Jon Willis: Remarks at the Dedication of the Bernice & Hank Willis Study Lounge, Oct. 23, 2009

Jon B. Willis at the rededication of the Bernice & Hank Willis Study Lounge, College of Business, New Mexico State University.

Thank you Dean Carruthers, Sylvia, and Cheri for your efforts in organizing this event. And thank you particularly for your inspiration to add Dad’s name to this room, now the Bernice and Hank Willis Student Lounge. Mom and Dad are together in a place they loved, and this is how they would have wanted it.

I confess that I anticipated an event of this sort some time ago and have given considerable thought to words appropriate for this occasion. I hope you will forgive that these thoughts may go a bit beyond simple comments and give them a listen.

I would like to speak with you today, especially to the young people among you, about generations and principles. Because generations are the story of life, including the two lives we celebrate today; and principles are the anchors by which we chose to lead our lives. And it is particularly appropriate to do so in this setting because Mom and Dad held an unyielding faith in the promise of each new generation, and their gift of this room underscores their belief in the importance of these college years in your lives, and in the early formation of your own life principles and the character of your time.

Cloudcroft, NM.

So let me begin with the generation of my maternal grandfather. His name was Arra Burton Fite, and as Dean Carruthers has already mentioned, he committed virtually all of his professional life to this institution. Granddad was born in 1886 near the village of Cloudcroft in the Sacramento Mountains, about 80 miles from here. His mother died when he was seven years old, and as was common practice in those days his father parceled out the children, in this case four boys, to family and friends to raise them. My grandfather was “gifted” to a nearby ranching family.

He could have been a ranch hand as his life’s work but he was determined to do more. So after six years, when he was legally allowed, he struck out on his own at the age of 13, riding his little pony across the Tularosa Desert to the town of Hope, where he supported himself as a cowboy while attending school for the first time.

William Conroy Honors Center, NMSU historical building, built in 1909.

Seven years later he then set out for Las Cruces where he enrolled at the New Mexico Agriculture and Mechanics College, as this University was then known, where he earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Agriculture in 1915 at the tender age of 29; …this may give a bit of hope to some of you “late bloomers”. He then went on to earn a Master’s Degree is the same field and served the next thirty years in various academic and administrative roles associated with this institution. My mother, the youngest of his five children, was practically raised on this campus.

On my father’s side of the family the journey to New Mexico was a bit more circuitous. His great grandfather, William Oliver Cowan, was forced to leave his beloved Ireland in the face of the great potato famine of the mid-1800’s. His ship was bound for Boston but a series of storms drove them off course and they were lost at sea for over six months before landing at last in Jamaica. Imagine setting out for Boston and landing in Jamaica… from thence they sailed on to New Orleans.

The family then migrated a bit north to Tennessee, where my father was born in 1925. America entered World War II some 16 years later in December 1941. When Dad was old enough he enlisted in the United States Navy, and was improbably assigned to entirely land-locked New Mexico.

Hank and Bernice Willis.

And that is how my Mother and Father got together. It is a story of land and sea, a story of departures and discoveries, a story of happenstance and fortune. And it is the story of Life and of generations.

Many of us identify generations by the images they have left us. In modern America it was the fear and loss of confidence during the economic collapse of the 1930s that defined the Depression Generation. It was the undaunted courage of those who fought so bravely in the Second World War that defined what the newscaster and writer Tom Browkaw has called The Greatest Generation. And my generation, The Boomers, were defined by the first landing on the Moon, the somber march of the Civil Rights Movement, the tragedy of Viet Nam, and the violent deaths of three of America’s most beloved leaders.

But while these images may lead some to conclude that it is mostly events that define a generation, my parents believed differently. They believed that is was the response to events that truly defined a generation and ultimately established its character. And this response is the special combination of ideals and aspirations, of hopes and dreams, of beliefs and convictions that are now being forged among you here in these crucial college years; in the libraries and study lounges, in the dorm rooms and apartment kitchens, in the coffee houses and neighborhood pubs, and on the sports fields and gathering places around this campus. That is why this place was so special to Mom and Dad.

Jon and Joshua Willis, son and grandson of Bernice and Hank Willis.

Generations do not stand alone. They receive wisdom and guidance from those that preceded it, although each generation will develop new principles that are unique to its time while setting aside former ideas that no longer apply. But there are four principles that I think Mom and Dad believed should apply to all generations. They are timeless in nature. They are what they taught my brother and sister and me, and to their grandchildren as well. Because this occasion is to honor their lives and the principles they lived by, I would like to pass them on to you. I think you will like them:

• First, always strive to maintain an inquisitive mind. Learn to love learning. A robust curiosity and vigorous intellectual pursuit are the wellspring of a compleat life. And toward the end of your life, when perhaps you can do little else, what you have invested in the life of your mind can bring you great contentment.
• Second, nurture your spirit. Mom and Dad were both very devout and committed many thousands of hours to study, thought, prayer, and meditation. They believed deeply in a loving Providence and a greater purpose. Take time regularly each day, every week, every month, and every year to feed and nurture the needs of your soul.
• Number three, fight like hell for that in which you believe and against that which you disdain. Injustice, prejudice, ignorance, selfishness, hatred and bigotry are still too much a part of the human condition. They suffocate the human spirit. Confront them boldly wherever you find them; and never give up in your battle for what you believe to be right.
• And finally, but by no any means the least, always find time for your family and friends…

(Incidentally, I heard a story the other day that the definition of a good friend is someone who will unquestioningly come bail you out of jail in the middle of the night. But a really true friend is the one sitting next to you in that jail cell, smiling, holding his hung-over head saying, “Damn that was a good time!”)

Student Ambassadors at the Willis Student Lounge redication, Oct. 23, 2009.

… But seriously, your family and friends will sustain you through good times and bad, and a full life will have its full measure of both. Loving relationships and devoted friendships are the glue that binds generations, communities, and kindred spirits. Value and nurture these relationships for the treasure they are.

Those of you who are students today have already seen some of the images that will be identified forever with your generation. The collapse of the World Trade Center towers, the inauguration of the first African-American President, visible evidence of global climate change.

Some of these images are inspiring and some are frightening; you are entering an uncertain world. But always remember that it is not the images that will define your generation, but it is your response to the events of your time that will mark your character. And it is incumbent upon you to respond to those events with the same courage, fortitude, confidence, and determination as those who have gone before you.

So whatever tired little pony you ride, or whatever storm-tossed sea you find yourselves upon, when you get to where you are going, which in some cases will be a surprise to you, move on to vigorously address the challenges before you. That is what will define your generation.

Student Ambassadors, Oct. 23, 2009.

And if you can, try to remember the principles the two we honor here today would have wanted you to know: Strive always to maintain an inquisitive mind; protect and nurture your spirit; fight vigorously for what you believe to be right; and always remember your family and friends. This is a gift from their generation to yours; and it is given with all the love and respect, and with all the hope and affirmation of their very great hearts.

Thank you for honoring my parents with your presence here today. In your Life’s journey I wish you God’s blessing and Godspeed. Thank you.

Jon Willis
October 23, 2009

In Front of the Classroom: Training Native PhDs as Business Professors

Joe Gladstone, PhD student, Department of Management

Joe Gladstone, a Ph.D. student in the Department of Management, was featured in an article in Winds of Change, the premier American Indian-published and nationally distributed full-color magazine focusing on career and educational advancement for Native people (http://www.wocmag.org).

Winds of Change, Autumn 2009, Volume 24, Number 4.

Interviewers talked to Gladstone and three Native American management professors about business research and education for American Indians.

Graduates of The PhD Project discuss how gaining a doctorate in business contributes to economic improvement within Native communities and creates role models for future business leaders.

Read the article: Winds of Change: Fall 2009.

Winds of Change is the premier American Indian-published and nationally distributed full-color magazine with a focus on career and educational advancement for Native people. Articles highlight cross-cultural issues of interest to both Native and non-Native people. Since 1986, the magazine has served as a channel for information and ideas relevant to the needs and interests of both students and professionals. In recent issues, Winds of Change has explored such current topics as bridging traditional science with technology, business and entrepreneurship, long-distance learning, mentoring, public health, and a broad range of careers.

The artwork on the covers and throughout each issue of Winds of Change has left distinctive, memorable images in the minds of readers for many years. Prominent Native artists featured in the magazine include: Al Qöyawayma, Hopi; Ben Harjo, Seminole/Shawnee; Burgess Roye, Ponca; Ed Defender, Standing Rock Sioux; Sam English, Turtle Mountain Chippewa; and Virginia Stroud, United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians in Oklahoma.

Students who are part of the online tutoring program with the Student Success Center-Zuhl are specially trained to assist their peers in almost all areas of academic study offered.

New services offered at Student Success Center

The Student Success Center-Zuhl has expanded what it offers to help the New Mexico State University community get the most out of their education and finances.

Financial literacy and online tutoring are two new services aimed at helping students get help when they need it and also to manage their money and scholarships so they can successfully reach graduation.

The center is offering coaching in financial literacy to help students understand all of their options to fund their education and manage their funds effectively so they are not forced to leave school before graduation.

“We’re trying to work at all the different issues that effect students’ ability to fund their education through scholarships, and the state lottery if they qualify,” said Terry Cook, assistant vice president of Student Success.

The financial literacy coaches are NMSU students who have received training through the National Student Loan Program.

Students can attend one-on-one coaching sessions at the Student Success Center, where they can receive guidance in such topics as how to build and manage a budget, avoiding falling into credit card debt and being aware of identity theft.

The financial literacy coaches will also schedule workshops that will be available to everyone.

The center now offers online tutoring as well, expanding on the face-to-face tutoring already in place.

“To be able to provide assistance for student success in a number of different mediums is very important,” said Lisa Kirby, program coordinator for the Student Success Center-Zuhl.

Students can get on a computer anywhere and log into the online tutoring component of the Student Success Center, where they can interact live with a tutor in a multipurpose room complete with whiteboard, audio and webcam abilities.

Even though students must sign into the tutoring using their banner identification number, the sessions can be anonymous if desired.

There are currently eight students with expertise in almost all disciplines at NMSU who are trained to work as tutors.

“We’ve already had students sign up online to get tutoring, which we are very pleased about,” Kirby said.

Online tutoring is available Monday through Thursday from 5 to 10 p.m.

The online tutoring component can be accessed from the center’s Web site at http://ssc.nmsu.edu/zuhl/index.html.

Anyone with questions can call the Student Success Center at (575) 646-6050.

NMSU student Morgan Nelson stands in front of Big Ben during a trip to London as part of the Aggies Go Global program. (Submitted photo)

Most college students spend their summer vacation trying to get as far away from school as possible. Morgan Nelson, a senior at New Mexico State University, wound up eight time zones away from New Mexico, but his trip was different – he did it with the help of NMSU and the university’s Aggies Go Global program.

“I had never been abroad,” said Nelson, who is majoring in economics as well as agricultural economics and agribusiness.

Nelson is one of the first students to take part in Aggies Go Global, a partnership between NMSU’s International Relations Institute, Study Abroad Programs, Career Services and the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences. It promotes international opportunities for students as well as positive student experiences while traveling and studying abroad.

“This is an opportunity for students to see how connected we are to other nations,” said Delano Lewis, a senior fellow at NMSU and the director of the International Relations Institute. “It’s imperative to the completeness of one’s education to see how other nations are structured, their religion, their culture and what we share in common.”

Lewis is a former U.S. ambassador to South Africa.

“We live in a small world, and we wanted to enhance the international opportunities for students,” said Gary R. Lowe, global mentoring coordinator for the program. “With cell phones and e-mail, we are so connected. But unfortunately, we are often isolated in this country.”

He said international travel is encouraged at universities across the U.S. as a way for students to gain broader perspectives of cultures and the way people interact.

Nelson spent two weeks traveling to London, Paris and other parts of Europe. Lowe and Richard Phillips, project coordinator for Aggies Go Global, helped him with travel arrangements, and assisted in establishing contacts in agriculture and agricultural policy – a field Nelson wanted to learn more about during his trip.

“Our students are very good academically, but this international experience takes them to the next level,” Phillips said. “Our students weren’t interested in the traditional study abroad classes. They wanted to do research and community outreach.”

During Nelson’s trip, he kept a blog where he wrote about his travels and his various meetings with European and agricultural officials as well as NMSU alums in Europe.

Additional students in the program are currently visiting the countries of Belize and Cambodia while others are planning trips to Mexico, Kenya and Tokyo.

“We are looking for more involvement from across the university, especially in helping to advise students about suitability of programs for their academic objectives,” said Paul Huntsberger, NMSU’s assistant dean for Study Abroad. His office manages student exchanges and similar programs for the NMSU system.

Any students interested in taking part in the program should contact Phillips at rphillip@nmsu.edu, or (575) 646-2353.

Kelly Tian, marketing professor at New Mexico State University, will serve as the Robert O. Anderson distinguished professor at NMSU’s College of Business. (Courtesy photo)

Kelly Tian, a marketing professor at New Mexico State University, has been named the Robert O. Anderson distinguished professor at NMSU’s College of Business.

“I was thrilled to receive this professorship,” Tian said. “We have a well regarded program here at NMSU and this will certainly be a really exciting role.”

Tian currently teaches courses where students develop marketing strategies for nonprofit organizations and examine the effects of globalization on consumer culture. She is actively involved in shaping the college’s assessment of students’ learning outcomes and will work as the director of the marketing Ph.D. program.

The professorship is designed to promote service that benefits the College of Business. Tian said she is putting together an orientation program for marketing Ph.D. students that will familiarize them with the cultural values of academia, and aid their performance in the domains of service, teaching and publishing.

Robert O. Anderson was a noted New Mexico business leader, political activist and philanthropist who died in 2007. The distinguished professorship was made possible by a donation from Anderson to NMSU with matching funds from the New Mexico Legislature.

“Kelly Tian is central to our doctoral program and the kind of professor you look to for mentoring Ph.D. students,” said Garrey Carruthers, business dean and vice president for economic development.

Tian earned her Ph.D. at Georgia State University-Atlanta and previously taught at the University of Kentucky-Lexington before joining NMSU six years ago.

Michael Hyman, marketing professor at New Mexico State University, will serve as the Stan Fulton Chair in Marketing at NMSU’s College of Business. (NMSU Photo by Darren Phillips)

Michael Hyman, a marketing professor at New Mexico State University, has been named the Stan Fulton Chair in Business at NMSU’s College of Business.

“I’m honored to be the first person selected as the Stan Fulton Chair,” Hyman said. He currently teaches marketing research and sports marketing as well as doctoral level courses in marketing theory and applied research methods.

The Stan Fulton Chair was created by a $1 million gift from Stan Fulton, owner of Sunland Park Racetrack and Casino. Earnings from the endowment are used to support the salary of the faculty member holding the chair, as well as program development and other needs.

The Stan Fulton Chair is structured for a senior faculty member to mentor junior faculty members as well as doctoral students. A recommendation for the chair is made by the college’s faculty council and then sent to the dean for approval.

“Mike Hyman completely immerses himself in the scholarship of discovery,” said Elise “Pookie” Sautter, department head for marketing. “His insightful research and writing skills make him highly sought after as a reviewer, as a co-author and an invaluable asset to our marketing Ph.D. program.”

As part of his responsibilities, Hyman will work with Chris Erickson, an NMSU economics professor, to produce New Mexico Business Outlook, an online publication highlighting various aspects of business in the state. Hyman will focus particularly on ethics and public policy, and provide a preliminary venue for faculty members to publish their work.

Hyman earned his Ph.D. at Purdue University in 1984. He taught at the University of Houston and the University of North Texas before joining the NMSU faculty in 1993. Author of more than 100 published scholarly papers and current member of nine journal editorial review boards, he previously held the Wells Fargo and NationsBank professorships in the College of Business. His research interests include consumers’ response to advertising, marketing ethics, survey research methods and knowledge acquisition in academia.

There are four, $1 million or more chairs in the College of Business. They include the Mountain States Insurance Group Endowed Chair, the Garrey E. and Katherine T. Carruthers Chair in Economic Development, the Robin T. Peterson Endowed Chair in Marketing and the Stan Fulton Chair.

The Association of Latino Professionals in Finance and Accounting has brought NMSU national attention for two years and is going out again, this time to Boston for the annual KPMG Case Study Competition.

The NMSU student chapter was invited back to the 36th ALPFA Annual Convention in August, which is held in select cities and sponsored by many high-end cooperative companies. They were one of first of 25 universities in the country to be invited back on an invitation-only basis and ALPFA has 36 chapters. Their good work at the two previous conventions in Phoenix and Orlando guaranteed their return to the conference and competition.

“Our ALPFA chapter has given NMSU national exposure,” said Bill Smith, an assistant accounting professor and ALPFA co-faculty adviser. “I’m certain that this year will be the same.”

Smith picked six students in accounting to compete; Rosetta Morales, John Ordorica, Maura Najera, Emma Lane, Manish Saxena and Deborah Brown. They will do a full, professional analysis of Merck & Co., Inc., a pharmaceutical company. They will look into the company’s background, draw up a risk assessment and look into its management and accounting issues, Smith said.

Last year the students took three months to prepare for their final 20-minute presentation in front of a panel of professionals, Smith said. They came in third in the regional competition. A 2-inch-thick package of documents is their starter kit.

“I feel a lot of pressure for NMSU to compete with Big East colleges,” said Rosetta Morales, a senior and second-time competitor. “NMSU doesn’t really get to compete with the big schools in the East.”

Accounting is not something that has a competition like sports does, Morales said. They’re not just number crunchers, there’s a lot more to the competition than numbers. Most NMSU students don’t get this sort of opportunity to compete at a national level, she said.

“I feel very privileged,” Morales said.

Morales said sacrificed her summer and some time from her personal life to prepare for the competition last year in Phoenix and will do the same this year. The group of competitors will meet more often and start practicing very early. She will also be taking a full load of school to start off her master’s degree in accounting because she graduates in May.

“You meet a lot of new people,” said Eliza Ortiz, senior majoring in accounting.

Although Ortiz is not going to compete this year, she’s going to the convention again to network. Ortiz said seminars on Hispanic professionals, in addition to the professional speakers, help to educate and inform students the conventions.

“It’s so much fun,” said Cecilia Diaz, a previous ALPFA competitor.

Diaz liked all the networking at the convention and the socials and dances afterward. As many as 2,500 professionals, sponsors and students will attend the annual event. It’s a good opportunity to make that transition from school to the real work world, she said.

Although ALPFA at NMSU is really part of the El Paso Professional Chapter, it’s a strong force, said Diana Telles, president of the NMSU ALPFA chapter. Their student membership has grown from just eight to 35 active members, she said.

ALPFA is an organization that offers students mentoring and networking. In ALPFA, accounting and finance students are given a push out into the professional world. ALPFA is a place where students can relate through similar interests.

The convention is the main focus for now and the ALPFA group is raising funds for their trip to Boston, Telles said. They will be selling the “Class of 2009″ T-shirts and hosting other fundraisers for the rest of the semester and into summer. They will also get help from ASNMSU and the Hispanic Council, Telles said.

“Last year, we put our name out there,” Telles said, “and we’ll do it again.”

Members of New Mexico State University’s ALPFA student group participate in numerous community service projects, including raising money for the El Caldito Soup Kitchen; participating in “The Big Event,” an Associated Students of NMSU activity to reach out to the community to provide volunteer work; and organizing the Fall Mid-Term Bash, an event to help students in the NMSU College of Business come together through student organizations. (Courtesy photo)

Focusing on midterms, class projects and the occasional part-time job is enough to max out the schedule of any typical college student, but that isn’t the case for students in New Mexico State University’s Association of Latino Professionals in Finance and Accounting (ALPFA). The group regularly handles coursework while organizing community service projects, out-of-state case competitions and meeting with professionals.“For me, interacting with professionals in my field is my favorite part,” said Diana Telles, a graduate student and president of the NMSU Student Chapter of ALPFA for the last two years. “This organization brings professionals and students together, where students can receive mentorship. That’s incredibly valuable.”

ALPFA is unique because the student chapters are organized with professional chapters. It was founded in 1972 by a group of accounting professionals who wanted to provide mentorship to students making the transition from college into their professional careers. ALPFA was established at NMSU in 2005 under the El Paso Professional Chapter. Its primary mission is to create opportunities, add value and build relationships for its members. While the group has “Latino” in its name, being Hispanic is not required for membership. Telles said ALPFA welcomes the involvement of all who share its core values and commitment to community service and providing opportunities and mentorship for its members.

Its first semester the NMSU Student Chapter had just eight members. Today it has more than 35 active members who participate in numerous community service projects, including raising money for the El Caldito Soup Kitchen; participating in “The Big Event,” an Associated Students of NMSU activity to reach out to the community to provide volunteer work; and organizing the Fall Mid-Term Bash, an event to help students in the NMSU College of Business come together through student organizations.

“I am very excited about the opportunities that ALPFA provides our student members,” said Bill Smith, an assistant professor in accounting and the NMSU ALPFA co-faculty adviser. He and Maria De Boyrie originally helped establish the ALPFA Student Chapter. “Thanks to Luis Avila, our first president, and now Diana Telles, we have really taken our chapter to the next level as a recognized student organization.”

The group regularly brings professional speakers to talk with students at their meetings. These speakers provide guidance and professional development in a variety of topics that include technical presentations, the importance of networking, getting a foot in the door at a company and time management.

Nationally, ALPFA holds an annual convention where professional and student members throughout the U.S. meet. At the convention, the accounting firm KPMG sponsors an intensive case competition where students from selected universities compete on a national level to present their technical findings of actual companies. Only 25 universities are invited to compete. Some of the past invited universities include Arizona State University, the University of Texas at Austin, Rutgers, the University of Massachusetts, University of California at Berkeley and New Mexico State University. Because of its past performance, an NMSU team has been invited the last two years and will be competing again this August at the national convention in Boston.

“The student team members have performed at a professional level that is truly outstanding. Their dedication and commitment to the team has put NMSU in the spotlight. I am very proud of their accomplishments, and I look forward to another outstanding performance this year in Boston,” Smith said. “I have no doubt these students will be very successful in their future professional careers.”

In light of the hectic summer and fall class registration, students now have the chance to recognize those academic advisers who have helped them prepare for their time spent at NMSU.

Implemented by the Academic Advising Council on campus, the “Excellence in Academic Advising” award is the very first acknowledgment of a particular adviser or professional staff member who has done his or her part in providing excellent guidance for students.

“There are a lot of situations [when] students receive bad advising and it can be very detrimental to his or her career,” said Rebecca Diemer, coordinator of academic advising for the College of Arts and Sciences and member of the award committee. “If the student has a good relationship with an academic adviser it can be really helpful to their time spent at the university, so [the award] is an opportunity to recognize people who are doing their job well.”

Diemer explained there are many types of awards on campus that recognize faculty members for teaching and different contributions, but the “Excellence in Academic Advising” award is a chance to distinguish both a faculty and staff member for their service to the students in a diverse way.

In the works for nearly five years, the advising award was finally passed and accepted by Provost Robert Moulton in the summer of 2008, said Diemer.

Nominations for the award can only be submitted by students from the community college campuses and main campus, Diemer explained.

“What we’re hoping is that when a student reads through the [nomination criteria] they can identify someone on campus who has helped them,” Diemer said. “Even if a student wouldn’t traditionally think of a faculty adviser they go to as their academic adviser, but they can recognize what a faculty adviser has done for them.”

Celina Talamantes, coordinator of academic advising in the College of Business and member of the award committee, explained there are two separate awards, one for a faculty member and one for a staff member, which is university wide.

“Basically, there is a lack of recognition of advisers by the university,” Talamantes said. “I think [the award] is wonderful. It’s a long time coming especially because our professional advisers have not been recognized and they have been very instrumental in the university for many years.”

With close to 50 nominations, Diemer said she will be accepting recommendations until Friday and is willing to take others submitted right after the deadline.

Diemer said the award will be presented at the 2009 Fall Convocation, which is an opening ceremony for the school year in August.

“I think students, especially first year students coming right out of high school, there’s not a whole lot of ability at that age or developmental level to really focus on four or five years from now,” Diemer said. “So an academic adviser is a person who can do some long term planning with that student, so that there is not a waste of time.”

Diemer said an adviser’s job is to make sure students are investing their time wisely and appropriately.

“Even students who don’t necessarily have goals four or five years out when they come to the university, just helping them process through what some of their interests might be is useful to what they end up choosing as goals,” Diemer said.

Used for professional development, Diemer said the award carries a monetary value of $500 to be used towards conferences or books that the recipient may personally choose.

As for choosing a recipient, a committee of five or six people will review the nominations and then make a recommendation to Provost Robert Moulton.

“[The committee] will be looking through to see if the student who made the nomination has identified a person that has really helped them by the criteria provided, and again it’s going to be at the judgment of the committee and the provost,” Diemer said. “My anticipation is that it be more heavily weighed on the person achieving the goals for the student rather than number of submissions for that person.”

Talamantes said the nomination committee will be comprised of students, staff and faculty.

“I’m concluding that after the committee [looks] through all the applications maybe they’ll give Provost Moulton the top five according to everybody’s input and feedback, and then the provost would select from there, but it hasn’t been decided yet,” Talamantes said.

Hoping to see participation from the students, Diemer said her main goal is to make the campus aware that the nominations for the award are completely student-driven.

“It is a way for the [students] to recognize the impact someone has had on their lives,” Diemer said. “It’s also a way to give back a little to the person who has helped a student accomplish something with [his or her] career at the university.”

Talamantes explained advising is not just on the students’ side, but advisers also benefit from the relationship by seeing the accomplishments of the students.

“I think [advising] is not only looking at it from the student’s perspective, but from ours too,” Talamantes said. “Students are really encouraging a lot of the time and there is positive feedback, which shows us that we are making difference in their academic careers.”

She said it is not only beneficial to the students that an adviser can personally direct them, but also the students are inspirational.

“Students are going through so much and we admire them for what they’re doing,” Talamantes said. “Advising is not a one-sided thing and I think that’s what makes it so great. I hardly ever hear any complaints about the academic advisers on campus, and their advice is from the heart.”

Through this award, Diemer explained students can recognize those advisers who have helped them make a future at NMSU.

“Students are making an investment in not only getting a degree, but also developing themselves as a person,” Diemer said. “It’s important for a person to have a mentor and if they can identify a good mentor on campus who is consistently there for them and providing the things an academic adviser does, the likelihood of their success is higher than students who haven’t identified that type of support on campus.”

To submit a nomination or to acquire a nomination form, e-mail Diemer at rmdiemer@nmsu.edu or call her at 646-5385.

Yates and Domenici, Leadership course on March 20, 2009. (NMSU photo by Robert Yee)

Former Sen. Pete Domenici and Peyton Yates, former president of Yates Petroleum Corporation, spoke to students Friday, March 20, in a leadership course taught by Garrey Carruthers, dean of the College of Business and former New Mexico governor.

NMSU is now home to the Domenici Institute. Its mission is to conduct public policy research, provide outreach with entrepreneurship and business incubation.

This year, Yates was named NMSU’s first executive in residence, a position for those who are successful in the business world to help and mentor NMSU business students.

Domenici and Carruthers, Leadership course on March 20, 2009. (NMSU photo by Robert Yee)

Former Sen. Pete Domenici and Peyton Yates, former president of Yates Petroleum Corporation, spoke to students Friday, March 20, in a leadership course taught by Garrey Carruthers, dean of the College of Business and former New Mexico governor. NMSU is now home to the Domenici Institute. Its mission is to conduct public policy research, provide outreach with entrepreneurship and business incubation.

Yates and Domenici, Leadership course on March 20, 2009. (NMSU photo by Robert Yee)

This year, Yates was named as NMSU’s first executive in residence, a position for those who are successful in the business world to help and mentor NMSU business students.

(NMSU photos by Robert Yee)

Domenici

New Mexico State University students will have a rare opportunity to hear from both a former senator and a successful entrepreneur during a class at the NMSU College of Business.

Yates

Former Sen. Pete Domenici and Peyton Yates, former president of Yates Petroleum Corporation, will speak to students at 1 p.m. Friday, March 20, in a leadership course taught by Garrey Carruthers, dean of the College of Business and former New Mexico governor.

NMSU is now home to the Domenici Institute, named for former Sen. Pete Domenici who retired last year as the longest-serving senator in New Mexico history. The institute’s mission is to conduct public policy research, provide outreach with entrepreneurship and business incubation, assist in maintaining the Domenici Archives at the NMSU Library and sponsor an annual public policy conference.

This year, Yates was named as NMSU’s first executive in residence, a position for those who are successful in the business world to help and mentor NMSU business students.

Contact: Sharon Jones, (575) 646-5850.

Past President’s Associates President, Bernadette Montoya, with President’s Associates Scholars, Teresa Leslie, Valerie Beltran, Amy Lamb, Ashley Hicks, Anna Garliss and Alyssa Brooks

The President’s Associates (PA) Scholarship program provides outstanding New Mexico students with a remarkable educational experience. It is one of the most prestigious scholarships in the state. This year, the scholarship program celebrated its 30th year with a gala on Saturday, Feb. 28 at the New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum.“I would like to commend the President’s Associates Scholars for having been awarded NMSU’s most prestigious undergraduate scholarship,” said Waded Cruzado, NMSU’s interim president. “They are following in the footsteps of many outstanding alumni over the past 30 years who have taken advantage of this scholarship and who have made the very most out of their time on campus.”

The President’s Associates Scholarship was established in the 1978-79 academic year by then NMSU President Gerald Thomas, former vice president for development Steele Jones and business and community leaders led by the late state Sen. Frank Papen.

Since its creation, the President’s Associates Scholarship has been awarded to 300 students, representing every academic discipline and every community in New Mexico. Successful applicants exhibit a combination of outstanding academics, leadership skills and a commitment to community service. Many have become leaders on campus.

Fifty-five students, from hometowns across New Mexico and studying subjects across the curriculum, are currently NMSU President’s Associates Scholars. The students receive the award as entering freshmen and are awarded the scholarship for four years.

“Being a President’s Associates Scholar has enriched my experience at NMSU in many ways,” said Amy Lamb, an NMSU senior studying agricultural economics and agricultural business. “In addition to financial assistance, PA Scholars are supported by a network of professionals that truly care about student success and we enjoy the fellowship of past and present scholars.”

Beginning in 1979, with an award to students of $1,000 each year, the scholarship is now valued at $8,500 each year, with $3,250 of that figure being donated by individuals, families and businesses. In total, more than $3 million has been raised, and a permanent endowment valued at almost $2 million forms the foundation of future awards to New Mexico’s best and brightest students.

The cornerstone for the President’s Associates Scholarship program is its volunteer board. More than 125 dedicated community members have served on the President’s Associates board, selecting the scholarship recipients, planning events for the students and raising funds. Two former President’s Associates Scholars now serve on the board.

For more information about the President’s Associates Scholarship, visit http://honors.nmsu.edu/PA/.

Peyton Yates will serve as New Mexico State University’s first “Executive in Residence,” a position for those who are successful in the business world to help and mentor NMSU business students. (Courtesy photo)

New Mexico State University and the Yates family of Artesia have long partnered on various projects to advance education in New Mexico. Now, as a continuation of that partnership, the NMSU College of Business has named Peyton Yates as its first “Executive in Residence,” a position for those who are successful in the business world to help and mentor NMSU business students.

“We are delighted to welcome Peyton Yates as executive in residence and to gain the support of a professional with his experience,” said NMSU Interim President Waded Cruzado. “This program allows New Mexico State to strengthen our relationship with our community. We are fortunate to have friends of the professional caliber of Peyton Yates who want to support us in meaningful ways and get involved with NMSU.”

Yates is a former president of Yates Petroleum Corporation, an Artesia-based energy firm and the largest independent oil and gas company in New Mexico. He currently serves on the company’s board of directors. He is also president of Yates Drilling Company, an oil and gas operator in Artesia.

In addition to the Executive in Residence program, the Yates family has played a vital role in NMSU’s Dennis Darnall faculty achievement award, the Gerald Thomas Society, the President’s Associates Scholarship and Endowment Fund and various NMSU athletic programs.

In 2001, John A. Yates Sr. received an honorary doctorate from NMSU. John and Charlotte Yates established a student teaching endowment at the university. John Yates Jr. and his wife, Nancy, are both graduates of NMSU and indirectly sponsor local students to attend NMSU. Frank and Mary Yates established an endowed scholarship in the NMSU School of Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management. In 2008, the Yates family donated $500,000 to NMSU’s Domenici Institute.

“Our family’s relationship with NMSU is incredibly strong,” Peyton Yates said. “We’ve had a number of family members attend NMSU. More importantly, we’ve had tremendous success with a lot of NMSU graduates. They’ve risen to some of the highest ranks of our company. We believe we get quality graduates from NMSU.”

More than 25 Yates Petroleum employees are NMSU graduates, and many of those graduates now have children attending NMSU.

“We are proud to work with an entrepreneur as accomplished as Peyton Yates in the College of Business. His wealth of knowledge in business and energy, paired with years of personal, real-world experiences make him the ideal person to help teach our future business leaders,” said Garrey Carruthers, NMSU’s business dean and vice president for economic development.

Yates will begin his duties as executive in residence during the current spring semester. In addition to mentoring and helping students with business projects, Yates will lend his expertise to NMSU’s Domenici Institute and other programs where his knowledge of business and energy is valuable. Yates also plans to ask his friends in the business and energy fields for their assistance in working with students and solving problems.

Yates earned a bachelor’s degree in petroleum engineering in 1965 and his master’s degree in 1966 from the University of Texas at Austin.

Propelled by its successes, the College of Education’s Service Learning Program at New Mexico State University continues to grow, bringing more tutors in each semester and recently receiving recognition from the President’s Volunteer Service Award.

Partnering with elementary schools in the Las Cruces district, the Service Learning Program gives education students from NMSU’s EDUC 181 course a chance to assist elementary teachers with tutoring in reading and mathematics for elementary students. There also is bilingual tutoring for ELL Services students (English Language Learners).

Some of the tutors, despite receiving no grade or credit, have continued to volunteer after completing the course. These individuals have tutored for enough total hours to earn presidential awards. The Service Learning program recently held a ceremony to recognize the tutors who earned the presidential award over the fall semester and award them their honorary pins.

“(The presidential tutors) are still tutoring because they enjoy what they do,” said Denise Rodriguez, coordinator of the Service Learning Program. “They could care less about the pins and awards. They do it because they have developed relationships with the students and teachers they have worked with.”

Tutors Sharon Kovacs and Kymbre Hayes both received the bronze award last year for volunteering more than 100 hours. The award has a bronze, silver and gold level, based on the amount of hours volunteered. This semester, Kovacs and Hayes have both received the silver award for volunteering a total of 175 hours.

Rodriguez said five more education students have earned the bronze pin this semester as well, including Christa Barrow, Rebekah Jaramillo, Rachel Judge, Lindsey McCormick and Jodie Whitt.

Rodriguez also said the program has grown since it began three semesters ago. In Fall 2007, the program started with 19 students who tutored 421 hours. In Spring 2008, there were 55 students who tutored 1,360 hours. This fall, Rodriguez said the program has 67 active tutors and 16 presidential tutors who have so far volunteered more than 1,500 hours, which was the goal for this semester.

Along with the program’s success, Rodriguez said she has seen the “greatest mentorship ever,” which is the unforeseen connections developing between the tutors and the elementary teachers.

“Because the presidential tutors have been working with them for so long, they are forming relationships with the teachers, who in return help guide the tutors and train them to become teachers, as well as sharing lesson plans.”

For more information, contact the Service Learning Program at (575) 646-3593.

New Mexico State University students will now be able to receive advice and encouragement from professionals in industry, government and university systems thanks to a new mentoring program launched Nov. 3 at the university.

MentorNet is an e-mail based network allowing students one-on-one mentoring with professionals across the nation. The program is open to undergraduate, graduate and post-doctoral students and untenured faculty.

“The program is available to all NMSU students, but is particularly useful to those studying in science and engineering fields because MentorNet has recruited mentors from these areas to improve our science and engineering workforce,” said Tracy Sterling, a professor in the Department of Entomology, Plant Pathology and Weed Science.

To join, students can go the program’s Web site and fill out a mentor profile. They are then matched with a mentor who is best able to address their interests. Faculty can join the program as mentors, using the same process as students.

Once matched, the mentor and the student maintain a mentoring relationship by e-mail. The official program lasts for eight months.

MentorNet provides other services as well, including an e-forum with web-based discussion groups for those interested in topics such as work and life balance, job searching and graduate school, and a resume database for students.

Sterling said the program was brought to NMSU because of the university’s interest in student retention and career placement.

“A program such as MentorNet provides an additional tool for students by expanding their access to the professionals in their fields of study, so they can learn about opportunities and how to prepare for them,” she explained.

Dean Lowell Catlett, of the College of Agriculture and Home Economics; Dean Pamela Jansma, of the College of Arts and Sciences; and Dean Steven Castillo, of the College of Engineering, provided the funding to bring MentorNet to NMSU.

“Deans Catlett, Jansma and Castillo have science and engineering programs in their colleges and have an intense interest in providing their students with additional resources to help them prepare for their future,” Sterling said.

For more information or to sign up, visit www.mentornet.net.

Freddy Marquez, director of the College of Education’s ENLACE Program, and Eric Lopez, the Stan Fulton Endowed Chair for the Improvement of Border and Rural Schools, have been invited to the National Hispanic Caucus of State Legislator’s National Summit in Las Vegas, Nev.

Marquez and Lopez will give a presentation Saturday, Nov. 15, to 100 Hispanic legislators on NMSU’s ENLACE efforts in its region, and how the program partners with the Alliance for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning.

The caucus also will visit NMSU for a tour of the program in January 2009, after which NMSU’s ENLACE site could be proposed as a national model for other ENLACE programs. Marquez said the presentation will give the legislators more understanding of how the program is run before the visit.

“Our presentation will be sort of a pre-cursor to the tour, which will highlight each level of our program’s model, both academic and parental,” said Marquez. “We hope it becomes one of additional discussions that will create support for ENLACE throughout the state.”

ENLACE was founded in 2001 by the Kellogg Foundation, which was the first major foundation that focused on Latino interests. Practice sites were established throughout the country, including two in the state at NMSU and UNM. Since then, New Mexico has expanded its programs to five sites and has earned state legislative funding for them.

The program provides culturally and linguistically diverse students in grades 6-12 a pathway to success by supporting and teaching them skills that will lead to college admission. It also focuses on themes of cultural awareness, identity and diversity.

The program expanded to include EXITO for college level Latino students, which is similar, but the curriculum also focuses on adjusting to the campus environment and utilizing campus resources. EXITO students are assigned to a faculty or staff member based on their major, who provides a supporting role as a mentor for the student and gives them more exposure to their particular field of study.

ENLACE also helped local school districts to establish Parent Centers, where parents can learn about meaningful family engagement, getting involved with their children’s education and working together with the school program for success. The Gadsden Independent School District’s Parent Center has been successful and has hired 24 parent ambassadors for the program.

For more information, contact the NMSU ENLACE Program at (575) 646-9382.

Meeting people from around the world is just one of the many experiences the Study Abroad program offers student ambassadors.

The Study Abroad Ambassadors mentor students who take part in the exchange program through NMSU.

“An ambassador’s job is to work with all incoming exchange students,” said Kristian Chervenock, adviser to exchange students for the Study Abroad program. “Each exchange student that comes to NMSU will have an ambassador assigned or partnered to them. The ambassador’s job is to essentially be that person’s first best friend at NMSU.”

Chervenock, who is also an adviser for the study abroad ambassadors, explained each ambassador contacts the exchange student through e-mail months before they arrive.

By establishing initial contact, the ambassador and exchange student have the chance to introduce themselves and learn more about one another.

Answering any questions regarding the weather, the Southwest region, life at NMSU and even what to pack and not pack are some of the things discussed, Chervenock said.

“We basically help foreign exchange students integrate into NMSU, the Las Cruces area and the United States,” David Diamond, student ambassador, said. “When they come in from the airport, we have a comfort package prepared for them.”

Diamond, a government major, said the comfort package includes necessities for the first night an exchange student spends at NMSU.

Because each student is new to the university, Chervenock explained the comfort package was necessary for dorm life survival.

“We give them things the dorms don’t supply,” Chervenock said. “Things like pots, pans, snacks and toilet paper.”

Other items handed out include vacuum cleaners, DVD players, televisions and microwaves, which are reused each year an exchange student joins the program, Chervenock added.

“[A relationship] starts out from just the necessities standpoint,” Diamond said. “We make sure they have regular trips to buy food because not a lot of them have transportation available to them. Then it becomes more of a social perspective. We plan weekly activities [such as] bowling and excursions to local places of interest like White Sands.”

Dustin Simon, student ambassador and marketing major, said by having a mentor an exchange student can have someone to rely on, especially because they do not know much about the NMSU school system or Las Cruces.

“We also introduce them to other international friends,” Simon said. “[Each exchange student] is in the same boat, so they feel comfortable around each other.”

“We help them register for classes and navigate around NMSU,” said Diamond about helping out each student. “We do this sort of whole-nine-yard thing and we make sure they are situated.”

However, the chance to help a student with their classes and NMSU information is only half of the idea behind the program and its ambassadors.

“Ultimately, the ambassadors are what makes NMSU such a desirable place to study,” Chervenock said. “These students have a network of people before they even arrive, which is not typically international. I would say NMSU is one of the few universities that actually has [a program] organized at this level.”

Meeting people from all over the world is a challenge in Las Cruces, Diamond explained. He said he believes the city is diverse, but not the most diverse.

“Being an ambassador is a way to increase diversity at NMSU and Las Cruces,” Diamond said. “It is a great [program] to push for. I am able to get a different sense of people’s viewpoints based upon their background and beliefs.”

Because the ambassador program helps each student with their initial culture shock, Chervenock said an exchange student can orientate themselves to the community and the university and feel more at home.

“It has been a pretty rewarding experience, in terms of helping these people have the best experience possible,” Diamond said. “A lot of these ambassadors, including myself have done trips abroad, so to some extent we’re giving back. There’s no university I think that provides the level of assistance.”

The program has more than 50 exchange students and close to 46 ambassadors, Diamond said.

“In general, it’s the willingness to do [the program] and the perseverance to give the energy and the time [to be a great ambassador],” Diamond concluded. “Anyone can sign up to be an ambassador.”

Chervenock said each exchange student is either at NMSU for a full year or one semester.

“The program is a way for NMSU students to really engage in a multicultural setting right here on campus,” Chervenock added. “So, being a part of a community of students from 15 to 20 different countries, learning languages and learning about each other’s cultures is a really enriching environment.”

The ambassadors are working on a trip to Carlsbad Caverns for this month and planning a farewell banquet for students leaving in December.

To become a student ambassador or to learn more about the Study Abroad program, call the office at 646-5107.

Current and potential small business owners will soon have a new resource for obtaining the information and training necessary to be successful. This month, with the aid of funding from the U.S. Small Business Administration, New Mexico State University’s Arrowhead Center will launch the Arrowhead Entrepreneurship Institute.

“This supports NMSU’s statewide economic development mission,” said Sara Pirayesh Sanders, entrepreneurship director at Arrowhead Center. “By helping small business owners across New Mexico, it ensures that we are helping everyone in the state.”

The program will focus on three areas including fostering emerging entrepreneurs, creating an entrepreneurship laboratory and establishing an entrepreneurship network within the state. Funding for the program will come from a three-year, nearly $1 million grant made possible by the New Mexico congressional delegation.

“We want to entice entrepreneurs to pursue innovative business opportunities that will keep New Mexico’s economy diversified and on the cutting edge,” Pirayesh Sanders said. “We also want to encourage our graduates to stay in New Mexico, and instead of finding a job, making a job.”

The institute will be dedicated to engaging youth in entrepreneurship activities, expanding college-level entrepreneurship training and creating a certification in entrepreneurship for professionals.

NMSU already collaborates with New Mexico MESA Inc. on the Innoventure program, showing middle and high school students what it takes to build their own companies from the bottom up. Students from around the state compete each year and travel to NMSU to show what they have learned. The Arrowhead Entrepreneurship Institute will expand those kinds of opportunities.

The entrepreneurship laboratory will include tools for entrepreneurs, including books, manuals and online resources. Special business simulation software will be available for business managers to make decisions and see the likely outcome of those decisions before trying them out in the real world. Laboratory resources will be made available to NMSU students, faculty, staff and the general public.

The entrepreneur network will be designed to help new entrepreneurs contact those who are more established in the business world and can provide guidance and mentorship.

“So often, people don’t even know where to begin when it comes to starting a small business. This network will help those people find their way,” Pirayesh Sanders said. “We want the culture of the institute to be about New Mexicans helping New Mexicans – so we can create a vibrant culture of innovation and entrepreneurship.”

Arrowhead Center is an organization within NMSU. It is designed to help promote small business and economic development in New Mexico.

Ambassador Delano M. Lewis, founding director of the International Relations Institute at New Mexico State University (NMSU photo by Darren Phillips)

New Mexico State University is keeping its commitment to increase its visibility on the world stage by launching an International Relations Institute next month.

Several dignitaries are expected to attend the launching at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 7, in the Physical Science Laboratory Auditorium on the NMSU main campus.

After opening remarks by the institute’s founding director, Ambassador Delano Lewis, and NMSU President Michael Martin, the keynote address will be given by Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius.

In January 2003, Sebelius was sworn in as the 44th governor of Kansas. Less than three years later, Time magazine named her one of the nation’s top five governors, citing her work to bridge the partisan divide and cut waste in government. In 2006, she was reelected to a second term. Sebelius served four terms in the Kansas House of Representatives and twice as the state’s insurance commissioner.

Ambassador Kenton Keith will then speak on “The Middle East and Border Issues.” Keith became senior vice president of the Meridian International Center in late 1997 after a career as a foreign service officer with the U.S. Information Agency. At the time of his retirement, he directed the USIA’s Office of North African, Near Eastern and South Asian Affairs, managing the budget, field operations and public diplomacy activities for the agency’s largest geographical bureau. Keith has served as ambassador to Qatar and in various posts in Cairo, Paris, Brazil and the Near East.

After Keith’s address, a panel will discuss Africa border issues.

The International Relations Institute will be organized around a series of international centers. Two such centers that have been initiated for the near-term are a Center for International Affairs and Diplomatic Studies and a Center for International Partnerships. Other centers may be added to the institute in the longer term.

The vision of the International Relations Institute is to promote discussion and an understanding of international issues through teaching, research and dialogue. By sharing their knowledge and skills, scholars and experts working on important international issues will help strengthen NMSU’s scholarly research, teaching and advocacy capabilities in international affairs. Students who choose international service as a career will receive necessary training and support from the university. Partnerships with faculty, students and New Mexico businesses will be developed, resulting in assistance projects for the developing world. Alternate solutions to improving critical global conditions will be assessed, including finding ways to resolve conflicts between nations, thus avoiding war. This multifaceted vision will help NMSU educate and improve the lives of citizens of the community and state.

Guiding the institute will be an advisory board of eminent international practitioners including Ambassador Keith; Julia Chang-Bloch, former U.S. ambassador to Nepal; Martin Brennen, former U.S. ambassador to Uganda; Ralph Christy; professor of applied economics at Cornell University; Jeffrey Davidow, former U.S. ambassador to Mexico; Richard Emery, a former assistant director for budget review; Nick Franklin, senior principal with Public Affairs Dimensions; former Congressman and U.S. Secretary of Housing Jack Kemp; Margery Krause, president of APCO Worldwide; Ken Lehman, managing partner of the KKP Group; C. Payne Lucas, past president of AFRICARE; Princeton Lyman, former U.S. ambassador to Nigeria and South Africa; Charles Manatt; former U.S. ambassador to Dominican Republic; Tom McDonald, former U.S. ambassador to Zimbabwe; Edward Perkins, former ambassador to the United Nations; Tom Tate, former contracting executive for FLUOR Corp.; Vicente Valle, diplomat in residence at the University of New Mexico; and Sharon Wilkinson; former U.S. ambassador to Mozambique.

Several of these board members are expected to attend the institute’s launch.