Dear NMHU Community:

Over the past two weeks, I’ve had a chance to travel across New Mexico–I’ve been to Los Alamos, Socorro, Silver City, Albuquerque, and next week I’m heading out to Farmington. I’ve been able to visit the campuses of NM Tech, WNMU, and UNM, and I’ve gotten to meet a number of presidents and other state officials, like Lieutenant Governor Howie Morales. Lt. Gov. Morales is a long-time supporter of Highlands, and it was wonderful to get to know him better. Additionally, at the recent Legislative Finance Committee, I connected again with Las Vegas’s own Senator Pete Campos. See picture below. At those LFC meetings, Highlands was well represented by our School of Social Work Dean Dr. Cesar Abarca and Dr. Roxanne Walker-Gonalez, Provost and VPof Academic Affairs.

As we gear up for the upcoming session, I’m sharing how the many activities that take place at Highlands correlate to the three points of our student-centered mission triangle: Regionally Responsive, Academic Excellence, and Culture of Opportunity.

Everyone I have met has been so supportive and encouraging about Highlands and our mission–it’s great to see what an important place we have in the state. New Mexico itself is pretty impressive–there’s been some long drives and some beautiful landscapes, including a twisty journey through the Gila National Forest. In talking with everyone across the state, it is inspiring to see not only what is possible for us at NMHU, but also for us as a state when we work together.

Some Recent Highlights:

• I was grateful to be introduced to the Legislative Finance Committee by Senator Pete Campos. We continue to be well served by the Senator and are grateful for his service to our community and state.
  
• Dean Abarca from our Facundo Valdez School of Social Work presented at that meeting, filling in the LFC on the many great things our Social Work program is doing:
  
• Even though we lost a close game to Western in football, WNMU President Joe Shephard was a great host. Here’s us with their mariachi band, a program I’d like to get going again at Highlands:
  
• As you can see, it was a beautiful day for a game. It was a tough loss, but our team played well, and I know Coach Kurt is building the kind of culture that will lead to long term success.
  
• The New Mexico Painters Exhibition Opening was wonderful. What a cool event–and one that’s been going on for 11 years now. It’s great to see our university supporting something so important. A good turnout, good food, and some great art:
  
• New Mexico Poet Laureate Lauren Camp gave a reading at Donnelly Library on Thursday.
• Last week, we hosted an accreditation visit from the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) for our RN to BSN degree and our relatively new MSN. While we won’t hear the final word until spring, the visit went well. Accreditation, while not as much fun as football games or art openings, is an essential part of what we do as a university, so thanks to everyone who planned and participated in that visit, including Jeanie Flood, Alice Davis, Victoria Stark-Romero, Chris Young, the rest of the nursing faculty and staff, interim Dean Peter Linder, and Provost Gonzales. It’s a lot of work to do those visits well and I appreciate it.

Upcoming Events:

• Highlands Harvest Fest is this Friday,11-4 PM, in Melody Park. Come by for food, green chile roasting, and music! Eric Romero and his team were busy re-plastering the horno on Wednesday:
  
• Our first home volleyball game of the season is on Friday as well, 6:00 PM, versus Adams State. Join us for the inaugural event on our redone gym floor.
• As part of our trip to Farmington next week, we have a Meet the President Event on Thursday September 26th, at 5:00 PM at Three Rivers Brewery, 101 E Main Street, Farmington, NM. Anyone out there next week is welcome!
• We have a full day Board of Regents meeting at our Rio Rancho Center on Friday, September 27th.
• There is still time to get tickets for comedian Ralph Barbosa. The show is Saturday, September 28th, 8:00 PM in Ilfeld. Ralph Barbosa, known for his disarming and laid-back comedy style, has become a headliner across the country. This year, he starred in his first hour-long Netflix stand-up special. Notable achievements include his debut on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, a top-viewed Comedy Central stand-up set, and a Comedy special on HBO Max. Tickets at https://www.nmhu.edu/ilfeld-auditorium/tickets/.

Congratulations:

• Our very own Registrar Henrietta Romero won the Distinguished Service Award from the Rocky Mountain Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (RMACRAO). Here’s a brief description of this important honor and a snapshot of Dr. Romero accepting it. Congratulations!

It is a privilege to honor Dr. Henrietta Romero with the RMACRAO Distinguished Service Award. Dr. Romero has almost 20 years of higher education experience and has been an active member of the New Mexico State AACRAO, RMACRAO, and the National AACRAO organizations, serves as the University Registrar for New Mexico Highlands University and recently completed her doctoral dissertation defense. Only Henrietta could have done all of those simultaneously.

If you have an item or event you’d like to be featured here, please forward that to your relevant Vice President.

Respectfully,
Dr. Neil Woolf
President, New Mexico Highlands University