nominated the string quartet time. However, recording are, from left: Daniel Vega- repertoire, to Albela, Jorge Martinez-Rios, Jorge in November promote MexiEspinoza and Roberta Arruda.

2012, the CD can and Latin “Brasileiro,” where they recorded the American concert music worldwide “Seresta for Double Quartet” with and to work closely with composers Cuarteto Latinoamericano, won a in order to promote the performance Latin Grammy for Best Classical of new music.

6 | Panorama Spring 2015 | New Mexico State University

COURTESY PHOTO

The La Catrina String Quartet at New Mexico State University was nominated for its second Latin Grammy Award in November 2014.

The string quartet in residence

Recording.

La Catrina has established itself with a reputation for blending

“If we’re talking about the romantic aspect of what we do, just playing for a group of elementary school students around here and seeing their excitement about music, that has a lot of meaning for us,” Martinez-Rios says. “I think that’s probably why we love education so much. There’s nothing better than hearing our students and thinking, ‘They’re sounding really good.’ It’s really rewarding.”

La Catrina String Quartet tours regularly throughout the United States and Mexico, and has received a number of awards and recognitions.

To learn more about La Catrina String Quartet, visit www.lacatrinaquartet.com.

Minerva Baumann ’13

Dancing together

Aggies send both men and women to NCAA tourney for the first time

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ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE WAC

fter securing an outright conference victory with a 13-1 record in the Western Athletic Conference, the Aggie men’s basketball team traveled to Las Vegas in midMarch, where they swept the WAC Tournament and earned their fifth NCAA Tournament berth in six years.

The NMSU men’s basketball team celebrates following their tournament championship victory over Seattle University in Las Vegas. At right, clockwise, player DK Eldridge celebrates the victory, Daniel Mullings drives downcourt, and head coach Marvin Menzies signals players during the semi-final game.

T

he Aggie women’s basketball team also earned an NCAA Tournament appearance – the third-ever for the program. The women followed their own conference victory and 13-1 record with the team’s first WAC Tournament championship, and Aggie sophomore Brianna Freeman earned both WAC Player of the Year and WAC Tournament MVP honors.

The NMSU women’s basketball team celebrates their own WAC tournament championship victory over the University of TexasPan American in Las Vegas. At left, clockwise, head coach Mark Trakh makes a play call, tournament MVP Brianna Freeman goes up for a shot, and player Sasha Weber helps cut down the net in celebration.

New Mexico State University | Panorama Spring 2015 | 7

Making it

PERSONAL Alumni stories are a powerful tool for recruiting and retaining students

DARREN PHILLIPS

By Tiffany Acosta

W

Recruiting new students to campus – and helping them stay the course and finish their degrees – is something alumni can have an active role in.

8 | Panorama Spring 2015 | New Mexico State University

hether it’s cheering on the Aggies to a last-second victory in the Pan American Center, studying until the wee hours of the morning at Zuhl Library or meeting a life partner on campus, every New Mexico State University alum has a personal story that can be shared with the next generation of NMSU students.

“When we use the word recruitment, most people think about high school seniors. It is so much more than that,” says Bernadette Montoya, vice president for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management. “Senior year in high school is an important year, a year when students are making choices and decisions. However, any time we can get the word out about this great institution, we want to take advantage of it.”

NMSU alumni living in every state in the country, the District of Columbia, and nearly 1,300 living abroad, can have a tremendous impact on recruitment and retention.

“One of the best things that community members and alums do for us, particularly our alums, is to share their positive experiences about New Mexico State University,” Montoya says. “They can be some of our best recruiters.

“It’s better than any billboard or brochure we can put out there because it is a personal story,” she adds.

“We know that those personal stories are very meaningful to prospective students and to their families.”

In addition to sharing their personal experiences when they were on campus, alumni can also bring family members, friends or neighbors to visit NMSU – any of whom could become prospective students.

ROBERT YEE

“The one thing that we know to be true is that getting students here to visit the campus is still the number one determining factor in their decision to attend NMSU,” Montoya says. “Recruiters travel to many places both in and out of state. However, many times, the turning point for prospective students is the visit to campus.”

While alumni may be introducing prospective students to the NMSU campus for the first time, a visit to Las Cruces also allows alumni to see the changes happening on campus, including Pete V. Domenici Hall, which opened in fall 2014 and is equipped with state-of-the-art technology, and the renovation currently occurring on the Hardman and Jacobs Undergraduate Learning Center.

NMSU President and Aggie alum Garrey Carruthers often shares personal stories from his time as a student when he speaks to groups. He recalls events such as meeting his wife, Kathy, or hijinks with friends at Aggie football games.

“It has been great having a president who is an alum and who has deep-seated roots in the state. He understands more than anybody the merits of a land-grant institution and has really made many positive changes,” Montoya says.

In addition to helping recruit the next generation of NMSU students, alumni can assist with retention efforts. Currently, NMSU has a 73 percent retention rate, but an objective of the institution’s Vision 2020 strategic plan is Student activities like Pride Band, Greek life and intramural sports help students to increase that stay engaged and successful. to 80 percent. that support academic success, both inside Montoya says alumni can serve as informal and outside the classroom. Some of the mentors to current students, and she hopes effective programs outside the classroom to one day formalize a program. include the TRiO programs, academic

“We know that students who enter tutoring services, peer mentoring programs NMSU have the academic ability,” Montoya and early alert programs. In addition to notes. “Involving alumni to help students special programs, it also is important that by motivating them, inspiring them or just students become engaged on campus by sharing their stories about similar struggles getting involved in activities outside of the that they may have had can often times be classroom, such as Greek life, intramurals, very effective.” the Associated Students of NMSU or by

There are many programs on campus joining one of approximately 250 chartered

DARREN PHHILLIPS

High school seniors tour the campus with an Aggie guide.

Campus visits are often the turning point for students in deciding to attend NMSU.

New Mexico State University | Panorama Spring 2015 | 9

DARREN PHILLIPS

Getting involved in activities outside the classroom helps students relieve stress and stay focused when they’re in class.

student organizations.

According to Montoya, one of the biggest obstacles to students completing a degree is the financial obligation.

NMSU has tried to ease the burden for students by providing a single online scholarship application called Scholar Dollar$ that was developed for initial rollout in the 2010-11 academic year.

Students have to apply and be admitted to NMSU prior to completing the Scholar Dollar$ application. Both incoming freshmen and current students are encouraged to apply each year, and the deadline every year is March 1, or the first business day thereafter.

“We have tried to make it as easy as possible for the student to apply, and we strive to ensure that every dollar that is donated is awarded to students. We know students are grateful to have the financial support,” Montoya says. “Every generous donation, from a $500 book scholarship to an endowed scholarship that gives in perpetuity, is welcomed. We truly value the generosity of all donors to NMSU.”

Beginning fall of 2015, NMSU is reinstating the National Merit Scholars and National Hispanic Scholarship program.

“We are offering a very nice scholar10 | Panorama Spring 2015 | New Mexico State University

ship package to those students who come here as National Merit finalists or semifinalists as well as National Hispanic Scholars,” Montoya says.

Another change on the horizon will occur in fall 2016, when the new admission policies go into effect. With the grade-point average requirement increasing to 2.75 for undergraduate admission, students have three ways to attend NMSU: through the Las Cruces campus, through one of the community colleges or via the Aggie Pathway Program.

Through the Aggie Pathway, students who achieve a minimum 2.5 GPA after completing 24 prescribed credit hours at one of the community colleges will be eligible for transfer enrollment at the Las Cruces campus.

Montoya says NMSU also is focusing on reverse transfers, which help students receive associate degrees. With a minimum of 66 credits required for an associate degree, students from the community colleges may transition to the Las Cruces campus before the associate degree is completed because they exhausted the needed classes at that location. With a reverse transfer, certain classes in Las Cruces can count toward the associate degree, and then it will be awarded to the

student, which is a benefit to both the community college and student.

Montoya personally knows how effective a reverse transfer can be. She arrived at the Las Cruces campus after receiving an associate degree from NMSUGrants.

“We think that it helps get students a step closer and helps them feel successful, while it also awards a program degree to the community colleges,” she says.

Not only can alumni recruit students to NMSU, but they often recruit Aggies for employment.

“Many of our alums come back to visit campus each year to hire current NMSU graduates. Some have said they look first for NMSU graduates when they hire, which was really nice to hear,” Montoya says.

NMSU Career Services plays a key role in hosting a variety of career fairs to support this effort.

After graduating some of the largest classes in school history in the last few years, NMSU is working to increase the student population.

“Recruitment is a team effort,” Montoya says. “We welcome the help and support of our alumni in recruiting students to our great university.”

A driving spirit Pat and Lou Sisbarro give back to the community that has helped make them successful By Justin Bannister ’03 ’13

DARREN PHILLIPS

L

ou Sisbarro was a partner at a General Motors dealership in Michigan when he and his wife, Pat, began to grow tired of cold, snowy winters and started to look for someplace warmer. Soon thereafter, they discovered a dealership for sale in beautiful, sunny Las Cruces, New Mexico, and opened Sisbarro Buick-Pontiac-GMC in the summer of 1981.

Before long, additional Sisbarro dealerships began to open, including Sisbarro Volkswagen in 1985, Sisbarro ChevroletCadillac-Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep in 1995 and their most-recent operation, Sisbarro Sunland Park.

“We appreciate the community of southern New Mexico, of which New Mexico State University is an integral part, for always supporting our business,” says Lou, who serves as president of the Sisbarro dealerships in Las Cruces, Deming and Sunland Park.

He and Pat have been married, and the best of friends, for 50 years. While raising three children, she has owned and operated a number of small businesses while always working as a partner and strategist in the growth, marketing and success of the Sisbarro dealerships. The two remain very active in the dealerships and engaged with both the community and NMSU.

“Since arriving in Las Cruces, Lou and I have been a part of many, many NMSU projects, campaigns and fundraisers,” says Pat, a cancer survivor who is also one of the creators and original co-chairs of NMSU Aggies Are Tough Enough to Wear Pink.

“We’ve seen the school change and grow, and we’re honored to be able to help fund good things that will happen in NMSU’s future.”

Late last year, NMSU President Garrey Carruthers announced that the couple would make two separate, substantial gifts

NMSU President Garrey Carruthers joins the Sisbarro family and community leaders in cutting the ribbon to officially open Pat and Lou Sisbarro Community Park.

to the university designated to support various projects and future initiatives.

As part of their contributions to the university, the husband and wife established the Pat and Lou Sisbarro Current Use Fund. The proceeds from the gift are used to “support excellence at New Mexico State University” and allow NMSU to fund critical projects in a timely manner during the next five years. The first portion of the fund will help to pay for design work needed to renovate Williams Hall, home of NMSU’s art department.

The two also established a separate, substantial legacy gift for the university. This donation will have an extraordinary and lasting impact on NMSU and will provide resources for NMSU to continue important projects and initiatives into the future.

“Pat and Lou are two of our most dedicated supporters,” Carruthers says.

“For years, NMSU has been honored to be

a recipient of their generosity. Now, with the establishment of this legacy gift, Pat and Lou will transform our campus for the benefit of our community and future generations.”

In recognition of their generosity, NMSU unveiled the Pat and Lou Sisbarro Community Park earlier this year. The park, previously just desert east of Aggie Memorial Stadium, now features a running trail and exercise stations. The university has also planted dozens of trees and made other improvements to make the area more welcoming to the community.

“This park is a fitting tribute to Pat and Lou,” Carruthers says. “Lou was actually one of the people who recommended creating a park to draw the community to campus more often. For years to come, as people visit NMSU, this park will serve as a reminder of the relationship Pat and Lou Sisbarro have with this community.”

New Mexico State University | Panorama Spring 2015 | 11

BEYOND

the classroom

Internships, cooperative education teach valuable lessons about work and life By Amanda Bradford ’03

I

DARREN PHILLIPS

n a time when the job market of Hotel, Restaurant and Touris starting to show gains after ism Management is one program the recent recession, more that gives required, upper-division job-seekers in the U.S. are earning credit for internship experience in college degrees. The percentage of the industry.

Americans age 25 to 29 who ob In other fields, an interntained a bachelor’s degree or higher ship or cooperative education has risen from 23 percent in 1990 experience – or co-op – is strongly to 34 percent in 2013, accordencouraged, though not required ing to data from the U.S. Census to earn a degree.

Bureau.

Nationally, 63 percent of

So what can university students paid interns in the class of 2012 do to set themselves apart in a sea reportedly had at least one job ofof mortarboards when they reach fer when they graduated, according graduation – aside from scrawling to a student survey by the Na“Hi, Mom!” on their caps? tional Association of Colleges and

One thing employers have Employers. Of the students with increasingly identified as a mustno internship experience, about 40 have for applicants is some type percent had an offer. of internship experience. In a

For College of Engineering 2013 study from American Public students, a co-op experience isn’t Media’s Marketplace and the required, but it’s extremely valuChronicle of Higher Education, able, says Patricia Sullivan ’83 ’00 internship experience came back as ’14, associate dean for outreach the most important thing employand public service. The college ers look for when evaluating a has built strong relationships with recent graduate. companies like Jacobs Technology,

Kevin Andrew, coordinator Intel, Raytheon, Halliburton, Boeof the Cooperative Education and ing, ExxonMobil, Sandia National Internship Program at New Mexico Labs and many others that actively State University, says it’s not unrecruit NMSU engineering stuusual for a graduate’s first job dents for their co-op programs.

New Mexico State University alumnus Travis Burkhard, left, of offer to come from the company

“Internships and co-ops allow Sandia National Laboratories, speaks with a student about internship where they completed a successful students to explore application of opportunities during a career fair at Corbett Center on campus. internship, as more employers use their classroom knowledge in a the cooperative learning time as a real-world, applied setting,” Sul Some disciplines, like education and low-risk vetting opportunity. livan says. “It provides both students and nursing, include clinical or practicum

“Businesses have to make smart deciemployers with the opportunity to find a experiences as a graduation requirement. sions,” Andrew says. “This way, they get to good fit for possible permanent employIn the College of Agricultural, Consumer see how the fit works.” ment following graduation.” and Environmental Sciences, the School 12 | Panorama Spring 2015 | New Mexico State University

DARREN PHILLIPS

Shane Palmer ’01, a mechanical engineer in Denver, did several semester-long co-op “tours” with NASA, first at White Sands Test Facility and later at the Johnson Space Center near Houston.

“I feel like NMSU’s engineering department did a great job diversifying book learning and hands-on learning,” Palmer says, “but what I saw and experienced at NASA magnified my academic preparation.

The work I did involved projects that were years in the making, not single-semester or one-year projects to which an academic program is limited. The projects obviously involved learning, but it wasn’t solely for the sake of learning – it was to put people into space!”

Beyond training in quality assurance, design, manufacturing and robotics, the co-op gave Palmer valuable experience in navigating a workplace full of people from varied backgrounds and disciplines, as well as personal and professional responsibility – soft skills that employers in the Marketplace/Chronicle of Higher Education survey indicated are often lacking in recent graduates.

Ultimately, he says, the experience opened doors to future employment.

“I had interviews with companies I had never previously heard of that were impressed with my résumé,” he says. “My grades were decent, but my work experience was outstanding – so much so, companies didn’t usually even ask me much about my grades.”

Students in NMSU’s College of Business are recruited for internship experiences with major financial services and insurance firms like KPMG and Merrill Lynch, as well as local firms like Beasley, Mitchell & Co.

Jamie Fletcher, senior vice president for wealth management and senior financial adviser at the Fletcher Group in Las Cruces, a financial advisory team inside Merrill Lynch, said internships provide a low-risk way of evaluating possible future employees as they start with simple tasks and take on more responsibility as they grow.

“It gives the intern a way to look at a firm and the firm a way to look at a possible employee,” Fletcher says. “Internships reduce the risk of hiring over time – it’s like a free look.”

He said most interns arrive at his office with a theoretical view of finance and leave with a practical application of what they’ve

Special education and communications disorders professor Youkyung Bae, center, talks with students inside the speech building. Students in many education disciplines participate in student teaching or practicum training as part of their degree programs.

learned. And while they contribute a lot to the office, he makes sure the interns know that their studies come first, so he works to accommodate class schedules and other academic responsibilities.

One of the interns who worked with the Fletcher Group was Kevin Estes ’13, who earned his bachelor’s in finance, with minors in banking and economics. Estes says he learned volumes about work ethic and understanding client needs and personalities during his time there. Fletcher hired Estes as a part-time seasonal associate after his unpaid, for-credit internship was complete, and set him up with an interview with the state complex director for Merrill Lynch.

But by then, Estes had learned possibly the most valuable thing an internship could have taught him about becoming a financial adviser – that it wasn’t for him.

“I realized that I was most likely best suited as more of an analyst than a financial adviser,” Estes says. He now works as a market project analyst in Albuquerque, and says he’s grateful for the protected view of the industry he thought he wanted to join, along with the life skills he learned.

In creative fields like art or writing, internships can help students produce the portfolio pieces they need to demonstrate their skill in their craft.

Lucas Peerman ’02, a journalism graduate who’s now digital editor at the Las Cruces Sun-News, started his first

internship in high school and collected experiences – and published clips of his work – from the Sun-News, the Carlsbad Current-Argus, the Santa Fe New Mexican, and eventually the Boston Globe, through a Dow Jones New Fund Editing Internship.

“In a classroom, you learn how to write; in an internship, you learn how to report,” Peerman says. “Often, in the classroom, you are given information that you craft into a story. In an internship, you learn that information is rarely given to you, and you have to go into the field, find it and report it.”

As a supervising editor, Peerman now helps select and train interns in the newsroom, and says successful interns often find themselves with full-time offers when openings are available.

“Of the 18 newsroom employees at the Las Cruces Sun-News, four are former interns at the paper,” he says. “A positive internship experience will lead to job offers.

The offer may not come from the paper you interned for, but when jobs come open, editors talk to one another and often suggest a former intern for entry-level positions.”

Help is available for students who want to find an internship or co-op opportunity but don’t know where to start – or for businesses that have an opportunity to offer. For more information, visit careerservices.nmsu.edu, email careers@nmsu.edu or call 575-646-1631.

New Mexico State University | Panorama Spring 2015 | 13

our shared

history W

Museum conservation alum continues studies in European program By Isabel A. Rodriguez ’12

hitney Jacobs understands the value of material objects and their ability to connect us to the past. The New Mexico State University alumna graduated from the College of Arts and Sciences’ Museum Conservation Program in 2013, and is now part of the cohort of the Erasmus Mundus Master’s Program, a prestigious exchange program that aims to increase academic cooperation between Europe and the rest of the world.

Jacobs was one of 10 non-European students accepted into the program this year, and the only one from the U.S.

“Our material culture is important,” Jacobs says. “Whether it is a Van Gogh, an ancient stone statue or a medieval manuscript, these are not just objects, but our connection to the past – they bring us together.

“These things degrade over time, and if they are not looked after, we may lose them forever,” she adds. “Every object has a different history and must be approached 14 | Panorama Spring 2015 | New Mexico State University

on an individual basis with care and patience.”

Her undergraduate studies at NMSU presented her the opportunity to learn from program director Silvia MarinasFeliner and work on the restoration of 19th century Mexican retablos. Damage to the retablos included corrosion, surface scratches and melting.

It was a combined interest in art and archaeology that led Jacobs to study museum conservation.

“I learned about the field of conservation while working at a research station in Antarctica,” she says. “Conservators were working on the objects and buildings left behind by the polar explorers of the early 20th century, and I knew that was exactly what I wanted to do.”

Originally from Los Angeles, Jacobs has interned at the Anthropology Department of the San Bernardino County Museum and the Gilb Museum of Arcadia Heritage.

“It is rewarding to do what you love and to work with things that interest and excite you,” she says. “Cleaning and restoring an object has to be one of the most rewarding parts of working in the industry. To successfully solve these problems is incredibly fulfilling. It is an amazing experience in which I am learning a lot, both in classes and from my classmates, who come from all over the world.”

Jacobs is currently living in Greece, where she is studying the scientific methods used to analyze the materials found in art and cultural heritage items to better interpret and conserve them.

In the past year, she’s also lived and studied in Portugal, and will move to Italy in the fall.

“I am very, very proud of Whitney’s absolutely impressive achievement,” Marinas-Feliner says. “What she has accomplished is something truly remarkable.”

COURTESY PHOTO

PRESERVING

DARREN PHILLIPS

Fulfilling a

DREAM Chemical engineering sophomore’s research helps provide clean water in Palomas, Mexico

By Tiffany Acosta

A

s a young boy, Joshua Gomez always dreamed of being a scientist. Watching programs on the Discovery Channel about Albert Einstein, Nikola Tesla and Thomas Edison fueled his drive. As a sophomore, the El Paso, Texas, native is making that dream a reality at New Mexico State University.

“I’ve always wanted to discover something, invent something, that’s what I’ve always wanted to do,” says Gomez, who is a New Mexico Alliance for Minority Participation student.

Gomez believed he would major in chemistry, but a conversation with a Montwood High School teacher sparked a new idea.

“My high school chemistry teacher told me about chemical engineering and what they do, and I thought it sounded really interesting,” he says. “I went for it in my first semester at NMSU, and I fell in love with chemical engineering.”

And in less than two years at NMSU, Gomez is assisting with research projects.

In spring 2014, Gomez began working with Shuguang Deng, chemical engineering

professor, and Erin Ward, with the New Mexico Water Resources Research Institute, on a project to develop a filter that removes arsenic and fluoride from the water in Palomas, Mexico.

“Not only did we develop this filter, but we showed teachers and community members how to make the filter themselves and acquire the materials, and that way they can maintain it so when we are gone, the project doesn’t just end. They are continuing to work on it,” says Gomez.

Though Gomez was a freshman at the beginning of the project, Deng wasn’t apprehensive about his youth.

“He has a strong motivation,” Deng notes. “I think that’s very rare at such a young age, and he’s very determined.

“I think he has the ambition to publish a journal paper based on his research,” Deng says. “As an undergraduate student, that’s not very easy, because he will be the main author.”

Gomez already has experience sharing the water filter project with a wide audience as he presented at the American Institute of Chemical Engineers annual meeting in November 2014 in Atlanta.

While Gomez mentions he couldn’t

have imagined working on a research project in his first year at NMSU, the results were gratifying.

“Seeing your work transcend and affect a whole community, it’s really motivating that you can have that effect on people,” Gomez says. “After seeing that, that’s what I want to strive for continuously.”

En route to helping to create a successful water filter, Gomez says he learned many things including how beneficial interdisciplinary efforts can be.

“The lab work was pretty tough, because I had to prove the filter did work,” Gomez says. “It was a lot of man-hours in the lab by myself working. It was a lot of trial and error.”

Currently, Gomez is in the lab working on two new projects. He is working on developing activated carbon from algae for arsenic and fluoride absorption, which is related to the project in Palomas. Additionally, Gomez received an award from the New Mexico Space Grant Consortium to develop a carbon filter to purify the water for astronauts on the International Space Station.

Gomez, who is scheduled to graduate in May 2017, says he would like to continue to research water and attend graduate school.

New Mexico State University | Panorama Spring 2015 | 15

Battle with

CANCER

premier cancer research partnership at New Mexico State University is not only fostering extensive cancer research activity, it also is developing the next generation of cancer scientists and a new level of outreach, primarily to underserved populations across New Mexico.

The partnership, which has roots going back to 2002, is between NMSU and the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle. It is in the midst of a five-year, $9 million funding cycle from the National Cancer Institute’s Comprehensive Partnerships to Advance Cancer Health Equity that continues at least until 2018, when the supporting National Institutes of Health grants will again be up for renewal.

Regents Professor Mary O’Connell, principal investigator for the partnership at NMSU and a faculty member in the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences’ Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, is leading a team that includes faculty researchers from the College of ACES, the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Engineering and the College of Health and Social Services.

One of the major objectives of the partnership is a chance to build a human resource of scientists who will be dedicated to serving the underserved in New Mexico.

“We have great minds, great people, great talent here,” O’Connell says. “I think NMSU does a wonderful job, more so than any other place, giving an opportunity to just about anybody. If you want to work a little bit, you can be really polished, and come out of here spectacular. What we need to do is get those people, especially those stars, those sparkled-up folks, to stay, help build the economy in the state, help build the infrastructure in the state, help improve lives in the state.”

Thanks in part to the partnership, O’Connell says, that already is happening.

Regents Professor Mary O’Connell, principal investigator for the research partnership between New Mexico State University and the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, leads a cross-disciplinary team of research faculty.

16 | Panorama Spring 2015 | New Mexico State University

DARREN PHILLIPS

A

Expert researchers, young scientists, outreach teams join forces in the fight By Darrell J. Pehr

ANGELA SIMENTAL

Ryan Ashley, assistant professor in Animal and Range Sciences, is working on a project to advance understanding of hormonal contributors to breast cancer etiology and progression.

DARREN PHILLIPS

“I think there are a bunch of people who are very interested, committed and willing to do that,” she says.

Several people who have gone through the program have decided to put their experience and education toward helping those in New Mexico who are outside the “clinical stream” and are not receiving preventive or health care services. One of them is NMSU graduate Ernesto Moralez, now a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Colorado.

“If we’re talking about health disparities, being from New Mexico, they’re right here,” Moralez says in a video produced for the partnership. “If we’re talking about issues of border health, we’re just a few short miles away. The Fred Hutch and New Mexico State gave me the confidence to say not only do I belong, but I’m really excited about where I’m going to go from here.”

During the 13-year history of the partnership, many like Moralez have worked their way through the process of obtaining an education at NMSU, often supplemented by undergraduate and graduate internships as well as master’s- and Ph.D.level research opportunities, all at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.

Moralez was inspired during his internship at FHCRC.

“I always felt really valued,” Moralez says of his experience in the program.

“Established researchers actually cared about what I had to say. I was saying things and using terminology that I had picked up here at New Mexico State.”

O’Connell says the experience allows NMSU students to work in a world-class research institution where hundreds of employees are all focused on the same agenda: to reduce the impact of cancer on people’s lives.

Their time at Seattle with world-class researchers is reciprocated when postdoctoral students at FHCRC take part in teaching experiences at NMSU, a program led by NMSU Associate Professor Michele Shuster, an investigator for the partnership who leads the Integrated Teaching and Evaluation Core.

Development of new researchers is closely connected to the development of new research. Leading those efforts in this funding cycle are investigators Amanda Ashley, research assistant professor in Animal and Range Sciences, working on a pilot project to identify therapeutic targets

Chemical engineering assistant professor Jessica Houston, left, and chemical engineering student Ruofan Cao examine a lab-built flow cytometer. Houston is working on a time-resolved flow cytometric study of cell signaling.

for doxorubicin-resistant breast cancer; Ryan Ashley, assistant professor in Animal and Range Sciences, working on a project to advance understanding of hormonal contributors to breast cancer etiology and progression; and Jessica Houston, assistant professor in Chemical Engineering, working on a time-resolved flow cytometric study of cell signaling.

Kevin Lombard, associate professor of Plant and Environmental Sciences, is working on “Where Health and Horticulture In-

tersect: A Navajo Wellness Collaboration,” and Rebecca Palacios, associate professor of Public Health Sciences, is focused on promoting health-related research on the Mexican-American population.

The NMSU team is building on accomplishments the partnership already has generated, including 95 publications, 62 awarded grants, 26 projects, one patent and 358 trainees and people who have been mentored.

Along with the growth in research expertise and discovery, the partnership also New Mexico State University | Panorama Spring 2015 | 17

MARGARET WEST DARREN PHILLIPS

Kevin Lombard, associate professor in the Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences and horticulture specialist at NMSU’s Agricultural Science Center at Farmington, is working on “Where Health and Horticulture Intersect: A Navajo Wellness Collaboration.”

Rebecca Palacios, associate professor of Public Health Sciences, is focused on promoting healthrelated research on the Mexican-American population.

is growing a network of health outreach opportunities. The goal for both NMSU and FHCRC is to reach underserved populations, primarily Hispanics and Native Americans. That is a natural fit for NMSU, as a land-grant and Hispanic-serving institution, but what about FHCRC?

“We share a commitment to a particular underserved population,” O’Connell says. “You might not anticipate this, but Washington State has a pretty large agricultural component. Washington’s Yakima Valley is harvested by Hispanic farm workers, and that population has similar health disparities to the folks in New Mexico, especially the agricultural-based population.

“They are concerned about access to 18 | Panorama Spring 2015 | New Mexico State University

care, people being undocumented, people being permanent U.S. citizens and being perceived as not, language barriers, cultural concerns about cancer and what it means, health literacy, exposure to environmental pollutants, ag pollutants, ag problems, things like that,” she said. “We might, on some levels, look very different, but on many, many levels, we’re not.”

Leading outreach in the southern part of New Mexico is cancer health educator Janeth Sanchez, while Eugenia Armijo serves Native American populations in the Four Corners.

NMSU’s role as a land-grant university serves the partnership well with its established network of Cooperative Extension Service offices across the state in every county.

“Janeth is working very closely with the CES offices in all the counties and going to them to conduct Cancer 101 training or doing it on a webinar so that those folks in the county offices know what our government thinks is the best information should one of the people come to them and ask about cancer,” O’Connell says. “We’re giving the NMSU CES offices high-quality content on cancer prevention and screening that is vetted by the National Cancer Institute.”

One of the ways Sanchez gets the word out is by bringing a large, walk-through inflatable colon to health fairs and other events.

“The story that they’re told at these booths is the importance of lifelong behavior – diet, nutrition, exercise – and how to go online to get your particular risk factors assessed at NCI,” O’Connell says. “We’re doing this with any county Extension program that wants us to come.”

O’Connell says the outreach includes public libraries and is being expanded to faith-based ministries.

“Our goal is to help get this information to people who are not in the clinical stream already,” O’Connell says. “So we are not trying to develop interventions that work in the hospital waiting room or in a clinic office. We’re trying to get to the people who haven’t even gotten there yet.”

One of the screening recommendations not often followed is to get a colonoscopy. O’Connell said that is particularly true of Hispanic men. But she pointed out that while a colonoscopy may be uncomfortable, the results of not detecting cancer can be far worse.

“It’s a somewhat rude screening, but dying of colon cancer is not nice; it’s not nice to you, it’s not nice to your family,” O’Connell says. “So, let’s take care of your family – go get screened.”

And while cancer rates are actually lower in New Mexico than national averages, particularly among Hispanics, mortality rates are higher, O’Connell says.

“People present with later-stage cancers. So they’re not getting care as soon as they could,” she says. “They may have unusually aggressive cancers or they may not be getting into the treatment stream early enough. So let’s take care of those people who don’t get into the treatment stream.

We need to pay attention to this.”

BACK in the GAME

Aggies bring home one of their own to lead athletics program

By Bill Powers

M

DARREN PHILLIPS

ario Moccia is an Aggie.

A power-hitting infielder, he led NMSU on the baseball diamond as team captain. He paced the Aggies in home runs, RBIs and batting average. He also earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology in 1989 before heading off to play in the Detroit Tigers minor league system.

Now, 25 years later, Moccia is back on campus.

NMSU president Garrey Carruthers has tasked him with leading the Aggies again and with hitting home runs of a different kind – as the new director of athletics.

Moccia was introduced to succeed the retiring McKinley Boston on Nov. 24, 2014, taking the reins on Jan. 5.

“It’s an honor to be the director of athletics at my alma mater,” Moccia says. “That is the neat part about it – that my history has been a part of this institution’s history.”

Moccia brings a solid background with him.

He comes to NMSU from Southern Illinois, where he served as director of athletics for nine years and earned an Under Armour Athletic Director of the Year honor in 2013 from the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics.

At SIU, Moccia played an important role in a

major fundraising and capital improvement project to build a new football stadium and a new athletic support building, as well as renovate the university’s basketball arena. He also negotiated media rights and footwear and apparel contracts.

Moccia served as the associate athletic director for external operations and then senior associate director of athletics at the University of Missouri from 1998 to 2006.

He also worked as the associate athletics director for external

operations at Texas State University from 1997 to 1998 and as director of sales and Lobo Club assistant director at the University of New Mexico from 1993 to 1997.

Moccia sees growing support for the Aggies as a first step for the program.

“We need to have everyone’s support,” Moccia says. “In today’s day and age, most all schools outside of the Power 5, the BCS schools, are reliant on state support and student fee support, and we are no different. You know a sizeable portion of our budget comes from those two entities.

“It’s incumbent upon us to increase private giving as much as possible,” he adds. “We will do that through ticket sales. We will do that through our multimedia rights. We will certainly do that through donations, both through capital gift and annual giving. That is very important to the overall health and sustainability of the athletic program.”

Moccia is a very proud alum – one who will make a very vocal leader.

“You know, we have won a lot of championships and are vying for championships,” he says. “Our women’s and men’s basketball teams just placed first in their conference – the first time in WAC history that one school has achieved this in the same season. We have a good story to tell.”

And when it comes to NMSU, Moccia is all in.

“We need to start preaching the gospel of Aggie athletics,” Moccia says. “Start telling people about the good things that are going on. I might be the chief bandleader, but we want everyone singing the praises of what is going on and I think that will bring in the interest of the alumni and supporters.”

New Mexico State University | Panorama Spring 2015 | 19

Play ball!

Major upgrades made to Presley Askew Field thanks to Mike and Judy Johnson Photos by Darren Phillips

20 | Panorama Spring 2015 | New Mexico State University

A

ggie baseball fans taking in a game at Presley Askew Field surely noticed some major improvements for both the players and the spectators for the 2015 season. The facility’s $1.465 million renovation, completed this year, was thanks to a gift from NMSU alumni Michael Johnson ’72 ’12 and his wife, Judy ’12 – both lifelong baseball fans.

The improvements include expansion of the south stands, the installation of chair back seating and a stadium sun cover to help shade fans. The Johnsons’ gift also funded other much-needed upgrades to the baseball field’s facilities.

The gift is considered to be a major “game changer” for NMSU baseball. It raises the bar for the Aggie baseball team by helping with player recruitment and by giving fans an improved atmosphere to enjoy the games.

Michael and Judy Johnson

New Mexico State University | Panorama Spring 2015 | 21

Building on Traditions

LEAH PLATERO

Tribal Extension agents help the Navajo people improve their lives By Jane Moorman

Bertha Etsitty helps 4-H members make the traditional dish blue corn mush during a club activity. Tribal Extension agent Leah Platero says some traditional dishes are made differently across the Navajo Nation.

J

esse Jim ’07, Leah Platero ’03 ’05 and Prunell Charley are proud of their Navajo heritage, culture and values.

As New Mexico State University Tribal Extension agents, their goal is to help their Navajo neighbors improve their lives. That might mean improving their livestock herd or their personal health through raising fresh vegetables. The agents share ways to make traditional foods healthier and teach cultural values to young people through 4-H projects and activities.

“We tell the people that the way they are doing something is not wrong, but we want to show them a way that might work better for them,” Jim says. “There’s a balance in everything. That’s what we want to teach the youth.”

In keeping with the land-grant university mission of providing educational programming to people living in the rural and remote areas of the United States, NMSU’s Cooperative Extension Service began the Tribal Extension program in 22 | Panorama Spring 2015 | New Mexico State University

2008, when a state legislative appropriation funded opening new offices in Shiprock and Crownpoint.

The three agents serve the eastern portion of the Navajo Nation that encompasses 6,275 square miles of northwestern New Mexico. Jim is the 4-H agent stationed in Crownpoint. Platero is the home economist and 4-H agent stationed in Shiprock.

Charley is the agricultural agent stationed in Gallup.

The mission of the Tribal Extension program is to develop and deliver community-based education programs that will revitalize agriculture, implement culturally appropriate youth leadership programs and strengthen the bonds between individuals, families and communities.

Tribal culture and language are incorporated in presentations designed for adults or young people.

These NMSU Extension faculty members are working with their counterparts at the University of Arizona and two 1994

land-grant tribal colleges – Diné College in Tsaile, Arizona, and Navajo Technical University in Crownpoint – to accomplish these goals.

Agriculture/Livestock

Sheep have been an important part of the Navajo cultural tradition since the Charro breed was introduced in the Southwest by the Spanish explorers in 1540.

“Traditionally, all of the sheep is used,” says Jim, who owns a herd of 30 sheep.

“Our ancestors ate the meat and used the wool to protect themselves from the cold with garments and blankets. Sheep are still part of our cultural activities – that’s why I raise them.”

The Tribal Extension agents are helping sheep herders produce quality wool and carcass characteristics through educational workshops on good agricultural practices for herd health and proper shearing of the wool.

Charley is developing a booklet titled “Navajo Sheep Quality Assurance,” that

LEAH PLATERO

spearheading a project to promote home gardens through the Yeego Gardening project.

“Yeego means ‘go’ in Navajo,” Jim says. “We want our people to go garden.”

Jim is helping the Crownpoint Boys and Girls Club raise a demonstration garden.

“I’m seeing more home gardens since the program began,” Jim says. “The kids like to show their parents what is growing.

They are encouraging their parents to raise a garden at home.”

Once the produce has been raised, Platero provides canning Tribal Extension agent Jesse Jim helps Spur Morgan prepare to launch his rocket during an activity at the Crownpoint Ofdemonstrations to teach the people ways to preserve the food fice of Diné Youth after-school program. sine projects that involve preparing a healthy beyond the fresh vegetable season.

Extension agents also help foster healthy snack.

“They really like cooking,” Platero living by teaching people how to prepare Health and nutrition says.

“After the workshop, they take home their food.

Gardening for sustenance and as a the recipe for the snack to share with their

Platero is delivering the Kitchen Creation hobby has declined across the United States, parents.

Parents have told us that their child series of four classes that teaches healthy not just in the Navajo Nation. However, the has helped prepare the snack at home.” cooking for people with diabetes.

During a loss of traditional lifestyle activities such as

“I present nutrition workshops twice series of classes, the participants learn how to gardening and the introduction of processed a week at the Crownpoint Office of Diné make healthier meals by changing some of the foods have had a greater negative impact on Youth summer program,” Jim says. “We ingredients in their favorite dishes. the health of the indigenous people. teach about the food groups, calories and

“This has been one of my popular

Diabetes is a serious health problem in reading the nutrition label.

We are making a programs,” she says.

“They learn about the the Navajo Nation. There is a correlation bedifference in their food choices.

At the end diabetes food guide pyramid; balancing tween diabetes and associated cardiovascular of the summer, the kids go on a trip to town. carbohydrates; increasing vegetables, beans disease with the lack of fresh vegetables and While eating at a restaurant, the kids talked and grains in their diet; and cooking heartfruits in a person’s diet. about the nutritional value of the different healthy meals.”

Kevin Lombard, NMSU College of

Platero also holds demonstrations on food items.”

Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental cooking traditional foods and teaches youth Sciences horticulturalist in Farmington, is the values and significance beYouth development hind the food.

The Tribal Extension agents are helping “Preparation of the tradiyoung people learn cultural traditions, such tional foods is being lost by my as making proper introductions. generation,” Platero says. “Hav “When the kids see me, they know that ing this job is actually a win-win before the program begins, each one of them situation, because I have had a is going to have to stand, introduce themself, chance to go to my own aunties, and state their clan,” Platero said. “This is a my mom and my grandmother cultural tradition that they will use for the asking them how to make the rest of their lives.” traditional dishes. I knew enough Jim teaches Navajo values even while to get by, but I needed to know doing modern activities such as rocketry. more. Many times the elders,

“Everything we do here, even if not a who come from the reservation, 100 percent cultural activity, involves our valhave a lot more knowledge and ues, such as learning to be problem-solvers, they test my knowledge during sharing and helping the younger kids,” Jim the classes.” says. “We hope we are building a foundaYouth at Nenahnezad Chapter summer recreation program

Jim and Platero teach nutrition of our culture’s values that will help the learn to weave with yarn. Weaving is among the many traditional Navajo crafts taught by the Tribal Extension agents. tion to the youth with Kids Cuiyouth when they get older.”

JANE MOORMAN

explains the various aspects of raising and breeding sheep.

“We are writing this specifically for the Navajo people,” Charley says. “Aspects of raising sheep have changed over the centuries. This booklet will help the Navajo sheep producer make decisions about their herd regarding the breed they raise, nutrition supplements and disease prevention.”

Historically, the sheep were herded from summer grazing locations to winter areas close to the herder’s home. Along the way, the animal grazed on plants, including those with medicinal properties.

“Our ancestors didn’t have to vaccinate their sheep because they ate plants that kept them well,” Jim says. “It is different now.

Many sheep graze a small area. So we are helping the herd owners identify diseases and the necessary vaccinations.”

New Mexico State University | Panorama Spring 2015 | 23

Powering education

El Paso Electric’s decades-long partnership energizes NMSU

24 | Panorama Spring 2015 | New Mexico State University

middle- and highschool students to engineering through a robotics design challenge. NMSU has been the hub for the NM BEST competition since 2001. Some 600 students from schools in El Paso and across New Mexico participated in the most recent competition, making this one of the largest BEST competitions in the country.

Mary Kipp, who was recently named president of El Paso Electric Company, has a strong relationship with NMSU. She participates in the annual Pete V. Domenici Public Policy Conference and mentors students in the Center for Public Utilities in the College of Business. When plans for a state-of-the-art Ian Leslie, department head of Mechanical Engineering, carefully judges as a classroom in the new student from the School of Dreams Academy positions his robot for scoring.

Pete V. Domenici Area Health Education Center in the ColHall on campus were lege of Health and Social Services created a announced, she wanted El Paso Electric to program to educate residents of the unincorplay a role in making this a reality. porated colonias in southern Doña Ana

“We are proud of NMSU’s successes, County on the efficient use of energy. The and as an educational partner, we look forcolonias lack basic infrastructure, like adward to our future workforce coming from equate drinking water systems and insulated this institution,” she says. homes, and efforts are being made by several

El Paso Electric is also contributing to agencies to improve living conditions for the NMSU’s education outreach efforts. With a residents. new grant from the company, the Southern

COURTESY PHOTO

E

l Paso Electric serves approximately 400,000 retail and wholesale customers in a 10,000-square-mile area of the Rio Grande Valley in west Texas and southern New Mexico by providing safe, clean, affordable and reliable energy. The company also strives to enhance the quality of life in its service area by offering financial support for a wide variety of programs sponsored by area nonprofit organizations.

Ricardo Gonzales ’99 ’10, director of New Mexico external affairs at El Paso Electric, serves as the liaison between the utility company and New Mexico State University.

He is proud of the strong relationship that exists between the two organizations and is a champion of all things Aggie.

The company’s history of support for NMSU goes back more than 30 years. During that time, it has funded a wide range of programs across campus, with an emphasis on student scholarships; support for science, technology, engineering and mathematicsbased programs; and university outreach projects that are designed to improve the quality of life for residents within the company’s service area.

El Paso Electric has long supported the College of Engineering’s electrical utility management program developed by Bill Kersting, along with a professorship in Kersting’s name created at the time of his retirement.

In 2013, the company made a special donation to establish an endowed scholarship in the College of Engineering to honor former board chairman Kenneth R. Heitz, who passed away in July 2012. Recipients will have the opportunity to take part in internship and mentoring programs at El Paso Electric.

In recent years, the company has funded the NM BEST outreach program, which stands for boosting engineering, science and technology, and introduces area

By Ann Palormo

DARREN PHILLIPS

Home-grown HEALERS NMSU, Cibola General partner to deliver nursing program in Grants

By Jane Moorman couldn’t continue to rely on traveling nurses. Hospital administrator Vincent Ashley and NMSU Grants President Felicia Casados developed a way to have NMSU’s nursShaleen Eickhoff, left, and Fred Davis, both New Mexico State University Grants students, work with a computerized patient in the nursing skills lab inside ing program McClure Hall on the Grants campus. The nursing program at NMSU Grants taught in helps Cibola County residents stay close to home while earning their degree.

Grants, so local people could obtain a nursing degree hen Michelle Mace was a child, without having to relocate. there were very few home “The hospital board members contown nurses working at Cibola tinue to create this opportunity by gifting General Hospital in Grants. The hospital $80,000 annually to the NMSU Foundamaintained its accreditation by relying on tion, because they know they are more traveling nurses to fill positions. Now Mace likely to keep employees who are ‘homeis one of the New Mexico State University grown,’” Casados says. “They’d rather hire nursing students changing that scenario. local qualified people than have the cost of

The 37-year-old mother of three is importing traveling nurses.” among the 12 current students in NMSU’s

The nursing students in Grants receive Bachelor of Science in Nursing program the same instruction as the students at taught at the NMSU Grants campus. In two NMSU’s Las Cruces campus through video semesters, she will join the 24 nurses who have graduated from the program since 2009. conferencing and online components. Instruction is delivered to the Grants site from

Cibola General Hospital provides Las Cruces in a real-time, two-way interacmedical care for the 27,335 residents of Cibola County, plus tribal members of Laguna tive environment.

The students fulfill their clinical lab and Acoma pueblos and the eastern region training in Grants. Instructor Donna of the Navajo Nation.

LaPointe, who holds a Master of Science in

Seven years ago, Cibola General’s Nursing degree, teaches the lab and coordicommunity board members decided they

W

nates clinical experiences in real-life medical environments. The $80,000 donation from Cibola General Hospital contributes to the cost of that instructor.

“If Cibola General had not funded this, we would not have this opportunity for our students,” Casados says. “This is not just a gift to us, but to the community, because it gives people an avenue to a better-paying career.”

Cibola General Hospital, like medical facilities across the nation, continues to focus on the recruitment and retention of a nursing staff that provides safe patient care.

NMSU’s School of Nursing Director Pamela Schultz says the difference between the Grants program and other NMSU campuses is that the other sites only have Associate Degree in Nursing programs.

“It’s important for nurses to have a bachelor’s degree, because it better prepares them for the complex health care environment,” Schultz says. “We feel the delivery method of this program will help rural medical facilities have nurses who can face those complexities.”

“Cibola General Hospital is proud to partner with NMSU and the Grants campus to develop and foster a ‘grow our own’ BSN program,” says Donald Weidemann, the hospital’s chief executive officer.

“So far, we have hired several students from the program who would have otherwise had to move out of the community for their education and careers,” he says. “Having the program here not only benefits the hospital, but it also benefits the community and our people who choose nursing as their career.”

New Mexico State University | Panorama Spring 2015 | 25

ALUMNI CONNECTIONS

The Alumni Association is making great strides in promoting NMSU traditions and celebrating Aggie pride.

Through our traditions and awards programs, the association reflects and magnifies all that is great at our alma mater.

The NMSU Ring Ceremony continues to grow each semester as more students and alumni join other Aggies in wearing this symbol of academic accomplishment. Please join us for one of our upcoming celebrations at the end of each semester.

This spring, we are celebrating the Alumni Association’s recognition of Outstanding Graduates for spring 2015.

These graduating students represent great leaders in academics, student engagement and community service. The story of each honoree is inspiring and draws out the very essence of why I’m involved with the NMSU Alumni Association in the first place. These students celebrate far more than their success – they celebrate the journey and those who’ve touched their lives along the way.

Each fall, the Alumni Association celebrates the Distinguished Alumni Awards and the James F. Cole Memorial Award for Service during Homecoming.

The nomination process is underway, and I encourage you to nominate alumni to be considered by the Awards and Scholarship Committee. Learn more about the awards criteria at alum.nmsu.edu. Plan to join us as we celebrate these amazing Aggies!

Each graduate can make a difference in celebrating the history and traditions of NMSU. The future is very bright at NMSU and I’m grateful for my experience.

James “Lee” Golden ’89 NMSU Alumni Association President

26 | Panorama Spring 2015 | New Mexico State University

For Ruth Ford, Chi Omega women’s fraternity provided a place for prosperity, a sense of purpose and an uplifting philosophy to live by.

As an integral member of the fraternity for 69 years, Ford has seen the diversity of Chi Omega’s Pi Delta chapter on the New Mexico State University campus across the decades.

Cultivating confidence, promoting scholastic achieve- 1990s pledge class members Amy Hallford Kord, Carol Royment and community service, bal Weekly, Paula Birmingham, Stacey Sanchez, Stephanie Maestes Madrid, Sheila Mack Gonzales and Jamie Woodward and harboring a sisterhood of a pose with the letters at the Chi Omega sorority house during lifetime, the Pi Delta chapter of the 75th anniversary celebration.

Chi Omega celebrates 75 years Fugitive,’ and watched it every Thursday.” at NMSU.

Years later, Woodward and her sisters

“Returning for our 75th anniversary, followed the same rituals. it just felt like home,” says alumna Jamie

“Lunches were spent with our favorite Woodward ’98. “The biggest part of Chi cook, Rosalee, and watching ‘Days of Our Omega is the friendships that I have made Lives,’” she says. “Thursday evenings we spent and are still a huge part of my life. We have on our big blue couch watching ‘Friends.’ been bridesmaids in each other’s weddings,

Nowadays, the members gather have thrown baby showers for each other, around in the same room watching shows met across the country for vacations and all like “Grey’s Anatomy” and “The Bachelor.” came home to celebrate the anniversary.”

“It’s so fun to see the younger women

The 75th anniversary celebration with their successful careers and having hosted alumnae from throughout New families,” Theodorson says. “The range of Mexico and every corner of the United friendships is an important aspect to me.”

States. Roughly 200 guests were in atten Chi Omega continues to keep its dance at the Eleusinian event, a celebraalumnae tied to the chapter, NMSU and tion held to commemorate Chi Omega the Las Cruces community.

Founder’s Day. Speakers included NMSU

“Being a Chi Omega was such a big Dean of Students Michael Jasek and the part of my experience at NMSU,” Woodformer Chi Omega national president of ward says. “It introduced me to leadership the supreme governing council, Melanie and service, both still very prevalent in my Maxwell Shane. life today.”

Sue King Theodorson ’66 spent one

Pi Delta is involved with the local semester living in the original Chi Omega Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, house at 775 College Drive, where the national Make-A-Wish Foundation and Alumni Association now resides. Origivarious organizations on campus. In 2014, nally fit with three bedrooms and one eight members traveled to Albuquerque to bathroom, it housed three members per become official wish granters on behalf of room and a bedroom for the housemother. Make-A-Wish.

The Pi Delta chapter was formed in

Chi Omega was established in 1895 1939, taking over local sorority Kheth and is the largest sorority in the National Samekh. The current house, built in 1965, Panhellenic Conference, with 176 curhas 12 rooms and an office. rently active chapters and more than 200

“There was a 9 p.m. curfew and we alumni chapters. The Pi Delta chapter is stayed up afterward studying and talking the 95th chapter and has more than 56 all night once everyone went to bed,” Theactive members. odorson says. “We got hooked on ‘The

Jocelyn N. Apodaca ’13

COURTESY PHOTO

From the Alumni Association President

Chi Omega Fraternity celebrates 75 years

to educate. Second, job creation and third, care.”

Fox says he wants to ensure communication with all members of the veteran community and their families, so they understand what benefits they have earned and are entitled to.

“We also would like to remind the public of the sacrifices that all veterans have made, and what they have contributed to society,” he adds.

As for creating jobs, Fox plans to help any veteran who is interested in establishing or going into a business to understand what is available, and direct them to other organizations that can help them achieve their goals.

“We want to partner with other state agencies to make sure veterans are aware of job opportunities in New Mexico,” Fox says.

“Our efforts will ensure that all veterans are aware of benefits that can help them with their mental and physical well-being, as well as issues such as homelessness,” he says.

Angela Simental ’08 ’13

A classic never goes out of style

Retired Brig. Gen. Jack Fox ’69 earned his bachelor’s in government at NMSU and serves on the Alumni Association Board and Executive Council.

DARREN PHILLIPS

For 29 years, retired Brig. Gen. Jack Fox served in the U.S. Army – from Alaska and the Arctic Circle to Germany during the days of the Soviet Union and Korea.

This year, after confirmation from the state Senate, he became secretary of New Mexico’s Department of Veterans’ Services.

Fox graduated from New Mexico State University in 1969 with a bachelor’s degree in government.

“With my education at NMSU, as a government major, I became more aware of the responsibilities of citizens, and being an ROTC cadet prepared me for my military career,” he says. “At NMSU, the experience with the faculty and the students reminded me that we all have a responsibility to take care of each other, and to me, that is what I remember about NMSU: that it’s a caring community.”

His military knowledge as well as his life experience and education helped him shape his vision as newly appointed secretary of the Department of Veterans’ Services.

“I have three goals,” he says. “One is

DARREN PHILLIPS

State’s new veterans’ services leader got his start in NMSU ROTC

Old is new at New Mexico State University, now that Aggie fans can show their support for NMSU with a newly released “throwback” line of clothing and other merchandise.

The Classic Aggie collection uses an image similar to one used by NMSU from the 1960s until about a decade ago. The Classic Aggie was created for NMSU alumni who were fond of the older logo used during their time in school and has proven to be popular with others in the NMSU community. The collection does not impact the use of NMSU’s current Pistol Pete logo.

Oklahoma State University had originally attempted to block NMSU from using the Classic Aggie. Then, late last year, NMSU and OSU signed a licensing agreement allowing NMSU to continue using the image on a limited number of materials.

“We appreciate our friends at Oklahoma State University and their willingness in helping to resolve this dispute,” NMSU President Garrey Carruthers says. Carruthers himself is an NMSU graduate and a proud owner of a Classic Aggie shirt.

“The Classic Aggie is a piece of NMSU nostalgia, and this agreement allows us to continue using the image on items that might be appealing to our fans,” he says.

Classic Aggie merchandise is only available at the NMSU bookstore or its online retail space.

Justin Bannister ’03 ’13

New Mexico State University | Panorama Spring 2015 | 27

ALUMNI CONNECTIONS

S

The

Aggie

Bucket List n: o i t a r o l exp s u p m er a C ett Cent h at Corb

for lunc hl p u t e e ull in Zu M k s x e R out the T Check d Library uck pon d U S M he N Visit t t of the ghos h t i w y Stud Hall Goddard at night s u p m a e the c ssils Explor ion of fo t c e l l o ni C U Alum e Zuhl S h t M e e N S e h

erals at t and min Center l cFie Hal gpole M e h t e a n Exami ne next to the fl o cornerst seshoe or SU on the H e ASNM h t t a t n eve See an r the Arts o Center f

28 | Panorama Spring 2015 | New Mexico State University

ure, lots of people attend New Mexico State University, but not everyone is able to squeeze in every possible ounce of excitement during their time here. So, how does your experience stack up? Check out our extensive – yet far from comprehensive – Aggie Bucket List to see how many experiences you can check off. The good news is, if you still have a few things you haven’t yet gotten to, you are always welcome back to campus.

Aggie li

fe:

Sing th e Aggie Fig the Agg ies score ht Song after a touchd See a own concert with som Pick u e friends p a copy o f The Ro Get a und Up study gr o u p togeth library er at the Cheer on the b aske the Pan America tball teams in n Cente Stay u r p way to o l a te worki a projec ng on t Tailga te ou Stadium tside Aggie Me m , then go to the ga orial Walk me acros your gra s the stage durin duation ceremon g y

Must

-see e

vents :

The NMS UH and c oncer omecom ing b t No onfire che d e L u mina An rias y of t h e Toug Wear h Pink event Enough to The s on ca NM mpus Cerem SU Offic ial Ri ony ng An area w ine fe The stival NMS U H An omec y Agg omin i g Par e men sport ade ’s or w ing ev omen ent The ’s Final s Week at Tao Panca s ke Su pper

t: u o b a d Out an

r hope’s fo C o t k e r he t Make t food rgan Mexican er the O v o e s i r the sun Watch ns and Mountai Farmers s e c u r C he Las Go to t rket a Crafts M Dripping , n i a t n u A” Mo Hike “ r Aguirre Spring o Springs la Plaza l i s e M e h w Walk t hern Ne t u o S e h out t Check tate Fair s Mexico S ite Sand h W t a g ddin Go sle Park Llorona a L t i s i V

New Mexico State University | Panorama Spring 2015 | 29

AGGIE WHIRL

ACHIEVEMENTS

1960s Betty Ann Bond Bell ’66 received the K. Rose Wood Outstanding Older Adult Award from the New Mexico Aging and Long Term Care Services Department. The award was created to recognize individual contributions that benefit local communities in New Mexico.

1970s Herb Hall ’72 retired from teaching after a 42-year career in education. Hall taught high school theater, film, English and public speaking at Beverly Hills High School for 28 years. Hall continues to act on television, stage and film, and was the inspiration for the “Mr. Hall” character in the film “Clueless.”

Hall and his wife, Donna, serve as co-presidents on the Board of Directors of the Victory Theatre in Burbank.

Ross McCallister ’75 is a partner at MC Companies, a real estate investment firm in Scottsdale that owns 7,000 apartment units in three states. He has been

married to Patty for more than 40 years and the couple has two daughters and three grandchildren..

sites, 6,000 affiliated physicians and 34,000 employees as well as the Scott & White health plan.

1980s

Roger Henderson ’84 was instrumental in discovering heavy element #117 at Livermore National Lab in California. Henderson’s team worked with a group of scientists in Dubna, Russia.

Lynn Arnold ’81 ’83 was selected as a 2014 New Mexico Nursing Excellence Award of DistinctionCommunity Service recipient.

Colin Cahoon ’83 was designated a Texas Super Lawyer for 2014. Cahoon was nominated by his peers to receive the prestigious 2014 D Magazine Best Lawyers recognition as an intellectual property attorney.

Margaret Malone Larson ’83 was promoted to senior vice president at BB&T. Previously, Larson was a regional team director in BB&T’s Wealth department with the Southeastern Private Advisor Group.

BB&T, a Fortune 500 company, is one of the largest financial services holding companies in the U.S., with $186.8 billion in assets and market capitalization of $26.8 billion.

Marianne Thomas Shipley ’83 was promoted to director of corporate communications at Baylor Scott & White Health. Baylor Scott & White Health includes 44 hospitals, more than 500 patient care

Richard “Jousef” Mondragon ’86 was honored as a Charles E. Piper Award recipient at a ceremony held by the Berwyn Development Corporation in 2014.

Mondragon received the award for his achievements and contributions toward the growth and development of the Berwyn, Ill., business community.

Mondragon is the vice president of Global Business Development for the Eaton Corporation, a global and multinational electrical conglomerate.

Charles Perez ’86, a 28-year U.S. Customs and Border Protection veteran, was named the CBP airport director for George Bush Intercontinental Airport in November 2014. Perez will also oversee CBP operations at Sugar Land Regional Airport. Perez began his public service in 1986 as a K-9 officer with the U.S. Customs Service in Brownsville, Texas. His previous assignments included a tour in Port of Columbus, N.M.; Port of El Paso, Texas; Pre-clearance in Vancouver; the Houston Seaport; Port of Dallas/ Fort Worth, Texas; as well as CBP Headquarters in Washington, D.C.

DARREN PHILLIPS

A place for quiet rest, thought and meditation

Earlier this year, New Mexico State University officially opened its new Spiritual Center. The facility is available for weddings, memorial services and as a location for peaceful meditation, regardless of faith. Construction of the Spiritual Center was made possible by a $600,000 gift from NMSU alumnus Jim Wetherbe ’71 and his wife, Brynn.

30 | Panorama Spring 2015 | New Mexico State University

Pat Gavin ’87 ’91, head of the NMSU PGA Golf Management program and department head for marketing in the College of Business, was the recipient of the 2014 PGA National Horton Smith Award in recognition of his contributions to professional development and education within the golf industry.

Pride Band marches in Mile High City COURTESY PHOTO

1990s

Colin McDowell’s ’91 music iOS app from his company, McDowell Signal Processing (McDSP), was featured in the New York Times in November. Following the feature, his app was placed in a list of the top 10 music apps. McDowell resides in California, where he started McDSP in 1998.

Louis A. Vega ’91, Dow’s chief of staff and global director, office of the chairman and CEO and executive communications, was named vice president of Olympic Operations in October 2014. As part of his role, Vega will engage host committees for upcoming games through 2020 and be Dow’s main focal point for the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Vega will be responsible for extracting the full business and brand value of Dow’s partnership with the Olympic Games, capturing new revenue and continuing to develop a business structure uniquely positioned to provide technologies and innovations to help improve the Olympic experience for host territories, athletes and fans.

Abel Covarrubias ’96 ’98 was selected as a fellow with the Zero to Three Fellowship Program, which engages, enriches and inspires leaders who are dedicated to advancing the health, development and well-being of infants and toddlers. Covarrubias is the chief executive officer for Aprendamos Intervention Team, an organization providing early intervention services in Doña Ana County.

Deborah Johnson ’97 retired in December 2014 after a decade as the director of the Children’s Advocacy and Protection Center of Catawba County, N.C. The CAPC is a nonprofit organization that works with law enforcement, the district attorney’s office and Catawba County Social Services to prevent and respond to child sexual abuse and severe physical abuse. During her tenure at the CAPC, the organization expanded its mission by providing educational programs designed to prevent child abuse.

Brian S. Colón ’98, an attorney at Robles, Rael & Anaya, PC, was selected as the outstanding volunteer fundraiser in New Mexico and was named a 2014 National Philanthropy Day Honoree by the Association of Fundraising Professionals New Mexico Chapter. Colón has served, and continues to serve, with many boards of directors including the NMSU Central New Mexico Crimson Aggie Chapter, New Mexico Hispanic Bar Association and Albuquerque Community Foundation Future Fund.

Mat Kent ’98 was named director of golf at the Fiddler’s Elbow Country Club in Bedminster, N.J., in November 2014. Kent joined Fiddler’s Elbow in March of 2012 as the PGA head professional. For two seasons, he assisted with the entire golf operation while developing programs focused on member families. In 2014, Kent was given the opportunity to develop the Fiddler’s Elbow Golf Academy as the director of instruction.

Students from New Mexico State University Pride Band, wind symphony and the Sundancers dance troupe performed for more than 70,000 football fans during halftime at the NFL Denver Broncos game Oct. 19 at Sports Authority Field at Mile High.

Jeffrey M. Mitchell ’99 recently passed the New Mexico Bar and has joined the firm of Doughty, Alcaraz & deGraauw in Albuquerque as an associate attorney specializing in litigation and election law.

2000s Renette Apodaca ’00 ’02 ’08 was elected president of the New Mexico Public Procurement Association.

Apodaca is the director of Purchasing, Risk Management and Materials Management at NMSU. Daniel Villanueva ’00 owns Galeria Zia in the El Paso International Airport and a national media brokerage company. He has traveled throughout the U.S., Central and South America, Australasia, Europe and parts of Russia and Africa.

Heather Prudhomme ’04 ’05 was promoted to manager at Atkinson & Co. in December 2014. Prudhomme is a member of the firm’s audit department and is a member of the New Mexico Society of Certified Public Accountants and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

2010s David Diller ’10 is working as a program financial analyst at Sandia National Labs. He manages multiple National Nuclear Security Programs with an overall budget of $250 million a year. In 2013, he obtained his CPA license.

Rafael A. Espinoza ’10 is working in Costa Rica as a full-time research professor and as an international consultant in Latin America.

Melanie Herbert ’10 works at the Navajo Agricultural Products Industry, a 70,000 acre farming enterprise on the Navajo Reservation near Farmington, N.M. Herbert’s focus is soil and plant tissue analysis.

Zuhier Altawallbeh ’12 received his Ph.D. in mathematics from NMSU in summer 2012 and is now department head of mathematics at Tafila Technical University in Jordan.

Sarah Fischbach ’13 joined California Lutheran University as an assistant professor in the School of Management. The Thousand Oaks resident has researched selling, ethics and technology, and received her doctorate in marketing from NMSU. Marissa Miller ’13 was selected as the human resource area recruitment specialist at the regional New Mexico State University | Panorama Spring 2015 | 31

AGGIE WHIRL

DARREN PHILLIPS

Hardman and Jacobs Undergraduate Learning Center takes shape

Construction continues on the Hardman and Jacobs Undergraduate Learning Center. The completed facility will incorporate new and renovated classrooms, the Student Success Center, Information and Communication Technologies and generous gathering and study spaces. The new facility is scheduled to open this fall.

headquarters of Sherwin-Williams in Dallas. She is responsible for the recruitment and hiring of personnel in Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico.

Mohsen Mohseni-Moghadam ’13 received two interviews for postdoctoral positions five days after graduation before accepting a position as a postdoctoral researcher with The Ohio State University.

Daniel Hartell ’14, and his wife, Norma, an anthropology graduate student at NMSU, created a new line of handmade soaps using goat’s milk at their livestock farm, Chico Farm, in Mesquite, N.M. The couple created the line of soap with support from Studio G, the student business incubator at Arrowhead Center.

Patricia Sullivan ’83 ’00 ’14 was named one of 10 New Mexican recipients of the 2014 Governor’s New Mexico Distinguished Public Service Awards. The associate dean for the College of Engineering was honored for her exceptional service throughout the state of New Mexico. Individuals who have not only served the public, but have an established track record of community service are selected for this honor.

32 | Panorama Spring 2015 | New Mexico State University

IN MEMORY Virginia Sue Alford ’67 of Las Cruces, Sept. 23, 2010 James Irving “Jim” Miller ’68 of Brenham, Texas, July 15, 2013 David J. Briones ’79 of Orlando, Fla., Aug. 23, 2014 Raymond L. Ditterline ’63 of Bozeman, Mont., Aug. 26, 2014 Monica M. Chavez ’05 of Las Cruces, Aug. 27, 2014 Rebecca Belcher ’90 of Independence, Mo., Aug. 29, 2014 Robert B. Trujillo ’90 of Los Ranchos, N.M., Aug. 31, 2014 Joseph F. Jund ’87 of Albuquerque, Sept. 1, 2014 Mel A. Calderon ’60 of Spring Valley, Calif., Sept. 2, 2014 Rick L. Arnold ’74 of Milan, N.M., Sept. 2, 2014 Benjamin D. Hawkins ’80 of Golden, Colo., Sept. 4, 2014 Wilhibaldo R. Padilla ’97 of El Paso, Texas, Sept. 6, 2014 Richard L. Pollard ’62 of New Knoxville, Ohio, Sept. 7, 2014 Stepheny D. Kohlrust ’97 of Rio Rancho, N.M., Sept. 8, 2014 Eugene E. Jaramillo ’61 of Los Lunas, N.M., Sept. 13, 2014 Timothy J. Jones ’90 of Rolla, Kan., Sept. 13, 2014

John J. Schaller ’56 of Finksburg, Md., Sept. 14, 2014 Thomas H. Fulton ’63 of King City, Calif., Sept. 15, 2014 Monte R. Jones ’88 of Rio Rancho, N.M., Sept. 22, 2014 Alonzo I. Apodaca ’91 of La Mesa, N.M., Sept. 28, 2014 Thomas J. Jones ’63 of Newburgh, Ind., Oct. 1, 2014 Paul M. Shelton ’83 of Casper, Wyo., Oct. 1, 2014 Olga Cook ’10 of Las Cruces, Oct. 1, 2014 Francis M. Burke ’59 of Las Cruces, Oct. 4, 2014 Charles R. Parsons ’60 of Thornton, Colo., Oct. 4, 2014 David L. Mott ’60 of Las Cruces, Oct. 5, 2014 Betty H. Delamater ’68 of Las Cruces, Oct. 8, 2014 John H. Mosley ’94 of Las Cruces, Oct. 11, 2014 James C. Zizwarek ’77 of Roselle, N.J., Oct. 12, 2014 Jeanetta M. Dale ’81 of Las Cruces, Oct. 12, 2014 James W. Kirby ’50 of El Paso, Texas, Oct. 15, 2014 Emil J. Michal ’09 of El Paso, Texas, Oct. 16, 2014 Jo Anna A. Rincon ’14 of Las Cruces, Oct. 16, 2014 David J. Lynch ’97 of Dacula, Ga., Oct. 17, 2014 Gary O. Duttle ’88 of Las Cruces, Oct. 18, 2014 Cheryn K. Lingerfelt ’92 of Albuquerque, Oct. 20, 2014 Marty M. Fischer ’79 of Monticello, Ill., Oct. 22, 2014 Catherine S. Culpepper ’82 of Seattle, Wash., Oct. 25, 2014 Walter C. Williams ’55 of Glencoe, N.M., Oct. 27, 2014

DARREN PHILLIPS

Top 10 states with NMSU alumni

#10 Nevada, 1,010

#9 Oregon, 1,078

#8 Virginia, 1,369

#7 Florida, 1,709

#6 Washington, 1,789

#5 Colorado, 4,755

#4 California, 5,510

As of Dec. 31, 2014

#3 Arizona, 5,632

Nicolas Rufus Guthrie of Old Mystic, Conn., April 27, 2014

NMSU’s Corbett Center Student Union is in the middle of an $11 million facelift. The construction began last summer with the student lounge shown here and is scheduled to be complete soon. The renovation will create more relaxation space for students, bring a game room back to the building and enhance other student amenities.

#2 Texas, 16,829

IN MEMORY FACULTY/STAFF

Extreme Makeover: Corbett Edition

#1 New Mexico, 64,597

Juan G. Rodriguez ’43 of Lexington, Ky., Oct. 28, 2014 Jerry R. De Busk ’62 of Las Cruces, Oct. 28, 2014 Adelina O. Hill ’71 of Santa Fe, N.M., Oct. 29, 2014 Charles O. Butler ’75 of Rochester, Minn., Oct. 29, 2014 Catherine L. Smith ’94 of Las Cruces, Oct. 31, 2014 Edwin R. Adams ’34 of Spring Branch, Texas, Nov. 1, 2014 David N. Kirkland ’73 of Placitas, N.M., Nov. 1, 2014 Donald J. Wielosinski ’71 of Temperance, Mich., Nov. 2, 2014 Carlos C. Galvan ’73 of Las Cruces, Nov. 3, 2014 Jesse V. Wade ’60 of Tucson, Ariz., Nov. 6, 2014 J. B. Cole ’60 of Huntsville, Texas, Nov. 7, 2014 Patricia C. Sanchez ’49 of Mora, N.M., Nov. 7, 2014 Kevin A. Rudi ’11 of Las Cruces, Nov. 12, 2014 Laura L. Rogers ’57 of Arlington, Texas, Nov. 13, 2014 Genevieve Hyatt ’37 of Deming, N.M., Nov. 15, 2014 Randolph H. Jeppesen ’80 of Missoula, Mont., Nov. 15, 2014 Veronica Riffle ’98 of Del Rio, Texas, Nov. 17, 2014 Joe E. Dean ’51 of Fairview, Texas, Nov. 19, 2014 Michael L. Helm ’65 of Carmichael, Calif., Nov. 19, 2014 Terry W. Hunt ’78 of Friona, Texas, Nov. 19, 2014 Linda I. Davy ’90 of Holdenville, Okla., Nov. 21, 2014 John C. Jones ’75 of Silver City, N.M., Dec. 2, 2014 Robert L. Posey ’51 of Mayhill, N.M., Dec. 4, 2014 Steven B. Blue ’76 of Las Cruces, Dec. 4, 2014 Alice J. Wayne ’40 of Hatch, N.M., Dec. 5, 2014 Raymond E. Pritchett ’67 of McIntosh, N.M., Dec. 8, 2014 Mary Bales ’69 of Kitchener, Canada, Dec. 12, 2014 Stephen M. Matson ’62 of Rock Hill, S.C., Dec. 15, 2014 John W. Riley ’49 of Thornton, Colo., Dec. 16, 2014 Andrew L. Trotter ’72 of Las Cruces, Dec. 20, 2014 Janelle K. Ware ’01 of Capitan, N.M., Dec. 21, 2014 Craig A. Arroyo ’95 of Albuquerque, Dec. 23, 2014 Joseph C. Oefelein ’66 of Succasunna, N.J., Dec. 24, 2014 Gene A. Jaeger ’74 of Albuquerque, Dec. 24, 2014 Esequiel B. Armijo ’49 of Socorro, N.M., Dec. 26, 2014 Carolyn Yoder ’86 of Reading, Pa., Dec. 26, 2014 Philip K. Schneider ’83 of Mesilla, N.M., Dec. 28, 2014 Edward J. Lovato ’83 of La Madera, N.M., Jan. 2, 2015 Glenn A. Frost ’65 of Alto, N.M., Jan. 10, 2015 Richard L. Lopez ’70 of Tucson, Ariz., Jan. 10, 2015 Ann Buckley ’93 of Marathon, Fla., Jan. 15, 2015 Donald R. Shepan ’60 of Las Cruces, Jan. 17, 2015 John D. Sullivan ’69 of Las Cruces, Jan. 18, 2015 James K. Togami ’59 of Naalehu, Hawaii, Jan. 18, 2015 Celia J. Geck ’78 of Las Cruces, Jan. 22, 2015 Joseph J. Horton ’58 of Conway, Ark., Jan. 25, 2015

New Mexico State University | Panorama Spring 2015 | 33

PRESS CHECK

Recent books by NMSU alumni Compiled by Angela Simental ’08 ’13 Pretty Tilt Carrie Murphy ’11 Keyhole Press

Carrie Murphy earned a master’s in creative writing in 2011 with a concentration in poetry. Her poetry book, “Pretty Tilt,” is the thesis she wrote and presented at NMSU. “I was inspired to write poems about the experience of growing up female, about the crazy, dirty, messy and beautiful wonder that is teenage girlhood,” she says. “At the time, I was interested in a school of poetry called the ‘Gurlesque,’ which depicts the grotesque/burlesque side of the feminine experience, and I became influenced by it. I’d like readers of my book of poems to see that poetry doesn’t have to be boring or difficult. It can be funny and sexy and very true to life. I’d also like them to come away with a greater appreciation for the complexity of being a teenage girl.”

Responsibility Kelsie Hahn Cleboski ’13 Lit House Press

Kelsie Hahn Cleboski is a graduate of the NMSU MFA program, and her chapbook, “Responsibility,” is comprised of a selection of stories from her NMSU thesis. “My time at NMSU was a big part of bringing this book together,” she says. “Animals, pets and the ways we interact with them have been an enduring interest in my writing, so this chapbook also represents a small cross-section of how those themes crop up in my fiction.” Her book explores people’s fascination with looking for themselves in animals or pets. “We look for signs of emotion and intelligence that mean we have those things too. Many characters in this collection use animals to prove something about themselves,” she adds. “I hope readers laugh, think and feel weird or a little creeped out at times. It’s a strange little book.”

The Acheron Deception Patrick F. Rooney ’82 Savoir Press

Patrick F. Rooney received a Master of Science in electrical engineering, but his fascination with fiction stories, especially thrillers, took him a different direction. “The Acheron Deception” is a fast-paced action thriller that makes symbolic references to Dante’s “Inferno,” adding another dimension to the story for people familiar with Dante’s nine circles of Hell. “There were some very odd stock market trades just prior to the 9/11 terrorist attacks – trades that made someone a huge amount of money after the markets crashed. It seems reasonable, based on my work developing data mining systems, that trades like these could be monitored to serve as a warning for a pending attack,” he says.

Vandenberg Air Force Base Joseph T. Page II ’00 Arcadia Publishing

Joseph T. Page II graduated from NMSU in 2000. Soon after, he joined the U.S. Air Force, and was stationed at Vandenberg Air Force Base, which stretches over 35 miles on the coast of California, covering 99,000 acres.

Vandenberg Air Force Base boasts more than 200 vintage images and memories from the base. Page details the history of base, including details and photographs of its critical role during the Cold War as well as its Space and Missile Heritage Center. “I hope this book will invite members of the Vandenberg family, past and present, to share their stories of triumphs and tragedies that have taken place on the central coast,” Page says.

34 | Panorama Spring 2015 | New Mexico State University

God’s Avatars: The Betrayal of Belief

Panorama welcomes information on books published by NMSU alumni. Information may be sent to panorama@nmsu.edu or mailed to University Communications and Marketing Services, MSC 3K, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM 88003-8001.

Gary Beene ’74 Amazon Digital Services, Inc.

Gary Beene was studying the history of democide when he came across a definition from Rudolph Rummel, a professor of political science at the University of Hawaii. He describes it as the murder of people by a government.

“The research led me to believe that Dr. Rummel was partially incorrect. Concentrated political power is not the most dangerous thing on earth, but rather, men who claim to speak on behalf of the gods are the most dangerous things on earth. ‘God’s Avatars: The Betrayal of Belief,’ tells the story of this pathological use of religions down through the ages.”

Colors of the Wind Jessica Powers ’94 Purple House Press

Jessica Powers graduated from NMSU with a degree in English and creative writing. Her collaboration with George Mendoza ’78, who illustrates “Colors of the Wind,” earned them a nomination by the American Library Association as finalist for the Schneider Family Book Award, which honors an author or illustrator for a book that embodies an artistic expression of the disability experience for child and adolescent audiences. “When I first met George Mendoza, I was amazed by his art and his story,” Powers says. “All young people go through dramatic changes that, at times, make them feel like their life might be over. Mendoza’s story takes that as the starting point. He went blind when he was 15, but he went on to ‘overcome’ his blindness as a runner who broke the world record for running the mile.” The book has a powerful message: “Don’t ever let what some people consider your weakness, or challenge, or even disability, stop you from doing what you feel called to do,” she says.

The Blank Target Robert Alan Wendeborn ’08 ’11 The Lettered Streets Press

Robert Alan Wendeborn received a bachelor’s in history in 2008 and in 2011 a master’s in fine arts in creative writing, both from NMSU. His strong distaste for romantic love and modernism was the inspiration behind his poetry book, “The Blank Target.” “It is several series and sequences of poems written to an absent beloved,” he said. “It explores identity, sexuality and love through ungendered apostrophe. It quickly switches between emotional states using humor and hyperbole, mimicking the pain of losing a lover.” “The Blank Target” was released in February.

Matinee and Evening: The Story of Actors Abby Lewis and John Seymour Paula Moore ’89 Brighton Publishing, LLC

“Matinee and Evening: The Story of Actors Abby Lewis and John Seymour,” reads like a who’s-who in American theater. Paula Moore stumbled onto Abby Lewis’ archived material in the Institute of Historical Survey Foundation’s archive in Mesilla Park. “Even though I had never heard of her, I was hooked immediately by her personality. She had kept her letters, diaries and photographs, as well as John Seymour’s. So both their lives were opened to me in those pages,” Moore says. Lewis earned a bachelor’s at NMSU in 1932, and made her Broadway debut in 1933. Lewis was a success in stage roles, in the golden age of radio, as well as leading television shows and television and print commercials for nationally known corporations. “Abby was the daughter of a locally famous preacher of St. James Episcopal Church in Mesilla Park, whereas John practically grew up on Broadway, a handsome member of a theater dynasty family,” she explains. “The unlikely couple found unconditional love and sustained support in their careers of choice.”

New Mexico State University | Panorama Spring 2015 | 35

AGGIE PRIDE

Fresh out of school

Chile-peddling business grads have farming roots that run deep

By Amanda Bradford ’03

36 | Panorama Spring 2015 | New Mexico State University

AMANDA BRADFORD

C

hile is big business in New Mexico – growers in the state produced 65,000 tons of chile in 2013, worth $49.5 million – and nowhere is it bigger than the Hatch Valley, where some of the region’s longstanding farming families have been raising the crop for nearly a century.

Second-generation NMSU alum Preston Mitchell ’13 ’14 comes from one of those farming families – his great-grandfather, Joseph Franzoy, is widely credited with being the Hatch Valley’s first chile farmer, coming to the region in the early 1920s. Another branch of his family tree is great-grandfather Ed Berridge, who started Berridge Farms in 1944.

And while Preston and his wife, Elaine Mitchell ’13 ’14 – herself a third-generation Aggie with family ties to agriculture in the region – recently earned their bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the College of Business and are working full-time with successful financial firms, they’re also carrying on the family chile tradition.

The young entrepreneurs own and operate the Hatch Chile Store, a chile e-commerce site, and recently acquired the fresh and frozen online sales portions of Biad Chili Products. They also opened a processing facility and storefront on West Picacho Avenue in August. The facility is closed and quiet now, but was abuzz with some 30 seasonal employees during the peak of the chile harvesting and processing season last fall.

Buying Biad’s operation was a big scaling-up for the Mitchells.

“We went from processing a few thousand pounds of product to processing tens of thousands of pounds of product overnight,” Preston says. “It was a big jump – but we’re hoping to grow through acquisition again in the next few years.”

Most of their chile comes from Berridge Farms, along with a few other growers in the Hatch Valley. They ship the

College of Business alumni Preston and Elaine Mitchell are scaling up their chile processing and online sales business, the Hatch Chile Store.

prized peppers all over the country, often to transplants who’ve moved away from New Mexico, but still need their fall chile fix.

Elaine says it’s a lot of work, but it’s a business they really love.

“It’s really fun, and we use so many of our skills that we learned at NMSU and from our parents,” she says. “It’s a great business and something that people love, so it’s really easy to sell our product.”

It’s also a business that allows them to embark on their careers in financial services. With her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in accounting under her belt, Elaine is working as a staff accountant with local firm Beasley, Mitchell & Co. After earning bachelor’s degrees in management and accounting and information systems, as well as a master’s in accounting, Preston is working as an auditor with KPMG, a top national firm.

Before the ink was dry on their degrees, the couple was looking for ways to give back to NMSU. In October, they visited with the College of Business ambassador group to encourage them to explore

their business ideas now.

“We talked about becoming entrepreneurs in college and not waiting,” Elaine says. “A lot of students have great ideas and they might not follow through with them because it’s scary. But it’s actually a great time to try something.”

The pair is also contributing a portion of their proceeds from the Hatch Chile Store to NMSU’s Chile Pepper Institute in support of the research being done there and the resources the institute offers to businesses like theirs.

“They’re working on solving the disease problems that the industry struggles with,” Preston says. “They’re making strains that are more resistant to disease and more consistent in flavor, heat level, size and even how quickly the peppers peel.”

Eventually, the Mitchells hope to set up a scholarship or contribute to some of the funds they benefited from during their time at NMSU.

Learn more about the Hatch Chile Store at www.hatch-green-chile.com.

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help deserving students

D

realize their dreams

eborah Soliz was working full-time while raising a family and pursuing her degree in early childhood education.

The demands on her time were intense, and Soliz often questioned whether her life’s dream of graduating from NMSU with her degree and pursuing a teaching career would have to be postponed temporarily or even indefinitely.

A scholarship, made possible because of donor support, lifted a huge weight from her shoulders and enabled her to continue her schooling.

“The scholarship was a sign,” Soliz says. “You don’t know what this meant to me!”

Soliz recently completed her student teaching and is enrolled in a master’s program from NMSU’s Department of Curriculum and Instruction, with an emphasis on educational learning technologies. She is substitute teaching and searching for a full-time position.

As an educator, Soliz strives to inspire a love for learning among her students.

“You try and do whatever you have to,” she says, “to make learning fun for the children.”

Soliz recognizes the impact of annual gifts and plans to support NMSU after she graduates.

“I know from my own experience the difference they make to students,” she says.

Please make your own gift before the 2014-15 academic year ends in June. Answer the call of the Aggie Pride Call Center, respond to a letter or email you receive from NMSU or make your gift in less than two minutes at our secure website, giving.nmsu.edu.

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