Lexis Lovato - The Daily Lobo

Culture

UNM turns 137 years young with ‘build-a-bo’ and cupcakes

Lexis Lovato | March 2

While confetti fell, students celebrated 137 years of the University of New Mexico with cupcakes, free merchandise and a class photo to commemorate the University’s birthday on Friday, Feb. 27. This year, Lobo Day was Route 66 themed with a free T-shirt for students picturing Lobo Louie and Lucy riding through the desert in a lowrider headed for the Sandia Mountains, framed in an interstate route sign. Colorful posters and stickers of the same graphic on the Lobo Day T-shirts were available to take while students waited to take the group photo.

Culture

Heritage of hair: AFRO brings braiding services to campus

Lexis Lovato | February 16

For generations, students have done hair for other students on campus — in dorm rooms, lounges, staff offices or anywhere else they could set up. The University of New Mexico African American Student Services, also known as AFRO, recently unveiled a new addition to their building: a hair shop that will serve as a designated safe space for students to get their hair done by fellow students who perform cosmetic services on campus. The space adds a sense of security for both stylists and clients, said Kaelyn Moon, a Student Success Specialist at AASS.

Culture

Alum-run local business brings international viral treats to Albuquerque

Lexis Lovato | February 9

People who consider themselves chronically online and can’t get the newest trend out of their head — such as Labubus or fruit-shaped ice cream — may find fulfillment from the exotic snack shop, Monaco Market. Monaco Market imports rare ingredients, drinks and prepackaged snacks that aren’t easy to find anywhere else. The store is open Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. University of New Mexico students receive a 10% discount when they present their student ID.

Culture

Native American students envision the future of their communities in artwork

Lexis Lovato | February 2

Native American students demonstrated their outstanding talents through different forms of art work, each detailing what they envision for their community’s future, at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center during its 45th annual student art exhibit, which ended on Sunday, Feb. 1. The event featured art work from Native American students in New Mexico between Kindergarten and 12th grade. The first Native American Student Art Show took place just shortly after the IPCC opened its doors in 1976. This year’s theme was “Planning Our Future Homes,” where students were given prompts to help guide their artwork. The prompts were meant to evoke an idea of what each student hoped to see their community look like within the future.

Culture

Beading workshop honors traditions of Native American Tribes

Lexis Lovato | November 24

On Friday, Nov. 21, The University of New Mexico Language Learning Center held a free beadmaking workshop featuring Native American beading, a longstanding tradition within Native communities across the United States. Adam Greenberg, a member of the Mescalero Apache and Taos Pueblo, and Alicia Clouser, a member of the Navajo tribe, led attendees through creating their own set of beaded earrings, while teaching the history behind the Native tradition. Greenberg said that beading originally traces back to 16th-century China and Europe. He said that it was taught to Native women by Victorian nuns during a time when Native Americans were forcefully evangelized. At this time, beadmaking was seen as a womanly, domesticated hobby that nuns encouraged women to learn, in addition to other hobbies like embroidery.

Culture

‘Festival of Languages’ showcases multilingualism at UNM

Lexis Lovato | November 10

Individuals interested in sharing appreciation and education for multicultural communities and languages were brought together by the The Festival of Languages, which highlighted research, cultural and career presentations centered around language study made by graduate and undergraduate students, faculty and alumni. The event was part of Research and Discovery week — and was held on Friday, Nov. 7 — which is a list of scheduled events that promote the research enterprise of the University of New Mexico and the opportunities available to researchers. Presentations in the event focused on how, and where, multilingualism thrives throughout areas like healthcare, community service and education.

Culture

Scares at the SUB: UNM hosts ghost hunter

Lexis Lovato | November 3

The University of New Mexico raised Halloween spirits by welcoming paranormal investigator Amy Bruni on Tuesday, Oct. 28, to speak with other believers of ghosts about some of her most memorable experiences and stories she has encountered while conducting paranormal investigations. Bruni prefaced the event by clarifying that she will never speak in absolutes about ghosts, nor dictate their existence, because she knows it is virtually impossible to prove the existence of ghosts, she said. Bruni said her thoughts and theories about hauntings change almost all of the time.

Culture

A pictorial display of UNM’s historic moments

Lexis Lovato | October 6

Historians Amber Lane and Portia Vescio walked visitors through a photographic memory lane of some of the most impactful moments in the University of New Mexico’s history, on Sept. 30, as an excerpt from their book, “University of New Mexico.” The book is a collection of photographs capturing some of the University’s greatest accomplishments and historic events. Lane and Vescio’s book was released in August, and was created using UNM’s Center for Southwest Research and Special Collections. It highlights the influence of Pueblo architecture, the diverse communities within UNM and the historical pathways the University paved.

Culture

Silent Lights’ debut at University Stadium

Lexis Lovato | October 6

Partygoers danced at the University of New Mexico’s University Stadium for the 2025 Silent Lights disco, where students wore headphones programmed with an assortment of DJ sets and music channels to tune into throughout the night. For the first time on Thursday, Oct. 2, Silent Lights took place at the University Stadium rather than Smith Plaza, due to the construction site surrounding the ongoing demolition of the Humanities Building. This year, students had a larger, unfenced, area to dance in, with the DJ stage set up near the stadium’s general admission section.

News

UNM Bike Valet aims to reduce theft and promote green commute

Lexis Lovato | September 29

At the start of the fall semester, the University of New Mexico’s Parking and Transportation Services implemented a free bike valet program, encouraging students and staff to make a greener commute to campus, while deterring the frequent amount of bike theft that occurs on campus. There are 128 slots available for UNM staff and students to keep their bike or other mode of transportation safely secured and monitored at the bike valet. The bike valet is located across from the Student Health and Counseling Center, in between the Student Union Building and the northeast corner of Popejoy Hall.