Daniel Ward

News

CFC offers tax help for UNM students in need

Daniel Ward | April 7

While tax season may be a time that many college students dread, the Center for Financial Capability (CFC) at the University of New Mexico has a variety of services to help students navigate the filing process. Jacob Silva, the director for the CFC, said the center is a resource devoted to helping students become financially successful and graduate with the least amount of debt possible. Lotty Del Barga, a senior at UNM, was awarded a scholarship that refunds roughly $10,000 a year, but she didn’t realize she had to file that refund as income on her taxes. After Del Barga found out about the free tax services at the CFC, Silva helped her successfully navigate the process of filing an amended tax return.

Culture

'The Vault’ opens new doors for horror movie director Jaume Balagueró

Daniel Ward | March 29

Released Friday, March 26, “The Vault” is an action packed bank heist thriller expected to catch the interest of people from all over the world. With such a wide variety of bank heist movies, it’s hard to find one that actually stands out, but “The Vault” is a healthy combination of intellectual strategy and suspenseful close calls that keep the audience at the edge of their seat. Directed by Jaume Balagueró, “The Vault” has a wide range of talented actors including Freddie Highmore and Game of Thrones actor Liam Cunningham.

News

NM renters suffer in pandemic housing market

Daniel Ward | March 23

The price of rent in New Mexico has been steadily increasing for decades due to high demand and fewer and fewer vacancies. Now, low income residents are struggling to keep up with more expensive rental rates and the ongoing pandemic is only making matters worse. As of January 2021, the average cost of rent in Albuquerque was $982 for approximately 812 sq. ft., according to the rental market trends from RentCafe. That’s a 7% increase from the previous year, but prices can rise even higher with the addition of extra bedrooms or a desirable neighborhood.

Culture

Meditation, music at virtual UMI show

Daniel Ward and Hannah John | February 21

Though ASUNM Student Special Events has been forced to adapt to virtual concerts to “protect the pack” amid the pandemic, the featured artist didn’t disappoint on Feb. 12 as UMI showcased live acoustic music and guided meditation over Zoom. Tierra Umi Wilson, also known as UMI, is a 22-year-old singer/songwriter based out of Los Angeles who made a name for herself when she toured with fellow artist Cuco back in 2019. Her virtual concert on Feb. 12 was only available to University of New Mexico students, and about 100 students attended. According to Joe Polack, the executive director of SSE, the idea for the event stemmed from UMI’s previous shows that included meditation alongside a live performance.

Culture

Drag bingo takes center stage for SAC

Daniel Ward | February 11

The University of New Mexico’s Student Union Building kicked off the spring semester with a back to school bingo night on Friday, Jan. 29. Only four students attended, which is the lowest group Uni Nights have had since switching to virtual events. Coincidentally, the Student Activities Center (SAC) hosted a drag bingo night the week before with over 130 students participating. While drag bingo isn’t quite the same as the more traditional event, the two are similar enough to question the scheduling process of events for both departments. Andrea Marquez, the SAC advisor in charge of coordinating events like drag bingo, said the SAC specifically planned its bingo night earlier in the term because students would have to quarantine after coming to the dorms from out of town.

R.A.W. Tuba the Documentary Film by Early Light Media

Culture

UNM tuba professor builds legacy through kindness

Daniel Ward | February 7

Richard White is a man of many accomplishments with a life story full of determination and dedication. Even after becoming the first Black person in the world to achieve a doctorate of music in tuba performance, White said his greatest accomplishment was coming to the University of New Mexico, where he has the ability to make a difference in others’ lives. The journey he took to get where he is today was no smooth path. As a boy, White found himself unhoused on the streets of Baltimore, fending for himself. White had to imagine luxuries like a warm blanket and full stomach just to get through the night until he was eventually taken in by a local family. This may have saved his life, but the tuba is what shaped his legacy.

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

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

SHAC massages help relieve stress on campus

Daniel Ward | September 10

The University of New Mexico’s Student Health and Counseling (SHAC) has reopened its massage services, leaving licensed massage therapist (LMT) Eric Revels to find a way to safely meet with clients while simultaneously helping them release stresses often related to the ongoing pandemic. However, Revels has experienced some anxiety himself taking on new patients amid the continued spread of the coronavirus. “My worry wasn’t about particularly working at SHAC, but particularly with working on new people,” Revels said. “Whether that be in my private practice or (SHAC) and them being safe to follow the precautions.”

Culture

Lobo face masks helping bring campus back to work

Daniel Ward | July 22

After nearly four months into the dawn of COVID-19 safety regulations from Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, many people are beginning to stylize what masks they wear. The University of New Mexico has joined the trend with Lobo face masks available in the bookstore. There are multiple types and designs of Lobo masks that have been created by different vendors for the bookstore. Marketing Divisions Manager Lisa Walden said the demand for masks is high, not only to keep everyone safe, but because people want to show off their love for the Lobo. She said they sometimes sell about 250 masks in a day between individual sales and orders from departments.