** 2024 Commencement Updates **

** 2024 Commencement Updates **

Students, Faculty Honored for Outstanding Leadership

Margaret McKinney/Highlands University Biology senior Molly Enenbach, left, talks with her research adviser, biology professor Sarah Corey-Rivas, after Enenbach was named Student of the Year April 6.

Margaret McKinney/Highlands University
Biology senior Molly Enenbach, left, talks with her research adviser, biology professor Sarah Corey-Rivas, after Enenbach was named Student of the Year April 6.

Las Vegas, N.M. – Highlands University students, faculty and staff were honored for their outstanding leadership and other contributions to the university at the 18th Annual Student Leadership Recognition Banquet April 6.

The Office of Campus Life directed by Margaret Gonzales organizes the event each year.

“Leaders are individuals who know how to achieve goals and inspire others along the way,” Gonzales said. “By your leadership, you have made a difference at Highlands.”

Molly Enenbach was named Student of the Year. She has earned a 3.95 GPA and will graduate in May with a B.S. in biology and a minor in media arts. The ARMAS Scholar was also captain of the Cowgirl soccer team for three years, winning RMAC First Team All Conference Academic Honors twice.

“Molly is an exceptional student and a true leader, and it has been a great privilege to work with her these last two years as a member of my research lab group,” said biology professor Sarah-Corey Rivas, Enenbach’s research adviser. “Molly has achieved highly technical and theoretical work in research. Examples include her research on immune genes and disease response in endangered boreal toads in my lab, and nanotechnology research she did at the University of Colorado in Boulder last summer through a highly competitive internship.”

Enenbach, a 21-year-old from Aztec, New Mexico, said attending a smaller school like Highlands allowed her to interact more with professors and coaches, enabling her to develop more as a researcher and athlete.

“Having small but very powerful research groups on campus gave me the opportunity to become an independent thinker and explore different scientific fields,” Enenbach said. “The faculty mentoring is phenomenal at Highlands.”

Enenbach volunteers regularly with campus organizations such as the Conservation Club and Sigma Xi, a scientific research society. She is the founder and president of the university’s International Service Group. In May, the group will travel to Guatemala where they will work in clinics in the La Antigua area assisting doctors with providing primary care.

“If everyone gave of their time to serve others, many problems would be solved,” Enenbach said.

Her professional goal is to attend medical school and become a doctor.

“Molly is a cherished colleague whom I regard as the future doctor she will become,” Corey-Rivas said.

Other award recipients were:

  • Professor of the Year – Brooks Maki, organic chemistry
  • Staff Member of the Year – Gina Maes, facility services
  • Club of the Year Award – Gamma Alpha Omega
  • Biology Department Awards – Molly Enenbach, undergraduate, Lisa McBride, graduate student
  • Robert Amai Awards in Organic Chemistry – Michelle Tuineau and Logan Wolfel
  • Robert Amai Award for Graduating Senior in Chemistry – Melecio Perea
  • Robert Amai Award in General Chemistry – Onnica Pino, Santiana Marrujo and Joslynn Rowin
  • American Chemical Society Award in Organic Chemistry/Biochemistry – Melecio Perea
  • English Department Award – Caitlin Bittner (graduate student)
  • Writing Center/English Department Award – MaKayla Valdez
  • Natural Resources Management Award – Adrian Sanchez
  • Phi Eta Sigma National Honor Society – Manuel Allemand, Annemarie Madaras, Kalee Wilmer, Geno Castillo, Xiaowei Wu and Maria Cervantes-Boyer
  • Leadership in Geospatial Technology – Zakiya Shivji
  • Leadership in Geospatial Technology GeoLeague Challenge Group – Zakiya Shivji, leader, Daniel Hernandez, Elisa Abeyta, Desiree Giraudo, Randall Dongo-Olsen, Renea Roberts and Daniel Grondin
  • Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges (Undergraduates) –

Brianne Abeyta, Steven Gonzales, Raymundo Melendez, Donna Romero, Elisa Abeyta, Janel Herrera, Tarissa Mellin, Katelyn Romero, Joshua Alcon, Ariadna Izaguirre, Julianne Mendoza, Maria Alaena Romero, Julissa Archuleta, Jacob Kelly, Leticia Merrills-Gonzalez, Shyann Romero-Martinez, Elena Armijo, Amberly Lopez, Krystol Myers, Flavio Vigil, Larissa Carbajal, Jessica Lucero, Destiny Pacheco, John Ramon Vigil, Lorenzo Chavez, Natasha Lujan, Derek Pino, Trenton Ward, Gabriel Cordova, Robert Mariano, Desiree Pino, Rachael Zayas, Tamlyn Crain, Celina Martinez, Chantel Rivera, Angelica Gonzalez, Michael Martinez and Alyssa Romero

  • Albuquerque Student Association, School of Social Work – Nickole Garcia
  • NMHU Chapter of Sigma Xi – Lisa McBride and Alfonso Trujillo
  • Highlands University Geological Society – Zakiya Shivji, Jeff Falance and Antoinette Jim
  • Women’s Basketball Award– Giulia Simioni
  • Men’s Basketball Award – Atem Bior
  • Academic Enrichment Programs – Desiree Ramirez
  • Student Ambassadors – Rachael Zayas, Natasha Lujan, Ariadna Izaguirre, Syann Romero-Martinez
  • NMHU Dance Team – Kailee Bryant and Amanda McBride
  • ARMAS Awards – Gabriel Lovato, Supplemental Instruction Leader of the Year; Jivo Siarov and Steven Molina, Student Engagement Liaisons of the Year; Adriana Martinez, Math Tutor of the Year.
  • Career Services Awards – Diego Trujillo, Freshman Career Preparation Award; Adriana Martinez and DiAmal Holmes, Optimal Resume Awards; Lorenzo Herrera, Student Career Development Award; Jeff Mills, head football coach, Outstanding Staff Ambassador Award; Outstanding Faculty Ambassador Awards, Mary Shaw, biology; Kasumi (Nikki) Stovall, mathematics; Orit Tamir, anthropology