ALUMNI AWARDS

OUTSTANDING

Each year, the UNM Alumni Association recognizes a host of exceptional alumni and friends of UNM.

The Alumni Association is proud to announce the 2022 award recipients and ask for your nominations of 2023 awards.

Receiving an award is the University’s highest honor. You can nominate someone for the 2023 Alumni Awards at unmalumni.com/awards. The awards ceremony will be held on February 28, Lobo Day!

Shaandiin Tome Bradford Strand, Ph.D Jane Ellen Smith Kim Kloeppel, Ph.D Ireena Erteza, Ph.D

Christina O'Connell, Ph.D.

James F. Zimmerman Award: Shaandiin Tome (’15) The James F. Zimmerman Award is given to an alumnus of the University of New Mexico who has made a significant contribution which has brought fame and honor to the University of New Mexico or to the State of New Mexico. Bernard S. Rodey Award: Bradford Strand, Ph.D (’88)

The Bernard S. Rodey Award recognizes those whose leadership efforts have contributed significantly to the field of education.

Yixing Chen, Ph.D Nancy López, Ph.D Zachary Sharp, Ph.D

Erna S. Fergusson Award: Jane Ellen Smith

The Erna S. Fergusson Award (formerly the Award of Distinction) recognizes exceptional accomplishments and/or commitment or distinguished service to the University of New Mexico. Zia Award: Kim Kloeppel, Ph.D (’80, ’05, ’11) Zia Award: Ireena Erteza, Ph.D (’86) Lobo Award: Christina O’Connell, Ph.D (’96, ’21) Inspirational Young Alumnus Award: Yixing Chen, Ph.D (’15) Faculty Teaching Award: Nancy López, Ph.D The Faculty Teaching Award recognizes outstanding teaching and service to students. The recipient is a faculty member currently employed full-time in any school or college of the University. Research Award: Zachary Sharp, Ph.D Recognizes outstanding research being conducted at the University of New Mexico. The recipient is currently conducting research full-time in any school or college of the University.

Martin Hickey Mark Moores

Higher Education Distinguished Legislator of the Year Award: Senator Martin Hickey and Senator Mark Moores (’93, ’05)

HALL OF HONOR

The Daily Lobo & Student Publications annual alumni celebration in June included the inaugural Hall of Honor Celebration, which recognizes alumni from the Daily Lobo and other student publications The 2022 honorees are Makayla Grijalva, Young Alumni Award; Leslie Donovan, Distinguished Alumni Award; and Mark Holm, Contributor Award.

Grijalva, a 2020 graduate of the School of Journalism, who is a Valencia County News-Bulletin reporter and former reporter at the Silver City Daily Press. A veteran of the Daily Lobo, Grijalva organized a mentorship network for young alumni.

Donovan, who earned a BA in creative writing with a minor in journalism in 1982 and a MA in English in 1986 from UNM, was an instructor in English and women’s studies and earned a PhD in medieval literature in 1993. Since 1994, Donovan had been a professor in UNM’s Honor’s College.

Holm, an award-winning photographer and photo editor at the Albuquerque Journal and Albuquerque Tribune, who died in 2017 at the age of 63, served as a quiet and encouraging mentor for countless young journalists and served as an advisor for the Daily Lobo staff. ❂

William V. McPherson (’90 BA), Henderson, Texas, who retired from the Houston Police Department in 2020, is Kilgore College’s police chief and director of public safety. Julie Coonrod (’91 MS), dean of Graduate Studies at UNM and professor of Civil, Environmental, and Construction Engineering, has been named by The American Council on Education as a Fellow for the 2022-2023 academic year. Garrett Young (’92 BUS) was promoted in December 2022 to partner and general manager at Microsoft corporate headquarters in Redmond, Wash. LeManuel Lee Bitsoi (’93 AALA, ’95 BS), Cambridge, Mass., is vice president for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Brandeis University. Cindy Lovato-Farmer (’93 JD), a specialist in employment law with two decades of experience in legal and leadership positions at national laboratories, has been named general counsel at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. Matthew T. Casados (’94 BSED), Santa Cruz, N.M., is the Rio Arriba County deputy manager. Rhonda BeLue (’94 BS) joined The University of Texas at San Antonio as a Lutcher Brown Endowed Distinguished Professor in the Department of Public Health. Deb Haaland (’94 BA, ’06 JD), the U.S. Secretary of the Interior, spoke at the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Glasgow, Scotland. Savannah C. Partridge (’94 BSEE), Seattle, Wash., was chosen as the 2022 Honorary Fellow by the Society of Breast Imaging in recognition of her scientific contributions for advancing breast imaging techniques.

Cindy Lovato-Farmer Deb Haaland