Spring 2012 Scholarship Opportunities

Daniel’s Opportunity Scholarship

4 - $500.00 Scholarships will be awarded for the Spring 2012 Semester

Eligibility Criteria:
Applicants must be a New Mexico Resident
Applicants must be enrolled in a degree or certificate program at UNM-Taos
Applicants who have earned an Associate or Bachelor degree are NOT eligible (unless otherwise dictated by scholarship)
Applicants must be enrolled full-time
Applicant must have a minimum of a 2.5 cumulative GPA (unless otherwise dictated by scholarship)
A 500 word essay on necessity of scholarship funds or on professional and personal aspirations


Preference will be given to those students who have been:
GED recipients,
Candidates from alternative and/or reform schools, juvenile diversion programs and/or justice centers, and state correction facilities; and
Adult students seeking to pursue an education later in life or those returning for a “second chance” at postsecondary education.
In addition to demonstrated financial need, primary criteria for scholarship consideration are a candidate’s academic promise (generally defined), maturity, character, leadership, perseverance, and commitment to community service.

To apply, please submit:

An official application, including a written essay, up to 500 words, on your personal and professional aspirations, and the supports and challenges you face in accomplishing your goals and dreams and in attaining a college education.



Chistine Apodaca Memorial Scholarhip
2 - $500 Scholarships will be awarded for the Spring 2012 Semester

Eligibility Criteria:

· Scholarship is intended for Single Mothers majoring in Art

· Applicants must be a New Mexico Resident
Applicants must be enrolled in a degree or certificate program at UNM-Taos
Applicants who have earned an Associate or Bachelor degree are NOT eligible (unless otherwise dictated by scholarship)
Applicants must be enrolled full-time
Applicant must have a minimum of a 2.5 cumulative GPA (unless otherwise dictated by scholarship)
A 500 word essay on necessity of scholarship funds or on professional and personal aspirations



UNM-TAA

2 - $500 Scholarships will be awarded for the Spring 2012 Semester

Eligibility Criteria:

· Must be a member of the UNM-TAA

· Applicants must be a New Mexico Resident
Applicants must be enrolled in a degree or certificate program at UNM-Taos
Applicants who have earned an Associate or Bachelor degree are NOT eligible (unless otherwise dictated by scholarship)
Applicants must be enrolled full-time
Applicant must have a minimum of a 2.5 cumulative GPA (unless otherwise dictated by scholarship)
A 500 word essay on necessity of scholarship funds or on professional and personal aspirations

** To apply to be a member of UNM-TAA visit: http://unmtaa.com/



Circle of Giving

2 - $500 Scholarships will be awarded for the Spring 2012 Semester

Eligibility Criteria:

· Applicants must be a New Mexico Resident
Applicants must be enrolled in a degree or certificate program at UNM-Taos
Applicants who have earned an Associate or Bachelor degree are NOT eligible (unless otherwise dictated by scholarship)
Applicants must be enrolled full-time
Applicant must have a minimum of a 2.5 cumulative GPA (unless otherwise dictated by scholarship)
A 500 word essay on necessity of scholarship funds or on professional and personal aspirations


Applications available at the Student Enrollment Department Deadline: January 20, 2012

New Student Orientation is January 5th

Start the Year Off Right!
New Student Orientation is January 5th from noon to 4 p.m.,
Padre Martinez Hall on the UNM-Taos Klauer Campus

Take full advantage of a great opportunity: plan to attend the Spring, 2012 New Student Orientation on January 5. It’s the best way to learn your way around campus and get the inside information on financial aid, academic advising, how to enroll and much, much more. Advisors Damon Montclare and Bella Rodriguez will be there along with representatives from the Student Success office, CASA Tutoring, the Department of Instruction, the Business Office, Library and Student Government.

According to Kathy Spess, head of the free CASA tutoring services, NSO is a must for all incoming students and even for veteran scholars who need a little more information on how their community college is run. “New Student Orientation is the first step in building a strong foundation for your academic career,” Spess said. “It’s all free, and I urge everyone to take advantage of it.”

It’s a time to meet staff, faculty and fellow students in small group rotations that zero in on important areas of interest such as Lobo Web-CASA, academic advising, the Library and Bachelor and Graduate programs. Then we’ll take you on a tour of campus buildings so campus life won’t be quite so confusing on that all-important first day of class, January 17.

Please Join Us for New Student Orientation January 5th. That’s when your academic career really begins! For more information just call 737-3695 and we’ll be happy to answer any questions you might have.

Agenda:

12:00-12:30  Sign In

12:30-12:50 Welcome to New Students by Executive Director, Dr. Kate O’Neill

1:00-1:45     Staff Introductions:

                       CASA Tutoring

                       Dean of Instruction- James Gilroy

                       Associate Dean of Instruction- Dr. Randi Archuleta

           Student Success- Amie Chavez-Aguilar

                       Student Enrollment- Patricia Gonzales

                       Admissions and Transcript Evaluation- Vickie Alvarez

                       Financial Aid/ VA/Work study/Student Enrollment- Nikki Moyer

                       Business Office- Thomas Duran

                       Student Advisors- Bella Rodriguez & Damon Montclare

                       UNM Library – Kathleen Knoth & Enrico Trujillo

           Bachelor & Graduate Programs- Mary Lutz & Allison Peters Kosiba

                       Physical Plant- Rudy Baca

                       UNM-Taos Kids Campus- Tracy Jaramillo

                       Early Childhood Resource Center- Brandy Corry

                       Family Resource Center- Kathy Coombs

                       UNM-Taos Student Government

                      

1:45-2:10     Time Management Workshop – Daniel Gomez & Amy Sievers

2:10-2:30     Campus Tour

2:30-4:00     Group Rotations:

                       Academic Advisors- Bella Rodriguez & Damon Montclare

                       Lobo Web and Q & A- CASA – Daniel Gomez

                       Bachelor & Graduate Programs- Mary Lutz & Allison Peters Kosiba

                       Library/ Net ID - Ana Pacheco

The Past Is Prologue

By Bill Knief
As published in the Taos News December 27, 2011
Another year has come and gone, and once again it’s time to reflect on how far we have come at UNM-Taos, and where we stand today. I grew up at a time when being able to accurately decode Roman numerals was thought to be an essential component of the grade school curriculum. Now it’s only necessary if you own a really expensive European wrist watch (or replica) and even then you only have to go to XII. Education, to be effective, must constantly evolve.

In 2011 we brought on board a grants officer and a development director charged with attracting the funding we need to fully realize our mission of providing affordable, quality education to all who seek it in northern New Mexico. At the same time, the role of community colleges has been called into question.

“I think the times are changing,” Executive Director Dr. Kate O’Neill reflected. “With state budgets being cut throughout the country, people are looking for streamlined programs in education, and New Mexico is no exception. So they have begun the process of revising the funding formula for higher education. As a result we have had extensive budget cuts over the past three years, but the latest numbers indicate that the budget for New Mexico is stabilizing, and we are encouraged that we will not have to suffer additional cuts and layoffs. However, there are a lot of details still to be worked out having to do with dual enrollment, workforce development, and transfer students.”

In response to a more robust economy, it will be interesting to see if funding for education improves, or continues to decline to fit the ideology of the moment.

“Community colleges have a very robust, multi-part mission that needs to be better understood in Santa Fe,” O’Neill said. “Along with certificate and degree seekers we serve non-degree seeking students, lifelong learners and small business owners who may just want to take an Excel class for accounting purposes, or a Web design class to assist them in their business. This is significant because the Taos area has twice the national average of small businesses. Should those entrepreneurs count any less than other students?

“Under the new funding formula, we would not get the same level of credit for those students as those who get a certificate or degree, and that seems to be narrowing the mission of community colleges.

“We have accomplished a lot in the last year despite budget cuts and even some reduction of force here at UNM-Taos, O’Neill went on. “We received a four star rating for the UNM-Taos Kids’ Campus which we are very proud of. The Literacy Center was recognized as the best ABE-GED program in New Mexico, and as one of the state’s two newest branch campuses, UNM-Taos enrollment continues to grow. Our faculty member David Chavez received a prestigious award from the Department of Energy for his work at LANL, our Nursing Program is thriving and we continue to build partnerships throughout the region.”

O’Neill cited other successes in 2011. UNM-Taos received 3.9 million in individual and collaborative Title V grants that will help fund student retention and graduation initiatives, particularly in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) disciplines. Los Alamos National Laboratory doubled last year’s grant to $50,000 in recognition of our excellent staff and implementation at the community college level. The UNM-Taos bookstore went to an online service, and the bookstore space has been converted into a library outreach center for students in developmental studies, along with distance education training for faculty. UNM-Taos received monies for the Accelerate program supporting STEM curriculum to strengthen the computational skills so necessary to the workforce of tomorrow. Our federal delegation, Representative Ben Ray Lujan in particular, assisted in acquiring funds to equip classrooms with distance education technology and training for instructors.

“I think one size does not fit all when it comes to distance education, however,” O’Neill maintained. “We need to continue to look at best practices and to offer a variety of course options: some face-to-face, some totally online, and some hybrid courses that are a mix of classroom and online instruction. When you are talking about first-generation college students in particular, they really need advising, mentoring and tutoring services to help them navigate the system. Grant monies we have received will help us do that. As in previous years, the CASA Tutoring program provides assistance in English and math at no charge to students.”

This past year was filled with daunting challenges alongside hard-won successes. We look forward to 2012 with optimism; at this writing, three weeks before the start of the spring semester, well over 900 students have already enrolled in more than 8,100 credit hours of instruction. Now that’s really something for the Taos community to brag about.

UNM Taos Instructor Wins Gourmand International

Taos, NM – December 18, 2011

How to Cook a Crocodile: A Memoir with Recipes, by Taos author and UNM-Taos instructor Bonnie Lee Black, has just received three prestigious awards from Gourmand International. Her book’s awards were in the categories of Food Literature, African Cuisine (Gabon), and Charity and Community (North America).

The 16-year-old organization Gourmand International, headquartered in Madrid, Spain, publishes GOURMAND magazine and sponsors the Gourmand World Cookbooks Awards, held in a different world capital each year. The 2011 awards will be presented on March 6, 2012, at the Folies Bergère in Paris, kicking off the weeklong Paris Cookbook Fair. Black plans to attend the awards ceremony and book fair in Paris.

Among the organization’s stated objectives are “to reward and honor those who cook with words,” and “to increase knowledge of, and respect for, food and wine culture, which promotes peace.” One of the jurors of the awards is Sara Baer-Sinnott, president of the Boston-based foundation Oldways Preservation & Exchange Trust.

Black, a former writer and editor in New York City, who also had her own catering business there for ten years, decided to leave New York and join the Peace Corps at the age of 50 in the mid-’90s.  How to Cook a Crocodile is her account of that time – from caterer to Manhattan’s elite to health-and-nutrition volunteer in the rainforest of Gabon – written, as author Cherie Burns has noted, with “perspective, warmth, and wit.”

“We enter her world,” says Burns of Black’s Crocodile, “with the initial thrill of discovery and then fall in love, as she did, with the world she describes. What truly seduces us is experiencing it through Black’s fine prose and her expert storytelling.”

Like M.F.K. Fisher’s classic WWII-era book How to Cook a Wolf, Black’s How to Cook a Crocodile comprises a lively, literary, present-day survival guide.

Bonnie Lee Black is the author also of Somewhere Child (Viking Press) as well as the sequel to Crocodile, Patchwork: A Memoir of Mali, not yet published.  Last September, Black’s Patchwork manuscript won first place in the Memoir Book category in the SouthWest Writers annual awards in Albuquerque.

Black is an honors graduate of Columbia University in New York. She holds a blue-ribbon diploma from the New York Cooking School (now ICE) and also studied cooking at La Varenne École de Cuisine, then in Paris. In 2007 she earned an MFA in Creative Writing from Antioch University in Los Angeles. She now teaches in both the English and Culinary Arts departments at UNM-Taos. For more information, go to www.bonnieleeblack.com.

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