Public Information
Northern News
Northern News
Welcome to the Northern New Mexico College's Information Page! This section of our website will provide viewers a wide range of news and information services. Now, sit back and learn about Northern!
Top Stories
May 1, 2006
Local Storyteller to Receive Honorary Degree on May 13
Renowned Ohkay Owingeh (San Juan Pueblo) Storyteller Esther Estefanita Martinez will receive an honorary degree from Northern New Mexico College on May 13 during the school’s commencement at Eagle Gym in Española.
Graduation is scheduled for 9 a.m.
“Northern’s regents have recognized Esther’s significant contributions to the preservation of Tewa language and culture and will be presenting her with the college’s first honorary degree,” said Northern president José Griego. “We are all profoundly proud and impressed with Esther’s life’s accomplishments and commitment to cultural traditions. She is very deserving of this degree.”
September 6, 2005
NNMC Foundation Scholarship Applications
Northern New Mexico Community College’s Foundation Endowment Scholarship applications are now available in the school’s Financial Aid Office and in the Student Activities Office in El Rito.
Applicants must be currently enrolled at Northern for six or more credit hours and be pursuing a degree or certificate, have a minimum 2.0 grade point average, and enroll for six or more hours in the spring 2006 semester.
Students enrolled in distance education courses, off-site classes, and Española and El Rito campuses are eligible to apply for the scholarships. Scholarship winners will be recognized at the tenth annual Endowment Scholarship Dinner on Nov. 12.
Scholarship applications must be submitted no later than Oct. 5 (Wed.) at 5 p.m. to the Financial Aid Office.
Applications may be obtained at Northern’s Financial Aid Office, Student Activities Office in El Rito or call 747-2128.
Download a copy of the 2005-06 application (MS Word Document, 232kb)
Download a copy of the 2005-06 application (PDF, 101kb)
September 5, 2005
NNMC Fills Administrative Team
Former LANL Deputy Director Named NNMC VP
Thomas Garcia, a former LANL Deputy Laboratory Director, has been named Northern New Mexico College’s Executive Vice-President. Full Story
College Instructor Named School's First Provost
Anthony Sena, a 24-year veteran biology instructor and science department Chairman at Northern New Mexico College, has been named the school’s first Provost. Full Story
Deans Round Out NNMC Administrative Team
Northern New Mexico College has hired a new college of education dean (Dan McLaughlin) and dean of development (David Trujillo). Full Story
July 27, 2005
Unique August Courses in El Rito
Memoir writing, acequia ecology, a look into northern New Mexico History and a view into the criminal justice system through film are among the short-term classes offered at Northern New Mexico College's El Rito Heritage Retreat Center in August.
"Criminal Justice Through the Filmaker's Eyes" will run Aug. 1-5, and will cover the causes of crime, justice institutions, and theories of punishment - including the death penalty.
According to instructor Dr. Helen Molanphy, the movies Dead Man Walking, To Kill a Mockingbird, Twelve Angry Men, and others will be used to help students understand the various historical and sociological changes related to crime and punishment as shown in American films. Molanphy, who teaches at the College of Santa Fe and The University of New Mexico, wrote her dissertation on "Theories of Punish ment: Idea of Punishment in the Texas Prison System."
"El Maicero," Miguel Santistevan will teach a two-day workshop entitled "Acequia Ecology and Permaculture" Aug. 6-7. Santistevan, a Taos native, received his BS degree in biology from UNM in 1996 and completed an MA in agriculture ecology from the University of California, Davis in 2003. Santistevan's thesis focused on the traditional agricultural systems of northern New Mexico.
Roberta Orona-Cordova will teach a Memoir Writing class Aug. 8-12. Students will develop a short story based on a significant event that has occurred in their life. Students will read their stories in an open forum setting. Orona-Cordova is a published author and assistant professor in Chicano/Chicana Studies at Cal-State University, Northridge.
Michael Miller, former director of the New Mexico State Records and Archives Center will teach "Northern New Mexico Historical Sites: Past and Present" Aug. 29-Sept. 5. A self-expressed "life-long student of New Mexico history and literature," Miller grew up in northern New Mexico and has spent more than 30 years researching the state and the Southwest. Miller is currently working on two novels and a book of poetry.
Other short-term classes offered in El Rito in August include: micaceous clay, weaving, retablo making, drumming, traditional dwelling design, cultural poetry and theatre, integrative healing, tinsmithing, woodcarving, and yoga.
For more information about the courses call El Rito Campus at 581-4115 or at 747-2113.
July 27, 2005
Northern Hosts Think Tank
A “think tank” organized to provide input to Northern New Mexico College as it develops a strategic plan for building a regional university was held July 15 on the Espanola campus.
About 35 community, business, educational and Los Alamos National Laboratory representatives helped school officials identify the region’s educational needs and funding sources as the college moves towards expanding its bachelor and master degree programs.
“Northern is an Academic Quality Improvement Program (AQIP) school, which means we get input from the community before making critical decisions,” said Northern president José Griego. “Receiving feedback from community members is especially important now that the regents have set the goal of becoming a university by the school’s 100-year anniversary in 2009.”
Griego said the college needs at least six bachelor degree programs before it reaches university status.
Northern currently offers a bachelor’s degree in elementary education. Four-year degree programs in special education and secondary education science are scheduled to begin in 2006-07. A master’s degree program in teaching and learning is slated for 2008.
Implementing a bachelor degree program in math and science by 2006-07 would be a boon to the region’s educational and technical workforce – and help piece together a four-year computer science and engineering degree at the college, Griego said.
Additional bachelor degree offerings the college hopes to unveil by 2007 include nursing, business administration, fine arts, social work, Spanish Literature, Native American studies and criminal justice.
Griego emphasized the school would not lose its community college mission. “We want to emulate Western New Mexico University. Like us, they were originally a normal school – but they evolved into a four-year school,” he said.
“Looking at the task ahead of us,” Griego said, “we recognize that we have many needs. One of our jobs today is to narrow that list down, present our findings to our regents and later this fall present the information to the governor and legislators.”
The group then honed a list of about 25 needs to five. Financing the college’s growth was atop the list. Marketing the institution, increasing legislative and political support, supporting capital outlay needs, and hiring qualified faculty rounded out the list.
Think tank participants also came up with a list of over 25 resources that could assist in the school’s development. The list included: increase funding from grants, initiate a Friends of the College group and form a project management team.
Before concluding, participants volunteered to serve on resource committee teams.
May 23, 2005
Northern Offers Array of Summer Short-Term Art, Cultural Classes in El Rito
A week-long writing workshop taught by poet Jimmy Santiago Baca and Northern New Mexico History: Past and Present taught by local historian Michael Miller are among the more than 60 short-term credit art and cultural courses offered this summer at Northern New Mexico College’s El Rito Heritage Retreat Center.
Baca, winner of the American Book Award, the National Poetry Award, and the International Hispanic Heritage Award, will teach creative writing in El Rito July 11-15.
New Mexico historian and author Michael Miller will offer a class in El Rito entitled “Northern New Mexico Historical Sites: Past and Present” Aug. 29-Sept. 5.
Two-day and week-long June through August credit courses at the El Rito campus include Spanish Language Immersion classes, Introduction to Rio Grande Weaving, Rag Rug Weaving, Beginning Spanish Colonial Furniture Making, Traditional Woodcarving, micaceous clay, poetry, tinsmithing, retablo making, modern dance, integrative healing, History of the US and Southwest History, and Drumming.
Registration for full-term summer 2005 classes at Northern New Mexico Community College will take place June 1 and 2 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the Española and El Rito campuses. Classes begin June 6.
For registration information about the El Rito short-term course offerings call 581-4115 or call the school’s public information office at 747-2113.
Nothern Briefs
Have an idea for a Northern story? Have some feedback for our information page?
For further information contact: Tom Alvarez
Public Information Director
Public Information Office
921 Paseo de Onate
Espanola, NM 87532
Email: talvarez@nnmc.edu
Phone: (505) 747-2113
Fax: (505) 747-2145