The smell of popcorn and caramel apples hung in the air as children and parents learned about more than 70 UNM departments and programs during the annual University Day at the New Mexico State Fair Tuesday.
The event featured colorful, interactive booths from a wide range of UNM affiliates, including Recreational Services, Human Resources, the General Library and the UNM Press. Several other area colleges had representatives on hand during the event, including Albuquerque Technical-Vocational Institute and Plainview, Texas-based, Wayland Baptist College.
During a midday presentation by University officials at the Coca Cola Pavilion, UNM President Bill Gordon said the University Day gives the school a chance to demonstrate its many community outreach programs.
"We've always been known as the University of New Mexico, but we're striving every day to be known as the University for New Mexico," he said.
Other entertainment at the pavilion included a performance by the South Broadway Cultural Center Ambassadors Children's Mariachi Group, the UNM Chapparals cheerleading group and Lobo Lucy and Louie.
Most of the booths lining the fair's main street catered to kids and adults.
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The UNM Occupational Therapy Department's display focused on potential lifelong effects of heavy backpacks worn by students. People stopped to look at a mannequin wearing a specially designed book bag that disperses weight to the hips and reduces pressure on the spine.
Occupational Therapy graduate student Christine Kroening said most popular backpacks can cause rounded shoulders and spinal deformation.
"The kids are really interested," she said. "I just hope they listen and think about it."
At the Wemagination Center booth, kids were challenged to build a tower up to eye level with plastic lids from shaving cream and perfume bottles.
Director Amy Peterson said the challenge was designed to allow kids to develop complex problem solving skills in a non-threatening environment. The Wemagination Center specializes in training teachers and others involved in childcare about children's play.
Budding civil engineer Kelly Grisson, 8, said she perfected her successful method - a circular, interlocking structure - while playing with blocks with her friends.
"And once I had to build a brick chimney like this with my dad, too," she added.
UNM Recreational Services had a colorful, shaded table set up for kids to build crafts like pipe-cleaner halos, glasses and animals; as well as other crafts like patriotic American flag ribbon pins.
"We're trying to get interaction," said Fred Perez, the program's director. "We're not just handing people a piece of paper, they ask who we are."
Recreational Service runs a local school outreach program called Natural High, during which at-risk youth are encouraged to participate in crafts and recreational activities.
The Chemistry Department's booth looked like a mad scientist's laboratory, littered with equipment, colorful beakers overflowing with foamy "elephant toothpaste" and exploding rockets. Students from the department kept children's attention at this annual crowd-pleaser.
"It's a great way to introduce kids to science with stuff you can find at home," said Becky Streetman, a chemistry graduate student, as 10-year-old Leon Villa launched a loud oxygen and hydrogen rocket behind her.
"I think it's fun because we get to make it and we like to see when it blows up," said Villa, who attended University Day with his fifth grade class.
But it wasn't all just child's play. Other UNM departments had plenty of information on hand for adults, potential students and other fair-goers.
"Any time we do an info-booth anywhere, it's so people know we're here," said Andrea Quijada, a community educator with the Rape Crisis Center, which sponsors class presentations to high schools and UNM, therapy and training with other campus groups. "We want people to know we're more than just a crisis hotline."
The UNM Cancer Research and Treatment Center's booth featured local racecar driver Dale Mason, the first woman to win in the Legends class at Sandia Motorsports Park.
Mason's car, which was parked at the booth, is sponsored by the center, which is trying to recruit New Mexicans to take part in cancer studies.
Speaking of cars, the School of Engineering's Society of Automotive Engineers brought their scaled-down racecar to help get donations for the group, which races the car in Michigan annually.
"We're out here today to get the word out that engineering is the way to go," said Craig Hildreth, a UNM student and group member. "And we're going to see if we can meet some industry people for sponsorships."
