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UNM graduate Nevi Zerkle prepares to start music education career

Megan Gleason | December 7

Nevi Zerkle, a musician and conductor, is just over a month away from starting student teaching amidst the coronavirus pandemic. Zerkle graduated with a master’s degree in music education with distinction at the University of New Mexico in the summer of 2020. Zerkle is currently finishing their last batch of music education classes that will allow them to move on to student teaching in January, where they will be educating elementary, middle and high school levels in Iowa.

Culture

‘Mental health workbook’ in the works for UNM community

Sarah Bodkin | December 2

Bruce Smith, associate professor for the University of New Mexico course “Positive Psychology,” is creating a workbook to help UNM staff and students to navigate mental health struggles through positive psychology. “(The workbook) is really about enabling people to become their best,” Smith said. Much of the workbook is based on work that Smith has taught in his positive psychology courses.

Culture

Helen Zhao graduates with long list of accomplishments, fond memories and driving ambitions

Gabriel Biadora | November 30

As part of the 2017 BA/MD cohort, Helen Zhao is graduating this semester with a major in health medicine and human values with a concentration in biomedical science and a double minor in chemistry and psychology. Born and raised in Albuquerque, Zhao spent her adolescence in the halls of La Cueva High School before building her prominent career as an undergraduate at UNM. Through her application for the BA/MD pipeline program UNM offers, Zhao was able to receive a full ride within the School of Medicine. “I’ll see where (med school) takes me because I have no idea what field of medicine I want to go into. I know once I start med school that’s going to be the main thing that takes up my life so I’m just gonna let it,” Zhao said.

Culture

Socializing safely during the age of coronavirus

Hannah John | November 28

The COVID-19 pandemic has drastically altered the social lives of college students across the country. College, normally a time when students are finally away from the supervision of parents and claim the ability to explore a newfound freedom, has taken a different form this year. On Nov. 16, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham ordered restrictions requiring New Mexican residents to only be in contact with people they live with and only leave their residence for essential trips. The order was in response to the drastic spike in COVID-19 positive cases in New Mexico. The restrictions on social gatherings have provoked students to find new ways to socialize with their peers.

Culture

Bella Davis graduates after disrupting New Mexico journalism status quo

Shelby Kleinhans | November 23

Through a year of pandemic, protests about racial injustice and divisive politics, Bella Davis made it to graduation, leaving behind a massive legacy of reporting in her wake. With a major in journalism and a minor in international studies, Davis is also ending her time as a senior reporter for the Daily Lobo. Davis pursued writing throughout high school but wasn’t sure which path was best for her when she began studying at the University of New Mexico. By the end of her freshman year, she applied to work for the honors literary magazine Scribendi and was accepted — much to Davis’ surprise. She continued to realize her full potential by becoming the editor in chief for Limina: UNM Nonfiction Review during her junior year.

Culture

UNM graduate Victoria Knight steps into the unknown with an open heart

Megan Gleason | November 23

Balancing three degrees, along with a multitude of extracurricular activities, University of New Mexico fall 2020 graduate Victoria Knight is ready to enter the world with an open heart for new possibilities. Knight is graduating a semester early with a liberal arts major and mathematics and honors minors. Unlike many other graduates, Knight still has her options open for possibilities of the future after school, considering various positions including mechanics. Throughout her time at UNM, Knight said she wanted to settle into the person she was going to be for the rest of her life and really find her own personality, especially after being raised in a military family where they never stayed in one place for too long.

Culture

First-generation college graduate Cyanne Garcia aspires to life of music, learning

Sarah Bodkin | November 23

University of New Mexico senior Cyanne Garcia is graduating in the fall 2020 semester with a degree in music education and will continue to radiate kindness and a love for music for the rest of her lifetime. As a first-generation college student, Garcia is especially proud that she was financially independent in school. “So much has changed from my first year of college until now,” Garcia said. “That’s been a really nice journey; really hard sometimes, but really necessary.”

Culture

UNM’s Hanging of the Greens tradition goes virtual

Megan Gleason | November 23

Every year, the University of New Mexico celebrates the Hanging of the Greens, one of the University’s oldest traditions. This year, instead of carolers strolling throughout campus to see thousands of luminarias, the event was held virtually on Nov. 20 due to the pandemic. The University put together a video highlighting some of the activities that happened this year, including a festive song by Something Major A Capella and a short talk of the history of the event given by President Garnett Stokes. “With the ongoing threat of COVID, however, this year is a very different kind of celebration,” Stokes said in the video.

Culture

Virtual Uni Nights hosts second Among Us game night

Daniel Ward | November 20

After nearly 70 students attended the first virtual Among Us game night hosted by the Student Union Building in October, administrators decided to hold a second virtual event on Friday, Nov. 13. Even though only about 20 people joined the second game night, the event kept the same positive energy from the first one. Among Us is an online multiplayer game set in a spaceship where players complete tasks while one or two secret “imposter(s)” attempt to kill all the other players without getting caught. Players can guess who the imposter is throughout the game and vote out the crewmate they believe is acting the most suspicious until they find the imposter or run out of time.

Culture

UNM community remains resilient through difficult year

Cameron Ward and William Bowen | November 19

Students at the University of New Mexico, already under a great deal of stress, have become overburdened with the additional stressors of the coronavirus pandemic and remote learning. A study by the National Center for Biotechnology Information found that college students were already in a vulnerable position in terms of their mental health and that, for a vast majority, the pandemic has significantly worsened their stress, anxiety and depression. The increased stressors have led many to seek new or revisit old outlets that may relieve that stress. These outlets can take many forms, from art to crafting to exercise — whatever helps alleviate the pressure.

Culture

Cherry Reel lives on to spotlight student filmmakers

Shelby Kleinhans | November 19

After a 15-minute countdown to the live premiere on the YouTube channel for the Southwest Film Center (SWFC), the Cherry Reel Film Festival premiered after 7 p.m. on Oct. 14 to a group of over 100 participants. As a precursor to the main event, panelists from IATSE Local 480 — the New Mexico branch of SAG-AFTRA — and New Mexico Women in Film gave advice and provided networking opportunities to students in a series of Zoom sessions. The nine-year-long Lobo cinema tradition was made possible by staff at the film center who crafted a social media strategy to maintain student engagement up until the festival, despite the physical challenges presented by COVID-19.

Culture

Video games offer escape for stressed, overworked students

Jesus Mata | November 19

Video games have become a refuge in many people’s lives during the coronavirus pandemic, and studies show that video games are a ray of light for mental health amid dark times. Video games help people detach from the problems going on in the real world, according to Dakoda Emberlin, the vice president of communication and marketing for the University of New Mexico’s esports team. “It’s a lot of escapism,” Emberlin said. “Whenever you play a video game, you’re not playing yourself. I’m not playing Dakoda in a video game.”

Culture

Mindfulness meditation reduces stress, improves wellbeing

Sarah Bodkin | November 19

Scholarly articles have suggested that a meditation routine reduces stress, and Michelle DuVal and Tiffany Martinez believe that meditation can be particularly helpful for students with this year’s added stressors. DuVal, a meditation coach at the Mindful Center, said the reason that meditation is effective at reducing stress is because it can slow down your central nervous system. A 2019 study from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association found a connection between stress and poor physical and mental health.

Culture

Students face challenge of overworking themselves to failure

Megan Gleason | November 18

Millions of students struggle to find a balance between work and academic success in school, providing a challenge for mental health stability. The coronavirus pandemic has changed the world’s outlook on mental health entirely as people cope in a starkly isolated time. Margaret White, a case manager at the University of New Mexico’s Student Health and Counseling, said there are two parts to higher education: actually getting accepted and figuring out how to pay for it. College tuition has increased more than 25% in the last decade, according to CNBC, and White said listening to the students’ voice “has fallen to the side.”

Culture

Protecting the (dog) pack during pandemic

Daniel Ward | November 17

There's no doubt that this year has thrown us many curveballs. With the amount of stress everyone may be going through, it's important to take a step back and remember something as simple as petting a dog can make all the difference. According to an article shared by the University of New Mexico’s human resources department, “Stroking, hugging or otherwise touching a loving animal can rapidly calm and soothe us when we’re stressed or anxious.” The article gives many examples of how trained dogs can help people have a healthy lifestyle. They provide companionship and stress relief while adding structure and routine to the day, which are things that many students could use while living in a dorm during a pandemic.

Culture

Local parkour trainer Andrew Smith explains dedication to UNM

Liberty Stalnaker | November 13

Parkour trainer Andrew Smith stands out in the crowd at the University of New Mexico, leaping from concrete walls and vaulting the circles of outdoor seating across from Mitchell Hall. “I’m like a machine, pretty much. That’s why people see me all the time,” the 32-year-old Smith said. “I usually practice every day — it just depends what mood I’m in or how my body’s feeling. For the most part, I practice for two hours or more (daily).” Smith’s commitment to training frequently and for substantial stretches of time has made him a recognizable figure at UNM.

Culture

Land Witness Project encourages activism to slow climate change

Megan Gleason | November 12

Climate change has been a prominent topic as the window to reverse the damage already wrought to the environment by anthropogenic sources narrows by the day. The Land Witness Project is a collection of personal stories about the detrimental impact of climate change in New Mexico. “It’s not just (about) stories but getting people to actually take action,” Nancy Singham, a writer for the project, said. The project started in June 2019, but the launch was delayed until September 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic. In-person events related to the project have also been delayed until it’s safe to hold them, according to Singham.

Culture

LoboTHON raises over $80,000 for UNM Children’s Hospital

Nikita Jaiswal | November 12

After a postponement of several months, the University of New Mexico LoboTHON’s highly anticipated dance marathon finally occurred on Saturday, Nov. 7, raising $80,055 for UNM’s Children’s Hospital — $3,000 more than their target goal. LoboTHON is the largest student-run philanthropy organization at UNM. According to Noah Lucero, LoboTHON’s executive director, their goal is to raise money and awareness for UNM’s Children’s Hospital through creative events like dodgeball or bingo. Lucero said this year, due to COVID-19 concerns, the events shifted online. They included silent actions, social media events and “dine to donate” at restaurants. Leading up to the dance marathon, various student organizations around UNM helped to raise awareness about the upcoming events.

Culture

‘Lovecraft Country’: A confusing, beautiful show

Spencer Butler | November 11

Content warning: This article contains references to sexual assault. I have watched my fair share of HBO shows, from “Westworld” to “Game of Thrones,” but no show has left me as baffled or confused after every episode than “Lovecraft Country.” In essence, the show is about the Braithwhite family and their use of magic to become immortal, which is an interesting concept ruined by how little it’s fleshed out. The two main conflicts that drive the series are Hannah’s status as the African American slave of Titus Braithwhite, which results in her rape and subsequent pregnancy, and the Book of Names, which is a spell book of life, transformation and genesis that was taken by Hannah when Titus’ lodge burned down.

Culture

La Cosecha Dual Language Conference hosts virtual powwow

Hannah John | November 9

A virtual powwow and dance took place on Thursday, Nov. 5 as a part of the La Cosecha Dual Language Conference, hosted by the Dual Language Education of New Mexico (DLENM). The powwow was streamed by AMP Concerts, a local nonprofit organization that works either independently or with local groups to host concerts in the northern New Mexico area. According to the La Cosecha website, the conference started in 1996, and the goal of the conference has always been to support educators, parents, researchers and practitioners whose goal is supporting dual language programs and other related immersion programs.