Mirage Spring 2026

SPRING 2026

THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO I ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

From UNM to Universal Mark Woodbury (’81, BAA) Chairman and CEO, Universal Destinations & Experiences

CONTENTS

Spring 2026, Volume 46 The University of New Mexico Garnett S. Stokes, President Connie Beimer, Vice President,

6 DUCK POND REVITALIZED

46 2026 ALUMNI AWARDS

Renewing a Lobo tradition

Annual awards presented by

By Steve Carr

the Alumni Association

10 AN EPIC UNIVERSE

49 CAMPUS CONNECTIONS

The architectural journey

What’s happening

of Mark Woodbury

around campus

By Steve Carr

16 ART ALONG THE MOTHER ROAD Noé Barnett helped shape Route 66 Remixed

By Mary Beth King

21 UNM AND THE MOTHER ROAD UNM existed before Route 66

By Mary Beth King

24 IN HEELS, SHE CLIMBED Aprilyn Chavez Geissler’s

55 TRADITIONS Chile roasts, Veterans and haunted Hodgin Hall

57 ALUMNI CHAPTER ROUNDUP Alumni Relations event photos

62 CLASS NOTES See what your classmates have been up to

66 IN MEMORIAM A life of service

Alumni Relations, Executive Director Alumni Association UNM Alumni Association Executive Committee President Aprilyn Chavez Geissler (’96 BS) Past President Kenneth Armijo (’05 BS, ’08 MS, ’11 Ph.D.) President-elect and interim Treasurer Joe Ortiz (’14 BBA) Appointed members Elijah Baca (’20 MA) Scott Creagan (’95 BA) Ryan Ferguson (’05 BUS) Michele Ziegler (’04 BBA) Ex-Officio Connie Beimer (’76 BA, ’79 MPA) Mirage Editorial Connie Beimer (’76 BA, ’79 MPA), Vice President Katie Varoz (’04 BA)

rise to leadership

Director

By Coline Bernal

Steve Carr, (’90 BA),

28 A WORLD OF OPPORTUNITY

Managing Editor

Presidential Scholarship Program

Intuitive Design, Graphic Design

celebrates 50 years

Photography credit: University Communication

By Michelle G. McRuiz

and Marketing (UCAM) including Hyunju Blemel, Justin Otsuka, and Anna Padilla. Feature story

32 KEEPING TRADITIONS ALIVE

photos courtesy Vicente Fernandez, April

Vicente Fernandez inspires

Chavez Geissler, Isabel Gonzalez, and Universal

rural students

Destinations & Experiences (UDX).

By Manuel Valdez

Address correspondence to MirageEditor@unm.edu

34 FROM THE ROOF

or The University of New Mexico Alumni Association, MSC 01-1160, University of

TO THE FIELD

New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, 87131-0001.

Game itself is only part of the

You can also contact us at (505) 277-5808.

story for Isabel Gonzalez

By Coline Bernal

Web: UNMAlumni.com

ON THE COVER

Facebook: Facebook.com/UNMAlumni

40 LOBO ALLIANCE

Mark Woodbury (’81 BAA)

Instagram: Instagram.com/UNMAlumni

A new era in college athletics

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer,

Flickr: Flickr.com/UNMAlumni

Universal Destinations & Experiences

X: x.com/UNMAlumni

By Steve Carr MIRAGE MAGAZINE

2

DEAR LOBOS, Spring has arrived in Albuquerque, and with it comes that unmistakable sense of renewal and momentum on the campus of The University of New Mexico. From the fresh blossoms surrounding our newly renovated Duck Pond—you can read more about it in these pages—to the energy of Lobo Day celebrations, this season reminds us of the enduring spirit of our community and the pride we share in being Lobos.

As always, Mirage captures that spirit perfectly. We were honored this spring to welcome Mark Woodbury to campus for a Lobo Living Room conversation that challenged our students to think creatively about leadership, innovation, and the future of immersive storytelling. You’ll also read about the remarkable work of Noé Barnett, whose Route 66–inspired art celebrates the centennial of an iconic American highway—and our relationship to it as Lobos—while reflecting the creative energy fostered at UNM’s “ArtsLab.” We’re also proud to mark the 50th anniversary of the Presidential Scholarship, a life-changing opportunity made possible through the generosity of the UNM Foundation and alumni like you.

This milestone is a powerful reminder that when Lobos invest in one another, we create opportunity that lasts for generations. And as our alumni community continues to grow, I know you’ll enjoy learning more about your latest UNM Alumni Association president, Aprilyn Chavez-Geissler, whose leadership and dedication is strengthening the bonds that connect Lobos everywhere.

As I write to you this spring, I also do so with a full heart, as this will be my final semester serving as president of The University of New Mexico. I am incredibly proud of all that has been accomplished since I arrived here in 2018, whether it’s putting in place our Grand Challenges to define some of our most critical research priorities; making new investments in athletics; working to expand the number of health care providers for our state; advancing our university as a global leader in quantum technology; or helping to guide the implementation of UNM 2040, our long-term strategy for the future of The University of New Mexico. While these things happened during my presidency, none of them happened alone.

I have been fortunate to work alongside an extraordinary leadership team that guides this university with vision and integrity. Our faculty shape our identity through their knowledge, research, and mentorship. Our staff bring the energy and commitment that keep our institution moving forward every day. Our Lobo health care professionals provide compassionate care that touches lives across New Mexico. And our students—remarkable, determined, and inspiring—are the heart of it all, carrying forward the Lobo legacy as alumni who make a difference in their communities and beyond.

Serving as your president has been the greatest honor of my career. While it’s been the toughest job I’ve ever had, it’s also been the most joyful, because we’ve done this work together. I am grateful for your steadfast support, your pride in UNM, and your belief in what this university represents, and I will always be proud to be part of the Lobo family. Thank you for making me a part of such an extraordinary pack.

With appreciation and warmest wishes,

Garnett S. Stokes

President

The University of New Mexico

3

SPRING 2026

Our UNM Legacy Maribeth Thornton (MBA ‘96, PhD ‘17) and Chris Thornton Double UNM alumna Maribeth has dedicated her life to healthcare and is the Chief Nursing Officer at the UNM Hospital. Chris is a senior systems engineer with Boeing.

Through their estate, they are supporting education for nurses and business students. They encourage alumni to give back because education is a ticket to furthering careers and opening minds to new horizons.

The Thorntons are members of the New Horizons Society, a group honoring individuals and families who have included UNM in their estate plans. For more information about how you can create a legacy at UNM or to share that you’ve already done so, please contact the Office of Gift Planning at 505-313-7693 or giftplanning@unmfund.org.

Look forward by giving back.

@UNMFund

UNMFoundation

@UNMFund

505-313-7600

*off our wedding package only *Valid through 2026

505 - 277 - 0336 MIRAGE MAGAZINE

rivermoore@unm.edu 4

events.unm.edu

FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, UNM ALUMNI ASSOCIATION Each year I’m reminded how extraordinary the Lobo community truly is. Whether gathering on campus, cheering on the Pack across the country, mentoring students, or celebrating one another’s achievements, our alumni continue to show that being a Lobo is truly a lifelong connection.

From our popular green chile roasts to Lobo Living Rooms, Senior Send-Off celebrations, and regional chapter gatherings, thousands of Lobos connected with one another and with the University we all care so deeply about over the past year.

One of the highlights of the year was seeing Lobo pride on display across the country.

Hundreds of alumni and fans joined us in Las Vegas for our signature Post Up at the Mountain West Basketball Championships. In the fall, alumni traveled to the Rose Bowl to watch Lobo football upset the Bruins, returned to Albuquerque for a sold-out Rio Grande Rivalry, and saw Coach Jason Eck lead the Lobos to the Rate Bowl.

Homecoming was another unforgettable moment. Last fall we celebrated UNM’s 100th Homecoming football game with a week of activities, from a Lobo Living Room basketball preview to our new ReUnite with the Pack gathering and a spirited tailgate before a victory over Nevada.

We also celebrated the future of our Lobo community, awarding 45 scholarships, including a new Seattle alumni chapter scholarship.

Our Lobo Living Room series showcased some of UNM’s most exciting programs, from the cultural impact of Taylor Swift and Les Misérables to an alumni tour of the new $842 million UNM Hospital Critical Care Tower.

We look forward to milestones this year including the opening of the Center for Collaborative Arts & Technology and the groundbreaking for the Humanities and Social Sciences Complex—both shaping UNM’s future for generations.

Another proud tradition is recognizing alumni who exemplify Lobo spirit. The UNM Alumni Awards Dinner celebrated outstanding graduates making an impact in their professions and communities, while the UNM Black Alumni Chapter honored leaders through its Trailblazers and Living Legends Awards.

Supporting students as they begin their careers remains core to our mission. At Senior Send-Off events, alumni volunteers provided career advice, résumé reviews, networking opportunities, and professional headshots— connections that can make all the difference.

Our regional alumni chapters continue to keep the Lobo spirit alive across the country, hosting game watches, alumni gatherings, and community events from Denver to San Diego to Phoenix and Washington, D.C. One of our most beloved traditions, green chile roasts, continue to grow. In 2025, alumni and regional chapters roasted more than 13,000 pounds of chile at events around the country, including a packed celebration at Winrock Town Center Park here in Albuquerque.

The Green Chile Roasts program, along with Mirage Magazine, earned two Best of District IV Awards from the Council for Advancement and Support in Education. The awards recognize the outstanding work happening at UNM Alumni.

Today, the Lobo alumni community is more than 225,000 strong worldwide, and every one of you plays a role in shaping the future of our University. Thank you for supporting The University of New Mexico and keeping the Lobo spirit strong wherever you go.

Go Lobos!

Connie Beimer

Vice President (’76 BA, ’78 MPA)

UNM Alumni Relations & Executive Director,

UNM Alumni Association 5

SPRING 2026

A new bridge was installed as part of the Duck Pond renovation.

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RENEWING A LOBO TRADITION: UNM’S HISTORIC DUCK POND REOPENS F

By Steve Carr

or generations of Lobos, the

Costantinidis. “It’s where students

students, faculty, staff, alumni and the

University of New Mexico’s

relax between classes, faculty and

greater Albuquerque community.

Duck Pond has been more than a

staff take a moment to connect with

“While the general nature and

scenic stop along Central Campus;

nature during the day, and families

shape of the pond remains the same,

it has been a gathering place where

from across Albuquerque gather for

the physical changes to the pond

memories are made.

graduation photos, quinceañeras and

were reviewed by the UNM Historic

Located at the heart of campus,

wedding celebrations. It’s where our

Preservation Committee to recognize

the Duck Pond has long served as a

neighbors walk their dogs each day

and preserve the original design

backdrop for conversations between

and little kids learn to ride bikes. The

intent by renowned campus architect

classes, quiet moments of study,

variety of birds that call the pond

Garrett Eckbo,” explained Facilities

and celebrations that mark life’s

home bring beauty, life, and a sense

Services Project & Construction

milestones. Since its creation in 1976,

of calm to all who visit. Restoring it

Manager Michael Pierce. “All of these

the pond has become one of UNM’s

with such care feels like honoring all

changes and effort will result in a

most recognizable and beloved

those joyful moments. UNM is proud

cleaner, safer, and more sustainable

landmarks—an enduring part of the

to preserve this cherished place for

ecological environment for the

Lobo experience that many alumni

everyone in our community. I am so

wildlife and all users of this beloved

remember fondly.

happy to see it renewed and ready

campus landmark.”

After a comprehensive renovation designed to preserve its historic

for the next generation of Lobos.”

The Duck Pond Revitalization

“It is my privilege to help celebrate the reopening of this very special

character while strengthening its

Project addressed aging

place—a place that over the last 50

sustainability and accessibility, the

infrastructure while preserving the

years has come to be not just an

Duck Pond has officially reopened to

pond’s historic design. Originally

iconic feature of our landscape, but

the campus community.

created as a man-made urban water

also the very heart of our campus

feature by renowned landscape

itself,” said UNM President Garnett

than a pretty spot on campus.

architect Garrett Eckbo and

S. Stokes. “This is a place where

It is part of the heart of UNM,”

completed in 1976, the pond has

generations of Lobos have joyfully

said Executive Vice President for

grown over nearly five decades into

met with new friends, celebrated

Finance and Administration Teresa

a defining feature of campus life for

accomplishments loudly, or quietly

“The Duck Pond is so much more

7

SPRING 2026

A spectacular view of one of the fountains after the Duck Pond renovation.

studied in the shade. It’s a place

pond’s historic charm. Importantly,

were modernized to improve

where faculty and staff can take a

the Duck Pond’s iconic shape,

water circulation and ecological

moment to recharge and reflect at

appearance and waterfall remain

balance. These updates will reduce

the end—or even the middle—of a

unchanged.

maintenance needs while helping

long day.

“I don’t think it’s overstatement to

Major upgrades include a new pond liner to prevent water loss,

preserve the pond’s natural beauty for years to come.

say that The Duck Pond is UNM. It’s a

modern biofilters, and a UV

beloved symbol of our university, one

treatment system that improves

widened in select areas and regraded

of the first locations visitors head for,

water quality by reducing harmful

to meet accessibility standards so

and one of the most-photographed

algae and microorganisms.

that everyone can enjoy the space.

icons on our campus. With this

Accessibility improvements allow

Some trees in poor condition were

renovation, we haven’t just restored a

visitors—including those using

removed for safety reasons, and

pond; we’ve renewed a piece of our

mobility aids—to reach every edge

new trees were planted to

shared history and invested in our

of the pond, making the space more

continue the pond’s tradition of

future,” added Stokes.

inclusive for the entire community.

shade and greenery.

The renovation focused on

Pathways around the pond were

Materials used in the planter

The revitalization project also

improving water quality, ecological

walls and pond enclosure were

reflects the university’s broader

health, accessibility and long-term

upgraded for durability, while

commitment to sustainability and

maintenance while preserving the

the pond’s mechanical systems

campus stewardship, aligning with

MIRAGE MAGAZINE

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Planner and Director of Campus Capital and Space Planning Rosie Dudley. “It upholds the original vision and preservation guidelines while improving the water quality and habitat, making it easier to maintain, and improving safety and security with enhanced lighting and accessible paths.”

“Future phases of improvements will include further furniture and landscaping enhancements to make this space a destination for future Lobos and the community at-large enabling the Duck Pond to continue to hold a special place in so many people’s hearts.”

Additionally, new benches designed to match the historic character of the space were installed in nine existing seating areas, and two additional seating areas will also be added near Mitchell Hall at the south end of the pond. goals outlined in UNM’s 2040 strategic vision.

“The restoration of this valuable

For alumni returning to campus—

The Duck Pond Through the Years 1976 The Duck Pond is completed as part of UNM’s Central Campus landscape design by renowned landscape architect Garrett Eckbo.

1980s–1990s The Duck Pond becomes one of campus’s most photographed locations and a favorite gathering spot for students studying, socializing and relaxing between classes.

2000s The Duck Pond grows into a community landmark, hosting graduation photos, campus events and visits from alumni returning to campus.

or simply remembering their time at

2024–2025

UNM—the Duck Pond remains what

UNM begins a comprehensive

Heritage Zone marks UNM’s

it has always been: a place to pause,

investment in our campus character,

reconnect, and experience the spirit

community assets, and commitment

of the Lobo community. 

to sustainability,” said University

revitalization project to modernize the pond’s infrastructure while preserving its historic design and character.

Today With improved water quality systems, enhanced accessibility and restored infrastructure, the Duck Pond continues its legacy as one of the heartbeats of the Lobo experience.

UNM President Garnett S. Stokes cuts the ribbon officially re-opening the UNM Duck Pond.

9

SPRING 2026

FROM A DRAFTING TABLE TO AN EPIC UNIVERSE: THE ARCHITECTURAL JOURNEY OF MARK WOODBURY

By Steve Carr

Universal Epic Universe, which opened in May 2025, is Universal’s most ambitious project yet and marked the first major theme park built in the U.S. in 25 years. Photo courtesy of Universal Destinations & Experiences.

MIRAGE MAGAZINE

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M

ark Woodbury’s initial

Woodbury. “I had no idea what

New Mexico’s topography was

career aspiration was to

it meant, but I knew that's what

one of the elements that factored

I was going to do.”

into Woodbury’s decision to come

become an astronaut, but it was a drafting class that eventually took

His direction in life was further

to the Southwest. He was drawn to

him to where he is today­—leading

shaped when he worked at a gas

Albuquerque and The University

Universal Destinations & Experiences

station in high school and became

of New Mexico after the oil crisis

and the teams who create immersive

interested in the environment.

and The School of Architecture was

worlds and attractions that showcase creativity and technology.

“I've been working since I was very young,” Woodbury said. “I worked

“My first choice was astronaut,

noted for its environmental design program, so UNM naturally rose to the top of Woodbury’s list.

but I think architecture was just

“I didn't really have much worldly

before that in the dictionary,” said

exposure to other places. Arriving

Woodbury. “When I really discovered

in Albuquerque and seeing the

architecture, was when I took a

mountains and the mesa and the

drafting class. I was fortunate to have

architecture, I mean, it was just

vocational classes in school growing

a whole new world for me,” said

up on Long Island. I got attached to

Woodbury. “That, environmentally,

holding a pencil. I thought that being

as a place, opened my eyes to a

able to visualize technical things was

bigger worldview, and that's kind

interesting to me at a young age.”

of what drew me to Albuquerque.

While he may not have become

“New Mexico had a strong

an astronaut, those initial influences,

environmental design program,

most notably the drafting class,

and that's really what got me there,

have taken Woodbury on a journey as Chairman and CEO of Universal Destinations & Experiences, a unit of Comcast NBCUniversal that delivers some of the most innovative

thinking about solar energy and

Mark Woodbury

passive design and all those things

at a gas station during the oil crisis of the mid- to late-seventies. And at

that the school was pretty well known for,” he added.

was a really important part of our

The UNM School of Architecture

lives. I was interested in what was

UNM’s architecture program was

referred to as ecology at the time.

very well rounded, with an emphasis

Woodbury’s interest in the field

And then I experienced firsthand

on design and the creative process,

blossomed as a middle schooler

what an environmental crisis, like an

an influence that continues to shape

when his family moved from Long

oil crisis, would mean. So, I became

Woodbury today.

Island to the Chicago area, where

very interested in the environment.”

and sought-after entertainment experiences to audiences worldwide.

The Journey to Universal

he became fascinated by the big

that time, I realized the environment

Coming from the suburbs of

“Even with detailed solutions, it was really about the whole being

city and the famous architect and

Chicago to Albuquerque, Woodbury

greater than the sum of its parts,”

designer Frank Lloyd Wright.

grew up in a big family and didn’t

Woodbury said. “It was about

have the opportunity to travel on

solving for a much bigger, complex

impression on me. So, at a pretty

vacations to see other parts of the

set of issues.”

young age, I would say probably

United States, which he sees as kind

sixth, seventh grade or so, I knew

of ironic, given that he now leads

that emerged, “What do we want

that's where I was headed,” said

Universal Destinations & Experiences.

people to experience through our

“I think the big cities made a big

11

Woodbury noted some key themes

SPRING 2026

work? What do we want them to

with the people he interacted with,

for decades when he was tasked to

take away from the connection to the

who are still friends today.

design a chair, that was more than a

work we were doing? I thought it was

“The power of that collaboration

chair, made out of cardboard.

really important. And that stuck with

and its importance at an early

“I remember thinking about that

me for a long time.”

phase of my academic career

exercise,” he said. “I do remember

He recalled Ed Norris, who ran

were really formative in becoming

clearly what my mindset at the time

UNM Design, Planning Assistance

successful as an architect and as an

was, what in God's name does that

Center, commonly known as DPAC,

executive,” said Woodbury. “We had

mean? You really had to kind of

who he worked with on the design

a really wide variety of exercises in

take a step back and think, how

of a classroom at the Navajo

architecture school, and I think that

do I tackle this challenge and come

Elementary school as well as a list of

mindset applied to anything we're

up with something that is unique

others who impacted his education.

doing, whether that was designing

and different, and really push

a landscape or a building, or a

yourself to think outside traditional

piece of furniture.

boundaries.”

“I spent a summer there in DPAC, and it was one of the most influential summers of my life working on a schoolhouse through that program,”

Speaking of furniture, he recalled an example that has stuck with him

That thinking continues to define his career even today.

recalled Woodbury. “It was really pretty amazing. I also learned a lot from Ann Taylor, who was very instrumental”.

“And believe it or not, it's multiple decades later,” Woodbury laughs, “I can recite for you, and if I were a good artist, I could draw you the faces of people like David Kal and Howard Kaplan, Edith Cherry, Don Schlegel, Baker Morrow, Steve Dent and Wolfgang Pfizer. I can do that off the top of my head because that's how important those personalities were and how formative those personalities were to me at a very sponge-like phase of my life.”

His early academic career helped shape much of how he thinks about the world, and was developed by the challenges he was presented with, which were unusual and unique in New Mexico. One of the first projects Woodbury worked on as an architecture student at UNM involved a team of players, which turned out to be a very memorable experience MIRAGE MAGAZINE

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Universal Destinations & Experiences Mark Woodbury and UNM School of Architecture + Planning Dean Robert Gonzalez discuss an architectural model during a recent UNM tour.

12

Mark Woodbury tours the site of Universal Epic Universe during the construction of the transformative park. Photo courtesy of Universal Destinations & Experiences.

“How is this attraction, land or world going to impact the people

Universal Destinations & Experiences

planning, and designing all Universal attractions and destinations

Woodbury’s architectural training

worldwide. He joined the company

going to take away from that, from

at UNM prepared him well for his

during the development of Universal

an experience standpoint, from

entire career. He spent five years in

Studios Florida and served on the

creating a memory that lasts forever?

traditional architecture before taking

creative leadership team. He is also

In our case, we like to think about

a risk and joining Universal.

a member of the NBCUniversal

who experience it? What are they

Executive Committee.

how we use those experiences

“I took a risk and took that fork in

or those designs to create an

the road and went into this business,”

experience that's truly memorable.”

said Woodbury. “ It started with

impact the people who experience

master planning and architecture at a

it’ has been prevalent throughout

a Bachelor of Arts in Architecture,

different scale. But then it developed

Woodbury’s career at Universal,

another influential UNM professor,

into storytelling using technology

leading teams that have blended the

Stephen Dent, suggested he continue

and attractions, which ultimately led

architecture, engineering, storytelling,

his education and pursue graduate

to a leadership role in the company

and technology. Despite the

school at the University of Wisconsin,

as Chairman and CEO.”

differences in scale and typology, the

After he graduated from UNM with

The phrase ‘how is this going to

where he earned his Master of Arts in

Before that, Woodbury, who’s

fundamentals are basically the same

Architecture. Once out of graduate

been with the company for more

as in traditional architectural design.

school, he went into a traditional

than 35 years, served as Vice

architectural practice. It was a direct

Chair and President of Universal

the first major theme park to open

application of his academic career

Creative, the division responsible for

in the United States in more than

to practice.

developing strategy and creating,

25+ years, is called Universal Epic

13

The company’s latest theme park,

SPRING 2026

Celestial Park is the central hub of Universal Epic Universe, Universal Orlando’s new theme park. Elegant gardens and grand architecture create a breathtaking gateway to adventure. Photo courtesy of Universal Destinations & Experiences.

The Chronos at the main entrance of Universal Epic Universe welcomes guests inside Celestial Park. Photo courtesy of Universal Destinations & Experiences.

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Universe, featuring five themed

which are non traditional from an

where architectural fundamentals—

worlds including Celestial Park, Dark

architectural point of view. The

thoughtful design, placemaking,

Universe, and How to Train Your

difference between parks and movies

and narrative clarity—ensure that

Dragon: Isle of Berk, in addition to The

is we have to create a full 360 degree

each destination feels authentic

Wizarding World of Harry Potter’s

experience that lasts for decades.”

to its setting while delivering an

Woodbury’s background, along

unforgettable guest experience.

Ministry of Magic and Super Nintendo World. Overall, the park contains

with the combination of creativity

“The pillars of our business are to

some 50 attractions, including 30

and technology, and how they’ve

create mind-blowing experiences and

dining and 21 retail locations.

been applied to different aspects

deliver that with really breakthrough

Epic is the fourth theme park at

within his various roles throughout

marketing and combine that with

Universal Orlando Resort and the idea

his career with Universal, have been

world-class guest service,” he said.

of it started with a simple question:

instrumental. The fundamentals of

“Wherever we take that, we like to

How could Universal Orlando become

his architectural education prepared

say that it's universal, regardless of

a weeklong destination for guests?

him by helping to emphasize

the geography. There are clearly

What the company found was that

collaboration and instilling a sense

cultural nuances to that, but the

guests loved Universal’s immersive

of curiosity that has served him well

fundamentals of creating great

storytelling, thrilling rides, and

over the years.

stories and great experiences from

entertainment. That insight set the

“Everything we do here is really a

a placemaking and architectural

challenge, and Universal officially

fusion of creativity and technology,”

standpoint are pretty universal,

announced its intent to build

said Woodbury. “It's really that

no pun intended.”

Epic in 2019.

fusion of creativity, storytelling, and

A cornerstone of delivering exceptional guest experiences is the seamless collaboration among

“Everything we do here is really a fusion of creativity and

architecture, engineering, storytelling and technology—an approach that

technology. It's really that fusion of creativity, storytelling,

mirrors the deep collaborative

and technology. That technology often delivers the visceral

nature of both architectural

component, supported by sophisticated systems ranging from robotics to motion based ride and show technologies.”

practice and the entertainment industry. Success in these complex, immersive environments depends on multidisciplinary teams working in concert, blending creative vision with technical precision to bring ambitious

“When you look at Harry Potter in

technology. That technology often

ideas to life.

our parks, it brings the places that

delivers the visceral component,

people aspire to be a part of from

supported by sophisticated systems

upon a culture of collaboration,” said

those particular canons to life,” said

ranging from robotics to motion

Woodbury. “Architects are really

Woodbury. “In the case of Super

based ride and show technologies.”

oftentimes the composer and the

Nintendo World, how do you put

Woodbury’s teams have also

conductor of the orchestra, bringing

people into the middle of a video

navigated the complexities of

together diverse expertise to create

game? Those are the different kinds

developing global destinations,

a cohesive end product. Our business

of story based and architectural

including Universal Beijing Resort

is very much like that.” 

challenges we face, many of

and Universal Studios Japan, 15

“This work we do is heavily reliant

SPRING 2026

ART ALONG THE MOTHER ROAD: UNM ALUM HELPS LEAD ROUTE 66 REMIXED

By Mary Beth King

A

century after Route 66 began carrying dreamers

The citywide project reimagines

of the projects is to celebrate the

Albuquerque’s stretch of the

anniversary of the historic road’s

west, a University of New Mexico

legendary highway through a

establishment and bring new

graduate is helping define how

collection of murals, sculptures, and

awareness to efforts to preserve,

Albuquerque celebrates the historic

cutting-edge augmented reality

maintain, restore, and return to

highway today. Alumnus Noé Barnett

(AR) experiences, blending history,

use historic properties along the

helped shape Route 66 Remixed, an

art, and innovation into an immersive

Route 66 corridor.

ambitious public art initiative that

celebration of culture. The series

is the cornerstone of Albuquerque’s

honors the road’s history and legacy

collaboration with former UNM art

Route 66 Centennial celebration this

while drawing new attention to

student Travis Black.

year, with his creation of a mural on

preservation and revitalization efforts

the UNM campus.

along the corridor. The purpose

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16

The UNM mural was created in

Like the Mother Road Barnett is celebrating with this latest work, the

road to his diploma at UNM was a

Fine Arts as my major with a focus

gave me the space and the ability to

long one. A native of Albuquerque,

on painting and drawing.”

really home in on my craft and set

Barnett graduated from Volcano

He graduated in 2018 with a

Vista High School before enrolling

Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in

at UNM as an Architecture major.

Art Studio.

me on the path.”

Barnett’s work is a familiar sight around town to local residents.

“I don't think being from New Mexico you automatically have a sense of its importance.

My parents being from the Midwest and driving on road trips over the summer familiarized me with the road.

A lot of the nostalgia, even the memorabilia you see, on postcards and then all throughout the country really helped me research and understand what it was.”

A portion of the ‘Route 66 Remixed’ mural titled ‘Mother: Moment’ at UNM’s ARTSLab.

He soon switched to Criminology,

Among the faculty members who

Among his murals are Mountain Top

then Accounting, before stepping

shaped his development was UNM

at the intersection of Tijeras and 1st

away from school altogether. After

art instructor Beau Carey, also a

Street in downtown Albuquerque

a brief stint as a service aide with

UNM alumnus and Albuquerque-

honors the legacy of Martin Luther

the Albuquerque Police Department,

based painter.

King Jr. and also includes images

he reassessed.

“Beau Carey was pivotal in my

of Booker T. Washington, Coretta

journey,” Barnett recalled. “UNM just

Scott King, and Frederick Douglass.

get a degree in the career field that

gave me the space and the capacity

A giant roadrunner streaks down

I was pursuing so I stopped going

to paint, just being so new and fresh

Eighth Street downtown. A Native

to college but then when the career

to the art world and not really having

American artist plies his craft on the

field I was pursuing didn’t pan out,

the artistic skills, the knowledge,

side of the Turquoise Museum on

I decided to go back and declared

about really how to do anything. It

Second Street, S.W.

“I didn’t feel like it was necessary to

17

SPRING 2026

the memorabilia you see, on

in 2005 to attend UNM on an

postcards

Amigo scholarship.

and then all

Noé Barnett at the press conference that featured the unveiling of the Route 66 Remixed mural ‘Mother: Moment,’ one of 16 art installations across the city.

The city reached out to Barnett

Black moved to Albuquerque

“I saw the quality of the professors

throughout

and the affordable price and my

the country

then-girlfriend and now spouse

really helped

decided to adventure out here from

me research

Michigan. I have always thought my

and understand

college experience was something

what it was.”

that helped me tremendously, I

Barnett

made important connections with

noted that

students and teachers, and I grew

Route 66 is

a lot,” he said.

called the

Black created the blocky Lego®

Mother Road,

or voxel images—the 3-D pixelated—

“so I used

looking designs, creatures, signs,

that as the anchor for the mural,

and automobiles.

“Getting to know Noé and

and Black about working on the

which is why I decided to include

UNM project.

my mom Michelle as the focal point

collaborating with him has been such

“They explained what the project

and the design is centered on that

a pleasure. Noé was so easy to work

was, discussed the scope, brought

and everything expands from there.

with, he knew what he wanted, but

up the centennial and then just

It’s almost as if it’s a memory of

he also cared about my perspective,

paired up myself and Travis

past experiences on road trips and

so I'd say it was a really rewarding

together. We never met, so there

traveling on the road.”

and successful meeting of minds…

was a familiarization process of us

Everything in the distinctive

Noé is an Olympian of his technique,

getting to know one another. They

pixelated style called “voxels” was

well respected in the art and mural

gave us a timeline and told us that

done by Black and Barnett painted

world at large and a great guy. I'm

we wanted to have this done by the

everything else. The flowers in the

glad to be connected with him

end of September.”

design tie into his studio practice.

and my life is enhanced by his

Inspiration for the project came

“It was an honor to be part of

work and presence.”

“As students, both Noé Barnett

through researching the

this and work with Noé and to

highway’s history.

work with the university and Meow

and Travis Black exemplify the

Wolf and the city,” Black said.” It

wealth of talent within the College

you automatically have a sense of its

wasn’t quite like anything I’ve

of Fine Arts. I couldn’t think of a

importance. My parents being from

done before to kind of turn that

better way to celebrate the inspiring

the Midwest and driving on road trips

corner every day and just see our

history of Route 66 than with this

over the summer familiarized me with

progress and to see such a large

amazing mural, which captures

the road. A lot of the nostalgia, even

production felt great.”

what makes New Mexico truly the

“I don't think being from New Mexico

MIRAGE MAGAZINE

18

Land of Enchantment” said College

Route 66 Remixed invites locals

site-specific digital features

of Fine Arts Dean Harris Smith.

and visitors alike to explore the

that reflect the stories, traditions,

UNM’S new Center for Collaborative

legacy of the Mother Road through

and people that have helped

Arts & Technology is being built

a modern creative lens. With

shape Albuquerque. Route 66

on Route 66 a couple blocks east

support from Visit Albuquerque,

Remixed is created in partnership

of the Mother: Moment mural. Its

the New Mexico Tourism

with Meow Wolf, Refract Studio,

location along Central Avenue, will,

Department, community

and local artists. The project

it is hoped, animate the street and

organizations, and property

includes 18 art attractions along

showcase the talents of the UNM

owners, the project transforms

Albuquerque’s 18-mile stretch of

College of Fine Arts to the public.

Central Avenue into a living art

Route 66 that can be experienced

In addition to being a full-time

corridor—an art-fueled road trip

on their own or explored together

muralist for over five years, Barnett

showcasing the stories, traditions,

via a web interface. UNM law

paints in his home studio. His

and people that continue to shape

school grad Hakim Bellamy,

canvases feature bold, colorful floral

Albuquerque’s identity.

Albuquerque’s inaugural poet

imagery suffused with light.

“My studio work is all influenced

Along the route, travelers will discover large-scale installations and

laureate, is the road trip narrator and storyteller. 

by light both in the metaphysical and physical sense. Flowers and vegetation use light to feed themselves through photosynthesis and in turn give us back beauty so they essentially are solar powered and they feed themselves on the light. So right now, my studio practice is a focus on light in various capacities. I use light both as the subject and a medium with reflective layers and seeing things differently through different angles and through the different forms of light.”

Barnett’s work will be on display this summer at the Albuquerque Museum in Old Town and the Secret Gallery located in the Arrive Hotel downtown.

Led by the City of Albuquerque’s Department of Arts & Culture,

A wall of color at the studio of Noé Barnett highlights the vibrant colors noted in his artwork.

19

SPRING 2026

UNM AND THE MOTHER ROAD

By Mary Beth King

Postcard, Administration Bldg. Scholes Hall, UNM, ca. 1940, notice the street was then called Coronado Avenue, in honor of the 400th anniversary of the Coronado Expedition to N.M. In the 1940s, folks could still drive on main campus streets, by Curt Teich, Chicago, Postcard Coll., CSWR

efore there was a Route

B

university on Route 66,” said UNM

legendary Mother Road. For

66, The University of New

Professor Emeritus of English David

years, Dunaway never gave a

Mexico was already an established

Dunaway. Dunaway is an authority

second thought about Route 66.

college, sitting high on a hill above

on Route 66, producer of Across

“For me, Route 66 was just a

Albuquerque. At the time, the

the Tracks; A Route 66 Story, and

street where I went to get a cup of

whole university was contained

editor of A Route 66 Companion,

coffee, where I went to the gym. It

in one building, Hodgin Hall—

an anthology of history and literature

wasn't Route 66 in capital letters.

administration, faculty and staff

with pieces by authors such as Sylvia

I didn't visit Route 66. I just worked

offices, library, labs, and classrooms.

Plath, Thomas Wolfe, Ross McDonald,

there. It wasn't the destination that

and Raymond Chandler.

people from all over the world

It wasn’t until 1926 that Route 66 was established, linking Chicago to

Dunaway recently wrote an oral

Santa Monica and passing through

history of Route 66, co-authored

bucket list, make it to Albuquerque

New Mexico along the way.

by Associate Professor Stephen Benz

and a hundred other cities and

of the UNM English department. But

towns on the world's most

he wasn’t always as aware of the

famous road.”

“Route 66 passes right in front of the University, making us the largest MIRAGE MAGAZINE

20

hope they can someday, on their

When Dunaway learned that

of the official opening of the road.

the University of New Mexico and

Central Avenue was Route 66, an

Dunaway explained how Route 66

pass through the center of the city,

18-mile swath through Albuquerque

came to be located adjacent to the

back when we were a town with wool

and past the UNM campus, he saw

UNM campus.

wagons making their way through

a new perspective.

“That exposes a fundamental

“More than 100 years ago, there was a path that went from Tijeras to

downtown. So, Route 66 and the university have always been entwined.”

tension between the Route 66 of the

the other side of Albuquerque and

traveler and the tourist, and the Route

headed west toward Mount Taylor.

along Route 66, he noted, “but none

66 of the resident for whom the road

It was natural that it would go past

of them have the population or

There are other universities

Photo courtesy UNM CSWR.

may be just a way to the post office...

prestige of the University of

It's the road we live on and work on.”

New Mexico.”

Following that realization about 30

“At one point, the University, such

years ago, he began to dig into the

as it was in the 1920s, would actually

history and culture of Route 66 and

have had horses, maybe drawing drag

produced for National Public Radio

lines to set up this major road to build

(NPR) a three-hour documentary on

it from a trail, a dirt road, then a graded

Route 66 and pieces for the popular

road, and then a paved road in 1938.”

radio program All Things Considered.

But unlike other roads that cross

The series has since been remastered

the country, Route 66 became much

and will air nationally to mark the

more than a paved road, but rather a

Mother Road’s centennial on July 4 and again on Nov. 11, the anniversary

Professor Emeritus David Dunaway

21

cultural icon, immortalized in music, literature, and broadcast media, SPRING 2026

their families, wanted to take

had a television series called Route

a vacation.

66 about a pair of young guys

“Route 66 was the all-weather road from the beginning. That's the

with no particular destination,”

way it was designed. Route 10 on

Dunaway said, noting that the

the border was too hot. The Lincoln

show is still popular and running in

Highway to the north was too snowy.

syndication around the world.

Route 66 was a road you could drive

“The combination of a road which

at all times, so people began taking

tickled people's fancy, which had its

this trip, and it was a very exotic one.

own theme song, which had its own

It took people to Native American

TV series, all of these added up to an

tribes they'd never seen. It was full

evocation of what Route 66 came to

of oddities and strange items, and

mean to America and to the world.

people came back. Into the ’50s,

The chance to drive for Europeans

with this notion that here was an

2,000 miles without hitting a single

unusual experience.”

border, without hitting a single

Then popular singer Nat King Cole

checkpoint. The chance to travel

and his trio recorded a song in 1946.

out of the two great cities at either

“If you ever plan to motor west Travel my way, take the highway that's the best Get your kicks on Route 66 It winds from Chicago to LA More than two thousand miles all the way

end, into really rural areas, into deep forests near Flagstaff and the Continental Divide, into small-town life. All of these together, merged into a sense of American adventure, and that’s what makes Route 66 arguably the most famous road in the world.

Get your kicks on Route 66...”

From Albuquerque, Route 66 headed north through Bernalillo and towards Santa Fe and Las Vegas. Photo courtesy UNM CSWR.

traveling around in a fast Corvette

“That stirred things up even more, and from 1959 to 1963, we actually

Dunaway would like to see UNM take more advantage of its proximity to the historic cultural icon and has

drawing visitors from all over the world to immerse themselves in the romance.

“Everybody knows the story of how the Dust Bowl in Oklahoma and Texas created an exodus from that part of the American Southwest, and most people went west to California, to the land of opportunity and, as Jimmy Rodgers sang “in Blue Yodel No. 4 (California Blues) ‘I'm going to California where they sleep out every night...”

After the war, Dunaway explained, there was a burst of travel along the old road with returning soldiers who, with MIRAGE MAGAZINE

Postcard, El Rancho, Gallup, NM, on Route 66, by M.W.M., Aurora, MO, from Postcard Coll., CSWR

22

The Kimo Theatre and Public Service Company of New Mexico on Route 66. Photo courtesy UNM CSWR.

been trying to organize a national

what can be achieved through

center for the study of Route 66 on

collaboration and innovation,” said

campus for about 20 years. Plans

College of Fine Arts Dean Harris Smith.

were for an effort that would draw

Dunaway acknowledges there is

people from across the University,

some ugliness in the history of the

from real estate, from finance, from

road too: “I want to rebalance Route

various departments who were

66, to consider the communities that

teaching or doing research on

willingly and unwillingly gave up

Route 66. Space was allotted at the

their land for the railroad to come

corner of University Avenue and

through, and later Route 66. The

Central Avenue.

Native and Hispanic communities.

“UNM is a logical place for a

Historic Route 66, Across the Rio Grande, Los Lunas, N.M. Photo courtesy UNM CSWR.

national center on Route 66. We're on

for African Americans to travel.

66, we have a great library collection

They needed the Green Book to

potential... I'm hopeful that will come

of interviews and books on Route 66,

get them to places. So, my Route

about as a result of interest this

and we have faculty such as me who

66 is a broad avenue into American

year in the Mother Road, as John

have devoted a part of their lives to

history, which opens up many of its

Steinbeck called it.”

the road... The idea fell apart and has

unresolved issues. I want Route 66

Beyond Route 66, Dunaway’s

not been reorganized… yet.”

to be seen as a road for all and with

scholarship spans other cultural

a place for all.”

histories. His latest book is A Four-

UNM’S new Center for Collaborative

Photo:

It's also a road that was difficult

eyed World: How Glasses Changed

Arts & Technology is being built

“Although it's an American road,

on Route 66. Its location along

it belongs to the world. There are

the Way We See, a historical and

Central Avenue, will, it is hoped,

Route 66 societies in Switzerland,

humorous look at how eyeglasses

animate the street, create new

Brazil, Japan, Germany. We have

shaped culture, science and the way

vibrancy, and showcase the talents

offered the world an ideal. Of small-

we see today and quotes well-known

of the UNM College of Fine Arts

town living, big city life, and vast

people from Shakespeare to James

to the public.

spaces in between. And they come

Bond to Marilyn Monroe on the

by the thousands to visit. It’s time

subject of glasses. 

“Just as UNM’s connection to Route 66 has long inspired new beginnings

that Albuquerque and the University

through exploration, CCAT represents

step up and recognize the incredible 23

SPRING 2026

Aprilyn Chavez Geissler is an executive leader at Gateway Insurance and Financial Services.

IN HEELS, SHE CLIMBED T

By Coline Bernal

here was a winter when Aprilyn Chavez Geissler

Today, Chavez Geissler serves in

As a freshman at Central New

executive leadership at Gateway

Mexico Community College, then

studied for finals from the driver’s

Insurance and Financial Services,

Technical Vocational Institute, Chavez

seat of her car.

where she advises clients and

Geissler was engaged to the man

advocates for broader representation

she had dated since high school. The

campus so no one would notice. “I

in an industry where she once

relationship escalated into physical

went to classes. I took showers in the

struggled to see herself reflected.

violence. “Typically, it takes a woman

SUB. I ate at Golden Pride Chicken.

But her path upward began

She parked in different corners of

And I just made it work,” she said.

MIRAGE MAGAZINE

with rupture.

seven tries before she leaves,” she said. “I finally left.”

24

When she did, her parents asked

said, college taught her grit

But even as she gained experience,

her to leave their home, and she

and emotional intelligence.

she carried quiet insecurity. At that

moved into her car. Despite the

Determined to Belong

time, she did not see herself as a

instability and trauma, she continued

Since high school, Chavez Geissler

survivor. She saw herself as someone

going to class, determined not to let

was set on becoming a financial

who had been financially unstable.

her circumstances define her.

adviser. Determined to get an early

She feared her past might undermine

Eventually, someone noticed her

start, she entered the industry at 20,

her credibility in a field centered on

unstable situation and offered her

taking a receptionist job at what is

wealth management, so she kept her

a room to rent at a low cost. That

now Ameriprise Financial. The leap

story to herself. “For years, I never

woman also helped her find a needs-

was intimidating. She remembers

based therapist. Chavez Geissler credits therapy as a crucial part of her healing and rebuilding. “I needed it to regain my confidence and move beyond what I was facing,” she said.

Five years later, Chavez Geissler graduated from the University of

being “really nervous and scared” as she stepped far outside her comfort zone, determined to reach the goals she had set for herself.

told anybody what had gone on with me,” she said.

The industry added another layer of doubt. In the positions she hoped to hold one day, she

Her determination did not go

rarely saw anyone who looked like

unnoticed. The financial advisers

her. There was, as she puts it, “no

in the office took her under their

Hispanic financial advisor Barbie.”

New Mexico Anderson School of

wing, paying her to stay late, inviting

So she worked harder, learning

Management with a bachelor’s

her to sit in on client appointments

every aspect of the business to

degree in finance, her tuition paid in

and giving her access to lessons no

prove she belonged. Looking back,

full. More than the coursework, she

textbook could offer.

she describes those years with a metaphor that still resonates.

“Some days, I feel like I’m climbing a mountain and I’m wearing heels and everybody else is wearing hiking boots.”

Finding Her Voice Her trajectory began to shift when she stopped trying to blend in. There was a time, she recalls, when she tried to be like everyone else. But when she started bringing her authentic self into the room, when she stopped being afraid to speak up or share her perspective, was when she began to have the greatest impact. Her mentors did not try to reshape her; they encouraged her. Their acceptance allowed her to stop shrinking herself to fit the room and to UNM Alumni Board President Aprilyn Chavez Geissler, center, and other board members enjoy a fun night during 2025 UNM Homecoming Week.

25

own who she was, regardless of others’ expectations.

SPRING 2026

Aprilyn Chavez Geissler is the president of the UNM Alumni Association and an Anderson School of Management Hall of Fame inductee.

MIRAGE MAGAZINE

26

career, including being named the

works to attract and advance women

mantra: “Let your struggle be your

2020 Top Woman to Watch by

in a profession where representation

strength, not your identity.”

InvestmentNewsNet and a 2019

remains limited, an effort that

NAIFA National Diversity Champion.

mirrors her own early experience

introduced to the owners of Gateway

Yet the moment she fully grasped

in the industry.

Insurance and Financial Services.

how far she had come was when she

They saw her potential and invited

learned she would be inducted into

shaped her growth, remain just as

her to join. By then, she had already

the Anderson School of Management

strong. She now serves as president

built her own practice as a financial

Hall of Fame in 2025.

of the UNM Alumni Relations Board

From that shift came her guiding

In 2015, Chavez Geissler was

professional and insurance agent.

“I learned every aspect of

The recognition was “pretty special,” she said, “because they were

Her ties to UNM, the institution that

and leads the New Mexico Sports Hall of Fame.

the industry I could,” she said,

acknowledging me for the things

Quoting Mohandas K. Gandhi, she

determined to always be prepared,

that I do every day.” It forced her to

often returns to a guiding principle:

“so when I was asked to step into

pause. “Sometimes you just don’t

“The best way to find yourself is to

new roles, I was ready.”

realize what you’ve done or where

lose yourself in the service of others.”

She eventually became the first

you’ve come from.”

executive vice president of a $30 million organization, a role in which she frames leadership as inspiration:

Executive leadership, volunteer commitments and motherhood do

“you have to rise above it,

not exist in separate compartments of her life but overlap in ways that

helping others join the mission and

because everything you need

demand constant recalibration. Some

engage in ways meaningful to them.

is already inside you.”

days begin before sunrise and stretch

Today, her professional fulfillment comes in two forms: helping financial professionals build

long past sunset, and fatigue can be real. Still, she says, as long as there

She was also named the “Phoenix

is purpose behind the work, she

practices aligned with their goals

of Albuquerque” by Insurance News.

keeps going. For Chavez Geissler,

and sitting one-on-one with clients

Initially hesitant to embrace the

work and life are intertwined, “all in

to guide financial decisions.

title, she later recognized it as an

conjunction, all together.”

Her philosophy of advising is

accurate reflection of her resilience.

If Chavez Geissler could speak

rooted in lived experience. The past

“When you are in the ashes and

to the young woman studying for

she once viewed as a liability has

unsure how you will eat your next

finals in a parked car, she would not

become one of her greatest assets.

meal,” she said, “you have to rise

promise ease but purpose. She would

Too often, she believes, financial

above it, because everything you

tell her: “You’ll change lives in ways

professionals speak at a high level,

need is already inside you.”

you don’t even imagine. Even when

Chavez Geissler has never

it’s not comfortable or easy, you will

when most people simply need someone who can meet them where

forgotten the people who extended

they are. For some clients, financial

a hand when she needed it most.

literacy begins with opening a

Advancing in her career, she

checking account or understanding credit. Chavez Geissler meets them there.

Rising to Give Back

committed herself to giving back.

She chooses her commitments intentionally, serving in spaces that reflect both her values and her

She has received numerous

story. As treasurer of the Women in

recognitions throughout her

Financial Services Association, she 27

move mountains.”

Even in heels, she did.  Securities offered through Registered Representatives of Cambridge Investment Research, Inc. a Broker/Dealer, Member FINRA/ SIPC. Advisory services through Cambridge Investment Research Advisors, Inc., a Registered Investment Advisor.

Gateway Financial Advisors, LLC., DBA: Quality Life Insurance Agency, DBA: Gateway Insurance and Financial Services, LLC., Cambridge is partial owner of Gateway Financial Advisors, LLC.

SPRING 2026

A WORLD OF CLOSE TO HOME

The Rainosek family with Jeff Todd, president and CEO of the UNM Foundation.

MIRAGE MAGAZINE

28

OPPORTUNITY Presidential Scholarship Program marks 50 years of supporting exceptional New Mexico students

By Michelle G. McRuiz

F

or half a century, UNM’s

as an intentional partnership

Presidential Scholarship

among the university, donors,

Program (PSP) has invested

and Scholars themselves.

in identifying, supporting,

Together, that partnership

and retaining New Mexico

creates a powerful model of

talent by offering renewable

shared investment in New

scholarships to extraordinary

Mexico’s future. Sustained

high school students from

support gives students the

every county in the state.

freedom to explore academic

The program has grown

and professional paths

into one of the university’s

they might otherwise never

most defining investments in

consider—and helps ensure

student success and talent

that exceptional talent can

development. That investment

grow, contribute, and lead

is made possible in large part

close to home.

by generous donors who

A Natural Choice

make annual gifts and create endowments to support PSP. Each full Sponsor can be matched with a Presidential Scholar and has multiple opportunities to meet and connect with them.

This unique structure makes the Presidential Scholarship something larger than a source of financial aid. While reducing financial stress allows students to focus fully on their studies, the program functions

29

A thread of continuity runs through the PSP: Many PSP donors once were Presidential Scholars themselves. Mark Rainosek, BS ’87, MD ’92, is one such donor. For him, giving to UNM has been a family tradition. His parents, Dorothy and Larry Rainosek, are longtime donors and the owners of two perennially popular Albuquerque eateries, Frontier Restaurant and

SPRING 2026

“It was a natural choice because I was a Presidential Scholar myself,” he says. “I wanted to invest in my community to help those people who can’t get through school on their own. And it helps keep New Mexico’s brightest young people in the state.”

Over time, PSP has grown in both reach and ambition, supporting generations of high-achieving students while building a powerful community of alumni and donors committed to New Mexico’s future.

More Than Medicine

The Rainosek family have been longtime supporters of the Presidential Scholarship program and UNM.

Mark has supported many Presidential Scholars over the years, including through the newly created PSP Graduate Award. One of his current undergraduate Scholars, Ankit

Golden Pride BBQ, Chicken, & Ribs. They inspired Mark,

Jaiswal, is a senior in the BA/MD program, a rigorous

an anesthesiologist who practices in Albuquerque and

eight-year curriculum that puts students on a pathway

Anchorage, Alaska, to help New Mexico students succeed.

from undergraduate education to the UNM School

“Education has always been important in my family,”

of Medicine.

Mark says. “And UNM has a solid, respectable reputation.”

When Mark finished his residency at the UNM School of Medicine, he decided to give back to UNM as a

“Education has always been important

PSP Sponsor.

in my family, and UNM has a solid, respectable reputation.”

“The program’s mission is to address the healthcare

I’M DETERMINED TO GIVE MY EMPLOYEES NEW MEXICO’S LARGEST HEALTH NETWORK.

shortage in rural and underserved areas of New Mexico, and to find students who are dedicated to helping New Mexicans,” Ankit says.

Ankit always had been interested in medicine, particularly surgery, but his undergraduate curriculum in health, medicine, and human values opened his eyes to community and global health.

“It looks at health through a broader lens,” he says.

“It’s about social determinants of health, lifestyle factors, health policy—all the things that make up a person’s health. My BA program has motivated me to explore other ways to impact health in addition to treating a person.”

Ankit graduates with his BA in Spring 2026 and will enter medical school in July. He’s already racked up some impressive credentials at UNM. In addition to maintaining

phs.org/employers

a 4.0 GPA, he won the Anderson School of Business Tech

MPC052457

MIRAGE MAGAZINE

Navigator challenge two years in a row with his designs 30

The Rainosek family with a group of Presidential Scholarship Program recipients at the Frontier Restaurant.

for a helmet that monitors concussions in real time and

Scholarship allowed me to take risks and explore

an injectable, expandable foam that can be used for

things like business and global travel that otherwise I

emergency hemorrhage control.

would not have done.”

In 2024, Ankit spent six months in South America,

As Ankit looks ahead to medical school, he feels

shadowing and observing physicians as they worked

excited and self-assured. UNM’s supportive environment

to implement telemedicine programs in rural areas. He

has helped him connect with mentors and step

also accompanied nursing staff on visits to low-income

into leadership roles. That confidence has sparked

households and spoke about telemedicine in local media.

a desire in Ankit to pay it forward—through medicine

“That work was an amazing experience,” says Ankit.

and philanthropy.

“In those parts of the world, people don’t know much

“I’m proud of being a Presidential Scholar,” Ankit says.

about telemedicine. I got to be part of starting a rural

“Knowing that Dr. Rainosek believed in me motivates me

telemedicine program and convincing people to adopt it.”

to continue building. I want to become a PSP donor one

Motivated to Give Back

day and help motivate future generations.” 

Another highlight of Ankit’s undergraduate program

PSP Graduate Award Now in Second Year

was meeting his PSP donor, Dr. Mark Rainosek.

“It was awesome to find out that Dr. Rainosek was my donor because he’s an anesthesiologist,” he says.

The Presidential Scholarship Program began offering

“He works in Alaska a lot, helping rural communities,

graduate scholarships two years ago. Their first Graduate

so our interests are aligned. He has been a great role

Award Scholar, Maya Dawson, BA ’21, MS ’25, is pursuing

model for me by investing in UNM students and being

a Ph.D. in biomedical engineering at UNM.

interested in hearing our stories. That speaks a lot about

“Presidential Scholarship donors made it possible

his character.”

for me to attend a university close to my family and

Being a Presidential Scholar not only eliminated Ankit’s

make invaluable connections with members of the

undergraduate financial burden; it opened new academic

New Mexico community,” says Maya. “I’m grateful to

and professional vistas.

continue living and learning in the place I call home.

“I was not forced to make decisions based on income

And I’m very excited to continue with my Ph.D. with

or job stability; I could focus on growing through

Dr. Olivia Lanier’s Nanomedicine Toward Health

research and community work. My Presidential

Equity Lab.” 31

SPRING 2026

Vicente Fernandez, center, is the mayordomo of the Acequia Madre del Sur de Cañon del Don Fernando and helps maintain one of the region’s oldest communal traditions.

KEEPING TRADITIONS ALIVE: MAYORDOMO EARNS DEGREE, INSPIRES RURAL STUDENTS

By Manuel Valdez

I

got tired of being a statistic of those without a degree,” says

For years, raising a family young,

Arts degree, completing a mix of

balancing work, and lacking

in-person and online courses that

resources meant college remained

allowed him to stay connected to

out of reach. Only after retiring from

the nonprofit work that remains

of military service and a lifetime

the military with more than 41 years

central to his life.

rooted in the rural communities of

of service did he finally have the time

northern New Mexico, Fernandez

to begin.

Vicente Fernandez.

So, after more than four decades

decided it was finally time to pursue

“I chose to take some courses at the university and some online. I

“I started at UNM at a later stage in

tried to schedule them as close to

something he had long set aside:

my life,” said Fernandez. “My family

each other as possible so I would

a college education.

was in a good place, and I had the

not have the long commute,” said

time to pursue something I had

Fernandez. “Although I enjoyed

always wanted.”

being in the classroom better,

“I always wanted to obtain a degree so I could further enrich my life as well as my family and community,”

Fernandez enrolled at UNM Taos,

the online courses worked well

said Fernandez. “Society views those

spending two years there before

as my schedule with nonprofit

without a degree as a person of lesser

transitioning to main campus in

organizations was taking up a

intellect, which is not true.”

Albuquerque. He earned his Liberal

lot of my time.”

MIRAGE MAGAZINE

32

Throughout his studies, one

to train someone to take over after

that they will return to the place that

motivation remained constant:

I am gone,” said Fernandez. “We

nurtured them and give back to the

giving back to his community.

are continually recruiting people

community to keep our culture and

“I have always believed that

traditions alive.”

community is a very important part

Fernandez also encourages

of our lives,” said Fernandez. “Being

anyone from locals or newcomers

able to give back to the community

to engage with the community

is very rewarding and gratifying.

and its traditions.

A lot of people get educated but

“Come to our acequia or

never give back to the community

community meetings,” said

that raised them. That was my

Fernandez. “Speak with locals. They

big motivation.”

will tell you what needs to be done.”

His coursework also strengthened

As both a UNM alumnus and

a passion he has carried since

a community leader, Fernandez

childhood, protecting the land and water systems that sustain northern

hopes people remember the shared After four decades of military service, Vicente Fernandez obtained his degree at UNM.

New Mexico.

“I have always had a deep reverence

effort behind keeping northern New Mexico’s traditions thriving.

for our project. It has been hard to

“My hope is that they remember

for both water management and the

get people involved, but through

why our acequias, our forest, our

environment. They go hand in hand,”

community meetings and word of

community, our traditions, and

said Fernandez. “My studies there at

mouth, we will achieve our goal of

our culture are still thriving,” said

UNM and the people I met opened

saving our watershed and our forests

Fernandez. “Not only because of my

a world of information where I could

for future generations.”

efforts, but the efforts of those that

research and talk to experts in these areas.”

As mayordomo of the Acequia Madre del Sur de Cañon del Don

Ensuring the stability of tradition

came before us—the blood, sweat,

means inspiring young people to

and tears that go into keeping a

step into leadership roles.

community alive.”

“We involve younger students

Education, he said, empowered

Fernando, Fernandez helps

by offering them a chance to work

him to become a stronger advocate

maintain one of the region’s

with one of our participants and

and leader.

oldest communal traditions.

through community meetings,” said

“Acequias are the glue that keep the

“Having a good education where

Fernandez. “Working with other

you can make things happen and not

community together,” said Fernandez.

nonprofit organizations is also a way

have to wait for others, that is what

“It is so rewarding knowing that

of finding young people that are

my time at UNM taught me.”

you are keeping a tradition that our

interested.”

culture has depended on for hundreds

And for students in rural

His hope is that future generations

communities who may feel the

of years alive and well and knowing

not only inherit the landscape he has

challenges, Fernandez offers a

that what you are doing will last well

worked to protect, but the values

simple message.

after you are gone.”

that shaped it.

His leadership also extends to

“I would tell them not to give up,”

“I hope that the younger

said Fernandez. “It takes discipline,

the Rio Don Fernando watershed

generation gets more involved,” said

hard work, and time. But the results

project, where he recently welcomed

Fernandez. “Most young people

you get at the end will forever

his younger brother to the effort

from rural areas move out due to

be with you. They will make your

“To keep the project going, I need

lack of opportunity. But my hope is

life better.” 

33

SPRING 2026

FROM THE ROOF TO THE FIELD

By Coline Bernal

Isabel Gonzalez covering the 2025 NCAA Women’s Basketball Final Four in Tampa Bay, Fla.

MIRAGE MAGAZINE

34

O

n her 27th birthday, Isabel

when she was 13. It’s where she

Network at Lobo TV. She learned to

Gonzalez received a job

would spend some of her most

operate a camera covering soccer.

formative years.

For men’s games, she worked the

offer from CBS Sports while standing at the front desk of her godparents’

At the University of New Mexico,

main angle from the stadium roof,

Styrofoam business. At the time,

she intended to pursue advertising

alone. From there, the players looked

she was helping them run the family

or film. A high school adviser had

like “tiny little people moving,” she

operation while juggling life as an

encouraged her to consider UNM’s

said, and she didn’t get to talk to

NBA and college basketball freelance

film program, and she imagined

anyone. It left her asking a simple

writer and quietly wondering what

herself working on music videos or

question: “How do I get down there?”

her future might look like.

commercials. Journalism entered her

Saying Yes

When she opened the email, she

life because of a misunderstanding.

broke down in tears. A minute later,

While registering for classes, she

The opportunity arrived unexpectedly. As a sophomore, she

the phone rang. She wiped her

overheard classmates discussing

face, answered the call and went

open positions at the Daily Lobo

back to work, knowing everything

sports desk. She got hired assuming

had changed.

she would help with social media or

From the outside, Gonzalez’s

video. Instead, she started writing.

career may look like a clean ascent

Journalism wasn’t her dream job,

leading to her current role as a

but she was already on the path, so

basketball writer at CBS Sports.

she decided to make the most of it.

But her path was built through

At first, the motivation to write was

years of learning, uncertainty and

practical: getting published meant

a deeply rooted philosophy that

extra credit, and posting on social

followed her at every stage:

media came with a little extra pay.

say yes, even when you don’t

She approached the job

feel ready. Especially when

strategically, but along the way found

you don’t feel ready.

herself drawn to the access and

“I was just taking every opportunity I could to grow,”

University of New Mexico alumna Isabel Gonzalez.

interaction more than she expected.

“I still didn’t consider myself a writer,”

Gonzalez said. “I said yes

asked an upperclassman about two

she said. “But I loved being in the

to everything.”

communication tracks.

environment, talking to players,

Gonzalez was born in Mexico,

“She told me, ‘One, you kind of

coaches, meeting the fans.”

surrounded by a family that loved

study things. The other, you do

soccer. Her dad, brother and cousins

things,’” Gonzalez said. The answer

cover basketball more consistently.

celebrated it passionately, but she

seemed obvious. “So of course I was

UNM men’s basketball was the

didn’t quite share their enthusiasm.

like, I want to do things!”

biggest stage, and she wanted to

Still, she followed them to practices

Only later did she realize she had

test herself there. That was when it

and games and slowly grew attached

signed up for journalism instead

clicked. “I was getting pretty good at

to the ritual. “You start loving what

of advertising.

this,” she said.

you’re watching all the time,” she said.

After a brief stop in South Carolina, her family settled in New Mexico

Her first real experience in sports

By her senior year, she wanted to

After graduating with a bachelor’s

media came through a freshman

degree in digital communication

internship with the Mountain West

and media/multimedia, Gonzalez

35

SPRING 2026

returned to her original plan and

felt to serve it well. The people

same time, they have everything

worked in film for a few months.

who followed The Lair were deeply

to do with it.

A mentor brought her in as an

passionate about local athletics, and

assistant to a director and producer.

she wanted to provide them with

only part of the story. Fans already

She enjoyed the work, but not the

high-quality articles and a modern

have access to everything: they can

instability. “You work six months,” she

community space.

watch the game, look up stats, and

said, “and then you have to figure out

For Gonzalez, the game itself is

From there, she kept expanding

stream press conferences. What they

her coverage. She began taking on

don’t see is what happens behind the

more Mountain West teams. She got

scenes. Now off the roof, Gonzalez

soccer coach asked whether she

opportunities through SB Nation’s

watches from closer range, paying

wanted to produce and host the

Mid-Major Madness and covered

attention to the athletes, the bench,

official men’s soccer show. Gonzalez

Gonzaga and other men’s basketball

and everything unfolding around

had never done anything like it

programs around the nation for a full

the action. Sometimes, she said,

before, but true to form, she said yes.

season. Much of that year overlapped

people talk about athletes as if they

with COVID-19, when access shifted to

are just pieces of a game. But they

what you’re going to do next.”

Around the same time, the UNM

That experience clarified something. For the first time, she

are people, and their performance

allowed herself to imagine a future

is shaped by their mental state and

in sports reporting.

After that season, she met Kurt Roth, a UNM alum and owner of The Lair, an insider site focused on local

“I was just taking every opportunity I could to grow.

I said yes to everything.”

their relationships with teammates.

She studies who is cheering on the bench, how the handshake line looks, and who leans in

athletics. The site had started as a

during timeouts. If a team is thriving,

forum and grown into a community-

she said, it is not just about the stats.

driven website, and Roth didn’t

Zoom, and the remote format made

Something is happening inside the

want it to disappear. Gonzalez was

it possible to cover a program she

locker room. Building those insights

fresh out of college. She remembers

hadn’t been physically close to before.

requires trust and genuine curiosity.

thinking she did not know how to

She also freelanced NBA work.

run a website and barely considered

More Than the Game

herself a journalist. Still, she agreed.

“If you ask someone what show they are watching, you have to

Her voice as a writer developed

remember,” she said. “The next time

alongside those opportunities.

you see them, you follow up and ask

demanding learning periods of her

She traces it back to early English

how the show is going.” That kind of

career. “That’s probably where I

classes and reading children’s books

attention, she said, is what builds

learned the most,” she said, “because

like Junie B. Jones, which taught her

real relationships.

you just had to do it.” She wrote

to write in a simple and descriptive

stories, maintained the website,

A Bigger Stage

way. She likes stories that feel

learned to answer IT questions,

All of it eventually led to a

human, textured, and colorful. If a

worked with moderators and

direct message from CBS Sports

coach loves to cook for his players,

navigated the challenges without the

on X—formerly known as Twitter—

she wants to write about how he

structure of a traditional newsroom.

that she nearly ignored. At first, she

grills, how intentional he is with

There were no editors. “It was just

assumed it was spam; there was no

the ingredients he prepares. Those

me,” she said.

way it could be real.

are the moments that draw her in.

Following a demanding interview

They may have nothing to do with

process, she was offered a position

basketball, she said, but at the

with the network on her birthday.

The Lair became one of the most

What mattered most was the fan base and the responsibility she MIRAGE MAGAZINE

36

Not just any role, but the opportunity

He wanted her to jump right in,

at The Lair, through editors who

to become CBS Sports’ first writer

confident she had the skills to figure

gave her room to grow. Over time,

dedicated to women’s basketball.

it out. More than anything, he wanted

she stopped seeing those moments

her to see that herself.

as coincidences. “When something

Coming from men’s basketball coverage, she understood the

Looking back, Gonzalez speaks

is right for you,” she said, “it will

responsibility that came with the

fondly of the people who believed in

position and knew she would need

her before she believed in herself. A

to put in the work to build the

high school English teacher insisted she

beyond the newsroom. Gonzalez is

same depth of knowledge in the

belonged in honors English, even when

proud of being born in Mexico, of

women’s field.

she still saw English as her second

speaking Spanish and of carving out

Her first day fell in the middle of

language. A broadcasting professor at

space in an industry where she sees

March Madness, the busiest stretch of

UNM kept putting her in front of the

few Mexican writers. Her move to

the season. Her manager asked her

camera because he knew she could do

the United States was made possible

to submit a list of her top 10 women’s

it. She remembered finding it “so cool

by her parents’ sacrifice, a gift she

players by the end of the day. She

that someone believed in me before I

carries with deep gratitude. “They

remembers starting to sweat. How

believed in myself.”

are a big part of my story,” she said.

was she supposed to do it in a day

When she began working in

find you.”

That sense of belonging extends

“I couldn’t have done it without

when she was new to women’s

journalism, that trust followed

them.” The transition left her unsure

basketball? Later, he told her the

her: through sideline reporting

where she fit at times, but over the

assignment had been intentional.

opportunities, through Kurt Roth

years, New Mexico became home

Isabel Gonzalez covering the women’s basketball Big Ten Media Days prior to the 2023-24 season.

37

SPRING 2026

and, eventually, something deeper.

show that these stories matter just as

Sometimes, she comes across

much as stories in men’s sports.

Those global events remind her

March Madness remains her

why she fell in love with sports in the

comments that read: “Isabel came from New Mexico;

assignment comes her way.

favorite time of year. The travel, the

first place. “When all the fans come

she’s one of ours!” That support,

unpredictability, and the intensity

together, and something

she said, means more than most

remind her why she chose this path

big is happening,” she said.

people realize.

in the first place. Still, her curiosity

“That’s truly what I love.”

Now several seasons into her role, Gonzalez remains energized by

stretches beyond basketball. A former figure skater, she watches the

Those moments are why Gonzalez has never chased the final score. She chases what happens around it: the

“When all the fans come together, and something big is happening,” she said. “That’s truly what I love.”

energy on the bench, the conversations on the sideline, the crowd rising together.

Years ago, she stood alone on a stadium roof, watching players who looked small from that distance

where women’s basketball is headed.

Winter Olympics with a trained eye,

and wondering how to get down to

The surge in attention, amplified

ready to field any technical question

the field. Now she works inside that

by players such as Caitlin Clark and

in the newsroom. She’s

space, telling the stories behind the

Paige Bueckers, has strengthened

also looking ahead to the 2026

result and carrying them back to the

her ambition to continue expanding

World Cup and the 2028 Summer

fans who give it meaning. 

women’s basketball coverage and to

Olympics, ready for whatever

Born in Mexico, Isabel Gonzalez and her family moved to the United States and settled in New Mexico when she was 13 years old.

MIRAGE MAGAZINE

38

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On March 4, Ryan Berryman was appointed Vice President and Director of Athletics. A three-time UNM graduate and New Mexico native, Berryman becomes one of the youngest athletics directors in Division I, and the first Lobo alumnus to lead the department in the modern era.

MIRAGE MAGAZINE

40

LOBO ALLIANCE LAUNCHES NEW ERA FOR UNM ATHLETICS

By Steve Carr

C

ollegiate athletics has

student-athletes through Name,

opt in will help fund $2.8 billion

undergone significant

Image, and Likeness (NIL) with a

in backpay for former athletes

new revenue-sharing model.

through NCAA reserves and

The initiative follows last

reductions in annual NCAA

changes over the past several years, and recently, to stay competitive and uphold its mission as a leading

summer’s House v. NCAA settlement,

distributions over the next

public institution, The University

which reshaped how universities

decade. As a result, UNM will

of New Mexico launched the Lobo

can support and compensate

receive less NCAA funding but

Alliance, a coordinated, community-

student athletes. Under the

can now directly compensate

driven approach to supporting

agreement, Division I schools that

student-athletes.

41

SPRING 2026

MIRAGE MAGAZINE

42

While participation is optional,

NIL initiatives and help us remain

challenges, particularly for non-

schools may share up to an

competitive moving forward.”

Power Four schools. Lower NCAA

estimated $20.5 million annually,

Aligning philanthropy, sponsorship, and athletics

distributions, combined with

about 22% of average Power Five athletics revenue from media

revenue-sharing expectations, require

The Lobo Alliance unifies

athletics departments to reassess

rights, ticket sales, licensing, and

philanthropy, corporate sponsorship,

their budgets. UNM leaders say

sponsorships. Traditionally, student-

NIL activities, and the long-standing

the university is entering this era

athlete support came through

Lobo Club into one coordinated

from a position of relative strength,

scholarships, stipends, and more

strategy. The model opens new

but discipline and strong revenue

recently, third-party NIL collectives.

opportunities for businesses to

generation will be essential.

The new model adds a direct

partner with UNM and feature

institutional component, updates

student-athletes in marketing

roster limits, and opens the door for

and community engagements,

expanded scholarship opportunities.

while also encouraging broad-

For a couple of years, NIL efforts

based community support in what

“It’s something every athletic department in the country is grappling with right now. If you follow college athletics, you see programs carrying significant debt

at UNM were led externally through

as they try to stay competitive,”

the 505 Sports Venture Foundation

Berryman noted. “We’ve built a solid

(505SVF), ffounded by Kurt Roth,

financial foundation, but we must

a UNM graduate and current UNM

continue to focus on fundraising,

Alumni Association Board Member.

corporate sponsorships, and strong

The House settlement changed

competitive performance. Success in our revenue producing sports,

that landscape, allowing athletics

football and basketball, creates a lift

departments nationwide to directly

across all 450 student-athletes and

facilitate NIL opportunities and

every program in the department.”

revenue-sharing programs.

“When the rules changed to allow institutions to directly compensate

Media rights remain the largest Ryan Berryman, Vice President and Diector of Athletics.

revenue engine in college sports, and conference realignment continues

student-athletes, it created a major

leadership describes as a “Green

opportunity for us,” said UNM Vice

to underscore the importance of

Bay Packers model.”

visibility in football and basketball.

President and Director of Athletics

“There’s a philanthropic side, where

“We’ve seen this more than ever

Ryan Berryman. “Recently, Kurt Roth

people give because they believe

led those efforts independently

in the past few years, especially

in the student athlete experience,”

because schools weren’t permitted

with conference realignment. Much

Berryman said. “But there’s also a

to do so, and we saw the impact

of that movement is driven by the

true business component. Companies

from Kurt’s efforts when our teams

value institutions and conferences

want student-athletes representing

won Mountain West Basketball

bring to television partners,” said

their brand and in Lobo uniforms,

Championships in 2024 and 2025.

Berryman. “When media contracts

and we can now facilitate that.”

expire, schools reassess their

“With the new rules in place, we

These agreements generate

position because there’s so much

launched the Lobo Alliance to bring

revenue that directly supports

money on the line tied to multimedia

those efforts under the university

student-athletes and strengthens the

rights. Those deals are largely

umbrella. Now, supporters can make

athletics department's sustainability.

driven by football and basketball,

tax-deductible gifts through the Lobo Club to directly support our

While the model creates new opportunities, it also brings financial 43

which generate the most visibility and viewership.”

SPRING 2026

UNM’s NIL efforts now operate fully within the university ecosystem, with the Lobo Club Board of Directors overseeing fund movement under established donor and compliance protocols. “There are a lot of eyes on this,” Berryman said, crediting both Roth and Deputy Athletic Director and Chief Revenue Officer Jalen Dominguez for the development of the Lobo Alliance and a smooth transition.

Beyond compensation: Education and life skills The platform of being a Lobo continues to change lives, whether athletes remain at UNM, transfer elsewhere, or arrive from other programs seeking expanded opportunity. To that end, UNM is working with corporate partners, particularly in banking and finance, to provide early and ongoing financial education, helping studentathletes make informed decisions that impact their futures.

“What can’t get lost in all this

UNM cross country and track and field standouts Pamela Kosgei (left), Samuel Habtom (right) and Vice President and Director of Athletics Ryan Berryman.

of UNM. Research across higher

Union. In this era of collegiate

education has shown that athletic

athletics, sustained excellence

momentum can create broader

requires collective investment,” said

institutional value.

Berryman. “This agreement provides

“This effort is about community,”

our programs while honoring the

one billionaire—it’s powered by many

tradition and legacy of The Pit.

people giving what they can. If, five

I hope that our community will be

years from now, supporters feel

inspired by what is possible through

they helped put New Mexico on the

The Power of We.”

national stage, that’s success.”

Supporting the Lobo Alliance

One community partner who recently signed a naming rights

change is the value of the experience

agreement for The Pit is Nusenda

we provide,” Berryman said. “College

Credit Union. The 10-year partnership

sports still change lives through

will provide an average annual value

education, competition, and holistic

of $1.74 million in support of UNM

development. That mission hasn’t

Athletics. As part of the agreement,

changed. We’re still focused on

University Arena—The Pit will carry

creating meaningful opportunities

the name The Pit—Powered by

and life-changing experiences

Nusenda, preserving the iconic

for the vast majority of our

identity of one of college basketball’s

student-athletes.”

most storied venues while recognizing

Success in the next several years will be measured in both competitive outcomes and

Nusenda’s longstanding investment in the University and the state.

“We are thrilled to enter into this

community engagement.Athletics

historic partnership between two

success brings national visibility that

of New Mexico’s most identifiable

influences alumni pride, enrollment

brands—The University of New

trends, and broader perceptions

Mexico Lobos and Nusenda Credit

MIRAGE MAGAZINE

meaningful operating support for

Berryman said. “It’s not driven by

44

Supporters who want to strengthen UNM Athletics in this new era can make a tax-deductible gift to the Lobo Alliance through the Lobo Club.

These contributions directly fund NIL initiatives, helping UNM recruit, retain, and develop student athletes.

Looking ahead, Berryman hopes the Lobo Alliance will be remembered as a turning point that elevated both athletics and the university’s national profile. As he notes, “The more people who see your brand, the more weight it carries.”

The Lobo Alliance is more than a funding model—it is a shared commitment to elevating New Mexico. 

LOBO EXCELLENCE 2025 COEHS Alumni Awards (l. to r.): Ann Darling, COEHS Alumni Chapter former chair (BAED ’79, & MA ’83, Graduate Programs); Deborah Good, COEHS Alumni Chapter chair (MA ’83, Graduate Programs & Ph.D. ’96, Graduate Programs); Debra Harris, Alumni Award recipient (Ph.D. ’98, Graduate Programs); Katherine Winograd, Alumni Award recipient (EDD ’07, Graduate Programs); Rene Matison (BS ’69, Education), UNM Alumni Association board member—Accepted Posthumous Alumni Award on behalf of Dr. Harold Bailey (BS ’69, Education & MA ’71, Education); Tony Sandoval (BS ’68 Education, MS ’74 Education), Community Award recipient; Aprilyn Chavez Geissler (BBA ’96, Anderson School of Management), UNM Alumni Association president; and Jessica Chavez (BSED ’-04 Education & MA ’05, Graduate Programs), COEHS Alumni Chapter co-chair.

2026 UNM Native American Alumni Awards Ceremony (l. to r.): Aprilyn Chavez Geissler (BBA ’96, Anderson School of Management), UNM Alumni Association president; Lorilei Chavez (BA ’18, University College), Rising Star Alumni Award recipient; Dr. Greg Cajete (MA ’82, Education), Distinguished Alumni Award recipient; Richelle Montoya (BUS ’11, University College), Outstanding Alumni Award recipient; and Rebekah HorseChief (BUS ’10, University College), UNM Native American Alumni Chapter past president.

2025 Alumni Scholarships (l. to r.): Antonio Humphreys (BBA ’96, Anderson School of Management), UNM Alumni Association board member; Kandence Kyle, UNM Alumni Georgia Regional Chapter Scholarship recipient; and Aprilyn Chavez Geissler (BBA ’96, Anderson School of Management), UNM Alumni Association president.

2025 UNM Daily Lobo Alumni Awards Ceremony (l. to r.): Iliana Limón Romero, Keynote Speaker; Patrick Lohmann (BA ’13, Arts and Sciences), Young Alumni Award recipient; Santiago Carlos Ayulo, Distinguished Alumni Award recipient; and Dr. Leslie Donovan (BA ’82, Arts and Sciences & MA ’86, Graduate Programs) Contributor Award recipient.

45

SPRING 2026

ALUMNI AWARDS

AWARD RECIPIENTS GATHER FOR A PHOTO IN FRONT OF THE PICTURESQUE SANDIA MOUNTAINS DURING THE 2026 UNM ALUMNI AWARDS DINNER

Presented by

Front (l. to r.): Marjori Krebs, Bernard S. Rodey Award; UNM President Garnett S. Stokes, Erna S. Fergusson Award; Sunnie R. Clahchischiligi (BA, Arts and Sciences ’08; Ph.D., Graduate Programs in Arts and Sciences ’23), Zia Award; Laura V. Gonzalez Bosc, Research Award.

Back (l. to r.):, Aprilyn Chavez Geissler, President, UNM Alumni Association; Chaitanya Korra (MArch ’18), Inspirational Young Alumnus Award; Anthony Yanez (BA, Arts and Sciences ’93), Lobo Award; Dimitri Kapelianis, Faculty Teaching Award; William Itoh (BA, Education ’66; MA, Arts and Sciences ’70), James F. Zimmerman Award; Connie Beimer, Executive Director, UNM Alumni Association and Vice President, UNM Alumni Relations Office.

Not pictured: Arturo Madrid (BA, Arts and Sciences ’60), Zia Award.

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46

2026 Alumni Association awards recognize nine outstanding Lobos The University of New Mexico Alumni Association

and event sponsor Frontier, recognized this year’s

celebrated nine remarkable members of the Lobo

honorees: The James F. Zimmerman Award, William H.

community at its annual Alumni Awards Dinner, honoring

Itoh; the Bernard S. Rodey Award, Marjori Krebs; the Erna

alumni and campus leaders whose careers, service

S. Fergusson Award, Garnett S. Stokes; the Zia Award,

and achievements continue to bring distinction to the

Sunnie R. Clahchischiligi and Arturo Madrid; the Lobo

University and communities around the world.

Award, Anthony Yanez; the Inspirational Young Alumni Award, Chaitanya Korra; the Faculty Teaching Award,

The event, sponsored by Parnall Law, with additional

Dimitri Kapelianis; and the Research Award, Laura V.

support from reception sponsor the UNM Foundation

Gonzalez Bosc.

James F. Zimmerman Award William H. Itoh

collaborative teacher development, service-learning and building strong educator pipelines. Krebs is recognized for her lasting impact on teacher preparation and professional

U.S. Ambassador

practice across New Mexico.

UNM alumnus William H. Itoh has spent a lifetime

Erna S. Fergusson Award Garnett S. Stokes

advancing diplomacy, public service and global engagement. Itoh served as U.S. ambassador to the Kingdom of Thailand from 1995 to 1999 and held senior

President, University of New Mexico

leadership roles at the U.S. Department of State and the

Garnett S. Stokes, the 23rd president of The University of

National Security Council. During the Asian financial crisis

New Mexico and the first woman to serve in the role, was

of the late 1990s, he helped strengthen U.S.–Thailand

recognized for her distinguished leadership and service.

relations and support Thailand’s economic recovery.

Since becoming president in 2018, Stokes has advanced

Today, Itoh continues his commitment to international

major initiatives focused on student success, research

understanding as president of the World Affairs Council

growth, enrollment expansion and campus transformation.

of Albuquerque, helping connect New Mexicans to

Under her leadership, UNM earned the Carnegie

global issues. His distinguished career reflects a lifelong

Community Engagement Classification, expanded

dedication to leadership and service, bringing pride and

research through the Grand Challenges initiative and

distinction to the University of New Mexico and the state of New Mexico.

strengthened its national academic profile. With more

Bernard S. Rodey Award Marjori Krebs

leadership, Stokes has shown a deep commitment to

than four decades of experience in higher education advancing UNM’s mission and serving the people and communities of New Mexico.

Professor, UNM College of Education and Human Sciences

Zia Award Sunnie R. Clahchischiligi

Marjori Krebs has spent more than four decades strengthening teacher preparation and educational leadership in New Mexico. A professor in The University of

Indigenous Affairs Editor, High Country News

New Mexico’s College of Education and Human Sciences, she serves as director of licensure and coordinates the

Sunnie R. Clahchischiligi, an award-winning Diné journalist

District Partner Teacher Residency program, helping

and University of New Mexico alumna, is recognized for

prepare future educators for classrooms across the state.

her contributions to journalism, education and Indigenous

Krebs has secured more than $25 million in grant funding

representation in media. As Indigenous Affairs editor

to expand teacher residency programs and has partnered

at High Country News, she reports on issues affecting

closely with schools and communities, including teacher

Indigenous communities across the region and teaches

preparation initiatives in Zuni Pueblo. Her work focuses on

writing at Arizona State University. A graduate of UNM’s 47

SPRING 2026

rhetoric and writing doctoral program, Clahchischiligi was

carbon reduction and circular-economy initiatives critical

inducted into the North American Indigenous Athletics

to the clean energy transition. Previously, Korra worked

Hall of Fame for sports writing and serves as president of

at Amazon, where he led sustainable design efforts for

the Indigenous Journalists Association board of directors.

fulfillment centers across North America. His work bridges

Her work reflects a strong commitment to storytelling,

architecture, technology and environmental strategy, and

community engagement and elevating Indigenous voices

he remains active as a researcher, speaker and mentor.

in journalism.

Korra’s professional achievements and commitment to sustainability and innovation reflect the leadership

Zia Award Arturo Madrid

and excellence honored by the Inspirational Young Alumnus Award.

Author & Educator

Faculty Teaching Award Dimitri Kapelianis

Arturo Madrid, a New Mexico native and University of New Mexico alumnus, is being honored for a lifetime of scholarship, leadership and service in the humanities. A

Associate Professor, UNM Anderson School

distinguished professor emeritus at Trinity University,

of Management

Madrid is an award-winning author and educator whose

Dimitri Kapelianis was recognized for excellence in

career has advanced cultural scholarship and student

teaching and service to students. Known for his dedication

success. He is the founding president of the Tomás

to student mentorship and curriculum development,

Rivera Center, the country's first institute focused on

Kapelianis teaches courses in professional selling and

policy studies affecting Latinos. Madrid’s contributions

marketing strategy that prepare students for careers in

to education, public service and the humanities reflect

business and sales leadership. In addition to his classroom

the values of leadership and community engagement

contributions, he has held academic leadership roles

recognized by the Zia Award.

and conducted research focused on international and emerging markets. His commitment to student success

Lobo Award Anthony Yanez

and applied learning reflects the impact honored by the Faculty Teaching Award.

Chief Meteorologist, KPRC 2 News (Houston, Texas) achievements and continued connection to the university.

Research Award Dr. Laura V. Gonzalez Bosc

An Albuquerque native and UNM alumnus, Yanez is the

Professor, UNM School of Medicine

chief meteorologist for KPRC 2 News in Houston. He

Dr. Laura V. Gonzalez Bosc, professor in The University

Anthony Yanez is being recognized for his professional

began his broadcast career at KRQE-TV in Albuquerque

of New Mexico School of Medicine, is being recognized

covering UNM Lobo athletics before transitioning into

for outstanding research in vascular physiology and

meteorology, later working at KNBC in Los Angeles. A

pulmonary disease. Since joining the UNM Vascular

two-time Emmy Award-winning meteorologist, he is

Physiology Group in 2004, her work has focused on

also a children’s book author and advocate for science

the molecular and inflammatory mechanisms that

education. Yanez’s career in broadcast journalism and

drive pulmonary hypertension and vascular remodeling

public outreach reflects positively on the university and

under hypoxic conditions. Gonzalez Bosc’s research

exemplifies the spirit of the Lobo Award.

has advanced understanding of how inflammatory signaling, oxidative stress and metabolic pathways affect

Inspirational Young Alumni Award Chaitanya Korra

vascular function and disease progression. Recently awarded National Institutes of Health funding to study inflammatory immune cells in hypoxic pulmonary

Senior Design Manager, Redwood Materials

hypertension, her discoveries continue to contribute

Chaitanya Korra, a University of New Mexico School of Architecture and Planning alumnus, was recognized as an emerging leader in sustainability and infrastructure design.

As senior design manager at Redwood Materials, he

to interdisciplinary research and the development of potential new therapies for cardiovascular disease.

UNM Alumni Award nominations for 2027 will open

leads projects that support lithium-ion battery recycling, MIRAGE MAGAZINE

in the Fall 2026.

48

CAMPUS CONNECTIONS

University of New Mexico Hospital’s Critical Care Tower opened last fall.

UNM Hospital’s Critical Care Tower Opens

Addressing hundreds of engineers, construction workers, tradespeople and facilities professionals, UNM Hospital CEO Kate Becker praised their years of dedication that

The University of New Mexico Hospital’s Critical Care

made the project possible.

Tower (CCT) opened last October. Patients will be cared

“It’s been incredible to see all the pieces of the CCT

for using some of the most advanced medical technology

come to life—from the installation of high tech medical

available. Every floor features art, natural sunlight, and

equipment to the hanging of beautiful art pieces that

teams of health professionals ready to help.

now brighten the walls,” Becker said. “So many of you

The CCT includes an expanded Adult Emergency

have worked incredibly hard to prepare the CCT for each

Department with 68 new beds; 96 intensive care beds

other and for patients and their families. The opening

in total; a second helipad; a new surgical suite with 18

of the Critical Care Tower is possible because of your

operating rooms; and some of the most advanced medical

commitment to improving health care services for all.”

technology in the country.

As New Mexico’s largest teaching hospital, UNM Hospital ensured the CCT includes ample spaces for training and meetings. The Sky Campus level features several multipurpose rooms—available by checkout—to support students and trainees in educational settings.

The level is named Sky Campus because it serves as an extension of the learning environment of the UNM Health Sciences Center.

Turning Discovery into Impact: UNM Research at Work for New Mexico

“The UNM Hospital Critical Care Tower is the instrument for making sure that we have good rural health care delivery,” said New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham.

“Whatever emergency comes our way, this campus, this university, this state will be ready.”

At The University of New Mexico, research is not an

First proposed in 2015, the CCT was celebrated during

abstract pursuit confined to laboratories. It is a public

a ribbon cutting ceremony a few days before opening.

good that strengthens communities, grows the economy, 49

SPRING 2026

improves health and prepares the next generation of

For legislators and taxpayers, UNM’s research

New Mexico’s workforce.

enterprise represents a clear return on public investment.

Guided by the Office of the Vice President for

It attracts federal dollars, prepares students for high

Research (OVPR), UNM’s research enterprise is built on

demand careers, supports rural and urban communities

a simple belief: research is education. Students learn by

alike, and positions New Mexico as a leader in addressing

doing, faculty innovate with purpose, and communities

future challenges.

are active partners in shaping solutions to real world challenges, from public health and water security to energy transition and disaster resilience. As one of New Mexico’s R1 research universities, UNM plays a vital role in transforming discovery into solutions benefiting taxpayers across all 33 counties.

“It is crucial that all New Mexicans recognize what an R1 designation means to the state. It’s the highest level of research activity because that’s where investment begins,” said Fisher. “What UNM researchers do in our classrooms, labs and in the field directly impacts the

‘The Pit – Powered by Nusenda’

lives of all New Mexicans, whether you live in Las Cruces

The University of New Mexico, UNM Sports Properties

or up north in Taos.”

and Nusenda Credit Union (Nusenda) have announced a

In fiscal year 2025, the University reported $389 million in research expenditures, supported 1,625

10 year partnership that will provide an average annual

student researchers, received 1,590 awards, and

value of $1.74 million in support of UNM Athletics.

As part of the agreement, University Arena – The Pit

produced more than 3,250 scholarly publications.

These investments support high skill jobs, attract

will carry the name ‘The Pit – Powered by Nusenda,’

federal and private dollars to New Mexico, and help

preserving the iconic identity of one of college

retain top talent in the state.

basketball’s most storied venues while recognizing Nusenda’s longstanding investment in the University

Innovation is central to this ecosystem. Over the past decade, UNM researchers have disclosed more than

and the state. The agreement is subject to final

1,100 inventions, filed 823 U.S. patents, and executed

board approval.

“For more than four decades, Nusenda has been

more than 500 license and option agreements.

Between 2021 and 2025, UNM helped launch 36 startup

a trusted partner of our University. This expanded

companies and now has 83 active startups spanning

commitment reflects not only the strength of that

bioscience, advanced energy, aerospace and defense,

relationship, but a shared belief in the importance of

agriculture and water technology, and quantum

investing in student-athletes and sustaining one of

systems. These companies translate university research

New Mexico’s most visible community institutions,”

into commercial solutions—expanding New Mexico’s

said UNM President Garnett S. Stokes. “We are

innovation economy.

grateful for Nusenda’s continued confidence in UNM and in the role we play across our state.”

“Many of our research projects have collaborators

The naming of The Pit represents the most visible

from national labs or industry partners. In other spaces, our students receive hands on training with direct

expression of a relationship that began in 1985. Over

access to state of the art instrumentation and research

that time, Nusenda has invested nearly $7 million in

environments that prepare them to use the types of

University initiatives, including the UNM Center for

systems common in industry,” said Fisher.

Financial Capability, UNM Rainforest and Innovate ABQ,

MIRAGE MAGAZINE

50

the UNM Wireless Project, the Nusenda Lobo Landing

we’re proud to support the fans and the future of the

branch in the Student Union Building, and philanthropic

Lobo family.”

commitments to UNM Hospital and Popejoy Hall.

“We are thrilled to enter into this historic partnership

Rooted in Place: Architects Share Design for the New Humanities & Social Sciences Complex

between two of New Mexico’s most identifiable brands— the University of New Mexico Lobos and Nusenda Credit Union,” said Vice President and Director of Athletics Ryan Berryman. “In this era of collegiate athletics, sustained excellence requires collective investment. This agreement

When the design team for UNM’s new Humanities &

provides meaningful operating support for our programs

Social Sciences Complex (HSSC) sought to understand

while honoring the tradition and legacy of The Pit. I hope

Pueblo Revival style, they didn’t simply study examples

that our community will be inspired by what is possible

like UNM’s Zimmerman Library. They traveled to Bandelier

through The Power of We.”

National Monument and Acoma Pueblo to explore the

Nusenda is led by President and CEO Michelle

architectural forms that have influenced UNM’s campus

Dearholt, a two time UNM graduate. Originally founded

for more than a century.

in 1936 as Albuquerque Public Schools Federal Credit

Architects from Studio Tsien of New York City and

Union, Nusenda is now the largest credit union in New

SMPC Architects of Albuquerque spent a long weekend

Mexico in both assets and membership.

studying the solid walls, carved openings and materials

“This partnership is more than putting our name on

characteristic of Pueblo tradition.

a building. For more than 40 years, we’ve supported

Jennifer Malat, dean of the College of Arts & Sciences,

UNM students, faculty and families with resources that strengthen their financial well being,” Dearholt said.

praised this deep engagement during a presentation to

“From our Lobo Landing branch to funding the Center

college faculty and staff. She noted “how carefully they

for Financial Capability on campus, each step has

have listened to what we have told them, how much

been about deepening our relationship and creating

they are invested and care about our traditions in New

opportunities. The Pit—Powered by Nusenda is the

Mexico and what it means to build here, and what deep

next chapter in our journey, and one that allows us to

appreciation they have for the humanities.”

celebrate Lobo pride while investing in our student

The building is designed not only to house academic

athletes. As a local, trusted financial institution for 90

units but also to help students find their path and pursue

years, we know the community’s history and needs, and

it. Linguistics students, for example, will benefit from the

The old Humanities building was completed in 1974.

The new Humanities & Social Sciences building will be completed in 2028.

51

SPRING 2026

ground floor Language Learning Center, dedicated Navajo

communities they come from,” said COEHS Dean

and Signed Language classrooms, and modern language

Kristopher Goodrich. “We are preparing leaders who can

labs. American Studies and philosophy students will

support New Mexican students in every corner of the

find faculty office spaces designed for conversation and

state—and we are seeing the impact play out in real time.”

informal gathering. And every UNM student will be able to

In a recent report by Excelencia in Education, UNM

use HSSC’s community “living room” as a place to think,

ranked 18th nationally among institutions graduating

work, collaborate or simply spend time between classes.

Hispanic students with bachelor’s degrees in education.

As one of the largest Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSI) and Minority Serving Institutions (MSI) in the country, UNM’s commitment to linguistic and cultural diversity continues to shape its teacher preparation programs.

“Our state has a huge need for teachers whose backgrounds reflect their students,” Goodrich said. “This ranking is a testament to the hard work happening at every level—from faculty curriculum design to our recruitment partnerships to the

The UNM College of Education and Human Sciences recently received national recognition for producing Hispanic education graduates.

New Mexico’s Educator Pipeline Is Taking Root at UNM

donors supporting scholarships for future teachers.”

UNM Professor Emeritus Nasir Ahmed Elected to the National Academy of Engineering

Momentum is building at UNM’s College of Education & Human Sciences (COEHS). Across urban and rural

Nasir Ahmed, a UNM alumnus and professor

communities, on tribal lands and in border towns, more

emeritus, has been elected to the National Academy of

students are choosing teaching as a career—and more

Engineering’s class of 2026 for inventing the discrete

experienced educators are stepping into leadership

cosine transform (DCT), the data compression format

roles—thanks to coordinated recruitment efforts,

foundational to most modern digital media standards.

culturally grounded programs, and statewide partnerships

The DCT enables technologies such as Zoom calls,

transforming New Mexico’s educator workforce.

HDTV and echocardiograms. Ahmed first proposed the

The results include national recognition for producing

DCT in 1972 while working at Kansas State University,

Hispanic education graduates, record cohorts of

where he spent the first 15 years of his academic career

Indigenous school leaders, a renewed high school to

before returning to UNM in 1983 as the Presidential

teaching pipeline, and innovative residency models that

Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering. He

keep new educators rooted in the communities they serve.

became chair of the department in 1989.

“It’s incredibly meaningful that our future teachers

Ahmed, who received an Honorary Doctor of Science

reflect the strengths, histories and needs of the MIRAGE MAGAZINE

from UNM in May 2025, served as dean of the School 52

of Engineering

& Myers LLP, later becoming a partner at Squire Patton

from 1994 to 1996

Boggs and Winston & Strawn LLP. He retired from

before becoming

practice this past year.

associate provost for research and

UNM Center for Fire Resilience Making a Difference Across New Mexico

dean of Graduate Studies. He retired in 2001. He and his wife, Esther

New Mexico has been getting hotter and drier each year.

Pariente Ahmed,

Last winter, the state experienced record breaking warm

met at UNM, where

temperatures that could significantly affect this spring’s

she also earned a Ph.D. Their son,

wildfire season.

Nasir Ahmed was elected to the 2026 class of the National Academy of Engineering.

At UNM, faculty experts are working with state officials

Michael Pariente,

and policymakers to help communities build wildfire

earned his bachelor’s degree from UNM in the 1990s.

resilience. The Center for Fire Resilient Ecosystems

The NAE, a nonprofit entity based in Washington,

and Society (FiRES) is an interdisciplinary center that

D.C., operates under the 1863 congressional act that

conducts research and community outreach to address

also founded the National Academy of Sciences. It

the effects of fires. The Center develops next generation

provides objective analysis and advice to the nation

fire and vegetation management tools and assesses the

and advances the engineering profession.

economic impacts of fires, the benefits of fire resilience strategies, and the health effects of air quality.

“Our state is highly flammable,” said Director Matthew

Knapps Increase Commitment to $4.5 Million for Winograd Law Scholarship

Hurteau. “There are people working to alleviate this, and I wanted to bring them all together to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of our discussions and solutions.”

Hurteau, a professor in UNM’s Biology Department,

Eric Knapp (’98) and his wife, Dana Marie Knapp,

officially established the center in 2024 after years of

have pledged $4.5 million to the Peter A. Winograd

foundational collaborations. FiRES’s vision is a future in

Endowed Annual Scholarship in Law at UNM’s

which communities and ecosystems across New Mexico

School of Law.

and the western U.S. are resilient to wildfire.

Their new commitment builds on more than two

The FiRES team spans multiple departments

decades of giving and includes a principal level

and organizations, including biology, economics,

estate gift that will ensure the scholarship’s long

communication and journalism, pharmaceutical sciences,

term impact for generations of law students. It is the

computer sciences, internal medicine, geography and

largest philanthropic gift in the School of Law’s history.

environmental studies, the Earth Data Analysis Center,

Eric Knapp earned his J.D. from UNM in 1998

and collaborators at Sandia and Los Alamos National

after completing a B.S. in Molecular, Cellular and

Laboratories and the U.S. Fire Service.

Developmental Biology at the University of Colorado.

His initial conversation with Professor Emeritus Peter Winograd sparked a relationship that shaped his legal

Alum Launches Viral Snack Shop

education and lifelong connection to the School of Law.

Munji Kahalah never expected that a degree grounded in

After graduating, Eric practiced in Albuquerque with

computational thinking would lead him to importing viral

Freedman, Boyd, Daniels, Hollander, Goldberg & Cline,

snacks from around the world. Today, the UNM alumnus is

P.A., before moving to San Francisco to join O’Melveny

the creative force behind Monaco Market, New Mexico’s 53

SPRING 2026

recognition—something Lobo alumni know well through the University’s lasting impact.

UNM has once again earned the Carnegie Elective Classification for Community Engagement, reaffirming a designation it first received in 2020. The recognition places UNM among 237 institutions nationwide in the 2026 cohort—and among just 277 campuses currently holding this distinction.

“This designation affirms something fundamental about The University of New Mexico: our work is inseparable Monaco Market is one of New Mexico’s largest exotic snack shops.

from the communities we serve,” said UNM President

largest exotic snack store, with shelves stocked with Dubai

Garnett S. Stokes. “Across the state, our faculty, staff,

chocolates, Chinese mango ice cream and South Korean

and students partner with communities to address

juice pouches that have exploded in popularity on TikTok

real challenges and expand opportunity. Community

and Instagram.Kahalah began as a computer science

engagement is central to our mission as the state’s

and computational math major, but discovered along

flagship public university.”

the way that his true passion lived at the intersection of

Earning the classification requires a rigorous review

technology, creativity and entrepreneurship.

process, including extensive documentation of how

“I realized I really loved seeing how businesses go

universities integrate community engagement into

from A to Z,” Kahalah said. “Tech was always interesting to

teaching, research, and service. It highlights institutions

me, but there’s so much more to building something than

where partnerships are not just outreach efforts, but

just engineering.”

deeply embedded in mission, leadership, and

He came to UNM in 2015, immersing himself in

day-to-day work.

computational math and computer science. While

Tim Castillo, professor in UNM’s Department of

challenged by the coursework, he grew increasingly

Architecture and Planning and director of the Office of

curious about innovation beyond the technical side.

Community Engagement, said the renewal reflects a

That curiosity led him to enroll in several courses

growing commitment to collaboration across New Mexico

through UNM’s Innovation Academy (IA), a decision he

and beyond.

now calls pivotal. Through IA, Kahalah participated in

“The Carnegie Elective Classification for Community

pitch competitions, applied entrepreneurial thinking to

Engagement is not an award, but a powerful indicator

real world problems and found lasting mentorship.

of institutional commitment,” Castillo said. “It affirms

“It was the total opposite of what I was doing on the engineering side,” he said. “Those courses were more

the depth and breadth of UNM’s community-engaged

hands on and real world. I enjoyed them a bit more

teaching, research and service, and provides clear

because they were right up my alley.”

evidence of the meaningful, reciprocal impact that faculty, students and staff advance every day.”

Kahalah now operates two locations: one in

For the Lobo community—past and present—this

Albuquerque and one in Wilmington, N.C. and Instagram.

recognition underscores a shared legacy: graduates who

UNM Receives Renewal of Carnegie Elective Classification for Community Engagement

go on to teach, heal, innovate, and lead in communities across New Mexico and the nation.

UNM’s classification is valid through 2032, continuing a tradition of engagement that reflects the University’s

The University of New Mexico’s commitment to serving

long-standing mission—and the enduring spirit of

communities across the state continues to gain national MIRAGE MAGAZINE

its alumni.  54

TRADITIONS

Lobos play for prizes in the traditional tortilla walk at the UNM Alumni Washington, DC Chapter Green Chile Roast.

Volunteers at the Albuquerque Chile Roast are all smiles.

Albuquerque Green Chile Roast: UNM graduates, family and friends feel the heat at Winrock Park during the 2025 UNM Alumni Albuquerque Green Chile Roast.

(l. to r.): UNM Alumni 2025 Veterans Day Celebration keynote speaker U.S. Army Ret. Col. Jim R. Keene (BM ’88, Fine Arts) meets UNM President Garnett S. Stokes.

Albuquerque Green Chile Roast (l. to r.): Danette Armijo, (BA ’09, Arts and Sciences & MBA ’25, Anderson School of Management), Sean Ziegler (BBA ’01, Anderson School of Management), and Kenneth Armijo (BSME ’05, Engineering) supervise the roasters at the 2025 UNM Alumni Albuquerque Green Chile Roast.

Members of ASUNM, the National Pan-Hellenic Council, the Health Professions Symposium and UNM Trailblazers gave visitors terror at every turn during Haunted Hodgin Hall.

55

SPRING 2026

The Lincoln Memorial provides a beautiful backdrop for the 2025 UNM Alumni Washington, D.C. Green Chile Roast.

Fans spell out their Lobo spirit at UNM Alumni’s football tailgate to kick off the season against Michigan on the road in Ann Arbor.

UNM Alumni and our regional chapters roasted more than 13,000 pounds of chile for Lobos across the U.S. during our 2025 green chile celebrations.

Interim Provost Barbara Rodriguez, second from left, with alums at the San Diego Green Chile Roast.

MIRAGE MAGAZINE

56

ALUMNI NETWORK Snapshots from Alumni events

UNM Alumni Emeriti (l. to r.): Viola Atencio (BSED ’75, Education), Barbara Mulkey (BAED ’75, Education & MA ’80, Education), and Daniel Brannan (BS ’75, Arts and Sciences, Ph.D. ’81 Arts and Sciences) were recognized during the Spring 2025 Commencement for their 50 years as UNM graduates.

Howl and Hang (l. to r.): Deborah Matison (MA ’11, Graduate Programs) gets the inside scoop on the 2025 Lobo football season from UNM Head Football Coach Jason Eck at the UNM Alumni Rio Rancho Howl and Hang.

Photos at the U (l. to r.): Proud mom Michele Roebuck poses with her son, new graduate Tyaire Cooke (BA ’25 Fine Arts), during the Spring 2025 Photos at the U.

Pizza with Professionals (l. to r.): UNM Student Regent Victor Reyes, UNM College of Pharmacy alumni Jimmy Ma (BS ’10, Arts and Sciences, PHARD ’14), Kim Neff (PHARD ’09), PHARM ’09), and Suzette Sturtevant (BS ’07, Arts and Sciences, PHARD ’08) and College of Pharmacy Dean Donald Godwin, Ph.D. share valuable career insights with pharmacy students during Pizza with Professionals.

Members of the UNM Young Alumni Chapter meet up to celebrate the holidays. (l. to r.): Front: Elizabeth Ramsell (BBA ’23), Victoria Byrd (BA ’14), Diana Duran (BAA ’17 & M.Arch ’20) Back: Dante Gonzalez (BAA ’21), Micah Gray (BBA ’20 & MBA ’21), Nicole Reeves (MA ’11), Chapter President JT Mitchell (BBA ’20) and Nicole Shephard (BA ’21).

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SPRING 2026

ALUMNI NETWORK Snapshots from Alumni events

UNM alumna and Nusenda Credit Union President and CEO Michelle Dearholt (center) flanked by athletics supporters, Lobo Louie and Lucy, head football coach Jason Eck (far left) and head basketball coach Eric Olen (far right). Photo courtesy UNM Athletics.

Lobo spirit on display at the Mountain West Tournament.

Lobo fans at the UNM Alumni's Lobos Post Up event.

Lobo alumni, students and fans fill University Stadium during the 2025 Rio Grande Rivalry game against NMSU. The 37,440 people in attendance marked the first sell-out crowd since 2007.

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Members of the Spriit Marching Band huddle before hyping up a sold-out crowd at University Stadium during the 2025 Rio Grande Rivalry Game.

Researchers from The University of New Mexico pose with UNM Alumni Association leaders and U.S. Rep. Melanie Stansbury (D-NM District 1) during the annual alumni reception in Washington, DC.

UNM President Garnett Stokes and Mark Woodbury (’81 BAA), Chairman and CEO, Universal Destinations & Experiences, have a one-on-one conversation in a special Lobo Living Room.

Lobo Living Room Homecoming Hoops (l. to r.): Rene Mattison (BS ’69, Education), UNM Alumni Association Board Member, gets an autograph from Lobo men’s basketball player Jake Hall at the Lobo Living Room: Homecoming Hoops team meet and greet.

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Robert Wengrod (MA ’93, Graduate Programs & EDSPC ’05, Graduate Programs) demonstrates his pickleball skills during Lobo Living Room: Paddle Up! at UNM Johnson Center.

Lobo Living Room Homecoming Hoops (l. to r.): Rene Matison (BS ’69), UNM Alumni Association board member; Eric Olen, UNM men's basketball head coach; Connie Beimer (BAR ’76 & MPA ’78), UNM Alumni Relations Office vice president; Mike Bradbury, UNM women's basketball head coach; Jennifer Brower (BA ’08 & MBA ’12), UNM Alumni Association Lobo Living Room chair; and Deidre Gordon (BA ’98), UNM Alumni Association engagement/outreach co-chair.

SPRING 2026

ALUMNI NETWORK Snapshots from Alumni events

Lobos gather at the Rose Bowl to witness UNM football’s big win against UCLA!

Members of the UNM Alumni NorCal Chapter hit the court to celebrate a Lobo men’s basketball road victory against San Jose State.

Pack the Big House (l. to r.): Trisha Hughes (BS ’95, Education), Lobo Louie and Troy Hughes (MA ’04, Graduate Programs, BAED ’95, Education) pose for a photo ahead of UNM football’s 2025 season opener against Michigan.

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Young Alumni Chapter President JT Mitchell hands out Lobo for Life honor cords to spring 2025 graduates participating in UNM Alumni’s annual Senior Send-Off.

Members of the UNM Native American Alumni Chapter meet to thank outgoing chapter leaders for their dedication and to select a new team to lead the way.

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Lobos across generations gather to celebrate the cherry and silver at the 2025 UNM Alumni Homecoming Tailgate.

Lobo spirit filled the air at Hodgin Hall on a beautiful evening to ReUnite during Homecoming 2025.

A UNM Alumni banner is raised proudly as fans cheer on the UNM Spirit Marching Band in Phoenix, Ariz. before kickoff at the Rate Bowl.

ReUnite at Hodgin Hall (l. to r.): Antonio Fernandez (BM ’02 Fine Arts) and Stephanie Nevarez-Fernandez (DM ’03, Medicine, BS ’97, Arts and Sciences) capture the moment with a professional photographer during ReUnite at Hodgin Hall.

UNM Trailblazers, the Alumni Association’s student ambassadors, strengthen connections through team-building during their leadership retreat at Hinkle Family Fun Center.

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SPRING 2026

CLASS NOTES Look for a classmate, friend or relative on every page!

Email your alumni news to the Mirage Editor at alumni@unm.edu. Please include a brief write-up with your name, including middle name or initial, degree, graduation year, a few sentences about your news and or accomplishment, and where you’re living now. The submission deadline for the 2027 Mirage is January 31, 2027.

1950s Don T. Gonzales (‘56 BSCE) The family of retired Lt. Col. Don T. Gonzales has donated an American Aviation Yankee aircraft to Nashua Community College’s aviation technology program. Gonzales, a decorated U.S. Air Force pilot who flew B-52 and FB-111A bombers and later served as a Strategic Air Command instructor, purchased the plane in the mid-1980s with fellow retired pilots Ed MacNeil and Robert Phoenix. United by their love of flying, the trio nicknamed the aircraft the “Blue Bomber.” Gonzales was raised in Albuquerque’s South Valley and was the eldest of 10 children.

Richard Ellis Richard Ellis was named to the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame 64th Men’s Induction Class. Eighteen men are in the class, including Ellis, who played for the Indianapolis Crispus Attucks. The class was celebrated in ceremonies this past March by the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame.

1960s Charles Lehman (‘65 BA) Economics alumnus Charles Lehman donated $30,000 to UNM for a campus-wide license of IMPLAN, the leading software for assessing economic impact. IMPLAN allows economists, geographers, planners, and other researchers to evaluate the economic and environmental impact of different economic development projects and policies. Lehman, who was an economist with the New Mexico Department for Workforce Solutions (formerly the Department of Labor) for over 30 years, graduated from UNM in 1965 with degrees in economics and mathematics.

Scott Childress (‘67 BS) Scott Childress, former second baseman for the UNM baseball team,

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played and coached for the Cleveland Indian baseball organization. He also coached two years at West Mesa High School and two years at Eastern New Mexico University. Five of his former players became head baseball coaches in New Mexico, winning 11 State High School baseball championships, and producing five major league players.

Michael A. Mares (‘67 BS) The Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History announced that Michael A. Mares has been welcomed into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame’s newest class. Michael A. Mares, a Norman resident and director emeritus at the University of Oklahoma’s Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History, joined the 2025 class of the Oklahoma Hall of Fame. Mares is a biologist who helped establish the museum. He was honored at a ceremony last May recognizing his lifelong contributions to science, education and the preservation of natural and cultural history.

Bipin V. Vora (‘66 BS, ‘67 MS) Illinois Tech Armour College of Engineering Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering Adjunct Faculty Bipin V. Vora was selected by the American Chemical Society to receive its annual George A. Olah Award in Hydrocarbon or Petroleum Chemistry Lifetime Achievement Award as part of the 2025 Gulf Energy Information Excellence Awards®. Vora, who is retired from Honeywell, received his B.S. in Chemistry from the University of Mumbai in 1963 and his B.S. in Chemical Engineering and M.S. in Chemical Engineering from The University of New Mexico in 1966 and 1967, respectively.

1970s Come on 1970s alums, we want to hear from you!

1980s Jaune Quick-to-see Smith (‘80 MA, Visual Arts) Jaune Quick-to-see Smith (Salish member of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Nation, Montana), a groundbreaking visual artist, curator, and activist, died on Friday, Jan. 24, 2025, at her home in Corrales, N.M., at the age of 85, after a long battle with pancreatic cancer. Smith was recognized as one of the first

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Distinguished Alumni of the UNM College of Fine Arts, who earned an M.A. in Visual Arts in 1980 and an honorary doctorate in 2008.

Norman D. Sedillo (‘80 BA, ARCH) Norman D. Sedillo recently retired from Public Service Company of New Mexico after 44 years of dedicated service. Sedillo was twice elected to the Executive Committee for the American Wood Protection Association and was also given the 2025 Award of Merit after serving 40 years.

Melanie L Mills (‘83 BFA, ‘92 MA) Melanie L. Mills, of Savannah, Ga., was selected to participate in a prestigious group exhibition at the Smithsonian Natural History Museum in Washington, D.C. The show titled "Art x Climate” features a diverse collection of works from artists across the country, exploring the profound impact of world climate change.

Bill Mickols (‘84 Ph.D., Chemistry) Bill Mickols was elected to the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) in February 2025 for his work on nextgeneration desalination membranes and advanced water filtration systems. Election to the NAE is one of the profession’s highest honors.

He earned his Ph.D. in chemistry from UNM in 1984 and later served as a visiting scientist at the University of California, Berkeley. Mickols went on to lead Mickols Consulting LLC and spent nearly 30 years in the water technology industry.

Andrew Megill (‘87 BA, Music) Andrew Megill was named as one of the UNM College of Fine Arts 2025 Distinguished Alumni. Megill is professor of conducting and director of choral organizations at the Northwestern University Bienen School of Music, where he holds the Carol F. and Arthur L. Rice, Jr. University Professorship in Performance. He leads choir of the Music of the Baroque, the Montreal Symphony Orchestra Chorus, the Carmel Bach Festival Chorale and Fuma Sacra.

Eileen Higgins (‘87 BSME) Eileen Higgins was sworn in as the first female mayor of Miami, Fla., on Dec. 18, 2025. She previously served as Miami-Dade County commissioner for District 5, where she championed

affordable housing, transportation access, small businesses, and environmental protection. Her priorities as mayor include affordability, effective government, resilient infrastructure, and economic opportunity in every neighborhood of Miami.

Col. Jim R. Keene (‘88 BM) Col. Jim R. Keene received a Grammy for Best Immersive Audio Album for the recording Soundtrack of the American Soldier, on which he conducted The United States Army Field Band. Keen’s Grammy is first for a military band and or concert band. Born and raised in the Albuquerque South Valley, Keene played violin in the Albuquerque Youth Symphony and graduated from UNM with a degree in piano performance. He performed in the UNM Symphony.

Renee M. Gilmore (‘88 BUS) Renee Gilmore, of Minneapolis, Minn., recently celebrated the publication of her debut full-length book, WAYFINDING: A Memoir (Trio House Press). WAYFINDING chronicles Gilmore’s explorations across seven continents—but the true journey has been finding resilience in a lifetime shaped by loss, betrayal, and sexual and domestic violence. The story is told through a series of car trips and postcards from the road, this powerful memoir maps a route toward healing, acceptance, joy, and hope, with stops at Waffle House and the Monaco Grand Prix along the way.

Janice Honeycutt Hering (‘88 BBA, ‘08 MA) Janice Honeycutt Hering received her Ph.D. in Leadership from Anderson University in South Carolina on Dec. 12, 2025.

Founder of Firecracker Leadership in Albuquerque, N.M., Dr. Hering serves small and mid-sized New Mexico companies, helping them improve culture and increase capacity.

Her dissertation focused on Entrepreneurial Courage in High-Risk Uncertainty.

1990s Mary Stiner (‘90 Ph.D., Anthropology) The National Academy of Sciences (NAS) has elected Mary Stiner, a distinguished UNM alumna, to its newest class of members—an honor awarded through a highly competitive, member-driven nomination process. Stiner earned her Ph.D. in anthropology from UNM’s College of Arts and Sciences in 1990 and is recognized for advancing innovative scholarship in her field.

Established by Congress in 1863, the NAS is a nonprofit organization that advises the U.S. government on scientific and technological matters.

Rob Black (‘92 BA) The New Mexico Senate confirmed Rob Black as the cabinet secretary for the Economic Development Department. Born and raised in Lovington, N.M. Black graduated from The University of New Mexico and the University of California College of the Law, in San Francisco.

Most recently, Black served as the president & CEO of the New Mexico Chamber of Commerce, where he led the statewide business leadership and advocacy organization of more than 500 members.

Michelle Coons (‘93 BBA) WaFd Bank New Mexico announced the promotion of Michelle Coons to executive director of Business Banking for New Mexico, Arizona, Texas, Idaho, Nevada, and Utah. Coons will be responsible for all business banking across six states to drive regional growth and profitability, represent WaFd in regional communities, champion team development and collaboration, and support the bank’s culture. Coons received her BBA from Anderson in 1993 and is a former president of the UNM Alumni Association.

Ramona Emerson (‘97 BA, Media Arts) Ramona Emerson was named as one of the UNM College of Fine Arts’ 2025 Distinguished

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Alumni. Emerson is a Diné writer and filmmaker originally from Tohatchi, N.M. She earned her degree in Media Arts in 1997 from UNM and her MFA in Creative Writing (Fiction) in 2015 from the Institute of American Indian Arts.

She has worked as a professional videographer, writer, and editor for over 20 years and is working on her eighth film project, “Crossing the Line.”

Molly Kocialski (‘94 BSCHE) Holland & Hart LLP announced that Molly Kocialski joined the firm as Of Counsel in the Denver office.

Kocialski brings a rare combination of senior federal government leadership and extensive in-house intellectual property experience, having served as director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office Rocky Mountain Regional Outreach Office for nearly a decade while previously managing mission-critical IP portfolios for major technology and financial services corporations.

Hosho McCreesh (‘97 BA) A forthcoming poetry collection, Psalms from the Badlands, by New Mexico-based author, artist and UNM alumni Hosho McCreesh is set for release date Aug. 3. Psalms from The Badlands is an expansive collection of 150 "psalms" or haiku-like, Japanesestyle breath poems about the brutal and beautiful American southwest, with nature as the catalyst for deeper meditations on life, love, grief, loss, and, of course, death.

2000s Elizabeth Anderson (‘02 BSCE, ‘05 MS) For the first time in New Mexico’s state history, a woman is serving as the state engineer. The State Senate unanimously confirmed UNM alumna Elizabeth Anderson to the position.

As state engineer, Anderson will oversee the state’s water resources.

Anderson graduated from the University of New Mexico with a Master’s degree in Environmental Science and a Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering.

Jennifer D. Herrera (‘03 BA, English) Jennifer Herrera was recently named executive director of PERIOD., a global, youth-powered organization working to end period poverty and

SPRING 2026

CLASS NOTES stigma. She joins PERIOD. after nearly six years as vice president of external affairs at the National Women’s History Museum in Washington, D.C., where she led highprofile partnerships and initiatives, including the Museum’s work with the U.S. Mint on the groundbreaking American Women Quarters Program.

Kathy L. Johnson (‘03 BS, ‘13 MA) Kathy L. Johnson received the Norm Taslitz, Ph.D. Distinguished Physician Assistant Alumni Award in April 2025 for her contributions to the PA profession in New Mexico.

She was also re-elected as vice chair of the New Mexico Medical Board (NMMB) last May. She was first appointed to the NMMB in 2019 by Gov. Michelle Lujan-Grisham.

Topher McDougal (‘03 MS) Topher McDougal, a professor of economic development at the Joan B. Kroc School of Peace Studies at the University of San Diego, is now a published author with the release of his new book last May, GAIA WAKES: Earth’s Emergent Consciousness in an Age of Environmental Devastation.

Drawing on his background in economics, McDougal explores the idea of an upgraded Earth—one shaped by technology and rooted in both the global economy and the planet's long history.

Alfredo Moreno (‘00 BA) Alfredo Moreno, of Beaverton, Ore., was re-elected to a second term on the Tualatin Hills Park & Recreation District (THPRD) board of directors in May of 2025 and will also return as board president during the 2025-26 fiscal year. THPRD serves more than 270,000 people across 50 square miles in the suburban areas west of Portland and is the largest special park district in Oregon.

Maria Sprehn (‘03 Ph.D., Anthropology) Maria Sprehn of Laytonsville, Md., received an Excellence in Scholarly Accomplishments award from Montgomery College in 2025 for

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her work on immigration history in the community.

Adam Trubow (‘03 BBA) New Mexico ultrarunner Adam Trubow will take on the grueling Leadville Trail 100 to raise funds and awareness for Special Olympics New Mexico. Trubow is challenging New Mexicans to “become a friend” and support Special Olympics New Mexico through the campaign, 100 Friends for 100 Miles. Across the 2025 and 2026 campaigns, Trubow aims to raise $100,000—enough to fully fund Special Olympics New Mexico’s trip to the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games in Minnesota.

Marisa Magallanez (‘04 BA, ‘06 MBA) Marisa Magallanez began a new role as president and CEO of the Albuquerque Community Foundation and New Mexico Community Trust on January 1, 2026. She leads philanthropic initiatives that support nonprofits and communities across New Mexico. Magallanez was also named a 2026 “Women Who Mean Business” honoree by Albuquerque Business First.

Cella Anne / Marcella LaFever (‘05 Ph.D., Communications & Journalism) Cella Anne published her first book 404 Years. Cella Anne says she wrote the book to encourage anyone struggling to find their life’s purpose, Cella Anne (aka Marcella to those who know her well) uses a 404 year family and personal journey across oceans and continents, through struggles and successes, experiencing births and deaths, enslaving, displacing, building and destroying, and slowly taking on the challenges of learning new ways of living in a world of cultural diversity. She was most recently a full-time professor in Intercultural Communication at the University of the Fraser Valley, British Columbia, Canada.

Kathrin Spendier (‘06 BS, ‘08 MS, ‘12 Ph.D.) Kathrin Spendier was profiled in a Q&A article in September's issue of Physics Today. After graduating from UNM with a Ph.D., working in Prof. Jim Thomas' lab, she eventually became a faculty member at the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs for about 10 years. In 2022, she left academia and joined the quantum computing startup

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Quantinuum, switching specialties from biophotonics to quantum computing. After two years there, she moved to XPRIZE, which is a non-profit that runs award competitions in quantum applications to find innovative solutions to societal problems.

Marisa Magallanez (‘04 BA, ‘06 MBA) Marisa Magallanez began a new role as president and CEO of the Albuquerque Community Foundation and New Mexico Community Trust on January 1, 2026. She leads philanthropic initiatives that support nonprofits and communities across New Mexico. Magallanez was also named a 2026 “Women Who Mean Business” honoree by Albuquerque Business First.

2010s Molly Beer (‘10 MFA, Creative Writing) Molly Beer recently published a new book, Angelica (W. W. Norton, 2025). This is a biography of a woman from the Revolutionary War era. In Angelica, Beer traces the life and times of the eldest Schuyler daughter, presenting a confident, urbane, and intelligent woman, and approaches her subject with eventempered humanity.” The Wall Street Journal says, “A compelling, richly contextualized portrait of a woman whose life reframes and challenges familiar Revolutionary War narratives.”

Paula Castillo (‘13 MFA) Paul Castillo recently completed a new public art project on the Denver Art Museum campus and at the Denver Central Library. The project, Glyph, Equis, Trestle, is a trilogy of permanent sculptures installed across the Golden Triangle. Together, the works form a walkable narrative that reframes Denver’s civic core through the lens of mestizaje, Indigenous lineage, and hemispheric migration.

Christopher T. Hicks (‘11 BA) Christopher T. Hicks has joined Nicolaides, a preeminent insurance coverage law firm, as an associate in its San Diego office. Most recently at Hirsch Closson, Chris represents

insurers in insurance coverage litigation, bad-faith disputes, and related appeals. He advises clients on a broad range of coverage matters.

Licensed to practice in California and Arizona, Chris earned his J.D. from the University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law and his B.A. from UNM. Mallory P. Nordberg (‘15 BA, ‘21 JD) Mallory P. Nordberg is currently working for Winthrop & Weinstine, a law firm representing clients across a wide range of industries in contract, real estate, employment, education, personal injury, and commercial disputes. Nordberg earned her J.D., summa cum laude, from the University of New Mexico School of Law, where she was Editor in Chief of the New Mexico Law Review, Vol. 51, and a member of the Order of the Coif. She earned her B.A. in Communication and Spanish, magna cum laude, from The University of New Mexico.

Joaquin A. Rubalcaba (‘12 BA, ‘14 MA, ‘18 Ph.D.) Joaquin A. Rubalcaba has been selected as one of five recipients of the Emerging Poverty Scholars Fellowship through the Institute for Research on Poverty at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. This two-year fellowship (2024–2026) supports exceptional junior scholars from underrepresented backgrounds with flexible funding to advance their research on poverty and inequality.

Zac Wickstrom (‘13 BA) Zac Wickstrom is redefining the data privacy industry with his company, VALT. VALT is a cutting-edge data privacy startup that’s making waves in the tech world by offering all internet users a secure, decentralized virtual private network through an app. This Albuquerque-based tech company aims to restore individuals' control over their personal data in an era where privacy has become a commodity.

Eric-Paul Riege (‘17 BFA, Art Studio & Ecology) Eric-Paul Riege (Diné) was named as one of the UNM College of Fine Arts’ 2025 Distinguished Alumni.

Riege is a weaver and fiber artist working in collage, durational performance, installation, woven sculpture, and wearable art. His practice pays homage to and links

him to generations of weavers in his family, which helps him create spaces of sanctuary.

Orlando Madrid (‘14 BA) Orlanda Madrid performed the national anthem for the Los Angeles Lakers. Madrid studied under Professors Eric Lau, Glenn Kostur and Bruce Dalby, who laid the foundation for Madrid’s journey as a jazz saxophonist, composer, and educator, eventually leading to completion of an Artist Diploma in Jazz Studies at NYU and performing nationally.

Rachel E. Timmins (‘16 BBA) Rachel E. Timmins has joined the Portland law office of Ogletree Deakins as an associate. Her practice focuses on employment law. Timmins is an experienced employment litigation associate in the Portland, Oregon office. Timmins graduated cum laude from Lewis & Clark Law School, where she was the lead article editor of the Lewis & Clark Law Review, Research Assistant to Professor John T. Parry, and mentor to incoming law students. Timmins graduated with a Bachelor’s in Business Administration with a concentration in Accounting from UNM and worked as an accountant prior to attending law school.

José Maestas Las Vegas native José Maestas, was recently named the winner of the Ya Tu Sabes Monologue Slam, presented by NBC and Nosotros-org.

The competition connects writers with actors in efforts to showcase emerging Latin voices. His piece, titled "The Comedian," was featured at the historic Montalbán Theater in Hollywood, California last year. After graduating from Robertson High School in 2008, Maestas attended Highlands University and eventually graduated from UNM. Dominic Pacheco (‘17 BA) Dominic Pacheco was sworn in last January to a two-year term as commissioner of Advisory Neighborhood Commission 7D06 in Washington, D.C. In this role,

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Pacheco serves as a voice for residents on a wide range of policies affecting neighborhoods, from traffic and recreation to police protection and sanitation.

2020s Clint Brayfield (‘20 BA/MD) The Migrant Clinicians Network (MCN) has announced the selection of Clint Brayfield, MD, as one of two recipients of the fifth annual Kugel & Zuroweste Health Justice Award. Named after Candace Kugel, former specialist of Clinical Systems & Women’s Health and Ed Zuroweste, MD, founding medical director for Migrant Clinicians Network, the prestigious and unique award recognizes early-career clinicians making an impact at the intersections of vulnerability, migration, and health.

Natalie Stopka (‘23 MFA) Natalie Stopka recently released “From Plant to Pigment: How to Make Your Own Vibrant Inks, Pastels and Paints,” a new book that invites artists to rethink color, literally from the ground up. Released in late October by Skittledog Books, this studio manual is for artists seeking sustainable alternatives to synthetic materials.

Hanmin Kim (‘23 BA, ‘24 MS) Hanmin Kim launched Seoul Gimbap, a Korean street food business serving authentic flavors to an Albuquerque community hungry for something new. After graduating from the Anderson School of Management in December 2024, Kim wasted no time applying what he learned in the classroom to real-world entrepreneurship. Kim earned both his bachelor’s degree in Linguistics and his master’s in Business Analytics from The University of New Mexico.

Gregory Romero (‘22 BA) Gregory Romero joined ABC in November 2025 as a production associate for Good Morning America.

Romero helps put the nationally televised program on the air by contributing to video production, research, writing, and creative storytelling. Good Morning America ranks among the nation’s mostwatched morning news programs, reaching nearly 3 million viewers.

SPRING 2026

IN MEMORIAM We remember alumni who recently passed away.

1940s

Jerome G. Beery, ’63

James Winfield Page, ’67

David C. Hawn, ’75

George W. DeGregori, ’45

June L. Bevens, ’66

Larry Madison Parker, ’65

Arthur Minyard Hayman, ’73

Martina B. Franklin, ’48

John Joseph Birosak, ’66

Ramesh Patel, ’65

Mary Lou Haywood-Spells, ’74

Madeline Kepner, ’49

James E. Bonnell, ’61

Ronald L. Paynter, ’60

Rebecca Mary Helianthus, ’79

John Michael Carmichael, ’69

Antonio Pesavento, ’60

Troy Lee Hinton, ’78

1950s

George Carmignani, ’64

MaryJane Quintana, ’68

Phyllis J. Hoover, ’71

Harriet Abrams, ’54

Richard E. Carter, ’66

Patricia S. Randall, ’61

Barry Louis Horowitz, ’72

John Joseph Birosak, ’59

Ricardo Chaves, ’62

Theodore R. Reinhart, ’68

Zane Adam Jarrett, ’72

Felix Briones Jr., ’56

Maureen R. Crocker, ’66

Rafael E. Romero, ’69

Steve Jollensten, ’71

Delmar E. Calhoun, ’50

Donald Robert de Tenley, ’68

Benny Joseph Ruiz, ’66

Phillip John Kubiak, ’71

Robert Joseph Cheshire, ’58

Lawrence J. Dickerson, ’67

Stephen W. Sherman, ’68

Richard Henry Lammers, ’79

Pietro Chiello, ’54

Bruford Leo Doyle, ’61

Norman D. Sherwood, ’68

Gary Truman Larsh, ’71

William M. Currie, ’52

John Eckert, ’63

William M. Sigmon Jr., ’61

R. Charleene Lennox, ’77

Roberta Easley, ’58

James M. Etherton, ’65

Jane Ann States, ’62

Carroll E. Leonard, ’75

Sheilah Purcell Garcia, ’59

Charles I. Fairchild, ’63

Marvin I. Tillery Jr., ’67

Janet Beran Littleton, ’71

Judy Haley Griego, ’56

David Faulkner, ’69

Robert P. Tinnin Jr., ’61

Marjorie B. Logan, ’70

Robert L. Hoyle, ’57

Thomas A. Ferguson, ’69

Judith A. Todd, ’68

Carol Joyce Lopez, ’73

Roberta I. Isaacson, ’56

Malcolm Richard Fisher, ’65

John A. Tondl, ’60

Edwin Paul Lopez, ’76

William R. Kaiser, ’54

C. Hugh Formhals II, ’69

Grace-Marie Turner, ’69

Felice Lucero, ’79

Nick P. Kapnison, ’53

Terry Frank, ’67

John Marvin Wells, ’65

Richard P. Maguire, ’73

William B. Keleher, ’55

Ruth C. Fraser, ’66

Douglas W. Kirkland, ’58

Glen T. Gares, ’65

1970s

Joe G. Martinez, ’76

Nazarita G. Lewis, ’59

Robert F. Gish, ’62

Kenneth W. Anderson, ’74

Wayne Carl Mathias, ’77

Oscar J. Linman, ’56

Jimmie Glenn, ’69

Ellen Marie Arias, ’71

Gloria J. McCary, ’73

Clyde Allen Lowery, ’51

Phyllis Smith Glenn, ’61

Florencio F. Aragon, ’75

Egan Dugald McCormick, ’78

Carol C. McDonald, ’55

Albert T. Griego, ’69

Juan Jose Baca, ’77

Sofia F. McGough, ’74

William Keith McKim, ’57

Roger Leon Harrell, ’67

Bob P. Barrett, ’70

Douglas Edward

Jean Ann Mueller, ’57

Seth Don Hofmann, ’62

William L. Barringer, ’74

Lee F. Olsen, ’59

David F. Holmes, ’65

Charlie Margaret Biard, ’73

Adrian Pelzner, ’50

Jerry T. Jackson, ’64

Mark David Bjorklund, ’77

Carolyn Ramsey, ’55

Vincent D. R. Kole, ’69

David F. Britt, ’77

Clara Orlinda Miera, ’76

Frank Collister Redmond, ’59

Rudolph J. Kosits, ’69

Donna Thomas Bruzzese, ’78

Gilbert G. Montoya, ’78

Irene Marie Ricker, ’50

Bruce William Lockwood‚ ’67

James William Busse, ’71

Randolph C. Moredock, ’73

C. Gene Samberson, ’57

Jack A. Loeppky, ’69

Karen Taggart Campbell, ’72

Carol Lee Mutz, ’78

Beverly Schoonover-Scott, ’57

Clyde Allen Lowery, ’68

Sherry G. Carlton, ’71

Harriet H. Neal, ’74

Elisabeth P. Schultz, ’’56

Gerald E. Lubensky, ’69

Linda D. Carter, ’72

Timothy M. Padilla, ’72

John Shaver, ’54

Lynn D. Lucas, ’66

Charlene G. Chavez, ’78

Ralph Fred Pauly, ’71

Wesley W. Skilton, ’58

Robert Emil Lynch, ’63

Henry A. Chavez, ’75

Ann L. Pettit Getts, ’75

Beverly E. Southard, ’55

John Francis Maito, ’69

Harold Erwin Clark Jr., ’70

Richard R. Pokorski, ’75

Ellsworth R. Swift, ’56

Mary Haager McConnell, ’67

Jonathan Lee Denslow, ’74

Barbara Jean Pollock, ’73

Lawrence W. Taylor, ’50

John Traynor Miller Jr., ’63

Janice E. Ellis, ’72

Edward Lawrence Reindle, ’71

Joseph Louis Villa, ’54

Robert M. Miller, ’69

Ross Andrews Ferguson, ’73

Katie H. Rivera, ’75

Carolyn Ritchie Wilson, ’50

Ronald Thomas Montoya, ’64

Cathryne Marie Fornsel, ’78

Kathleen Jeanette

Sue Helen Winget, ’59

Raymond W. Mulvey, ’63

Fernando Nunez Garcia, ’77

Roberson, ’79

Roger Fredric Makin, ’74

McGovern, ’72 Kathleen Jeannette McVicker, ’70

Ruth Schulte Needham, ’64

Adelaida G. Gonzales, ’74

Robin William Roberts, ’77

1960s

Kara Nevin, ’65

Janice Kahn Goodman, ’70

Joseph Ray Ross, ’79

Donna L. Aubrey, ’69

Janet Nixon, ’61

Thomas S. Harrison, ’77

Virginia Vita Saavedra, ’73

Jane M. Bacchus, ’69

Garry LeRoy Oliver, ’63

Ronald Dean Hauber, ’73

Sharon Lee Salley, ’70

MIRAGE MAGAZINE

66

Paul Adrian Sanchez, ’74

Peggy B. Jones, ’80

Brandi Renee Ortiz, ’97

Mahmoud Hussein Awad, ’25

Loretta June Sandoval, ’70

Velma Kathleen Kerr, ’86

Rita Pongetti, ’95

Gretchen Brockfeld, ’23

W. Anthony Sawtell, ’76

Beverly Ann Lackey, ’82

Claude S. Potter, ’97

Jasmine Jacklyn Jackson, ’22

Robert Ronald Smith, ’79

Joe Richard Lally, ’80

Paul E. Rockhold, ’92

Jenny Irene Miller, ’22

Don Svet, ’71

Nikki Lynn Meyer, ’85

Deborah Kie Smith, ’96

Alec C. Montoya, ’23

Dal S. Symes, ’73

Steven W. Monte, ’89

Yolanda M. Turpen, ’96

Jill J. Taylor, ’76

Patricia Moore, ’89

S. K. Woodruff, ’94

Theodore F. Them, ’76

Drake Robert Moreno, ’86

Bert Thomas Thompson, ’75

Kenneth L. Opdyke, ’87

2000s

Stephen Andrew Borbas

Lawrence Kirk Tolman, ’72

Brad Eric Parker, ’86

Tammy M. Bilberry, ’00

Philip D. Bougen

James Kaisch Trump Jr., ’79

Steve Robert Peloquin, ’89

Erik Josef Bockemeier, ’07

Teresa H. Bremer

Gary Richard Upton, ’76

Barbara Louise

Casey K. Caldwell, ’08

William J. Brisk

UNM Community Members Stan Bolton

White Peña, ’86

Debraha Marie Driggers, ’05

Peter L. Ciurczak

Paul Swift Van Nice, ’78

Patricia Gayle Petty, ’82

Quinn Martin Fatherley, ’02

Larry E. Davis

John L. Walker, ’73

Daniel E. Rakes, ’83

Bradley M. Greene, ’06

Dave H. Elliott

Joanne Cisneros West, ’78

Anna Mae Ratliff, ’86

William K. Gregory, ’09

Michael Fontana

Josephine White, ’71

Arthur Karl Roth II, ’80

Erin Elizabeth Hoagstrom, ’02

Linda Jo Gabaldon

Jan Eugene Whitefield, ’77

Elizabeth Jane Slota, ’83

Rafael H. Howell-Flores, ’09

Mabel Nunn Graves

Carol Jane Wiggins, ’70

Lee Hall Stapp, ’80

Anita Denise Johnston, ’06

Daniel Harbour

Glenda Shank Sterling, ’83

Anthony R. Kilby, ’08

Robert Tyrrel Henderson

1980s

Judy Joan Thompson, ’81

Phillip Chad Lee, ’05

Gordon Hennessy

Ernest F. Armenta, ’81

Kathleen C. Toussaint, ’81

Eric Paul Mattson, ’03

Judith D. Honegger

Mary Keenum Barbee, ’83

Leah Warren, ’80

John T. O'Laughlin, ’08

David Reed Johnson

Robert Searcy Brooks, ’87

Joseph M. Wexler, ’80

Eric Phan, ’01

Roy L. Johnson Jr.

Ruben Araiza Candia, ’88

Jack Ellsworth Wilson, ’83

Garett Travis Rex, ’05

Diane J. Klepper

Sarah Cady Sartorius, ’09

Paula LeSueur

William Valdez, ’76

Raymond T. Cardona, ’88 Christopher L. Chrissos, ’80

1990s

Lee Michael Truitt Jr., ’06

Amy Hongjen Pan

Robert David Cipoletti, ’82

David Ross Anderson, ’93

Thomas J. White, ’00

Katherine A. Prestwich

Donald Boyer Davidson Jr., ’85

Lola Marie Atkins, ’90

Jo Beth DeSoto, ’83

Lauren Lawendowski Baca, ’92

2010s

Wayne E. Swisher

Sharon Alice Dimaria, ’82

Robert Raymond

Alix Paloma Ami, ’19

William P. Tully

Betty Jane Dominguez, ’84

De Visser, ’96

Marcus Dorian Bailey, ’14

Gerald Kinsey Weiss

Catherine Anne Estrada, ’81

Robert D. DoBell, ’99

Andrew Stephen

Kimberly D. Wells

Jacqueline Henson Eubank, ’81

Elizabeth Ann Emig, ’95

Bockemeier, ’11

Becky Jo Faaborg, ’86

Mark Russell Endicott, ’94

Keith Jason Carr, ’17

Douglas Glenn Ford, ’83

Richard Patrick Farwell, ’91

Freeman Eugene

Lucy Fox, ’87

Rudolph Gallegos, ’91

Nancy Garrison Francis, ’89

Erlinda S. Gonzales, ’99

Natalie Kathryn Flores, ’11

Margaret Ellen

David R. Segura

Ellenberg III, ’17

Karen R. Groebner, ’95

Samuel S. Grant, ’10

Grammer Gay, ’88

David Keith Holmes, ’93

Jerald Scott House, ’18

Antonio Goncalves, ’86

Leslie Nian Madden, ’90

John R. Montenery, ’12

Gloria A.

Danizete Martinez, ’99

Renato A. Reyes, ’13

Marty L. Martinez, ’91

Marshall S. Shore, ’10

Timothy Clark Hall, ’82

Ramona Maria May, ’91

Blaise Treeson, ’12

Steven Daniel Hornung, ’84

Sarah Kathleen McHaffie, ’98

Dorothy Y. Hu, ’84

Jermaine McGregor, ’94

2020s

Joanne Lu Jones, ’83

Liana Mae Morgan, ’92

Elizabeth Marian

Marcella Cheryl Jones, ’83

Trinh Nguyen, ’92

Gonzales-Lambarski, ’84

Peter Yu

Alarid-West, ’23

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