Press Release Archives :: UNM Gallup | The University of New Mexico

UNM-GALLUP NEWS RELEASE

FOR RELEASE: December 8, 2011

The Johnson Scholarship Foundation Entrepreneurship Scholarship Program will be awarding $10,000 in funds for the spring, according to Al Henderson, entrepreneurship instructor at the University of New Mexico at Gallup. Deadline to apply is January 27, 2012.

The scholarship is awarded to students pursuing a certificate or degree as entrepreneurs or in business-related fields.

Additionally, students must meet the following criteria:

Be a member of a federally-recognized Indian tribe (provide CIB)
Demonstrate financial need
Be selected in accordance with the university’s normal criteria based on financial aid
Hold and maintain a GPA of 2.0 or above
Not be an employee of the university, except for student employees receiving a work assignment as of need-based financial aid.

To be eligible for consideration, the applicant must submit to the UNM-G JSF Scholarship Selection Committee a completed application form; a one-two page biographical statement (including career goals/future plans); and a current unofficial UNM transcript.

For more information, contact Al Henderson at 505.863.7634, or UNM-Gallup Financial Aid at 505.863.7663.

UNM-GALLUP NEWS RELEASE

FOR RELEASE: November 18, 2011

In ancient times, artists and craftsmen generally provided their own tools and materials. They mixed pigment, made brushes, and dug for clay.

Ceramics artist Elroy Natachu of Zuni believes part of his mission as president of the Ancient Ceramics Club at the University of New Mexico at Gallup is to help his club members reconnect with the traditions of the arts. And where better to start in this part of the world than with the Puebloan culture?

The members of the club represent a cross-section of the traditions found in Gallup – Puebloan, Navajo, Hispanic--all peoples are welcome. But for the rest of this school year, they will join Natachu as he orchestrates a curriculum-driven program to help them understand Puebloan art.

The group starts this Saturday with a field trip to Ashiwi Awan Museum in Zuni, where they will listen to Curtis Quam, who will tell the Zuni migration story to illustrate how all Puebloans were connected, and how artists shared techniques. They will also watch some historic black and white videos showing women potters from the early 20th century at work. The students will then go on to the gallery, for a look at recovered pottery.

From noon to 1 p.m., the students will proceed to Natachu’s house for a traditional home-style meal of stews and enchiladas. In the afternoon, the club members will accompany Natachu to a place where Zuni potters have dug their own clay for centuries. After offerings and prayers to Mother Earth (these will be conducted by and for Zunis only), the group will proceed to dig clay so they can try their hand at creating pottery in the Zuni style.

“We are paying respect for taking her flesh,” Natachu explained of the prayers and offerings. “We’re hoping she will give clay in return. If we don’t do this, she’ll give you rocks and not clay.” The Zuni believe that the earth is a living, breathing thing, he noted, adding, “That’s why it’s important not to waste it.”

Among the varying kinds of clay to be found in Zuni mines is kaolin. Kaolin is used to create slips, or a liquid clay suspension of mineral pigments. The slips can be reddish, off-white to brown, white or black. Slips are applied on the pottery as a wash, creating large patterns or swaths of color. In many cases, the Zuni apply the slips with a yucca brush – narrow yucca leaves chewed so the fibers are loosened. Clay used in Puebloan pottery is to be found throughout the Southwest, with Zuni potters sometimes traveling as far as Grand Canyon for the reds and yellow ochres found in hematites (iron oxides).

The black paint used in Zuni pottery, by the way, comes from wild spinach (Cleome serrulata Pursh) – not to be found this time of year, but an important plant for the Zuni potter to know. The process of creating the black paint is an arduous one and can take an entire day. The plant is gathered and stuck in a pot and boiled with water. Once a thick black syrup forms, the mixture is strained, then cooked for another couple of hours until it’s like molasses. The syrup is poured into little brick molds which are then put in a pot to dry. Water is added whenever the potter wants to use the dried blocks of paint.

“It’s fun to go back and learn these technical processes, such as the early brushes and making the paint, and using gourds for scrapers, and to think that with these simple items people created beautiful pieces of artwork,” Natachu said.

Natachu, who is 21 and has been studying at UNM-G for three years, was taught these techniques by family members. He lists painters, fetish carvers, potters and a seamstress among his relatives. They have inspired him to also pursue a career in art as a high school art teacher. He has training in medical records and as an administrative assistant from UNM-G, but says his love of art has inspired him to want to inspire others.

“I’ve found the older generation is more committed to appreciating this art than the young generation,” Natachu says as his reason for wanting to teach his peers about Puebloan pottery in particular and artistic traditions in general.

After their field trip on Saturday, the group will turn their interest to the work of other Puebloan artists. They will be inviting artists from Laguna, Isleta, and perhaps Hopi to give demonstrations in the ceramics lab, and to talk about mineral techniques, and the culture and philosophy of their traditions. In years to come, the club will decide about studying traditions farther afield – perhaps those of China, Europe, Mesopotamia or the Aztecs.

To raise money to fund their activities, the club will host a bake sale and ring toss with prizes on Tuesday, Nov. 22, all day in Gurley Hall. Among the prizes will be a turkey basket, which will include a turkey, stuffing, and all the trimmings for Thanksgiving; other prizes will be some etchware and trinkets made by Natachu.

For more information on the Ancient Ceramics Club or the sale on Tuesday, contact

UNM-GALLUP NEWS RELEASE

FOR RELEASE: November 4, 2011

Eight new U.S. citizens were sworn in on Oct. 28 in a ceremony at the University of New Mexico-Gallup North Campus.

The new citizens, representing Nepal, Syria, Germany and Mexico, were all students of Laura Jijon, an English as a Second Language teacher and the interim Adult Basic Education program manager. All were enrolled in ESL classes. To become citizens, the students must achieve a basic mastery of English, as well as U.S. history and government.

“I’ve found most naturalized citizens know far more than those who were born here,” Jijon said.

The UNMG ESL program works in conjunction with the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service at the local Catholic Charities office with Sister Janet Cashman. Catholic Charities, by the way, works with everyone on their paperwork and immigration documentation, regardless of religion. Besides representing four countries, the new citizens were, in addition to being Catholic, also Hindu and Muslim.

INS, by the way, is no longer the arm of the governmental agency that deals with deportation, Jijon pointed out. After Sept. 11 and the launching of Homeland Security, that agency became known as ICE, Immigration Custom Enforcement.

Jijon as an ESL instructor in Gallup has taught students from all over the world. Most immigrants, she says, have a great distrust of government, but feel comfortable in a school setting. That’s why the citizens who were recently sworn in were pleased to have their ceremony performed in the place where they had studied. In attendance were families, teachers and fellow students.

Also present were Mayor Jackie McKinney and UNMG Executive Director Sylvia Andrew.

“They were delighted that the mayor of the city and the leader of the college would be in attendance,” Jijon said.

Jijon said the new citizens have also been surprised and delighted at how supportive Native Americans – who make up a large percentage of the ESL students – are of their efforts to become Americans. She says a great deal of cultural exchange goes on in the classes, in terms of trading stories, and learning about each other’s food and customs. For instance, the decorations for the ceremony included some 3D Chinese characters, some Navajo weaving and some paper decorations appropriate for Ramadan, the Muslim period of fasting.

For more information on the ESL classes and working toward U.S. Citizenship, call Jijon at 722-6437.

UNM-GALLUP NEWS RELEASE

FOR RELEASE: October 26, 2011

Two hundred-plus visitors gathered in the bright October sunshine on the 21st to watch as a large red ribbon strung across the entrance was cut with enormous ceremonial scissors, signifying the official dedication of the UNM-Gallup Student Services and Technology Center.

Sylvia Andrew, executive director, welcomed visitors and introduced the speakers, which included Teresa Dowling, chair of the Local Board; Ken Easley, representing Flintco, the construction company that built the building; Patty Lundstrom, New Mexico state representative; Paul McCollum, one of the original founders of the college; and Mark Rohde of Rohde May Keller McNamara Architects of Albuquerque, who designed the building. After the ribbon cutting, visitors were taken on tours of the new facility conducted by Student Services personnel.

The building has been awarded a silver LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) award for its advanced environmental technology and features and is the first LEED-awarded building in Gallup-McKinley County.

Perhaps the most arresting architectural element of the structure is the extensive use of copper. Copper-clad walls, inside and out, provide a warm, earthy ambience that evokes the reddish hues of the nearby hills. Warm tones carried out in concrete panels on the interior walls and in a light hardwood floor also add to the restful atmosphere.

The building features smart classrooms, an outdoor amphitheater nestled in a microclimate created by concrete stairs and the glass front of the building, as well as environmentally controlled systems.

One of the most impressive design features is the extensive use of glass so that students and employees may feel the beneficial effects of the natural lighting. A steel mesh screen across the glass front of the building helps to mitigate the glare, as does a mesh screen constructed inside the glass.

The building also has a raised floor, with all registers and systems located beneath the floor for ease of maintenance.

Visitors were particularly impressed with the smart classroom with a 16-panel video screen that can show either 16 different images or one large one. On the day of the dedication, a trailer for the 3-D movie “Avatar” was showing in a continuous loop.

There are also several student lounge and study areas, as well as a long row of student computer stations, featuring both thin clients (reduced capacity computers that depend on a server to fulfill traditional computational roles), as well as stations for students to plug in. A gas fireplace on the lower level will be turned on during the winter months to enhance the comfort of the structure.

The Student Services and the Business Operations departments have already moved into the building; the Arts and Letters and Social Sciences faculty and some classes are due to relocate there in January.

UNM-GALLUP NEWS RELEASE

FOR RELEASE: October 5, 2011

GALLUP - For many decades after Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women was published in 1868, it and several successive Alcott novels were at the top of most young girls’ reading lists. Times have changed, however, and Alcott, though still read, is not as well known among young readers as she was even as late as the Sixties and Seventies.

Gloria Dyc, UNM Regents Professor in English and a professor at UNM-Gallup, is lending her support to a nationwide project to introduce Alcott to a new generation. She’s participating in a library outreach program sponsored by the National Endowment for the Humanities, the American Library Association and the Nancy Porter and Harriet Reisen for Filmmakers Collaborative that aims to acquaint the public with “Louisa May Alcott: The Woman Behind Little Women. ” This program is being presented at 30 libraries nationwide, including the Octavia Fellin Library in Gallup.

Dyc’s part as program scholar will be to play Alcott on Tuesday, Oct. 11, at 7 p.m. in the library.

“I’m going to do a Chatauqua,” said Dyc, referring to the famed Chatauqua Institution, a seasonal program from Chatauqua, N.Y., that offers a mix of fine and performing arts, lectures, interfaith worship and programs and recreational activities. Dyc said she will dress in clothes approximating those worn by women in the Civil War era, and will quote Alcott and give commentary as if she were the author.

“I hadn’t read Little Women for years, but I read it again along with Little Men,” she said. “I’m doing some research on women’s suffrage and human rights at the start of the Civil War period and the period that stretched beyond abolition of slavery.” Alcott was notable not only for her writing, but for her early support of women’s rights and abolition. Dyc also reread Henry David Thoreau’s Walden as well as the work of Ralph Waldo Emerson. Both writers were friends of Alcott’s famous father, Amos Bronson Alcott, a teacher, philosopher, writer and reformer, and were important in forming her education and her writing career. “I hadn’t read Thoreau and Emerson since college, but I found I was still close to them in philosophy, and I’ll be working on some of their ideas,” Dyc said.

Dyc said in her talk she will not only be focusing on Alcott, but also the period she lived in.

The Octavia Fellin Public Library was one of 30 libraries nationwide selected to present the Alcott program, which will also include “Spend a Day in the 1860s,” on Saturday, Oct. 22, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. There will be Civil War re-enactors, games, candle making, music, quilting, period dress, discussion soiree, films, dance, refreshments, and a presentation on the Battle of Glorieta Pass. The library event is being presented in partnership with the Crownpoint Historical Commission, the Gallup Branch and the Zuni Tribal Library. There will also be programs presented in Navajo and Zuni.

UNM-GALLUP NEWS RELEASE

FOR RELEASE: September 14, 2011

In a time of great uncertainty about the job market, the Navajo Nation and the University of New Mexico-Gallup have found a means of giving hope to jobseekers through a unique regional partnership. Thirty students recently completed their course of study for Heavy Equipment and Commercial Driver License, or CDL, and 29 of those have received their certificates and now have skills that may give them an edge in the current job market.

Most of those 29 were on hand recently for a graduation ceremony at Lions Hall on the UNMG campus, where touching testimonials and hearty congratulations were the order of the morning. Guest speakers from the Navajo Nation and UNMG gave words of encouragement, while instructors praised the graduates for their perseverance over the 20 weeks of instruction.

The classes are the result of a memo of understanding that was negotiated between the Navajo Nation and UNMG. Sonny Moore, training specialist, is the principal investigator for the Navajo Nation grant that sustains this program. The funds underwrite the students’ living expenses and overnight travel, as well as the instructors’ pay and the cost of renting equipment for the classes.

THE CDL program has been in progress for two years, while the Heavy Equipment course was launched this year, with the first class starting this past spring.

“It took a couple of years of negotiating,” Moore said. “The CDL/Heavy Equipment training course is the first of its kind in this area.”

Moore said that conducting the courses as a cohort – that is, with the same students working through the training with the two instructors, while students get to know and support one another – appears to have enormous impact on the students’ success.

“They’ve created an environment beneficial to learning,” Moore said. “When you know your instructor cares about you, and that he wants you to learn and succeed without creating undue pressure, it contributes to the students doing as well as they did. This is especially important since many of these students hadn’t been in a classroom in years.”

On the day of graduation, the students shared some of those same concerns.

Judith Woods, the only woman participating in the Heavy Equipment course, had nothing but praise for her male classmates, saying that despite being nervous at being the only woman, she found “the guys” supportive of her efforts. Woods would regularly ask the instructors for permission to practice on the equipment prior to the start of class, so that she could perfect her techniques on the Skytrak forklift, excavator, scraper, and the motor grader. Her extra efforts paid off; she was awarded certificates for the Top Rookie on the forklift, excavator, scraper, and the motor grader. Top Rookie status means she was the most skilled on each particular piece of equipment. Woods also received the All Around Top Gun award for being the person who earned the most certificates on equipment. Further, she was the first female to be awarded a heavy equipment certificate.

Many of the graduating students talked about their difficulty in adjusting to the regimen of a classroom.

“We’re taking a person who’s been out of work, looking for a job – in many cases they are single parents. To help them be successful, we have to help them in their soft skills,” Moore said. “By that I mean teaching self-confidence, human relations, personal finances, workforce readiness and a mixture of cultural teaching. In many cases, these students have lost touch with who they are, and we have to build them up again to prepare them to regain entry into the workforce.”

The next step for the graduates is, the organizers hope, employment. For the graduates of the CDL class, close to 100 percent already have jobs, Moore said, while six students out of the 14 in the Heavy Equipment course also have jobs.

To help improve their odds of getting a job, Moore has a placement officer written into the MOU. This individual assists with resumés and cover letters, and connects graduates with potential employers.

“We have it in our contract that we’re supposed to reach 50 percent placement,” Moore said, “but we’re going to try for 100 percent.”

Guest speakers at the ceremony were the following: Ferlin Clark, executive staff for the vice president of the Navajo Nation; Neal Mangham, dean of instruction at UNMG; Clara Chichirello, Fort Defiance Agency Work Force manager; and Esther Yazzie, Fort Defiance Employment assistant officer.

Instructors who participated in the ceremony were Jimmy Gonzales, owner of Gallup CDL Training, and Miguel Cantu, CDL field instructor and David Lopez, CDL classroom; and Heavy Equipment instructors Jim Hicks and Gary Fastwolf.

Students who received certificates were as follows:

Heavy Equipment: Dean Anderson and Judith Woods.

CDL: Jonah Barney, Andrew Begay, Carnell Begay, Ernestine Begay, Emerick Gruber, Phillip Henio, Leon Hunter, Oscar Largo, Charles Naha, Gordon Phillips, Sheridan Saunders, Darren Tahe, Alton Tsosie, Willie Ryan and Tyndra Thomas.

CDL and Heavy Equipment: Rydell Anderson, Verdell Begay, David O. Bill, Barlyn D. Bitsoi, Daven J. Charley, Emerson Curtis, Henry Francisco, Waylon Jesus, Shawn Manuelito, Lorenzo McCade, Malcolm Tsosie, Larry Whitney and Montie Wilson.

The next classes, in both CDL and Heavy Equipment, are being planned for October and will be announced. As Moore explained, it is likely they will fill up quickly, as word about these trainings spreads. He said he hopes to also work on a similar agreement with the Pueblo of Zuni in the future.

UNM-GALLUP NEWS RELEASE

FOR RELEASE: August 31, 2011

The University of New Mexico-Gallup opened the fall semester with a new, improved bookstore – or college store, as such spaces are increasingly being called in institutions of higher education.

“We’ve done a full, internal renovation,” said John Dillander, architectural associate with the University of New Mexico, and the staff member who led the project. “There is a redesign of how the space is laid out, designed according to the National Association of College Stores, with the help of Melanie Sparks of the main campus bookstore.”

As customers will note, the store looks much larger, although the square footage has remained the same. Creating a glass front with glass doors helped increase the sense of spaciousness, while providing for better security. The new tile and carpet provide for a less institutional atmosphere and make the store seem more like a retail space.

“It’s warmer and more inviting than it was before,” Dillander said. The slat-style wall replaces the old pegboard, which further boosts the retail appeal of the space.

Dillander called the layout of the former store “old style” and says the new version provides for a better flow of traffic, where shoppers can more easily see books and other merchandise they might need. The open floor “helps with visual perceptions,” he says, adding “That’s the trend for today’s college stores.”

Another trend is “to provide a sense of ownership, where students can sit and snack and hang out.” The new seating area, with drinks, snacks and tables, gives the store more of a café ambience, and allows students to relax and visit.

The new thinking about college stores is that they are more than providers of textbooks to students.

“They serve a community,” Dillander said. Because of that, the stores offer items that appeal not only to students but to anyone who might be on campus, such as staff, faculty and commuters. For instance, the members of that on-campus community might be drawn to the college brand items, such as clothing, toys, mugs and the like. Or perhaps, they might be in the market for some office supplies or toothpaste or a headache remedy. These days, UNMG’s college store will have it all.

“The changes seem to be working really well,” said Lindsay Comer, receiving clerk. “It looks and feels more like a college store, and our sales are good. The clothing items are selling well. The snack bar area is being well received.” The college has already conducted interviews for a permanent bookstore manager and administrators are hoping that a hire will be announced in the coming weeks.

Bookstore hours are currently 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. For more information, call 863-7505.

UNM-GALLUP NEWS RELEASE

FOR RELEASE: May 12, 2011

GALLUP - A. Neal Mangham of Prescott, Ariz., has been named interim dean of instruction at the University of New Mexico-Gallup. He is a former president and chief executive officer of Prescott College in Prescott.

Mangham, who has a Ph.D. in history from Rice University, was one of four retired higher education administrators who interviewed for the position during a special two-day visit to the campus under the auspices of the Registry for College and University Presidents, an association of former presidents and high level administrators. The candidates participated in interviews with key campus personnel, toured the campus and even consulted with each other about who among them was likely the best candidate.

Mangham emerged not only as the Dean's Search Committee's first choice, but also the choice of the Registry members themselves.

"It was a very collegial process, where we tried to find the best fit for us, and where the candidates tried to find the best fit," said Sylvia Andrew, executive director. "At the end of the day, there seemed to be a consensus that Dr. Mangham was the right one for us."
Mangham will be taking over the reins on June 1 from another interim, Jeannie Monaghan, a long-time faculty member at UNMG who is retiring as of June 30. He will serve as interim for at least two years, and possibly as many as three. Prior to his departure, the college will launch another search for a permanent dean of instruction.

Most recently, Mangham has been a consultant for entities as disparate as the U.S. Air Force Academy, the Ministry of Power and Water in Afghanistan and New Mexico State University, as well as Native American governments and education institutions in New Mexico and Arizona. Prior to his work as a consultant, he was chief of party for the Afghanistan Higher Education Project, Academy for Educational Development, in Kabul, Afghanistan, and president of Al Ain Colleges of the Higher Colleges of Technology, UAE.

He also served as president of the School for International Training in Brattleboro, Vt., and executive director of University of Redlands, Redlands, Calif.

Further, he has served as a member of numerous research and professional boards both in the United States and abroad.

“Dr. Mangham is ready to accept the challenge,” Andrew said. “He wants to be here, and brings a wealth of experience with academic and vocational programs with him. We are looking forward to his arrival as we embark on numerous initiatives, including reorganization of our campus structure.”

“The University of New Mexico at Gallup is a community based institution that strives to meet the current and future needs of its diverse student body, the region it serves, and of the State of New Mexico,” Mangham said. “Playing a role in the next steps in the development of the institution is an opportunity to which I look forward. Gallup is a community I value in a region I love and it is an honor to be selected. I look forward to working with Dr. Andrew, the faculty and staff of the college, and especially with the students of UNM-Gallup.”

UNM-GALLUP NEWS RELEASE

FOR RELEASE: April 4, 2011

High school and college students, as well as community members were all represented in the Entrepreneur Expo. Seven local entrepreneurs entered displays about their work and business ideas on March 25 during the Entrepreneur Expo. Jonathan Helf of Vanderwagen won first place prize of $1500 for his display illustrating his business making and selling recycled tire composters and sifters.

GALLUP - The first-ever Entrepreneur Expo at the University of New Mexico-Gallup appears to have created some buzz, with attendees as well as participants expressing enthusiasm for the way the event played out. But organizers, while pleased with both attendance and participation, say they'd like to get more buy-in from the local business community.

The Expo, held March 25 in Gurley Hall, featured seven displays (an eighth applicant signed up but was a no show), and attendance from UNMG students, local community members, representatives from local organizations and schools.

"They said, 'It's about time something like this happened,'" said Al Henderson, lecturer with the college's Entrepreneurship program and the organizer of the event, referring to the entrepreneurs as well as those in attendance.

Henderson had hoped for at least 25 displays when he began planning the Expo in late 2010, and had hoped a considerable number of those would be in high school and college. As it turned out, there were only three displays from high school and college students; the other four were non-students. Because of the numbers, Henderson's advisory team, the Rural Entrepreneur Institute, decided to divide the prize money among all the recipients.

First prize of $1500 went to Jonathan Helf of Vanderwagen, who displayed a homemade composter created from recycled tires, and a compost sifter set on top of a wheelbarrow. Second prize of $1000 went to Robin Lasiloo of Zuni, an instructor in graphic arts at UNMG, who with a partner owns DogWorld, a graphic arts firm. Third place prize of $700 went to Shaina Roanhorse, a welder, for her display of "Welding for a Green Economy."

The judges selected the winners on how well they understood and could articulate the story of their product. They also looked at how new the product or idea is.

"The judges did a one-on-one dialogue with each exhibitor," Henderson said. "It took them two hours to get through. They did a thorough job."

Henderson said one factor that may have led to fewer entries was fear that ideas might be stolen, explaining, "It's an uphill battle convincing entrepreneurs that the Expo is a safe way "to get moving, instead of just talking and thinking."

Henderson thinks one solution to overcoming exhibitor reticence might be educating them about the patenting process. In fact, one of the presenters, Dan Allen of Science and Technology Corporation of UNM, gave a presentation about obtaining patents information that could help potential exhibitors gain assurance that their ideas will be protected.

Key speakers at the Expo were John Freisinger, Technology Ventures Corp. of Albuquerque, a nonprofit corporation that helps start-up companies go into the commercial market in a variety of technology areas, and Penny Emerson, owner of Native Resource Development, which houses three different companies: one that transports patients to hospitals; a janitorial service company; and a home-care company.

Henderson said he hopes next year the local business community will show greater support for the Expo, and by doing so, encourage more entrepreneurs to participate. For more information on the Expo just passed, or for information on plans for the Expo next year, call Henderson at (505)863-7634 or email at ahenderson@gallup.unm.edu.

UNM-GALLUP NEWS RELEASE

FOR RELEASE: April 28, 2011

GALLUP - The schedule for the Summer 2011 Kids' College at the University of New Mexico-Gallup has been announced.

Payment for all classes is required for registration. There will be no refunds unless the class is canceled. All classes require a minimum of 12 enrollments for the class to make.

Computers. Ages 7 and up
Learn the basics of computers, keyboarding skills, Microsoft programs and creating a PowerPoint. June 13-16, Monday-Thursday, 9 a.m. to noon, Roosevelt Elementary Room 12, 400 E. Logan. Fee: $25; instructor: Esther Sanchez

Bugs and Frogs. Ages 5 and up
Follow Mother Nature and spring into action. You will study and create art for indoor and outdoor use. We will be making bug jars, magnifying glasses, flower pots, frog games, bug catchers and much more creature fun. June 13-16, Monday-Thursday, noon to 3 p.m., Roosevelt Elementary School Room 12, 400 E. Logan. Fee: $25; instructor: Esther Sanchez.

Burning/Wood burning. Ages 7 and up.
Learn how to use a wood burner, create patterns and pictures on wood while using your creativity and/or designing pictures using carbon paper. June 20-23, Monday-Thursday, 9 a.m. to noon., Roosevelt Elementary School Room 12, 400 E. Logan. Fee: $25; instructor: Esther Sanchez.

Ceramics. Ages 5 and up.
It's an artful experience! Children of all ages are welcome. We provide stencils, sponges, tools, ideas, coaching and a lot of encouragement. It's creative fun to paint pottery! No experience needed; it's as easy as 1-2-3! Choose a ceramic piece, pick your design, select your colors, and create your masterpiece. June 20-23, Monday-Thursday, noon-3 p.m. Roosevelt Elementary Room 12, 400 E. Logan. Fee, $25; instructor: Esther Sanchez.

Arts and Crafts for Kids. Ages 5 and up
Do you like to make things with your hands? Then this class is for you. You'll spend time making magnets, origami, robots and lots of other fun crafts. June 20-23, Monday-Thursday, noon-3 p.m., Chief Manuelito Middle School Gym, 325 Rico Street. Fee: $25; instructor; Nancy Bruker.

Journey into the Solar System. Ages 5 and up
Explore the solar system while learning fascinating facts. Construct planets and other awesome art projects. June 27-30, 9 a.m.-noon., Roosevelt Elementary School Room 12, 400 E. Logan. Fee: $25; instructor: Esther Sanchez.

Pirates, Facts, Legends and Crafts. Ages 5 and up
Ahoy, Mates! Sail into this exciting class and design your own pirate coin, flag, compass and your very own pirate chest. Lots of hands-on projects are planned to go with this class. On the final day of class, students will come dressed as pirates and go on an actual treasure hunt. Arrr, don't miss this class; there is too much fun to be had! I'll be looking for you, Mate! June 27-30, Monday-Thursday. Noon-3 p.m. Roosevelt Elementary School Room 12, 400 E. Logan. Fee: $25; instructor, Lisa Blanco.

Sports Fun. Ages 5 and up
Students will learn the rules and have fun in non-competitive games such as volleyball, soccer, basketball, doge ball and many others. June 27-30, Monday-Thursday, 9 a.m.-noon. Chief Manuelito Middle School Gym, 325 Rico St. Fee: $25; instructor: Nancy Bruker.

July 4-7- no classes. Independence Day holiday.

Castles and Knights. Ages 5 and up.
The class will have you stepping back into the days of dragons, castles and knights. Students will create their own castle, design a shield and even prepare some medieval food. Have you ever wondered what a knight's code is? Enroll in this class today and get the information to this and many other cool facts. July 11-14, Monday-Thursday, 9 a.m.- noon. Roosevelt Elementary Room 12, 400 E. Logan. Fee, $25; instructor: Lisa Blanco.

Fun with Old Jeans. Ages 5 and up.
Come and find ways to make new projects out of old jeans. This class will keep you busy designing purses, placemats and many other cool projects. Get ready to write down all your secrets in the denim diary you will make. Be sure and bring a few pictures that you can use to make denim magnets. This is a great hands-on class that will keep you busy from the minute you get there to the minute you leave. July 11-14, Monday-Thursday, noon-3 p.m. Roosevelt Elementary School Room 12, 400 E. Logan. Fee: $25; instructor: Lisa Blanco.

Painting for Kids. Ages 5 and up
Dip your brush into paint and let the creativity begin. Students will work with a variety of paint, such as watercolors, acrylic and even spray paint. Participants will learn how to mix paints to make new colors. They will paint on a variety of surfaces, such as paper, canvas, glass and fabric. July 11-14, Monday-Thursday, 9 a.m.-noon., Chief Manuelito Middle School Gym, 325 Rico St. Fee: $25; instructor: Nancy Bruker.

Wild Wild West. Ages 5 and up
Saddle up and head out on the dusty trails of the Wild West. During this class students will make their own covered wagon, pan for gold, and cook a cowboy meal, as well as make cow chip cookies. Lots of hands-on projects for this class. Look forward to seeing you there, partner! July 18-21, Monday-Thursday, 9 a.m. to noon., Roosevelt Elementary Room 12, 400 E. Logan. Fee, $25; instructor: Lisa Blanco.

Cooking for Kids. Ages 5 and up
Kids learn how to make fun and interesting breakfasts and lunches for themselves. July 18-July 21, Monday-Thursday, 9 a.m. to noon., Chief Manuelito Middle School Gym, 325 Rico St. Fee: $25; instructor: Nancy Bruker.

Decoupage Layered Paper Art. Ages 5 and up
Decoupage is a fun way for kids to explore their creativity. Decoupage is simply covering of an object with paper cut-outs and sealing with a glue finish. Students will decoupage plates, a jewelry box, bulletin board, placemats and much more. Join us for this fun class and take home some cool projects. July 18-21, Monday-Thursday, noon to 3 p.m., Roosevelt Elementary Room 12, 400 E. Logan. Fee: $25; instructor: Lisa Blanco.

Science Projects. Ages 5 and up
Students will learn a variety of fun and interesting science facts including volcanoes, tornadoes and much more. July 25-28, Monday-Thursday, noon to 3 p.m., Chief Manuelito Middle School Gym, 325 Rico St. Fee: $25; instructors: Nancy Bruker.

Call Louise Lopez at (505)863-7743 or Denise Silva at (505)863-7738 for more information.

UNM-GALLUP NEWS RELEASE

FOR RELEASE: March 1, 2011

From left, students Jody Garcia, Shauntee Jim and Melanie Tahe work on a group project for “Education for a Sustainable Future.”

GALLUP -Recognizing that today’s college students relate well to the subject of sustainability, UNM-Gallup Assistant Professor Irene Den Bleyker of the Early Childhood and Multicultural Education Department is offering a spring course that weaves the topic into teaching theory.

Den Bleyker was inspired to pursue the sustainability theme after UNM President David Schmidly encouraged UNM employees to take part in the American College & University President’s Climate Commitment. Her first idea was to launch a storytelling contest for students with the topic of “Sustainability (Caring for the Earth).” Students wrote essays and gave oral presentations and winners were chosen and awarded prize money donated by the UNMG Student Senate.

This semester, many of the students who entered the contest are learning how to apply things they learned about the environment and sustainability into teaching theory. In this way, says Den Bleyker, they and other students enrolled in her “Education for a Sustainable Future Course” will have a better idea how to teach environmental topics to their own students some day.

“When I talked to high school students, I realized that they don’t get many environmental courses,” Den Bleyker said. “I looked at textbooks in elementary school, and saw that they provide three or four pages of information on the environment. Then in college, they can take environmental courses, but theories of educational pedagogy are not connected to them. Our students don’t understand the concept.”

Den Bleyker did a survey of her students, asking them to rate, on a scale of 1 to 5, what they knew about the environment. The only students who wrote above a 1 were those who had entered the fall Sustainability Storytelling contest. Everyone else said they knew next to nothing about the environment, except that recycling is important.

“That told me that there was a need for the course,” she said. What evolved was Education 293, an Education Topics course that serves as an elective for Education majors.

Den Bleyker also realized that knowing something about a topic doesn’t translate to knowing how to teach it.

In ECME, students study a number of teaching or learning theories: Piaget’s cognitive theory, is one well-known theory, but there are many others, including behaviorist, experiential, and group or social learning. For example, if students wanted to teach environmental topics through group or social learning, they might divide into groups and cooperate on projects on solar energy, ecological theory or using non-toxic materials in the home. For the latter, students might go home and make a study, and when they come together, report on how family and home influences learning.

“If you’re taught something, and you do something with it, you’ll have a better chance of retaining it,” Den Bleyker said.

Only a few weeks into the class, the students are finding it challenging to adapt the theories they’re learning to actually teaching a particular topic. They are, however, “engaged in the questions.” To stimulate discussion, Den Bleyker directed the class to think about the car. The questions that arise about cars, in relation to the environment, are: Should everyone who uses a car be taxed? Should the government regulate cars by determining if they should have low carbon emissions? What are the implications of such legislation for the class, and for society at large, and specifically, for the individual?

“These are new questions for them, and they are finding it fascinating,” she said.

Students in UNMG’s ECME program typically are studying for an AAS degree that will qualify them to be Teaching Assistants. They can then work while they go on to pursue Bachelor’s degrees in Elementary Education.

“Students engaged in ‘Education for a Sustainable Future’ grapple with environmental concerns and then determine how best to transmit essential environmental issues with early childhood pedagogy and theory. Ultimately this course equips students to be better prepared to teach in today’s ‘greening society,’” Den Bleyker said.

Photo credit: John Van't Land

UNM-GALLUP NEWS RELEASE

FOR RELEASE: February 16, 2011

GALLUP -Kelly Schukar, clinical coordinator in the University of New Mexico-Gallup's Nursing program, and Michelle Kelleywood Yazzi, a half-time clinical instructor, have been accepted into a pilot Bachelor of Science in Nursing to PH.D. program at UNM's College of Nursing.

According to Marji Campbell, chair of the department, there are only four persons in the program, and two of them are at UNMG.

Kellywood-Yazzie graduated from the UNMG nursing program with an Associate’s degree in May 2006 and in 2010 received her BSN from UNM. A member of the Navajo Nation, she lives in Thoreau. Her goals in education are twofold: to develop a team of nurses to create a policy and procedures for a program she calls the Native American School Health Initiative, which would be devoted to helping children in Bureau of Indian Education schools nationwide; and to teach Nursing either at UNMG or at UNM Albuquerque’s College of Nursing. She said she would also like to develop grants to help supplement the schools’ funding for a licensed nurse.

“These goals are important to me not only as a Navajo/Diné individual to help our Native American children,” she said. “It is also important to me as a community leader and nurse. It is my responsibility to create opportunities that will promote the health of our people and the communities we are living in.” As Kellywood-Yazzie pointed out, the care received in schools may be the only health care Native children receive.

Schukar earned her B.S.N. from Seattle University, a private Jesuit University, in 1990. Her first job was at Providence Medical Center in downtown Seattle, on the post-surgical unit. She moved with her children to Gallup in 1992 to work at GIMC in orthopedics, medical/surgical, pediatrics and in the emergency room. From 1998-2006 she owned and operated “The Coffee House” in downtown Gallup. In 2005, she was hired by UNM-G as a clinical instructor, and supervised third- and fourth-semester Nursing students on the med/surg and pediatric floors at GIMC. Discovering a love for teaching, Schukar applied for and was given her current job teaching at UNMG.

“I am so honored to have been accepted into the B.S.N.-Ph.D. program, and hope to serve this community in Gallup, and UNM-G for many years to come,” Schukar said.

Campbell said no commitment or payback is required to be in this program. It is grant funded and will finance the students’ education for a year; the College of Nursing is looking for funds to extend beyond that year.

UNM-GALLUP NEWS RELEASE

FOR RELEASE: January 7, 2011

GALLUP - The University of New Mexico-Gallup has announced its Spring 2011 list of Community Education, non-credit courses. Registration deadline for all classes is two weeks before classes start. All classes must be paid for one week in advance, and no one may register for classes online.

Introduction to Basic Microsoft Office Suite (2007): Word Access, Excel and PowerPoint. Looking to enhance your skills in Microsoft(R) (2007) Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and Access? This course will introduce students, working professionals and job seekers to beginner-level and some intermediate hands-on training in the Microsoft® Office Suite (2007) software application.

What you will learn:
Introduction to practical application usage
Creating, in PowerPoint by adding:
Pictures, music and sound and different introduction slide techniques
How to add tables from existing Word documents to Excel, plus:
Using formulas to automatically calculate various scenarios
Using Excel to enhance projects by adding pie, bar, and graph charts
Using Access to formulate a database by using the Wizard templates
Keep track and generate reports based on general search criteria
Learn how to create a customer and inventory database log
When: Tuesday evenings, Time: 6- 8 P.M.
February 1-March 22 Location: Lions Hall computer Lab
Instructor: Bud Tack Fee: $50
8 weeks
Enrollment is limited to 15 students

Basic Beginner Computer Class. Do your friends and relatives consider you ancient history because computers just don't like you? Join us for a peaceful exploration of computers at your own pace! Topics include: computer vocabulary, operation of programs, using email, and internet aid for online research, and creating your own documents.

This class is only for people who have no experience using computers.

When: Wednesday evenings Time: 6 - 8 P.M.
February 2 - March 23 Location: Lions Hall Computer
Lab 114

Instructor: Cynthia Poblano Fee: $50
8 Weeks
/Enrollment is limited to 15 students

Computer Class for Parent and Child. Parents – Here is a great opportunity to come learn how to build a PowerPoint and upload pictures with your child. You will also learn how to construct a simple web page for you and your family to enjoy without the hassle of others having access to your personal information. There will also be basic instruction on using your computer.

When: Thursday evenings, Time: 6-8 P.M.
March 3-April 21
Location: Lions Hall Computer Lab

Instructor: Ester Sanchez Fee: $50
8 Weeks
Enrollment is limited to 15 students

Beading. Come learn the art of beading and make your own jewelry. Bring the beads you want to work with, including turquoise, sea, mother of pearls, chip strands, etc. A supply list will be available for you when you register.

When: Monday evenings Time: 6 - 8 P.M.
April 4-April 25 Location: Lions Hall 103

Instructor: Marie Platero Fee: $50

Scrap Booking. Want to scrapbook? All you need is a desire to become the memory keeper of your special occasions and favorite everyday moments. We will be creating pages using acid free paper, stencils, stickers and your creativity. Bring your special pictures and book!

When: Tuesday evenings Time: 6-8 P.M.
April - April 26
Location: Lions Hall 103
Instructor: Ester Sanchez Fee: $50

Basic Crochet. Students will learn the basics of crochet: chain stitch, single crocket and slip stitch. You will have the choice of making kitchen towels, pot holders, scarf or blanket. Please bring a crochet hook G or larger and one rim of yard of your choice.

When: Wednesday evenings Time: 6-8 P.M.
April 6 - May 11
Location: Lions Hall 103
Instructor: Marie Platero Fee: $50

Graduation/Wedding Gift Basket & Bow Making. Learn how to put beautiful gift baskets together for all occasions; learn how to tie big, beautiful bows. A supply list will be available for you when you register.

When: Monday evenings Time: 6-8 P.M.
May 2 & 9 Location: Lions Hall 103
Instructor: Ara Green Fee: $25

For more information on classes and to register, call (505)863-7743 or (505)863-7738, or email lmlopez@gallup.unm.edu or dsilva@gallup.unm.edu.

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