Story by
Angelique Cox
Staff Reporter
According to Sonya Lara, Associate Director of Advisement and Counseling in Connect Services, the Black Student Union is also currently up and running.
Although it has been hard, Lara said that the Black Student Union meets weekly online via Zoom.
“We have felt a range of emotions, but mostly helpless because the online atmosphere is not supportive of our cultural gatherings,” said Lara. “We can’t throw in-person events, especially now with all that’s going on with Black Lives Matter.”
Despite this virtual hindrance, the club is working on a social media strategy in an attempt to connect with the community and continue recruiting new members, according to Lara.
“We are community focused, always trying to help and provide a safe space for minorities and allies,” said Lara. “We are a family.”
Lara wanted the CNM community to know that the Black Student Union is operational and promoting their events as well as sharing their culture in a positive way.
HackerSpace advisor Kerry Bruce has a similar statement, wanting CNM students to know that the HackerSpace Club is also still operating, if in a different capacity.
“We meet online in a Microsoft Team,” said Bruce. “Students who are interested can simply click the link and join the group.” [See Link here]
Meeting online in Teams has kept the club running, although they are missing the physical aspects of what they do, said Bruce.
Instructors continue to train students in sessions on a variety of topics and students meet to work on projects of interest either weekly or bi-weekly, he said.
“We are adding more activities weekly,” said Bruce. “Next week we will be announcing a Netflix Party Movie Night.”
HackerSpace is even helping to sponsor a few free, self-enroll classes during the summer in conjunction with Cisco, said Bruce, the topics including cybersecurity, Linux, python programming, Internet of things, and Entrepreneurship.
Bruce also added that HackerSpace is always recruiting new members and said that those interested can contact Kerry Bruce directly at kbruce@cnm.edu or Rob Garner at rgarner7@cnm.edu with questions or to get added to Microsoft Teams.
“This club is meant for anyone interested in development and innovation using computer technology,” said Bruce. “You don’t have to be a programmer … this club is meant to bring people of disparate skills together who want to participate in collaboratively building things, using computer technology, and competing in technology-based competitions.”
Not every CNM club remains open, but the following list gives a snapshot on the status of most clubs and organizations on campus that remain open in some capacity.
| CNM Club Roster | ||||
| Name of Club | Advisor | Contact | Operational | Status of Meetings |
| American Sign Language | Julie Mason | Jmason15@cnm.edu | Yes | Temporarily meeting via email only |
| Anthropology | Susan Roth | Sruth2@cnm.edu | yes | Please see CNM Anthropology Group Page on Facebook |
| Assoc. of General Contractors | Brian Lowery | Blowery2@cnm.edu | Yes | Temporarily not meeting |
| Black Student Union | Sonya Lara | Slara14@cnm.edu | Yes | Meeting via Zoom, please email if interested |
| Camera Acting | Sean Boyd | Sboyd14@cnm.edu Cstapleton3@cnm.edu | Yes | Temporarily not meeting |
| Civic Engagement | Nicholas Aragon | Naragon8@cnm.edu | Yes | Temporarily not meeting |
| CNM Entrepreneurship | Laura Shul | shul@cnm.edu | Yes | Students should email if interested |
| HackerSpace | Kerry Bruce | kbruce@cnm.edu | Yes | Interested students can email or click this link |
| Horticulture | Paul Polechla | ppolechla@cnm.edu | Yes | Students should email if interested |
| Improv | Leonard Madrid | Lmadrid35@cnm.edu | No | Won’t resume until campus reopens. Please email if interested |
| Open Language | Lara Jijon Katrina Respin | ljijon@cnm.edu kcrespin9@cnm.edu | Yes | Please email either Lara or Katrina if interested |
| Queer Cats | Brian Rasmussen | brasmussen@cnm.edu | Yes | Please email if interested |
| Radiology | Deborah Singh | No | Not | |
| Rotaract | Linda Shul | lshul@cnm.edu | No | Will resume in the Fall |
| Sociology and Criminology | Max Fitzpatrick | Mfitzpatrick14@cnm.edu | Yes | Online meetings scheduled in June, please email if interested |
| USGBC | Molly Blumhoefer | Mblumhoefer@cnm.edu | No | Currently not active |