Graduation Announcements

We are pleased to recognize the following students who graduated in December! The following students earned their Bachelor’s Degrees from the University of New Mexico on December 11. Congratulations!

Jaylene Fink: South Valley Academy, Class of 2011
Jaylene received her B.A. in Psychology, with a minor in Anthropology. Jaylene plans to use the next year to study for the LSAT and then apply to Law School.

Erika Miramontes: South Valley Academy, Class of 2011
Erika completed her B.A. in Spanish, with a minor in Psychology. She intends to apply to a nursing program for the fall semester and will continue her volunteer work at a community health clinic.

Nora Ontiveros: South Valley Academy, Class of 2011
Nora earned her B.A. in Spanish, with a minor in Psychology. She also intends to apply to nursing school and has completed all of the required health sciences prerequisites.

Marilyn Cisneros: Albuquerque High School, Class of 2011
Marilyn earned her B.S. in Biology. Marilyn plans to pursue her Master’s Degree and was recently invited to interview for the Master’s Program at the University of North Carolina.

Saira Bustillos: South Valley Academy, Class of 2010
Saira earned her B.A. in both Psychology and Spanish. Saira plans to take some time off to gain some more direct experience in the field before pursuing her Master's Degree, possibly a Master’s of Social Work (M.S.W.).
 

The following students graduated last May:

Monique Parks: Albuquerque High School, Class of 2011
Monique earned her B.S. in Business Management from the University of Colorado - Boulder. Monique is now living in Los Angeles and working as a Management Trainee at Toyota National Headquarters.

 

Mary Ann Maestas: Capital High School, Class of 2011
Mary Ann earned her B.S. in Environmental Science and Policy with a minor in Middle Eastern Studies from Smith College. After graduation, she went to Jordan with the Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) program then went on to work for the Arava Insitute for Environmental Studies in Israel.

Jordan Gutierrez: Albuquerque High School, Class of 2011
Jordan earned his B.A. in Business Administration. He is currently a Director for Nerium International, a financial consultant for Fidelity Investments. In October, Jordan will begin his training to be an FAA Air Traffic Controller.

Erin Ward: Albuquerque High School, Class of 2011
Erin earned her B.A. in Sociology and Women’s Studies from Barnard College. Erin is currently living in New York City and working as a research assistant in the  Sociology and Women's, Gender & Sexuality Studies departments at Barnard College. She is also preparing for the GRE and plans to pursue graduate school.

 

Colin Willis: South Valley Academy, Class of 2011

Colin earned his B.A. in Liberal Arts from St. John’s College. Colin is currently working for the non-profit organization “Global Warming Express” while taking courses to prepare for nursing school.

Janeth Santos: Capital High School, Class of 2011
Janeth earned her B.S. in Political Science with a Minor in Economics. She is currently working for College Plaza, a program of the Simon Foundation, where she helps Santa Fe High students with the college application process. She plans to pursue a teaching certificate program this summer.

 

Rocio Archuleta: Capital High School, Class of 2011
Rocio earned her B.S. in Psychology. She is still living in Austin, TX volunteering at a local hospital and is preparing to take the GRE. She plans on applying to the Physician's Assistant Program and the University of New Mexico.

Scholar Highlights

In Your Words

In each Newsletter, we strive to include a story or two from a college student who has faced a challenged and has grown from the experience. In this issue, we share this story from Esteban Cabrera, a sophomore at Swarthmore College. Swarthmore is a highly selective,  private liberal arts college located in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania outside of Philadelphia.

I was a different person last Spring semester than I am today. Before, I was much more stressed, anxious and depressed. Many mornings I laid immobile on my bed because I was not physically well. I skipped class in the subjects I had zero passion for and faced the consequences for those actions.  I reached out for help, but many times it was not the help I needed. All I wanted to do was leave and be home. I was good at hiding my emotions, but sometimes my presence spoke volumes.

I was tired of it: my tokenization, the invalidation of my lived experiences, the racism, classism, etc. I could not do it anymore, I wanted out. When the semester ended, I returned home, broken.

Despite my experiences, I wanted to return. There were many more reasons for me to return than leave. And ultimately, I did not want to be pushed out. I wanted to resist and fight back.

I came back with force. I enrolled in classes that fed my being and fueled my spirit. I engaged in discussions and argued new ideas. I engaged critically with my work, my peers, and my professors. I began participating more in student affinity groups and running one with a few friends. I made a comeback.

I have immense gratitude for many of my professors and friends at Swarthmore who have supported me and continue to support me. I am thankful for the time my professors took to speak with me and help me find some sense of direction in my life. I am thankful for the subjects that have made me think about myself in the context of the world. I am very grateful.

I learned to develop a tough skin to deal with what happens on campus and have taken more agency in distancing myself from discussions that are hurtful. So far, I have done well.

I am doing what I love now. Studying what I love. Being with the people I love.

I am not alone. I am loved and cared for. Resist. Fight back.

You are not alone. You are loved and cared for. Resist. Fight back.