To the UNM community and the greater Albuquerque community,
It is with a heavy heart that I join the UNM community in marking the sudden passing last weekend of two promising new students, best friends who were planning to room together on campus and who were about to begin their collegiate careers at UNM.
The two died in a car accident in Albuquerque early Saturday. Amanda Valencia, 18, was class salutatorian at Rio Grande High School. She was planning on studying pharmacy at UNM. Her close friend, Nayeli Villanueva, 17, was a recipient of the highly competitive Daniels Fund Scholarship. She was planning to major in psychology. Both of these students were academic stars in high school who we know would have had rewarding and successful lives and careers.
On behalf of myself and the UNM community, I wish to offer our sincerest condolences to the parents, families and friends of Valencia and Villanueva. The passing of these two promising young women is a tragedy that is being felt throughout the University. These two students, through their involvement in UNM's Daniels Fund College Prep Program, had already touched the lives of our student support services staff within the Division of Student Affairs.
Our deepest sympathies also go out to program manager Mandie Pritchard and to all the staff members of the Daniels Fund College Prep Program within the Office of Special Programs/College Enrichment Program. These student support services staff people knew the two young women and had worked closely with them. Valencia and Villanueva will be remembered as two of the best and brightest that New Mexico has to offer.
Pritchard has mentioned that this entire group of students and parents is exceptional for their level of accomplishment, enthusiasm and commitment, and that everyone in the program feels this loss deeply. This past Monday evening, a candlelight vigil for the two young women took place involving nearly all of the 40 student participants in the Daniels Fund College Prep Program, their parents and prep program staff members. Please join me in offering condolences to everyone whose lives were touched by Valencia and Villanueva.
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David Harris
UNM president
