Feb. 17, 2009 by Justin Bannister NMSU News Center

Peyton Yates will serve as New Mexico State University’s first “Executive in Residence,” a position for those who are successful in the business world to help and mentor NMSU business students. (Courtesy photo)

New Mexico State University and the Yates family of Artesia have long partnered on various projects to advance education in New Mexico. Now, as a continuation of that partnership, the NMSU College of Business has named Peyton Yates as its first “Executive in Residence,” a position for those who are successful in the business world to help and mentor NMSU business students.

“We are delighted to welcome Peyton Yates as executive in residence and to gain the support of a professional with his experience,” said NMSU Interim President Waded Cruzado. “This program allows New Mexico State to strengthen our relationship with our community. We are fortunate to have friends of the professional caliber of Peyton Yates who want to support us in meaningful ways and get involved with NMSU.”

Yates is a former president of Yates Petroleum Corporation, an Artesia-based energy firm and the largest independent oil and gas company in New Mexico. He currently serves on the company’s board of directors. He is also president of Yates Drilling Company, an oil and gas operator in Artesia.

In addition to the Executive in Residence program, the Yates family has played a vital role in NMSU’s Dennis Darnall faculty achievement award, the Gerald Thomas Society, the President’s Associates Scholarship and Endowment Fund and various NMSU athletic programs.

In 2001, John A. Yates Sr. received an honorary doctorate from NMSU. John and Charlotte Yates established a student teaching endowment at the university. John Yates Jr. and his wife, Nancy, are both graduates of NMSU and indirectly sponsor local students to attend NMSU. Frank and Mary Yates established an endowed scholarship in the NMSU School of Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management. In 2008, the Yates family donated $500,000 to NMSU’s Domenici Institute.

“Our family’s relationship with NMSU is incredibly strong,” Peyton Yates said. “We’ve had a number of family members attend NMSU. More importantly, we’ve had tremendous success with a lot of NMSU graduates. They’ve risen to some of the highest ranks of our company. We believe we get quality graduates from NMSU.”

More than 25 Yates Petroleum employees are NMSU graduates, and many of those graduates now have children attending NMSU.

“We are proud to work with an entrepreneur as accomplished as Peyton Yates in the College of Business. His wealth of knowledge in business and energy, paired with years of personal, real-world experiences make him the ideal person to help teach our future business leaders,” said Garrey Carruthers, NMSU’s business dean and vice president for economic development.

Yates will begin his duties as executive in residence during the current spring semester. In addition to mentoring and helping students with business projects, Yates will lend his expertise to NMSU’s Domenici Institute and other programs where his knowledge of business and energy is valuable. Yates also plans to ask his friends in the business and energy fields for their assistance in working with students and solving problems.

Yates earned a bachelor’s degree in petroleum engineering in 1965 and his master’s degree in 1966 from the University of Texas at Austin.

March 5, 2009 by Andi Murphy NMSU Round Up

Minding your manners: The etiquette of formal dining (Media Credit: Andi Murphy)

It takes etiquette, grace, politeness and above all, manners, to impress future employers or high-end business executives at the dinner table – not to mention future in-laws.”Mind Your Manners: The Fine Art of Dining Etiquette” is a dinner cooked up to teach students proper dining and socializing skills in a fine-dining situation.

“Good manners will travel with you anywhere in the world,” said presenter and director of the School of Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management, Janet Green.

Aramark food company, Career Services and the School of Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management are sponsoring the dinner and looking for students to RSVP by April 1 by paying $15 to the latter. The dinner will be on April 8 from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at the University Club in the Stan Fulton Athletics Center.

“This exercise is introducing students to social dining,” said Steven Salway, director of Career Services. “This is a very popular event.”

It’s important for students to have manners because employers often schedule dinner and lunch meetings where they will watch prominent employees for any “squirm-age” in that situation, Salway said. Employers don’t want a rude pig working for them, so it’s best to keep elbows off the table.

On April 8, Green will teach students how to handle themselves in social-dining situations. She will discuss everything from how to use the little spoon, where to put the napkin, what non-edibles are and what to do with them, to appropriate conversation.

The dinner will be prepared by Aramark. For starters, students will have a tomato and mozzarella salad and an Italian wedding soup. The main course is a shrimp, vegetable and beef kabob on a bed of rice and a green bean hay stack to compliment. To wash it down is tea, water and grape juice as a wine tutorial. Dessert is a sampler of various sweets.

Since seats are first-come-first-serve, students are encouraged to pay the $15 right away, said Green. Half of the 130 seats available are already filled. If students don’t take up all seats, remaining tickets will be advertised to the public.

Any student from any major can buy a seat for the dinner, said Roseanne Bensley, associate director of Career Services. It’s for improving manners, something mothers stress to children all the time.

The dinners have had a sold-out crowd since the first one was held in 2005, Bensley said. What began as a lecture and presentation, turned into a real dinner for all students to enjoy.

Good manners are a good way to show respect, especially to older people who deserve respect, said Yael Kuchinsky, a Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management major.

“Most people don’t teach it anymore,” said Rylee Hahn, another hotel, restaurant and tourism management major. “It’s proper.”

April 27, 2009 by Jenna Candelaria Round Up

Cook-off. (Media Credit: Krista Avila)

An NMSU dean took home first place at the first annual College Cook-Off Challenge held by the school of hotel, restaurant and tourism management (HRTM) Friday at NMSU. Dean Garrey Carruthers and Chef John Hartley had the most original gourmet burger while Interim President Waded Cruzado and Elizabeth Albin took an honorable mention for their burger creation.

“All of the burgers were incredible,” coordinator Jolie Tixier said.

Armed with only salt, pepper, garlic salt and onion powder for seasonings and working with only a small mixing bowl, wax paper, bar towels, a grill, gloves, knives, plates and a cutting board, the seven teams of NMSU administrators and HRTM culinary faculty had 40 minutes to make four burgers. The teams were also allowed to have three special ingredients, such as other spices or seasonings.

The event was open to the public for $10 tickets that included a burger, a beverage and music.

“Each semester the HRTM 443 Meetings, Conventions and Special Events class has to develop and implement a class-lead event,” Tixier said. “Over the last few years, this class has done some type of dinner and this year we decided to do something different.”

The judges were NMSU supporters Jerry and Cyrille Kane, Scott Breckner from NMSU Special Events, Lemongrass Restaurant owner Kimberly Ming, NMSU Police Chief Jaime Chavez and NMSU supporter Barbara Hubbard.

According to the cook-off challenge rulebook, the judges critique the contestants on abiding by all cook-off rules, presentation, creativity and taste.

Students were also instrumental in the organization crisis, Tixier said.

“[The students] have really done a great job in getting everything done,” Tixier said.

“We figured with the event being so close to the end of the semester that we should do something fun and include other colleges in our event,” Tixier said. “The cook-off just seemed like a good way to do just that.”

Teams for the cook-off were as follows:

• Dean Lowell Catlett with Dr. Greg Blanch
• Carruthers with Hartley
• Interim Dean Robert Rhodes with Chef Chris Beardsley
• Mechanical Engingeering Department Head Tom Burton with Margaret Doherty
• Cruzado with Albin
• Interim Dean Mike Morehead with Chef Maurice Zeck
• Dean Pamela Jansma with Dr. Keith Mandabach

April 27, 2009 by Justin Bannister NMSU News Center

Chef John Hartley, an assistant professor in HRTM, and teammate Garrey Carruthers, dean of the College of Business, hold their certificates and trophies for Best Overall Burger -- "The Loco Moco" in the College Cook-Off Challenge.

It had all the elements of a successful Food Network cable television show: an emcee, a live audience, tasty ingredients and teams ready to compete for the title of number one. But this wasn’t “Food Challenge” or even “Iron Chef America,” it was NMSU’s College Cook-Off Challenge.

The competition was hosted by the School of Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management Friday, April 24, at the Wooton Hall Courtyard. NMSU Interim President Waded Cruzado and a dean or a representative from each college were paired with NMSU culinary faculty members to make seven competing teams, each making their own original gourmet burgers.

The winner for Best Overall Burger was “The Loco Moco,” made by Chef John Hartley, an assistant professor in HRTM, and Business Dean Garrey Carruthers. “La Jefa,” made by Elizabeth Albin, an assistant professor in HRTM, and Interim President Cruzado received honorable mention.

Students in HRTM’s meeting and event planning class planned and executed the event as their semester project. The idea came from a former student, Veronica Cordova, who graduated last spring. She thought it would be fun to see NMSU culinary faculty members in situations similar to ones on some of her favorite food-related shows such as “Chopped” and “Hell’s Kitchen.”

“This event not only teaches the students about organization, but it also helps them to follow event timelines from the beginning stages of planning an event until the end,” said Jolie Tixier, who teaches the events planning class. “The event also prepares students who wish to pursue event planning as a career because it teaches them communication skills and the importance of working with many individuals to make an event happen.”

Students were responsible for all aspects of the project, from designing tickets and t-shirts to obtaining the grills used for the event. Students also sold tickets and promoted the event.

“Hospitality is always unpredictable. You have to be able to handle stressful situations,” said Jessika Romero, an HRTM student who helped set up the event. She said the project gave her experience working with others – something she enjoys.

College Cook-Off Challenge teams and burgers:

The Flat Belly Burger
Lowell Catlett
Greg Blanch

The Loco Moco
Garrey Carruthers
John Hartley

THE Burger
Robert Rhodes
Chris Beardsley

The Chupacabra
Tom Burton
Margaret Doherty

La Jefa
Waded Cruzado
Elizabeth Albin

El Norteño
Michael Morehead
Maurice Zeck

Over the Top
Pam Jansma
Keith Mandabach

May 8, 2009 by Mario A. Montes NMSU News Center

This is a partial view of the PineTree Corporate Center at 4501 Indian School Road NE in Albuquerque. New Mexico State University’s Board of Regents on Friday, May 8, approved the 40,447-square-foot lease proposal, which may allow NMSU programs and operations in Albuquerque to move to the new site in July. The lease proposal also must be approved by the New Mexico Higher Education Department, which will be reviewed on June 12.

The New Mexico State University Board of Regents today approved plans and the cost of leasing new offices and classroom space in Albuquerque, which will allow NMSU to expand its footprint in the region, offering programs that are not in competition with the University of New Mexico.

At a time when there was a need for more classroom space for NMSU’s successful academic programs in Albuquerque, the PineTree Corporate Center, a 40,447-square-foot complex, became available. NMSU has academic programs in Albuquerque in social work at the master’s level, criminal justice, and hotel, restaurant and tourism management (HRTM). Also in Albuquerque are some of NMSU’s Cooperative Extension Service programs, the Waste Management Education and Research Consortium (WERC), which runs its pollution prevention and energy efficiency technical assistance program from Albuquerque, and alumni and communications offices.

The property, at 4501 Indian School Rd. NE, is owned by Tomorrow 33 Pinetree Center LP, a Delaware limited partnership, and is brokered by Argus Investment Realty, Inc. The Regents’ acceptance of the 10-year lease proposal also has to be approved by the New Mexico Higher Education Department, which it will review on June 12.

“This is just a perfect location and the perfect type of space for us,” said Ben Woods, senior vice president for planning, physical resources and university relations. Woods said they approached Argus and offered to lease the entire 40,447 square feet.

“By acting quickly we were able to get great space, at a great rate that allows us to do what we believe we owe the citizens of the region, and the courses we offer are not in competition with the University of New Mexico,” Woods said. “It just allows us to meet the natural growth that’s occurred because of our presence there for the past five years.”

The three-story complex offers several classrooms, office space, conference rooms and a cafe, said Frederick Ayers, director of real estate at NMSU. The PineTree Corporate Center is visible from I-40.

“Officially, the lease starts on July 1, and we could start moving some people on July 1,” Ayers said. He said if things go as planned, there is a possibility that classes could be opened in the fall at the new complex.

NMSU is currently leasing space in the Compass Bank Building on Louisiana Boulevard in Albuquerque. Some of these leases are up for renewal at the end of June and others in November, Ayers said.

October 30, 2009. Retrieved online November 2, 2009 from Brook Stockberger, Las Cruces Sun-News

LAS CRUCES — Janet Green has a message to anyone who wants to open a restaurant: Remember that cooking food is just one of many important aspects you’ll have to master.

Green, 50, is the director of New Mexico State University’s School of Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management.

“In some ways, it’s everybody’s dream to own their own little restaurant or their own bar or some type of business and they want to make people happy and serve food,” she said. “But (you need to) have the management training to be able to manage the front of the house and the back of the house, and find capital to open a business and know how to market it and identify the locations and labor laws and other things to go along with that dream.”

That is why, although food preparation is an important part of the curriculum for students, Green said that a degree in hotel, restaurant and tourism management is “really a business-based degree.”

“We don’t train people to be chefs here,” she said. “But we give them the competency in food and beverage management so when they are a hotel manager or a restaurant manager, they (can) know what their chefs should be doing.”

Read the article.

October 30, 2009. Retrieved online November 2, 2009 from Brook Stockberger, Las Cruces Sun-News

LAS CRUCES — The recession may be over, but people still must deal with the aftershocks, most notably rising unemployment. That reality was reflected last week in the news that the Consumer Confidence Index was had fallen in October.

The business world is worried about whether consumers will open up their wallets and pocket books. Those concerns and other issues will be up for discussion this week as statewide leadership in the restaurant, lodging and tourism industries visit the Mesilla Valley for a series of meetings and other functions.

The New Mexico Restaurant Association will hold its Fall Retreat in Las Cruces and Mesilla on Wednesday and Thursday; the New Mexico Lodging Association will hold its quarterly board of directors/general membership meeting at Hotel Encanto de Las Cruces on Thursday; the board of advisors for New Mexico State University’s school of hotel, restaurant and tourism management will meet on Friday.

Business climate

In the Las Cruces area, some restaurant owners report that they think the last part of the year will be better than in 2008.

“This last week has been pretty good,” said Vince Vaccaro, owner of three Lorenzo’s Italian restaurants in Las Cruces.

He said there was a drop in business several weeks ago, but that has corrected itself.

…Since the NMRA and HRTM leadership will all be in town this week, the lodging association has invited those organizations to participate in a meal the group has planned at NMSU.

In fact, the dinner will be prepared by students in the HRTM program.

“What a great opportunity for our students to have exposure to hospitality leadership in our state,” said Janet Green, director of the School of Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management.

Read the article.

December 8, 2009 by Margaret Kovar @NMSU the online newsletter for NMSU staff and faculty.

Kelley Coffeen, owner of the Mesilla Valley Kitchen restaurant in Las Cruces, is one of three new members of the School of Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management Board of Advisors.

A passion for food and entrepreneurship. Wanting to give back to the university. Seeing the School of Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management grow. All of these are reasons three new members have joined the HRTM Board of Advisors.Kelley Coffeen of Las Cruces and Antonia Roybal-Mack and Steve Paternoster, both of Albuquerque, joined the board during fall semester 2009. They will join the 22 other members of the advisory board to help provide insight and mentorship to students in the HRTM program.

“It’s these leaders who provide our students with insight on current industry trends. They also provide internships, serve as mentors and help the school raise money for scholarships,” said Janet Green, director of the school of HRTM.

NMSU alumna Antonia Roybal-Mack is one of three new members of the School of Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management Board of Advisors.

The board is a broad representation of the hospitality and tourism industry, including restaurant management, hotel management and tourism industry representation from both the public and private sector. Members are from New Mexico as well as Arizona, Colorado and Nevada.

Coffeen received her master’s degree in the family and consumer sciences department at NMSU. Besides owning a Las Cruces restaurant, Coffeen has worked in advertising and real estate and has written several cookbooks.

“I would like to help the HRTM program grow, along with offering internships at Mesilla Valley Kitchen for students in the program. I believe that under Janet Green’s leadership the HRTM department will become one of the top programs in the country,” Coffeen said.

Steve Paternoster, owner of Scalo Northern Italian Grill in Albuquerque, is one of three new members of the School of Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management Board of Advisors.

Roybal-Mack has maintained an interest in the NMSU HRTM program since receiving her degree there in 2003. She then attended law school at the University of New Mexico and has been practicing law in Albuquerque with the firm of Melendres, Melendres and Harrigan P.C., in the areas of hospitality law, employment law and general litigation.

“I think it’s important for alumni to return to the university and give something back. The HRTM department has done tremendous things since I left and it is exciting to be part of an organization that is only going to get better,” she said.

Roybal-Mack added that she cherishes the time she spent at NMSU and would like to be able to see other students enjoy their time there.

Paternoster is the owner of Scalo Northern Italian Grill in Albuquerque. He has participated in many aspects of the food industry, including owning, developing and managing restaurants and food product companies.

“I sought to become a member of the NMSU HRTM school to contribute my expertise to emerging talent from the school in the arena in which I make a living,” Paternoster said. “It is an honor, and I am terribly flattered to be a part of the advisory board.”

KRWG-TV News22

NEWS22NMSU — December 09, 2009 — News22′s Adrian Reyna finds out how some NMSU students and faculty are learning to mind their manners at a recent dining etiquette course. The seminar was put on by the HRTM department of NMSU.

December 15, 2009 by College of Business online newsletter for alumni

Distinguished Alumni & James F. Cole Memorial Award for Service: Brenda Joy Baca Alvarez and Shari Jones

These NMSU Alumni Association awards are presented annually during Homecoming week. Brenda Alvarez was raised in Santa Fe, New Mexico. After graduating from high school, prompted by her parents, she moved to Las Cruces to attend New Mexico State University. In 1981, Brenda earned a Bachelor’s in Business Administration with a major in managerial accounting from the College of Business at New Mexico State University. Read more…

NMSU Alumni Association honors Fall 2009 Outstanding Graduates

For their outstanding academic performance, leadership, scholarship and participation in university and community activities, the New Mexico State University Alumni Association will honor the Outstanding Seniors for Fall 2009. An outstanding senior was chosen from each of NMSU’s academic colleges, as well as an international student and one graduate student. Read more…

NMSU’s Arrowhead Center awarded stimulus money to study green jobs in New Mexico

Exactly how many green jobs are in New Mexico? That’s what New Mexico State University’s Arrowhead Center is going to figure out. The effort is part of an 18-month project for the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions and funded by $1.25 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Read more…

Recruitment Videos Created by Students for Students

Dr. Michelle Jasso’s MKTG 489 class created 30 recruitment videos highlighting courses in the College of Business, as well as other fun-themed videos of the college and student life at NMSU. Check out the creative ways our students used this experiential learning class to direct and produce serious, informative, and some seriously funny videos. They’re on our YouTube channel at http://www.youtube.com/user/nmsubusinesscollege in the “Learn with us” playlist.

Celina Talamantes Retires December 23, 2009

On December 3, 2009, the College of Business held a retirement ceremony for Celina. Her last work day is December 23rd. Celina describes her life and NMSU experience “In Her Own Words.” Read more…

ConocoPhillips makes charitable contributions to colleges of Business and Engineering

ConocoPhillips recently made a combined donation of $22,500 to the New Mexico State University Colleges of Business and Engineering. “As we look to our recruiting efforts at NMSU, we have consistently hired students from NMSU’s Colleges of Business and Engineering,” said Maria Schick, a ConocoPhillips recruiter and director of commercial development and planning. Read more…

Our Alumni Give Back: Local business sells shirts, embroidery to feed children in Africa

Two New Mexico State University graduates set up a local company with the goal of giving back, and have donated more than 23,000 meals to orphan children since opening. Jose Rodriguez and Aron Jones co-founded ROJO, which derives from a combination of their last names. ROJO is an online company based in Las Cruces and sells apparel and embroidery. Read more…

Jon Willis: Rededicating the Bernice & Hank Willis Study Lounge

For those who were fortunate to hear him in person, and those would have liked to, you can read the text of Jon’s remarks at the Rededication of the Bernice & Hank Willis Study Lounge, on Oct. 23, 2009. Read more…

Ask the Dean

Do you have a question for Dean Carruthers? Email him at cobdean@nmsu.edu.

Forbes ranks NMSU 25th among the top 100 public colleges
A look back at enrollment

Please visit the following websites for more news and alumni information:

• College of Business News: Subscribe to our news.
• Twitter: Follow the College of Business on Twitter for news and announcements.
• Facebook: Join Dean Carruthers and our alumni and catch up with friends:
  • Garrey Carruthers: http://tinyurl.com/y8kysoe
• College of Business Alumni
• NMSU News & Events
• NMSU Alumni & Friends
• NMSU Foundation
• Visitor Information

NMSU College of Business Today is published quarterly. If you received this newsletter through email and would like to unsubscribe, please reply to the email with “Unsubscribe” in the subject line.

NMSU College of Business Today Archive.

December 18, 2009. Retrieved online: December 18, 2009 from Ashley Meeks, Las Cruces Sun-News

LAS CRUCES — Commencement speakers typically encourage graduates not to pack away their quest for knowledge with their exuberantly decorated caps.

This year, in a job market described variously in American headlines as bleak, dire, tough, tepid and challenging, some New Mexico State University students admitted Saturday that continuing education might be their only option.

“I’m applying for federal jobs, but in the meantime, I’m going to attend grad school,” said criminal justice graduate Jessica Bokor, 22.

Joey Houck, 22, who earned a degree in agricultural business, had a similar story.

“I haven’t really figured out what I want to do,” she said Saturday.

Nor had Laura Van Buskirk, 24, who earned a bachelor’s in community health, found a job to head to.

“I’m still searching,” said Van Buskirk, who said she also planned to apply for graduate school, or go “wherever a job or school takes me.”

Still, undaunted and excited, they were among the around 950 students who took part in NMSU’s fall 2009 commencement ceremony Saturday, out of 1,839 students who are candidates for degrees this semester, including almost 400 from NMSU’s community colleges.

Outgoing Interim President Manuel Pacheco wished success to the graduates of the seven colleges and graduate school, who join an alumni pool of 127,875 residents of all 50 states and 180 countries.

“Each of you is a distinguished graduate,” Pacheco said.

“A willingness to adapt when times are tough, to move forward when others are set on the status quo, will be the key to your success,” Board of Regents Chairman Blake Curtis told the graduates, adding, “be open to change.”

They’ll have to be, said honorary degree recipient José Eduardo Calzada Rovirosa.

“You are the people our world requires,” said Calzada Rovirosa. “You are no longer just spectators.”

Calzada Rovirosa, who earned his master’s at NMSU and was elected governor of Querétaro, Mexico, in October, said jobs were one of his top three priorities in that role.

“It is just people like you and me, with strengths and weaknesses, priorities and limitations, that have made the world what it is today,” he said.

Outstanding Graduates

Read the article.

April 2, 2010. Retrieved online: April 2, 2010, from Christine Rogel, Las Cruces Sun-News

LAS CRUCES — With graduation quickly approaching, New Mexico State University senior Dustin Hoffman is optimistic about future job opportunities, recession aside.

“I couldn’t be more excited,” said Hoffman, who is graduating with a bachelor’s degree from NMSU’s School of Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management. “Restaurants are always going to be around, people will always want to go out to eat.”

Hoffman will join 1,400 others expected to participate in the spring commencement ceremony on May 8 at New Mexico State University’s Pan American Center. To accommodate the large number of students, there is a morning ceremony at 10 a.m. and an afternoon ceremony at 2 p.m. More than 2,000 students applied to graduate this spring and an additional 738 students are candidates for degrees at NMSU’s community colleges.

With nearly 8.2 million jobs lost since the start of the recession in 2007, Jim Peach, an economics professor at NMSU, encourages students to remain hopefully and to be flexible.

“If students absolutely insist on a job in one particular city, they may have a hard time,” Peach said. “But there are companies that are hiring and there are lots of opportunities out there.”

Peach said some professions, such as health services, retail trade, the hotel and tourism industry and temporary employment have recently added jobs. Areas experiencing less job growth are residential construction and manufacturing.

Hoffman is willing to move to another state and is working on lining up a job in Austin, Texas.

“I’m willing to take whatever position opens up and I don’t expect to graduate and start out right at the top; in fact, I wouldn’t want to,” he said.

Read the Las Cruces Sun-News article.

May 9, 2012 by Melisa P. Danho,, NMSU News Center

An international author, a soils analyst and “Novembrew” participant are among the Doña Ana County residents and New Mexico State University graduates that have been selected as outstanding seniors and outstanding graduates. The graduates are honored for their academic achievements, leadership qualities and community involvement.

Janae Golden is the outstanding senior for the College of Business. Golden is a marketing major from Las Cruces who has served as president of Zeta Tau Alpha Women’s Fraternity, director for community outreach for the Associated Students of NMSU and has helped organize fund raising activities for the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital since 2009. Golden has a 4.0 grade point average and was the vice president of the finance club in 2010. She has worked as a camp counselor and is currently a marketing affiliate for STAT, LLC in Las Cruces.

Amauri Gutierrez is the outstanding master’s degree student who will graduate with a Master of Arts in Spanish with a grade point average of 4.0. Gutierrez is from Cuba and was recruited to NMSU from the University of Havana where he was teaching classes in Hispanic literature. Gutierrez published eight books and 15 journal articles and his research has appeared in book or article format in Cuba, Mexico, Spain and the U.S. Gutierrez is involved in the Spanish Department’s mentoring program at NMSU and has helped faculty supervise graduate assistants in teaching intermediate level Spanish. He is currently working under a grant from the Southwest and Border Cultures Institute to review and research approximately 2,700 books recently acquired by the NMSU Library.

Luer Jin is the outstanding senior from International and Border Programs. Jin is a hotel, restaurant and tourism management major with a 3.93 grade point average who lives in Las Cruces but hails from the Sichuan province in China. Jin is a member of the National Society of Minorities in Hospitality, studied abroad in Japan and also worked with “Novembrew,” the Las Cruces beer festival. She has done volunteer work for the China Badminton Masters, World Men’s League of Volleyball and with Carlsbad Caverns National Park.

Elena Sevostianova is the outstanding doctoral student from Russia who is a Ph.D. candidate in Plant and Environmental Sciences with a grade point average of 3.8. Sevostianova’s research focuses on the adaptation of grasses to salinity and stress. She currently lives in Las Cruces and has worked with NMSU faculty to monitor soil moisture and salinity using special sensors. She has written seven peer-reviewed journal articles and presented papers at more than 12 conferences. Sevostianova won an award from the American Society of Agronomy Industry for best poster presentation in 2008.

Adam Trejo is the outstanding graduate from the College of Arts and Sciences. Trejo is a government major from Anthony, N.M., with a grade point average of 4.0. He served as an international student ambassador in 2008 traveling to England, Italy and France. In 2010, Trejo worked as an intern for Sen. Tom Udall where he interacted with constituents, wrote speeches with state representatives and helped arrange a conference for the senator. He served as co-president for the photojournalism club in 2012 and helped produce a magazine and website called “Cultura Firme” that addresses issues of racial discrimination and cultural diversity. He continues to do freelance photography work.

Alex Turnello is the outstanding senior for the College of Extended Learning who is earning a bachelor degree in individualized studies. Turnello is from Santa Teresa and has a grade point average of 3.8. He is a founding member of the first annual “Novembrew Festival” in Las Cruces and served as a member of the Student Technology Advisory Committee and the Online Course Improvement Program at NMSU. He also served as an intern for Texas Congressman Silvestre Reyes where he attended committee briefings on Reyes’ behalf and addressed constituents through written and oral communications. Turnello was involved in student government and community service and attended special events like the Border Health Conference in Washington, D.C., and the Conference of Student Government Associations in College Station, Texas.

Charles Wemple is the outstanding graduate for the College of Health and Social Services. Wemple is a nursing major from Las Cruces with a grade point average of 4.0. Wemple is interested in psychiatric/mental health nursing and developed a research proposal for a study in Karjat India. While in India, Wemple assisted nursing and social work staff at the Shraddha Rehabilitation Center which helps support homeless people with schizophrenia. He has also done volunteer work with R&R House in Las Cruces, San Cristobal Ranch Academy in San Cristobal, N.M., and SOMOS Youth Writers’ Mentorship program in Taos, N.M.

The NMSU Alumni Association will hold a luncheon for Outstanding Seniors and Graduate students May 11 at Corbett Student Union. For more information regarding the Alumni Association or outstanding seniors and graduates contact Eva Hernandez at 575-646-7551 or evah@nmsu.edu.

September 12, 2012 by Jay Rodman, NMSU News Center

The students in the program developed a blog about their experiences, which can be seen at http://fromcatie.blogspot.com

NMSU students Denisha Gahie (second from left) and Jared Dial (second from right) spent three weeks in Costa Rica last summer taking part in the first summer Sustainability Seminar Series held at CATIE, the Center for Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education, near Turrialba. (Photo courtesy of Jared Dial)

Costa Rica is a Central American country with beautiful ocean beaches and lush rain forests, known for its biodiversity as well as its long tradition of political stability. It takes sustainability very seriously, and not merely to protect the natural beauty. The country is homing in on its goal of meeting 100 percent of its energy needs from renewable sources.

Costa Rica is understandably a prime destination for eco-tourists, and has much to teach about developing a sustainable tourism industry.

Two New Mexico State University students had the opportunity last summer to spend three weeks in Costa Rica participating in the first summer Sustainability Seminar Series offered by CATIE, the Center for Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education near Turrialba.

The topic of this year’s seminar was sustainable tourism.

Jared Dial and Denisha Gahie were in Costa Rica July 10-Aug. 2 for the program, which covered the basics of sustainability, globalization, environmental policy, population trends, food webs, energy systems and green business models.

Dial finished an NMSU undergraduate degree in hotel, tourism and restaurant management in 2010 and went on to an environmental tourism internship in Washington state. He is currently back at NMSU, taking prerequisites for graduate school in anthropology and working in NMSU’s Office of Sustainability.

“Costa Rica is a world leader in sustainability and in sustainable tourism development,” he said. He felt the opportunity to spend time there gaining an international perspective on those topics was a perfect next step for him.

In addition to the academic work, Dial said the highlights of the program were weekend field trips.

Gahie is working on undergraduate degrees in criminal justice and communication studies. While sustainable tourism is not a component of either major, it is a personal interest of hers. She said she earned communication studies credit for the seminar.

Much of the material was new to her, but she said the instructor was great about explaining the concepts and getting the students prepared to make the most of their excursions.

“Costa Rica was really our textbook,” she said. “The program was set up so that much of the learning came from direct experience.”

The students visited a sustainable dairy and cheese operation, worked with a non-governmental organization at a sea turtle egg preserve, and got an inside look at a “five-leaf” hotel that combines upscale accommodations with a rigorous sustainability campaign.

Gahie said that one of the requirements of the class was for the group to develop a strategy for enhancing the viability of eco-tourist destinations like the ones they visited. They needed to consider the target audience, what area attractions to feature, other marketing aspects and logistics, among other things.

NMSU has a long history of working with CATIE, dating back to the days when Gerald Thomas was president of the institution.

The relationship got a boost in January when an NMSU delegation led by Executive Vice President and Provost Wendy K. Wilkins visited the campus.

“We would like for NMSU to be CATIE’s premier partner in the United States,” Wilkins said after signing a collaboration agreement between the two institutions. “Our missions are very closely aligned, especially in connection to agricultural extension and research. This now extends to work on sustainability, energy and the environment.”

Daren Bloomquist, college assistant professor in NMSU’s School of Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management, is a sustainable tourism expert. He coordinated NMSU’s participation in the seminar and was able to join the students for part of the program.

“Our students came away from their three weeks in Costa Rica with knowledge and experience that will not only improve their personal lives, but will also allow them to encourage the adoption of sustainability principles in their workplaces and their communities,” Bloomquist said.

Dial has a few words of advice for future participants in CATIE’s Sustainability Seminar Series: “Go with a fully open mind, eliminate stereotypes, and embrace the local culture.”

October 8, 2012 by Audry Olmsted, NMSU News Center

Students take a break from their classes at Italy’s Florence University of the Arts to relax at a café. The College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences’ School of Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management offers a program to give students the opportunity to immerse themselves in another culture by spending time in Italy over the summer learning history, culture and culinary arts. (Courtesy photo)

Over the summer, classes at the Florence University of the Arts in Italy, started at noon. Jenna Campos, a student at New Mexico State University, said on most days, she and her flat mates would begin the 15-minute walk from their apartment to the school around 11:30 a.m.

Every day, she would walk passed the Duomo. On most days, she and her friends would stop for some pastries and cappuccino at a nearby café before continuing on to the school for a full day of lessons in Italian history, culture and cooking with fresh, local foods.

“Florence is such a small city and it has large buildings,” said Campos. You would think that you would feel claustrophobic, but when you walk around and see the buildings, you are overtaken by the beauty of it, and it feels like you’re floating; it doesn’t seem real.”

Campos spent three weeks this summer in Italy as part of a program in the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences’ School of Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management to give students the opportunity to immerse themselves in another culture.

“The goal of this program is to provide HRTM students an international educational experience,” said Greg Blanch, an HRTM associate professor who organizes the trip every summer and also travels to Italy with the students to teach.

“After they graduate, students find themselves increasingly in work world situations where they are interacting with people from all over the world, both people who are supervising them and those they will eventually supervise. Whatever we can do to help students broaden their educational experience, we find to be beneficial.”

The program originated three years ago with a partnership with the University of New Mexico. UNM eventually dropped out, but NMSU chose to continue pursuing the goal of sending students to Italy.

The first group to travel to Italy consisted of 28 students, including Kyle McCracken, a graduate student in communications who was an undergraduate in HRTM at the time.

“Our days consisted of classes between Monday through Thursday at the Pantheon Institute, which I thought was absolutely amazing,” said McCracken. “You’re sitting at your desk learning hospitality, and you look out your window and there sits the Pantheon in full view. I thought it was an amazing experience.”

McCracken said that along with attending daily classes at the institute, students were given tasks to perform outside of class, such as visiting a historical location or viewing a local food market.

“Everything is completely different from the U.S., from the everyday activity down to the most complex task,” he said. “People wear different clothes. They act differently. I think that is probably one of the biggest things I learned while I was over there. It’s just an eye-opening experience.”

McCracken said he was drawn to participate in the program after Blanch discussed the trip in one of his classes. McCracken, a former math major, saw it as an opportunity to make up some credit hours he lost when he transferred to HRTM.

Students earn nine credit hours for attending the summer course. They hold fundraising events throughout the year to help offset the costs associated with the trip.

David Herring, who was part of the most recent 12-member group to travel to Italy, along with Campos, said their days were not just filled with learning the history of Italian foods and tasting wines. There were also occasions for planned outings as well as more spontaneous trips on their own.

Herring said some of the highlights from his time abroad include seeing the statue David, visiting area wineries and also traveling through the Tuscan countryside.

“This is a really good world experience to see other places and experience other cultures,” Herring said. “I might go back. That is definitely a possibility.”

One student who has definite plans to return after she graduates from NMSU is Campos, who fell in love with the cooking school and hopes to do graduate studies there learning Italian pastries.

Campos said what she has taken away from her journey to Italy is the vast difference in the types and quality of foods there.

“We tried a lot of things that I would never have thought eating together, like cheese with honey drizzled on it,” she said. “Italian cheese has an intense flavor and honey calms it down and makes the cheese more enjoyable.”

All the food is organic, Campos said, and grown locally and in season. Rather than use pesticides or other chemicals to deter pests, farmers in Italy plant rosebushes at each end of a line of produce, such as grapes at a winery. If the roses died, farmers knew they had pests to deal with. She said she and her roommates would buy fresh produce on a daily basis.

Campos, McCracken and Herring all said another adjustment they had to make in Italy is a practice known as the slow food movement. Whereas people in the U.S. are used to fast food and drive-through meals, it is not uncommon for Italians to take two to four hours to eat dinner with family and friends.

“They take the time to sit down and eat,” Campos said. “They don’t take food to go. They want you to sit down and enjoy your food. It’s a bonding experience. That’s part of the reason a lot of us got very close during that time because we all ate together.”

The students said studying abroad has helped open their eyes to the world around them and given them an edge as they continue to pursue culinary careers.

“I think studying abroad would help anybody,” McCracken said. “The economy is becoming so much more globalized. This program really opens your mind and makes you less narrow minded to the way the world works.”

November 12, 2012 by Jay Rodman, NMSU News Center

As part of a collaborative arrangement among departments and student organizations in the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences, New Mexico State University students are growing produce and supplying it to a campus restaurant, the 100 West Café.

At the cafe, students in several School of Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management classes prepare the vegetables for incorporation into the menu.

The trimmings and table scraps are then picked up by members of the Environmental Science Student Organization for processing at their new composting facility.

The mature compost will eventually be plowed back into the soil of the vegetable garden to supply nutrients to next year’s crops.

The project combines several university priorities, including the encouragement of hands-on learning experiences for students and the desire for an increasingly sustainable campus operation.

The cycle begins with students in a section of the new Student-Centered Field Laboratory west of Gerald Thomas Hall.

Mark Uchanski, an assistant professor of horticulture in the Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, works with students there on organic farming methods and vegetable production. He oversees a quarter of an acre of the new research field, where about 16 rows are devoted to this vegetable pilot project.

He said a dozen vegetables either have been or are being produced in the garden operation: tomatoes, lettuce mix, carrots, broccoli, cabbage, kale, cucumbers, eggplant, okra, sweet potatoes, pumpkins and cilantro.

“The Student-Centered Field Lab was established earlier this year, in the spring of 2012, and it’s meant to be an experiential learning place for students in the College of ACES and beyond,” Uchanski said.

Referring specifically to the vegetable pilot project, he said, “It’s my hope that students get a real-life experience, getting down and dirty, but also getting to see all aspects of vegetable production, from the sales and marketing end of things to the post-harvest washing and storage, and a little bit of everything in between.”

Bryce Richard, an undergraduate agricultural biology major, harvests okra in the vegetable garden at the new Student-Centered Field Laboratory west of Gerald Thomas Hall. The assistant field lab manager, Richard is one of several students involved in a vegetable pilot project that is supplying fresh produce to the nearby 100 West Café, operated by the School of Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management. (NMSU photo by Jay A. Rodman)

One student who has certainly gotten that range of experiences is Bryce Richard, an undergraduate agricultural biology major and the assistant field lab manager.

“Even before we planted, we met with the chefs in the 100 West Café and got their opinions on what they could use and how much they were going to need,” he said. “From that we were able to look at published documents giving us yields per variety and then calculate how much we needed to plant in order to meet their needs.”

Richard and his fellow students have been harvesting everything that is ripe, taking it to a washing station set up for the project, cleaning and sorting the fresh produce, and then delivering it to the nearby 100 West Café.

Maurice Zeck, a college assistant professor and the café’s head chef, expressed enthusiasm for the way things have worked out.

“The vegetables are fresh and they are grown right here,” he said. “From a collegial perspective, we’re working with other departments within the college of agriculture. There’s absolutely no down side. And the fact that it’s sustainable and it’s local, that’s all sugar on the top.”

October vegetables from the student garden included several varieties of cucumbers, as well as okra, eggplant and tomatoes. The students were also beginning to supply kale and lettuce as they transitioned to cold-season crops.

On one Thursday in mid-October, the lunch menu included sliced, marinated lemon cucumbers, and sauteed kale and other greens.

“When customers know that it was grown here by students, they smile,” Zeck said. “It makes them feel good about it.”

NMSU’s Environmental Science Student Organization recently completed the construction of a new composting facility south of Gerald Thomas Hall. They are processing food waste from the 100 West Café, some of which comes from vegetables grown in the nearby Student-Centered Field Lab and supplied to the café on contract. The mature compost will be plowed back into the garden, completing a sustainability loop. (NMSU photo by Jay A. Rodman)

Back over near the field lab garden, ESSO students under the guidance of faculty adviser William Lindemann have been breaking in their newly constructed composting facility.

The three-sided cinder-block structure is approximately four feet in height and is partitioned into three sections, each covering approximately 20 square feet in area. They look a bit like miniature handball courts. Open on the south side, each bin has a hinged four-panel heavy screen that sits on top and folds down to fully enclose the space. The screening keeps out animals while allowing air circulation. The southern orientation maximizes exposure to sunlight, which accelerates the composting process.

Lindemann is a professor in PES whose expertise includes soil science. He said ESSO’s past activities include recycling projects that have garnered national recognition. He praised the students’ initiative in building the facility and setting up the composting arrangement with the chefs at the 100 West Café.

He and three ESSO students were mixing more material into one of the compost piles recently as he discussed the composting process and its place in this “cycle of vegetables.”

“Eventually the material that’s going in here, like this potato, is going to end up as black humic material,” he said, displaying some fresh food waste on a pitchfork. The pile it came from was about a cubic yard in size, so the next step would be to allow the various components – the fungi, bacteria, soil insects and organic matter – to finish their job.

“Probably by the end of January or February this will be ready to put on the field,” he said.

The students had already begun a second pile in the adjoining bin.

In terms of the future for the vegetable pilot project, Uchanski would like to see the production side double or triple in size, if the demand on campus expands.

Production could start much earlier, too. This was an organizational year, with a focus on getting the system established, and actual production didn’t begin until well into the summer. Spring planting in the future will allow much earlier produce deliveries.

“If someone were to plant pole beans, if someone were to plant peas, we could certainly use those vegetables,” Zeck said, giving a few examples of early season crops that the café would welcome. “Scalloped summer squash, zucchini, yellow squash, all very workable.”

“It is conceivable that we could buy nearly all of our produce from the student groups,” he said.

On the recycling end of things, the ESSO composting facility could certainly handle more vegetable waste, if additional dining facilities are brought into the project.

Following these vegetables on their path from field to fork to the fungi in the compost bins, and finally back into the field, it is obvious that there is abundant student energy to expand sustainability and recycling on the campus. This pilot project may not only evolve into something greater, it may inspire similar thinking elsewhere at the university and beyond.

Dean issues $10,000 challenge to support NMSU’s Bobby Lee Lawrence Academy of Wine
November 28, 2012 by Justin Bannister, NMSU News Center

NMSU’s Bobby Lee Lawrence Academy of Wine is a beverage management laboratory completed earlier this year inside Gerald Thomas Hall. (NMSU photo by Darren Phillips)

Garrey Carruthers isn’t just the dean of New Mexico State University’s College of Business, or NMSU’s vice president for economic development. He’s also a wine aficionado who has issued a $10,000 challenge for others to help support the university’s Bobby Lee Lawrence Academy of Wine.

“This facility is a great addition to the School of Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management,” Carruthers said. “In particular, it provides an opportunity to expand students’ knowledge of how wine fits into the hospitality management business.”

The Bobby Lee Lawrence Academy of Wine is a beverage management laboratory completed earlier this year inside NMSU’s Gerald Thomas Hall. Lawrence, known throughout the area as the “Southwest Wine Guy,” passed away in 2010. His wife, Marion, established the academy with a $250,000 gift to the university.

Carruthers and his wife, Katherine, will match all donations made to the academy, up to $10,000, to help create an educational program to accompany the facility. The program will help students learn more about wine, including how to pair it with food and which types of wine glasses work best for particular styles.

“The Bobby Lee Lawrence Academy of Wine is important to the school,” said Janet Green, director of the School of HRTM. “This will raise the bar for the types of events we can do that include the serving of wine. Without a gift like this, we would have a facility without a program.”

The School of HRTM already has a beverage management class and a basic wine education course. Green said the grant will help build on those in the recently completed academy of wine. The facility has a design reminiscent of a Tuscan wine cellar, with natural travertine floor and granite-topped wine tables, wine chillers and space for students to both learn and study.

Lawrence was known around Las Cruces as a wine and food expert. He trained at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris and the Culinary Institute of America. He taught about wine at area wine festivals, wrote about wine for Sabroso magazine and had his own wine blog. Lawrence also had a successful media career.

February 1, 2013 by Jay Rodman, NMSU News Center

NMSU student Emily Estes sits on a cannon barrel at Golkonda Fort in Hyderabad, India, where she is attending the University of Hyderabad this semester. She is one of five NMSU students whose spring 2013 study abroad experiences are supported in part by scholarships from the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program. (Photo courtesy of Emily Estes)

Five New Mexico State University students will be expanding their horizons this semester, supported in their study abroad experiences with scholarships from the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program.

Emily Estes, Reanna Messer, Georgina Perez, Theresa Stalley and Monica Torres will be mixing academics and cultural exploration in India, Australia, Germany, South Korea and Spain, respectively. Their scholarships range in size from $3,500-$4,500.

While some of the students won’t be leaving the U.S. for a few more weeks, others are already hard at work in their new settings.

Estes reported that she arrived in Hyderabad, India, Jan. 2 and started classes the following day at the University of Hyderabad. She will be there until the end of May. She is an individualized studies major in the College of Extended Learning.

“I will be studying the philosophy of Ayurvedic medicine, the theory and practice of yoga, women’s movements in India, and gender identities and sexualities in South India,” she said. “India is amazing!! The food is great! The people are nice. The things I am seeing and learning can’t be described. I don’t think I could have imagined anything more mind-blowing.”

Torres, a government major, is also already immersed in her new environment, taking political science and Spanish classes at the Universidad de Pablo de Olavide in Sevilla. She reports that she loves Spain and her classes.

Stalley is a hotel, restaurant and tourism management major who is enthusiastic about heading to South Korea soon. She plans to complete her required business courses, as well as courses needed for a minor in marketing, at Korea University’s Sejong campus south of Seoul.

“NMSU students are offered a great opportunity to study abroad in South Korea, since the cost for a semester there is comparable to a semester at NMSU,” she said.

Messer, a biology major, plans to get involved in marine research in the Great Barrier Reef. She will be taking a variety of courses at Central Queensland University, including one on Australian government and another on outdoor activities. After her classes end in early June, her plan is to stay on and explore more of the country.

Perez is pursuing majors in elementary and special education but will be taking general education courses when she arrives in Hanover, Germany for four months of study at Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Universitat Hannover.

According to their website, the Gilman Scholarship Program seeks “to diversify the kinds of students who study abroad and the countries and regions where they go.” The program has been in existence for ten years and is the largest undergraduate study abroad scholarship program in the U.S.

Nearly 60 NMSU students have garnered Gilman scholarships since fall 2008.

Kristian Chervenock, director of NMSU’s Office of Education Abroad and faculty adviser for the Gilman Scholarship Program at NMSU, said, “As New Mexico State University continues to develop into a more internationalized campus, and as we continue to encourage greater numbers of students to participate in academic programs abroad, the Gilman scholarship will play an increasingly critical role in these efforts. The energy we have been devoting to promoting this scholarship program is paying off nicely.”

While the Gilman scholarship funds do not cover the entire cost of a semester abroad, for many students they make the difference between being able to afford the experience and not. For others the scholarship expands the opportunities for cultural enrichment while in their host countries.

“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and I’m so blessed to have the opportunity to experience it,” Estes said. “I think it is extremely important for students at NMSU to know that it is possible. There is funding available if you seek it out.”

“Without the Gilman scholarship, I don’t think I would have been able to go to Australia, live comfortably, and travel,” Messer said. “They are basically paying for my entire housing cost and meal plan, which was going to be a huge burden on me. This scholarship really is allowing me to discover Australia the way I have always wanted to, and I’m sure it will be everything I envision.”

To learn more about NMSU’s Office of Education Abroad, visit their website at http://studyabroad.nmsu.edu

April 26, 2013. Retrieved online April 29, 2013 from Alta LeCompte, Las Cruces Bulletin

Bobby Lee Lawrence Wine Academy opens

The word “wine” is on the tip of many Las Crucens’ tongues this week as New Mexico State University holds two major events – the grand opening of the Bobby Lee Lawrence Wine Academy and a wine conference stu­dents are planning for Saturday, April 27. (See story on page B8.) Both events celebrate a strong and growing wine culture on campus and in the community.

On Saturday, April 20, about 150 guests of NMSU’s School of Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management stepped into a labora­tory unlike any other on campus, the Bobby Lee Lawrence Academy of Wine laboratory.

They gathered to celebrate the grand open­ing of the academy and to remember Lawrence, a nationally known food and wine expert.

There is no stainless steel in this laboratory, and instead of glass beakers, there are wine glasses housed in dark wood cabinets remi­niscent of a Tuscan wine cellar. The cabinet hardware, hand-hewn woodwork and natural travertine floors evoke the mellow look of a centuries-old wine cellar.

Everywhere the eye lights in the window­less room, it is treated to architectural de­tails carefully overseen by Lawrence’s widow Marion Lawrence.

Asked how the project began, HRTM Director Janet Green, said: “Wine showed up on our doorstop.”

The academy was born when Marion Lawrence walked in and expressed a desire to make a memorial gift.

“Mrs. Lawrence had thought about endow­ing a golf scholarship, but a friend reminded her of his love of wine,” Green said.

“I met with her and we discussed creating a scholarship or an endowed chair. She re­ally liked the idea of a tangible environment to honor his commitment to education.”

Green said Bobby Lee Lawrence would give “boot camps for people who didn’t know a thing about wine.”

“He had a national presence as a somme­lier,” she said.

Lawrence trained at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris and the Culinary Institute of America. Through his career as head of engineering at NBC News, Lawrence traveled the world, building his knowledge of wines.

He wrote a wine column for the Southwest food magazine, ¡Sabroso!, presented and taught courses at local and regional wine festi­vals and was celebrated for his blog “Southwest Wine Guy.”

When Marion Lawrence next visited cam­pus in summer 2010, she told Green she want­ed to do a wine education classroom.

In November 2010, Lawrence made a $250,000 memorial gift and she and Green started re-energizing plans for the space, which previously was conceived as a retro-­style lounge where bar management, merchan­dizing and inventory and spirits would be the curriculum.

After demolition of the space, former­ly a food tech lab, the buildout began in March 2012. Construction was completed in September.

Read the Las Cruces Bulletin article

May 21, 2013 by Samuel Horstman, NMSU News Center

Valerie Lujan was crowned Miss Native American NMSU April 12, 2013. (Submitted Photo)

New Mexico State University student Valerie Lujan was crowned Miss Native American NMSU 2013-2014 during the university’s celebration of American Indian Week in April.

“Valerie was present throughout the week and expressed her interest in being Miss Native American NMSU,” said Justin McHorse, American Indian Program director. “She has been actively involved with the American Indian Program and really has a great network among the student body.”

McHorse said the Miss Native American NMSU pageant is different from traditional pageants; it is more cultural and academic. A student must also demonstrate knowledge of their culture.

“Being selected is an amazing opportunity. I was overjoyed,” Lujan said. “It has been a wonderful experience so far. There is so much support. Being able to inspire fellow students and my community is awesome.”

Lujan is double majoring in pre-nursing and hotel, restaurant and tourism management. She is a tribal member of Taos Pueblo and has been active in the American Indian Program, along with other NMSU organizations since her freshman year.

Now that Lujan has been selected she plans to take her involvement with NMSU even further.

“I have gone out and encouraged students to pursue a higher education,” she said. “In my community only 15 people graduated from my class, two are still in college three years later. I want to use my accomplishments here at NMSU to inspire other students to stay in school.”

American Indian Week was organized by the NMSU American Indian Science and Engineering Society, the United Native American Organization and the Native American Business Student Association with support from the American Indian Program. American Indian Week was also sponsored by ASNMSU.

McHorse is not involved in the selection process, but was happy to see both he and Lujan are members of Taos Pueblo.

“I am very proud of Valerie,” McHorse said. “She will have a significant impact on the youth to consider college. It is great to see the younger generation taking advantage of higher education.”