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UNM grads navigate next steps

Zara Roy | January 10

Though the COVID-19 pandemic has posed a unique set of difficulties for college students, some have been able to take these changes in stride and find unique opportunities to connect. Fall 2021 University of New Mexico graduates Datenzing Tamang, Sami Sosa and Mia Amin have found ways to blaze new paths for themselves, even when the road ahead is as uncertain as it has ever been. “If the pandemic has done something good, it’s brought people together. I think people want to help each other,” Amin said. Originally from Nepal, Tamang moved to New Mexico for college and graduated with her bachelor’s in computer science. This spring semester, she will be taking time to gain field experience before pursuing graduate studies.

Culture

UNM associate professor receives ‘career-altering’ grant

Zara Roy | January 10

Jessica Richardson, an associate professor of speech and hearing science at the University of New Mexico, was awarded a $2 million grant in November funded by the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, a sect of the National Institutes of Health. This five-year grant will be used to study and improve the treatment of aphasia, a condition in which those affected lose the ability to communicate or understand language, in stroke patients. This research is focused on combining traditional language therapy techniques with transcranial stimulation, a noninvasive electrical brain stimulation thought to help “shape” brain activity, to enhance language recovery outcomes.

Culture

REVIEW: ‘Don't Look Up’: Reflection of recent years through fun, satirical comedy

Maxwell Minty McGrael / Daily Lobo | January 10

Among the sea of Netflix original content, there has been a wide range of movies of varying quality but one of the platform’s last films of 2021, “Don’t Look Up,” was particularly memorable. This fun two-hour cynical comedy asked the question, "What if there was a planet-killing comet on course to destroy Earth?" The film’s response to this question is satirical in its answer with many parallels to politics, the COVID-19 pandemic, celebrity conflicts and other current issues. The plot is simple: a comet is hurling itself toward Earth while Leonardo DiCaprio’s character, Dr. Randall Mindy, and Jennifer Lawrence’s character, Ph.D. candidate student Kate Dibiasky, try to warn the world about the impending doom that awaits everyone in the next six months and 14 days.

Culture

College students balance school with jobs, pandemic

Megan Gleason | January 10

Balancing jobs with school is not a new challenge for college students in America. The past two years, however, have added an extra complication as students now have to also balance the stressors of the COVID-19 pandemic with their education. After the University of New Mexico went completely virtual for a period of time last year, many students were anxious to return to an in-person environment. However, senior Indica Simpson said many students set themselves up with unrealistic expectations that made the transition difficult. “All of us thought that once we’d be in person that the world would just be magically fixed again and we’d all understand education to its fullest, and I don’t think that was the case at all.

Culture

REVIEW: ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ gracefully swings MCU out of 2021

Elizabeth Secor | January 9

This review contains spoilers for “Spider-Man: No Way Home” and “Spider-Man: Far From Home” After a year of zero Marvel releases in 2020, Marvel ended 2021 with a bang with “Spider-Man: No Way Home.” This film was well worth the wait after being delayed almost half a year from its original release date, taking the audience on a journey that combined both the old and new in a stunning display of cinema. “Spider-Man: No Way Home” was highly anticipated not only due to the rumors swirling of previous Spider-Man actors returning, but also because this film almost didn’t happen. In August 2019, a dispute between Sony and Marvel over contract negotiations almost ended with the two companies splitting completely.

Culture

OPINION: Is grad school a viable option?

Emma Trevino | December 13

With the semester coming to a close comes the inevitable anxiety and uncertainty of joining the workforce. Many students consider graduate school to be a safe option after earning a bachelor's degree because it’s a way to stay in the comfort of academia, but there are several factors to contemplate, such as ultimate career goals, personal fulfillment and the issue of money. A big draw of grad school is more impressive credentials that can be of great help in today’s extremely competitive job market. Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic of the Harvard Business Review said “the most in-demand jobs require graduate credentials, to the point of surpassing current levels of supply.”

Culture

Olivia Moss graduates with love for community

Zara Roy | December 13

Olivia Moss is a University of New Mexico community health education major graduating with a Bachelor’s of Science in health education. After moving to New Mexico from Colorado, Moss found a home in Albuquerque and plans to continue immersing herself in the community she’s found a love for. Originally from Denver, Colorado, Moss came to UNM on a scholarship and has since fallen in love with the culture and landscape of Albuquerque. As a foodie and social butterfly, Moss enjoys New Mexican food and loves exploring the city’s restaurant scene with friends. Knowing that her family is just a phone call away, Moss plans on staying in New Mexico for the near future.

Culture

OPINION: I’m so proud to be a Lobo

Rebecca Hobart | December 13

I’m wrapping up my final semester as an undergraduate student, graduating with my Bachelor of Science in environmental science and minor in sustainability studies. I’ve compiled some of my greatest hits because the past three and a half years have been chock-full of enlightenment and enrichment. The University of New Mexico has been an exceptional place to grow up and blossom into my fullest self. I moved to New Mexico from North Carolina to study at UNM without really knowing anyone or anything about Albuquerque, except that it was a beautiful place with lots of sunny days and clear, blue skies.

Culture

Film student Gus Tafoya wraps final year at UNM

Natalie Jude | December 13

With graduation less than a week away for University of New Mexico film student Gus Tafoya, they have come to find peace and success in the process of creating art. With a Bachelor of Fine Arts in film and digital arts, Tafoya plans to take a break from school and get real-world experience in Albuquerque’s booming film industry. The last year has been a busy one for Tafoya, and while they wrote and produced films almost all on their own time, they have been able to explore their artistry in a variety of mediums and settings. Tafoya has multiple published films under their belt already, setting them up to achieve their film goals in the future. In 2021 alone, Tafoya released five short films.

Culture

Correen Talley plans to represent Navajo culture through animation

Megan Gleason | December 13

For Correen Talley, graduation is more than just getting a liberal arts degree – it’s an opportunity to represent her Navajo culture in the real world through her degree focus of digital media and computer animation in the film industry. “I would like to at least try to include my Native American culture more into the films because there’s not a lot that we see today with Native Americans, and I really would love to be a part of that,” Talley said. Talley has loved her time at the University of New Mexico but is ready to move on to the next step in her life.

Culture

‘He lives it’: UNM alumnus advocates for climate solutions

Zara Roy | December 6

University of New Mexico alumnus Laurence Cotter hopes to provide the means for younger generations to find creative, new solutions to address the impending climate crisis. An avid cyclist with no email address, a hybrid vehicle and no home internet access, Cotter is a conservationist through and through. Cotter established the $2 million Rosalind O. Womack Fund last month, an endowment for the UNM Sustainability Studies program. With it, he hopes to see the University take real, tangible action towards lessening their environmental impact. “Let’s do something good here. Let’s do something right,” Cotter said. “Let’s do something that’s going to empower us instead of just helplessly flailing around without getting our hands and minds involved in a solution.”

Culture

Julia Bernal undertakes climate change issues through Indigenous worldview

Rebecca Hobart | December 6

With a fierce passion for amplifying Indigenous worldviews in climate change issues, Julia Bernal is a graduate student pursuing degrees in community and regional planning and water resources at the University of New Mexico. She works to assert diverse perspectives through water management in New Mexico. Bernal, an enrolled member of the Sandia Pueblo, has been a steadfast contributor to efforts concerning the oil and gas drilling in the greater Chaco Canyon landscape, which has been a key focus in her work with the Pueblo Action Alliance. She said her graduate studies at UNM will help give her “some credibility in this attempt to merge grassroots efforts to water management and water planning.”

Culture

Twinkle Light Parade returns, brightens Nob Hill

Natalie Jude | December 6

Friends, families and loved ones clamored to the sidewalks of Nob Hill to watch the over 100 holiday-related floats light up the streets of Albuquerque for the Twinkle Light Parade on Saturday, Dec. 4. Crowds were delighted to see the parade come back in-person after it was held virtually last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The city said that “the parade is comprised of local businesses, organizations, school groups and families, all competing for Best in Show.” This included groups like the University of New Mexico Reserve Officers’ Training Corps, Albuquerque Police Department and more.

Culture

Mental Health Matters: Solutions to students’ mental health crises

Megan Gleason | December 6

The COVID-19 outbreak was declared a pandemic one year and nine months ago — almost half the time it takes to complete a typical bachelor’s degree and nearly the entire average to complete a typical master’s degree. While some students have experienced college knowing nothing but the pandemic and others look back on a time when things weren’t so chaotic, all feel the same weight on their shoulders as they attempt to finish a degree while the national death count creeps over 5.26 million. “I have found that there really aren’t many young adults in college who don’t struggle at least in some realm with mental health,” Quinlyn McBrayer, a postgraduate student studying nutrition, said.

Culture

ASK THE EDITORS: Lobo Wrapped 2021

Joseph McKee , Liam Debonis , Shelby Kleinhans , John Scott , Emma Trevino and Zara Roy | December 6

To the dismay of Apple Music users, the highly anticipated Spotify Wrapped is finally here with a data collection packaged in fun colors and quirky attempts at humor. To commemorate this annual event, the Daily Lobo editors decided to give readers a peek behind the curtain at their top songs. Shelby’s No. 1 Song: “Future Days” by Pearl Jam Pearl Jam’s “Future Days” had an immediate impact on my psyche. Their hit became an earworm last year when I first played my now-favorite video game, “The Last of Us Part II,” and was touched by how it was integrally woven into the game’s narrative. Fast forward one year later and I still can’t get the song out of my head.

Culture

Hanging of the Greens lights up holiday season

Shelby Kleinhans | December 5

The University of New Mexico’s oldest annual tradition, the Hanging of the Greens, made a triumphant return to campus on the evening of Friday, Dec. 3 after going virtual last year due to the pandemic. This year, nothing could stand in the way of thousands of luminarias illuminating campus as the sun went down. The event, organized by the Mortar Board Senior Honor Society in association with several campus-wide professional and student organizations which helped set up thousands of luminarias across campus, saw hundreds of students and community members come to campus for the evening’s activities.

Culture

REVIEW: Mike Mills’ latest film 'C’mon C’mon:' A love letter to living

Natalie Jude | December 2

This review contains spoilers The black and white kaleidoscope that is “C’mon C’mon” is an exploration of the space between people and the malleability of relationships. Such subject matter might easily have been lost in the transition from brain to screen, but the phenomenal cast, thoughtful direction and wonderful cinematography brought this world to life perfectly. In the film, Joaquin Phoenix’s Johnny and Woody Norman’s Jesse, who are uncle and nephew, are forcibly but sweetly brought together when Jesse’s mother, Viv, painstakingly leaves to care for her mentally unstable father Paul, who wants to recieve help but has struggled to. In dealing with Paul’s psychosis and rekindling a relationship with Johnny, Viv is reminded of trauma surrounding the death of her mother.

Culture

Student Support Services TRIO director helps marginalized students

Emma Trevino | November 29

Dawn Blue Sky-Hill, director of the Student Support Services TRIO program at the University of New Mexico, has been with SSS TRIO for 20 years. In that time, she has helped and mentored students from all walks of life to set them up for success in academia and beyond. According to its website, SSS TRIO’s mission is to “increase the college retention and graduation rates of program participants at the University of New Mexico main campus. The SSS program draws upon a holistic framework where committed participants receive individualized support by addressing their educational and personal needs.” As director, Sky-Hill helps facilitate this support through coordinating mentors, advisors, tutoring and more.

Culture

5 and Why: 5 tips to power through final exams

Zara Roy | November 29

As the semester winds down, the ever-dreaded final exam season is rapidly approaching. University of New Mexico student Jazmine Villescas, a senior in the biology program, took a short break from studying at Zimmerman Library to give Daily Lobo readers some tips for getting through finals week. Plan out study time ahead of exams A crucial step in preparing for finals is simply knowing when your exams are so you can budget your time accordingly, Villescas said. Knowing whether each test will be cumulative or only based on the most recent course material is also very important, according to Villescas.

Culture

Mental Health Matters: Educators’ mental health worsened by pandemic

Megan Gleason | November 29

What used to be the stable field of education is now revolving around uncontrollable and unknown factors amid the COVID-19 pandemic, and educators are suffering because of this. A mental health pandemic lies at the forefront of the COVID-19 pandemic as educators have been dealing with an increased amount of mental health issues. “Teachers’ jobs — stressful even before the pandemic — have become even tougher, with longer work hours, struggles to engage students remotely, repeated pivots from hybrid to remote to in-person instruction, not to mention fears that they — or their loved ones — could get COVID-19,” Education Week reported.