Dear NMHU Community,

The Matanza on November 1 was a fantastic event that showcased our ability to come together as a community and serve one another. It was wonderful to see so many people enjoying our Northern New Mexico traditions. With the help of more than 100 volunteers, our team prepared and served meals to over 800 members of the community and NMHU.

Many thanks to Matanza Majordomo Eric Romero, who led the food preparation, and to the logistical team of Shawna Wenseng, Deanne Todd, and Brandon Kempner, along with the more than 100 volunteers whose hard work made the event possible. None of this would have happened without the generous support of our donors, including the NMHU Foundation and the City of Las Vegas Lodgers’ Tax.

Some pictures from across the two days:

One exciting piece of recent news: the American Council on Education has designated New Mexico Highlands University as a Research College and University (R3), recognizing our growing research activity and expanding portfolio of doctoral programs. First, all credit goes to the faculty who have written the grants, implemented them, and done the hard work of conducting the research. It is gratifying to see that the hours spent in the lab, in the field, and in front of a computer have produced such tangible and visible results.

Second, kudos to Dr. Ian Williamson, our AVPAA for Academic Affairs, Grants, and Contracts, and to everyone in his office who has supported, overseen, and ensured compliance on these grants and contracts. You can read more about this classification here:

New Mexico Highlands University Earns National Research College and University Designation, and you can see the Carnegie classification here,
https://carnegieclassifications.acenet.edu/institutions/page/4/?inst&research2025%5B0%5D=3. Additionally, this achievement was featured by multiple news outlets, and you can see Ian, Dann, and Dr. Nabanita Saikia discussing the designation on KRQE in Albuquerque here.

Recent Highlights

Alongside our Student Senate President and other student leaders, we attended the Global Santa Fe Annual Gala, where we heard Representative Teresa Leger Fernandéz speak:

I’ve been on the road lately, including a trip to Montana to see men’s basketball open their season. While there, we were able to connect with alumni in the region during a series of events. The strength of our alumni community is inspiring, and it was wonderful to see the impact they are making in their communities.

As you read this, I’m in Nashville, Tennessee, attending the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) conference. AASCU represents more than 500 public universities committed to expanding college access and improving student success. You can learn more about AASCU here.

I’ve also had several encouraging and exciting meetings with current and prospective donors about important projects now underway. It is inspiring to see such strong support from individuals who give their time and resources to advance NMHU and its mission.

Last week, we met with Moody’s Ratings as part of the process to redevelop the university’s bond rating. This work will provide greater flexibility and more options as we consider the many projects ahead of us.

Thank you to everyone involved in last week’s focused visit from peer reviewers with our accreditation agency, the Higher Learning Commission. Over two days, the reviewers met with colleagues across campus to evaluate our student learning assessment processes and our organizational readiness within the Human Resources office. They will provide their report in about a month, and we will share it with the campus community when it becomes available. Many thanks again to April Kent and Dr. Barbara Wharton for their leadership and assistance with this visit.

On Tuesday, I participated in the “Residence Life Just Checking In” event alongside staff and faculty members. Each semester, we visit the residence halls to meet with our residential students where they live, check in on how they are doing, and offer guidance or answer any questions they may have. We also encouraged early registration for the spring semester. Following our hall visits, 296 students came to the ballroom to participate in a raffle for a number of great giveaways. Below is a picture of some of the winners. Congratulations to Residence Life and Housing Operations on a successful event.

Upcoming Events

We are continuing to grow our presence and representation in Washington, D.C., and I will be spending time there next week meeting with our Congressional delegation. There are numerous opportunities for federal support—including our project to become energy independent, our new R3 status, and our leadership in wildfire research and policy.
As many of you know, U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján is a Highlands alumnus, and Congresswoman Teresa Leger Fernández hails from Las Vegas, New Mexico. They, along with the rest of New Mexico’s federal delegation, are very supportive of Highlands, and we will continue to advocate for expanded federal investment in the university and our students.
Working with our shared governance and union partners, we are adding December 22, 2025, and January 2, 2026, to the scheduled winter break. If you have questions regarding the break, please direct them to your supervisor or to Human Resources.

Congratulations!

Congratulations are in order for sophomore Weldon Chebon, who delivered an outstanding performance at the NCAA Division II South Central Regional Championships in Pueblo last Saturday, capturing the men’s individual championship. Chebon completed the 10k course at the Walking Stick Golf Course in 29:44.9, finishing nearly ten seconds ahead of the second-place runner. He became only the second NMHU athlete to win the Regional Championship, joining Laurent Ngrikamaro, who earned the title in 2007.

Head Coach Bob DeVries praised Weldon’s strategy and discipline, noting, “He learned from the way RMAC played out, stayed patient, and made a decisive move with a mile to go to break away.”

Chebon and Coach DeVries will next be in Kenosha, Wisconsin, for the NCAA Division II National Championship race on November 22. We are proud of Weldon’s remarkable achievement and look forward to cheering them on at the upcoming event.

Respectfully,

Dr. Neil Woolf
President
New Mexico Highlands University