New Mexico Highlands University head football coach Kurt Taufa’asau, at left, is part of a university contingent heading to the Pacific Islands to expand NMHU’s recruiting impact in the area. Credit: John Vestal/Sports Fanatic Photography
For New Mexico Highlands University head football coach Kurt Taufa’asau, returning to the Pacific Islands this month represents both a personal homecoming and the next step in Highlands’ expanding outreach and recruitment efforts in the region.
“I’m blessed to be in a position where I can give back,” Taufa’asau said. “This is about creating opportunity and making sure students know what’s possible.”
Taufa’asau, now entering his second season at Highlands, led the Cowboys to a 6–5 overall record last year, including a 4–1 mark in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference play. The season marked continued progress for a coach who previously guided New Mexico Military Institute to a national junior college championship in 2021.
A key component of that progress is tapping into the Polynesian football pipeline — a pathway Taufa’asau knows firsthand. Once an overlooked player himself, he earned a scholarship to NMMI after participating in a June Jones-sponsored Goodwill Mission in American Samoa.
“That opportunity changed everything for me,” Taufa’asau said. “We’re going back to identify talented students who may be overlooked and to share information about the academic and athletic opportunities available at Highlands.”
The Highlands delegation will travel to Honolulu and Pago Pago beginning January 15, coinciding with the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame induction ceremonies and the Polynesian Bowl, which showcases top high school athletes of Polynesian descent.
Former Denver Broncos defensive lineman Ma’a Tanuvasa, a co-founder of the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame organization, said having universities like Highlands involved strengthens the mission.
“The Polynesian community never forgets where it comes from,” Tanuvasa said. “There’s always an effort to help the next generation find opportunity.”
While in Hawaiʻi, the Highlands delegation will meet with legislators and school administrators and host a camp for student-athletes before continuing on to American Samoa to strengthen relationships established during a prior visit. A delegation from Highlands traveled to American Samoa a year ago, an effort that contributed to nearly 40 students from Hawaiʻi and American Samoa enrolling at the university.
In addition to Taufa’asau, the delegation also includes Highlands Vice President for Advancement and University Relations Dr. Paul Grindstaff, Associate Vice President for Enrollment Management Benito Pacheco, Chief of Staff Brandon Kempner and Cheryl Trujillo of the Registrar’s Office, an American Samoa native who recently endowed a scholarship fund supporting students from the territory, as well as a larger contingent that will arrive separately in American Samoa.
The trip reflects a coordinated institutional strategy focused on enrollment growth and regional engagement, Grindstaff said.
“This work aligns with New Mexico Highlands University’s mission and areas of growth, particularly in New Mexico, the Southwest, and Polynesia,” he said. “Through memoranda of understanding with partner schools and districts in El Paso, San Antonio, Denver, and Dallas, Highlands has expanded access to its Purple and White Scholarship, which provides significant tuition support for students — athletes and non-athletes alike — who earn a 3.0 GPA or higher.”
This year, Highlands is building on that momentum by sponsoring the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame events and extending the Purple and White Scholarship to students in Hawaiʻi.
“Our goal is to create clear pathways to higher education,” Grindstaff said. “This outreach is about sharing information, building relationships, and ensuring students and families understand the opportunities available at Highlands.”
For additional information contact Dr. Paul Grindstaff, Vice President for Advancement and University Relations, pgrindstaff@nmhu.edu