The UNM Day is coordinated annually by the Associated Students of UNM Governmental Affairs and is a time for students to showcase their work and communicate the positive impact UNM has statewide, according to ASUNM website.
A diverse group of university programs were represented with exhibits staffed by students ready to discuss their work and research.
UNM Valencia, UNM Gallup, UNM Taos, the Department of Physics and Astronomy, the School of Law, Continuing Education and the School of Engineering were just a few of the groups present. The Health Sciences Center was represented by multiple booths, one of which gave free blood pressure and heart rate tests to interested attendees.
The House of Representatives and the Senate recognized four individuals for their work and service to UNM: Patricia Crown, Ryan Roco, Martha McGrew and Lisa Marie Turk. Crown is a distinguished professor of Anthropology, recently elected to the National Academy of Sciences. Roco is a Marshall and Truman Scholarship recipient. McGrew is the School of Medicine executive vice dean and is recognized nationally for her work in family medicine. Turk is a Clinical Excellence Award recipient, a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health Policy Fellow and a candidate in the College of Nursing doctoral program.
Multiple ASUNM representatives were also recognized by the Senate.
Representatives from ASUNM and GPSA had the opportunity to meet with Michael Heitz, cabinet director at the Office of the Governor, and Scott Darnell, the governor’s deputy chief of staff.
Graduate students and the College of Education were two of the topics discussed, according to Zoila Alvarez, GPSA president at the College of Education.
“It was great. We got to talk a little bit about how we can develop our teachers at the College of Education to meet the needs of our community,” Alvarez said. “It was great to have somebody to talk with about some of the issues occurring amongst our graduate students. Graduate students are very nontraditional teachers because they have families, kids and full time jobs in the K-12 system.”
GPSA is focused on securing capital outlay funding for two projects this legislative session: improving the lighting infrastructures on campus and creating a dedicated graduate study space in Zimmerman Library, GPSA officials said.
Upgrading the existing lights to LEDs as well as installing new lights along walkways around campus is a $25,000 project, according to a GPSA pamphlet. Repurposing an existing space in Zimmerman, complete with lockers and other educational resources, would cost $100,000, according to the statement.
Marielle Dent is a staff reporter at the Daily Lobo. You can reach her at news@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @Marielle_Dent.
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