Skylar Griego - The Daily Lobo

Culture

Grad Issue: Answering the call to study music

Skylar Griego | December 11

For the final weeks of the fall 2016, some students are preparing for a month-long break between terms while others are saying goodbye to UNM for the final time. Students from all walks of life will be graduating with a hard-earned degree this December — some even with more than one. Christian Newman, a fine arts student, will be graduating with two master’s degrees after finals week: one in piano performance and one in music composition.

Culture

Five and Why: A writing instructor's favorite books

Skylar Griego | November 16

English teachers are known for their love of all things book-related, particularly those who teach one kind of literature or another. While writing teachers are less associated with the bookworm label than literature teachers are, anyone who is passionate about writing will say reading is the key to becoming a better writer. Erin Lebacqz, a composition instructor in the English department, said reading is important for her as a writer because she likes to see examples of people capturing reality through words.

Gigi Bella holds her First Place prize following her slam poetry performance at the 2016 Lobos Got Talent show on Friday, Nov. 11, 2016 in the SUB Ballroom.

Culture

Students show off their skills during Lobos Got Talent

Skylar Griego | November 13

In an evening full of singing and guitar playing, with occasional dancing and a rapping thrown in, the ninth annual Lobos Got Talent event gave UNM students the opportunity to showcase various styles of musical and spoken word performances on Friday. Gigi Bella, a previous winner in the last two Lobos Got Talent shows, took the $500 first prize with a powerful slam poem about the everyday commentary women must endure with their bodies and choices.

News

Shifting to digital classrooms

Skylar Griego | November 4

With registration for the spring semester beginning on Nov. 14, many students are browsing the UNM course catalog to start piecing together their class schedule. Some may notice a number of courses available online for the first time. Students may also notice that many of the new classes aren’t actually new — they’re online sections of courses already held on campus. The Daily Lobo spoke with experts of UNM Online about the process that goes into the formulation of these classes and the trends surrounding them.

UNM instructor Sean Burke analyzes students’ techniques during a live model drawing class on Wednesday, Oct. 26 in the art building.

Culture

Nude modeling offers unique side job

Skylar Griego | October 26

Not many people can say they get naked for work, but Douglas, a sophomore theater major, said that’s the best part of his job. While nudity is illegal in most establishments, it’s actually essential for Douglas’ job as a nude model in the UNM Art Department. Models at UNM are students hired by the art department to pose — sometimes clothed and sometimes nude — in front of a class full of drawing students. Some may wonder, what kind of person gets into something like nude modeling? The Daily Lobo got to speak with a few of the department’s models, each with a unique perspective regarding this unusual side job. Though their experiences differ, there were a few points about the job each model agreed on: the position pays one of the highest student wages on campus, it has extremely flexible hours, and it is a massive boost for their self-esteem.

Culture

Student runs photo booth to make a few bucks

Skylar Griego | October 16

There are a multitude of reasons for a student to take an extra job on the side, the most obvious being a way to earn supplemental income. In addition to earning money, some students seek out side jobs that allow them to work for themselves. Many students struggle to balance a job with a demanding schedule on top of a time-consuming workload from classes. Having a job that allows students the freedom to make their own hours can be highly beneficial, depending on how busy students are.

Opinion

Column: Review what you know

Skylar Griego | October 10

In the world of journalism, the most important thing every reporter strives for revolves around one word: ethics. No self-respecting journalist has made a career without having a code of ethics drilled into his or her brain (as it should be). But journalism, like any kind of writing, is varied and full of subgenres. Following strict rules can get trickier the more alternative the writing becomes.

Culture

Students take up bartending to make ends meet

Skylar Griego | October 2

Many people would say that being a college student is a full-time job, though there is no paycheck that comes with grades and GPAs. It’s no secret that the majority of college students these days are in debt. Now more than ever students are struggling to pay not only their tuition, course fees and supplies, but also their everyday living expenses such as food, transportation and housing.

Jennifer Thompson speaks about wrong ful convictions in the crim

Culture

Activist shares her experience with wrongful convictions

Skylar Griego | September 26

It is possible to murder a woman without killing her — all you have to do is break her. Jennifer Thompson’s voice quavered slightly during her speech at the UNM School of Law on Thursday evening, as she described the night she lost herself. At 3 a.m. on July 29, 1984, Thompson died while she was raped in her own bed. While not clinically dead, she said she had died on the inside.

Author Melvin Yazawa explains aspects of his book, "Contested Conventions," on Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2016 at the UNM Bookstore. Yazawa, while also being an author, is a professor at UNM's History Department.

Culture

Q & A: UNM history professor and author Melvin Yazawa

Skylar Griego | September 22

What were the founding fathers actually thinking when they made the Constitution? That question, among others, is what UNM history professor emeritus Melvin Yazawa seeks to answer in his latest book, “Contested Conventions: The Struggle to Establish the Constitution and Save the Union, 1787-1789.” The Daily Lobo spoke with Yazawa to find out more about what inspired “Contested Conventions.”