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Graduation Issue 2019

May 30, 2019 cnmchronicleLeave a comment

Story and photos by

Audrey Callaway Scherer, staff reporter

Jerry Green, staff reporter

CNM graduates of the 2018-2019 school year shared the things they loved the most about coming to CNM, the biggest things they learned and their plans moving forward before the graduation ceremony on May 4.

Jerome Willis, Electrical Trades
School of Applied Technologies

Jerome Willis loved everything about his time at CNM, including his teachers, classes, subject and being in a place where everybody is there to learn, he said.

He wanted to give a shout out to the Electrical Traders and highly recommended that anyone with even partial interest in the field take the first term of electrical trade classes, particularly because of how the teachers show concern and are assertive in making sure students learn.

Willis was scheduled to start a job with Facebook a couple weeks after graduation as a critical facilities engineer. He was offered the job at the end of his year-long internship, which he applied for after Facebook visited CNM’s campus during his second term in 2018.

Willis may want to go to UNM or return to CNM for a few classes he missed in the future, but as of now he does not need or plan to go in the fall.

Lee Ann Roberts, Business Administration (Fast-Track Program), Bookkeeping Certificate, Integrated Studies
School of Business & Information Technology

Lee Ann Roberts said that the faculty and staff at CNM were outstanding and super supportive and she loved how they were there for the students and ready to answer questions, give encouragement or the kick in the pants needed to get work done.

She learned that she had the discipline and courage to go through a whole new life situation, stick with it and finish with a really good GPA, she said.

She came to CNM after going through a job change and realizing that she needed to do something, especially with her kids being grown. She had attended college in the late 70s and early 80s but did not graduate.

Doing schoolwork and work outside the home, it was busy for Roberts, but she is ready for whatever, happy to be done and glad she got to do it and learn new things she did not know.

She started work at a local plumbing, heating and mechanical company using her bookkeeping skills, but is working toward and would be happy to get a job with the government at maybe the county or city level, she said.

“Thank you again to all the CNM people for helping me get here. It’s been awesome,” she said.

She loved her classes and had a great experience.

Michael Fox, Architectural / Engineering Drafting Technology
School of Applied Technologies

Michael Fox loved how there was a lot of one-on-one help at CNM and said the teachers and staff were awesome. If students are not getting what they need, they just have to seek it and ask for it because CNM has pretty much everything, he said.

“Apply yourself – it’s all there,” he said.

He plans to find a job in his field, preferably in the civil sector that would use his experience in design and drafting for work in infrastructure and site planning. Until then, he plans to continue working as a facilities manager at a shooting range. He said the openings he sees online and in the paper are encouraging. He may go to UNM in the future.

Sarah Weschler, Teacher Education and Integrated Studies
School of Communications, Humanities & Social Sciences
School of Business & Information Technology

Sarah Weschler loved the intimacy of the classrooms, the teachers and the discussions during her time at CNM and said she wished she had joined a club.

She learned a lot about diversity and just how many different types of people in different situations there are, she said.

Weschler plans to go to UNM in the fall to finish her bachelor’s degree in Teacher Education and would eventually like to be a teacher.

Levi Slade, Construction Management Technology with Architectural concentration
School of Applied Technologies

Levi Slade’s favorite thing about coming to CNM was the ability to start new and how people can be any age and be able to come to and take courses at CNM.

“You’re never too old to learn new stuff. You always have time,” he said.

Slade graduated with his first degree, which he said took over 20 years, and plans to start a job working with cabinets. He wanted to learn some good skills for himself and cabinetry is something he really wanted to learn in general and for his own house.

Coming to CNM has been a good experience, he said.

Jovana Ferraris, Liberal Arts and Integrated Studies
School of Business & Information Technology

Jovana Ferraris loved how CNM was down-to-earth and how the teachers cared about making sure students learned the subjects, she said. It was very one-on-one and teachers didn’t forget students when they needed something.

She learned how important it was for people to believe in themselves and looking back, said that she would have come to CNM a lot earlier.

“If you don’t believe in yourself, then it won’t happen,” she said.

Ferraris plans to continue her education at another college but is not sure if it will be online or at UNM.

Edmundo Villalobos, Electrical Trades
School of Applied Technologies

The thing Edmund Villalobos loved most about coming to CNM was that students get a lot of help when they look for it, he said.

The biggest things he learned were to not give up and that it is never too late.

Villalobos plans to use his degree to get a journeyman license and own his own company in the electrical field. He is already working in the field and will not be going to UNM in the fall.

Whisper Evans, majoring in Finance for bachelor’s
School of Business & Information Technology

The things Whisper Evans loved the most about CNM were how diverse the people are, how much the professors cared and how the small classrooms allowed for more interaction and time with the professors.

The biggest thing she learned while at CNM is that everyone is like a family and people just need to give a hand and take a hand sometimes. Everybody will help each other no matter who they are, she said.

Evans was a dual-enrolled high school student during her time at CNM and plans to go to Florida International University in Miami to get a bachelor’s in finance and be an international director of revenue sales so that she can travel the world and get paid as a financial advisor.

Michael Masters-Holderman, Applied Science and Integrated Studies
School of Business & Information Technology

Michael Masters-Holderman learned a lot about how to work with people and how to work well with people and said he is happy with the experiences he has been through because he’s been able to work on so much.

His favorite things about coming to CNM were that the people were nice, the teachers worked really well with students and there was help available to students – all really helpful things that many other schools do not have, especially community colleges, he said.

He wanted to tell students to have as much fun as they can going to school because although nobody wants to go to school, people have to work toward something to progress through life.

“What I’m going to do is I’m going to progress through and I’m going to go forward. That’s what I want,” he said.

Masters-Holderman loves technology and working with it and switched from architecture to information technology because there is always a job out there, he said.

He wants to go back to school in the future but will decide where after he figures out what he wants to do, he said. For now, he will continue working in the field as an IT technician.

He currently works three jobs – one in a business with a friend, one working on servers and websites in a business with a mentor and one as a delivery driver.

Ginger Blaze, Architectural / Engineering Drafting Technology
School of Applied Technologies

Ginger Blaze loved that at CNM, students can better themselves without the pressure of a traditional university, she said. She loved the friends she made and said the biggest thing she learned was that she could do it.

Whatever she wanted to do was available to her, from options being laid out to being able to talk to anyone at any time, she said.

Blaze plans to use the skills she learned to build her own house and eventually make furniture.

John Vialpando, Business Administration
School of Business & Information Technology

John Vialpando said he loved the flexibility of going to CNM and the commitment from the teachers to work with students, especially because it is hard to get schooling done with other full-time responsibilities, such as his full-time work and church ministry.

He wished he could have taken more classes earlier to reduce the five years he spent on his associate’s degree and more classes toward his bachelor’s degree.

He came to CNM to advance in his work with the government because he was at the top point he could be without a degree, he said.

Important things he wanted to share with the CNM community included perseverance, patience and not wanting to give up. He dropped out of UNM about 37 years ago and coming to CNM got him going, he said. He figured this was a stepping stone.

He will probably continue at CNM for more core classes but is ultimately looking at UNM, Wayland Baptist University or Eastern University to finish his bachelor’s for upper management.

Geraldine Tsosie, Carpentry
School of Applied Technologies

Geraldine Tsosie loved the skills she learned most while coming to CNM, particularly metal framing and textures, and the biggest thing she learned was framing and using the machines.

She started at CNM to take her mind off a domestic violence situation and completed her degree because after starting, she didn’t want to quit, she said.

She plans to use the skills from her degree to do work around her house and for personal reasons.

Erick Golden
School of Math, Science & Engineering

Erick Golden plans to transfer to UNM to earn a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering. He also plans to get some experience in aerospace to pursue his vocation in the research and development of aircrafts.

When asked what he loved about CNM, he responded by saying, “I really loved the professors and the environment of the school. The classes are smaller and the professors are more willing to help you, which personally has always helped me.”

He went on to say, “I didn’t have to leave the classroom after class to go to a tutoring center because my professor was more than willing to help me and that helped me out quite a bit.”

After being asked what the most important thing that he learned at CNM was, he concluded by saying, “Don’t feel afraid to ask questions and don’t be afraid of your professors.”

He admitted that his greatest regret was that he didn’t ask the questions he wanted to during his first semesters at CNM.

Brittney Dyre
School of Math, Science & Engineering

After graduation, Brittney Dyre plans to pursue a bachelor’s degree at UNM in mathematics.

After being asked what she loved about CNM, she proclaimed that, “All of the classes were really small, which was awesome because sometimes it felt like it was one-on-one.”

When Dyre was asked what the most important thing she learned at CNM was, she said, “I learned a lot about nursing and caring for people.”

When asked if she had any regrets while attending CNM, she responded with “Nope.”

Robert Arguelles
School of Health, Wellness & Public Safety

Robert Arguelles said that upon graduating, he would continue his occupation of being a New Mexico firefighter.

He loved the flexibility of the courses with his schedule, in which he said he also took a hefty number of online classes due to how easy they were to manage in his day-to-day schedule.

Arguelles said the most important thing he learned at CNM was that, “Distance learning courses require a level of personal accountability and that self-drive.” He finished by saying that “determination plays a huge part in distance learning courses.”

When asked if there were any regrets he had while attending CNM, he said, “I believe that everything that I wanted to do or learn, I did. I have no regrets.”

Anastasia Medina
School of Health, Wellness & Public Safety

Anastasia Medina was happy to share her future plans after graduating CNM.

She graduated with a cosmetology license and an associate’s degree in applied science with which she plans on working at a salon and starting out as an assistant before becoming a stylist in the coming months.

Upon thinking about the one thing she loved most about CNM, she stated, “I managed to get a cosmetology license and a degree. I love that this school helped me achieve that.”

She later said that, “The most important thing I learned at CNM is that I can do anything! There’s a lot of opportunities here and resources that you can take advantage of and it’s just an awesome school to be a part of.”

When asked if she had any regrets, she said that she wished she could have taken school more seriously the first semester instead of partying.

Samona Brown
School of Communication, Humanities & Social Sciences

Samona Brown was quite excited to graduate upon being interviewed.

When asked what her plans were after graduation, she said, “I plan to transfer to New Mexico State University and manage in special education.”

One of the many things that Brown loved about CNM was that there were language classes and that she was able to experience American Sign Language, which geared her towards the vocation of special education.

“I learned about strength, determination and really pushing through to get what you want,” she said after being asked what the most important thing she learned at CNM was.

When she was asked if she had any regrets while attending CNM, she responded, “I have many regrets regarding this school, but none of them were educational.”

Albert Henderson III
School of Communication, Humanities & Social Sciences

Albert Henderson III was surrounded by his wife and four children when he was asked what he planned on doing after graduating CNM.

He responded with, “I plan on taking the LSAT and getting into law school. I’m really only a couple of credits away from a bachelor’s.”

One thing he loved about CNM was that the school prepared him to go to the next level.

“I had some things that I needed to work on to attend a major university, but I think I’ve got that ironed out at the community college level. It’s a place to get organized and focused into the school environment, especially if you’ve been out of school for a while.”

When asked what the most important thing he learned at CNM was, he responded, “I learned that a lot of life is what you make it, so you’ve got to go out there and find the things to help make you successful and at CNM, there were a lot of tools available as long as I went out and tried to find them.”

When asked if he had any regrets from attending CNM, he looked at his wife and kids and said, “I regret that I didn’t spend more time with my family.”

President Winograd Wants to Continue Working with CNM After Retirement

April 28, 2019April 29, 2019 cnmchronicleLeave a comment

By Guadalupe Santos-Sanchez,

Staff Reporter

CNM President Katharine Winograd said she plans to stay in Albuquerque and would like to continue working on issues at CNM even after she has retired.

“I certainly hope [that those at CNM] still allow me to play. It’ll be volunteer and it’ll be when I have time to do things, but I can’t imagine letting go of my love for the college,” she said.

Winograd said the one thing she really hopes to continue to think about is the new focus on being family friendly.

Over the years, they have talked about having more opportunities for children to be on campus, such as through a family resource center and a better partnership with daycare, she said.

“Those kinds of issues I would love to continue to work on even after I’ve retired,” she said.

CNM just needs to continue to think about what kinds of programs can help the community and be open to that for lots of different jobs, she said.

The film industry and health care are good examples, so as things change in the world, the hope is that CNM continues to change as well, she said.

“There’s always something going on at CNM and I continue to believe that there will always be things going on even after I’m gone,” she said.

Winograd will have been with CNM for 23 years when she retires, which will be in June 2020 or when a new president is hired.

“It’s been a long time. It was TVI when I first started,” she said.

Her background in planning and budgeting with CNM allowed her to focus on how to deal with a difficult budget in a creative and thoughtful way, she said.

Even though this was a really great skill for her, she said that CNM has a lot of really talented individuals at the college and in the budget area, so if they choose someone who has other kinds of skills, they will have staff members that will be very helpful to them.

“I would love to say that everything that’s happened at CNM is directly because of me, but it isn’t. It is this great place with lots of very good people. All I do is get out of their way, instead of actually doing anything special, and that’s really important because I’m really so proud of everything,” she said.

Winograd hopes that the faculty, staff and students who are at the college now continue to play a role in making CNM better.

“I just hope it continues to grow and I hope the next president is better than I was,” she said.

CNM gives individuals who really do not want to think about going to school an opportunity to have training, boot camps and things that are different and unique but certainly help them in the workforce, she said.

They all bring such gifts to the table that she hopes can be appreciated for years to come, she said.

Winograd said she had the opportunity over the last 12 years to do the same as previous presidents of the college – to make CNM bigger and better.

She cannot imagine ever feeling like she had done everything she wanted to do, she said.

“It is full of mixed emotions, so it’s nice to be at this place in my life and I will miss CNM very much,” she said.

Students Will Be Selling Their Own Garments at the Upcoming Up-Cycled Pop-Up Shop

April 17, 2019April 29, 2019 cnmchronicleLeave a comment

Story by Ashley Shickler, Staff Writer

and Hailey Tolleson, Web Designer

Photos provided by Lila Martinez

On Saturday, April 20, from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm at Main campus inside the Coal Avenue Theater, Lila Martinez’s intermediate costume and sewing class was scheduled to have an Up-Cycled Pop-Up Shop where clothing and accessories made by the students would be sold.

One of the assignments this semester was to have the class design and create a series of upcycled garments, Martinez said.

Rebecca England’s articles of clothing before the transformation.

The students were able to re-create some really amazing pieces of art out of personal donations which will be sold at the pop-up, she said.

One group, for example, did chic business wear that included a pencil skirt, really nice blouse, and some really great accessories, Martinez said.

Some of the students have been working on stuff from home because of being so inspired and a lot were able to create things the students never thought of before, she said.

The class will be selling various items at the pop-up shop, such as clothing, shoes, art, and quirky items for resale, but primarily upcycled items, she said.

“This assignment really gives the students an opportunity to get inspired and open up,” Martinez said.

One student, Javier McBride, created a Flamenco skirt out of old t-shirts and an old cocktail dress, which was beautifully executed, Martinez said.

Javier McBride’s Flamenco skirt laid out over a table.

Javier McBride’s Flamenco skirt on a dress form.

“The students are really inspired because it is that generation, the millennial and z generation, that are very proactive in sustainability and I think in a creative way we can approach that and I would like to continue to teach that,” Martinez said.

A lot of things can be prevented from going into the landfills and oceans just by recycling and creating new art, she said.

It takes 700 gallons of water to make one cotton t-shirt and it is things like that for which resources could be better used, Martinez said.

Leonard Madrid’s bag refashioned from the sleeves of a blazer.

CNM theater instructor Leonard Madrid and Martinez came up with the idea to have the upcycled pop-up shop, she said.

“I would love for the pop-up to be an ongoing thing. As long as I continue to teach this class and as long as CNM will have me, I will definitely encourage sustainability in art and this is a really good opportunity to do that,”Martinez said.

The pop-up shop is going to be really fun and anyone and everyone is welcome, Martinez said.

Annual Fair Returns for CNM Employees: Health and Wellness

March 30, 2019 cnmchronicleLeave a comment

Story by Audrey Callaway Scherer, senior reporter

How challenging would it be to find one location offering chair massages, retirement education and mammograms on the same day? CNM non-student employees don’t have to look far this year for these services and more.

Although skipping a few years leading up to 2018, CNM’s Employee Health and Wellness Fair is normally annual and returns in 2019 for the second year of its resurrection, said Benefits Director René Yoder. The plan moving forward is to continue it every year.

The 2019 fair is scheduled for Friday, April 5^th from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. in Smith Brasher (SB) Hall and focuses on employees’ physical, mental and financial health.

The fair should include almost 30 vendors and has been organized to provide opportunities for educational information and general health and welfare checks through its employee-centered presentations and activities, she said.

“Anything we can do to help employees improve their health in any of those three areas is good for everyone. And we try to make it fun,” said Yoder.

Although the fair was designed specifically for CNM employees who are not students, anyone may visit the information tables or grab a snack from the snack area and hydration station if they’re passing through, she said.

The Employee Benefits team, hosting the fair, likes to keep it similar from year to year but also adds change so that each year is different, she said.

As they register this year, employees will be given a type of Bingo card relating to the stations they visit and be eligible to enter a raffle.

A couple presentations offered will include three 15-minute talks on Bone Health and three 30-minute College Savings Plan workshops. The fair’s organizers understand how financial health connects to physical and mental health, she said.

Visitors can also spend time with Southwest Canine Corps’ NM Therapy Dogs, watch a Stretch Testing and Exercise Demo, speak with vendors such as acupuncturists and chiropractors, or do screenings for blood pressure, glucose or cholesterol levels, and bone density.

The little check-ups are intended to match those of regular annual exams and give participants information they could use however they see fit, which includes bringing it to their doctors.

Although the clinicians on site will be able to talk about the numbers and answer questions or concerns, one goal is to get more people in to see their primary care physicians, she said.

With pre-registration, employees and family listed on their insurance plans can get biometric exams or 3D mammograms done. These services are considered preventative health care, so if the employee is part of CNM’s insurance plan the examinations are done for free – otherwise, registrants are welcome to participate with their own health insurance, she said.

Benefit and pre-registration information can be found at the Community Insights webpage, which is generally only available to employees who can sign in, but if anyone has questions they may also contact benefits@cnm.edu.

Yoder said she was unaware of any similar events for students but pointed that she works strictly in the employee benefits programs. Representatives from the student activities office were also unaware of similar student events.

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March 3, 2019May 6, 2022 cnmchronicleLeave a comment

Learn from Experience – Tips from the CNM Library Team

February 13, 2019February 15, 2019 cnmchronicleLeave a comment

Story and Photos by Audrey Callaway Scherer,

senior reporter

lib 1 — The outside of Jennette Stromberg Library and the SRC.

Members of Main Campus’s library team shared with Chronicle readers tips that stuck with them throughout their academic careers.

Kyanna Facio, student employee

Always seize every opportunity, she said, particularly for scholarships that CNM offers and lists on its website from the Resources and Services tab under Financial Aid. She also said to know when your classes start and save your money.

Manuel DJ Lujan, instructional support technician

You can park anywhere for free after 4:30 p.m., he said, although you still need a free general parking pass.

Parking permits also don’t guarantee that you will have a spot, he said – if you want to be on time to class, give yourself plenty of time to find parking in case lots are full.

Robert Graff, an academic technology support manager

Once you’re in class, take advantage of office hours, he said.

Also, look at CNM for classes needed by UNM. Students can save money by staying at CNM until they must transfer to UNM, he said.

Students have access to free bus passes – all buses, not just to the school, he said.

You can do some things, like getting a parking permit, at all campuses, he added. Looking into this can save time and money by avoiding unnecessary trips.

Oceana Vasquez, a student employee

She said that her biggest recommendation would be to stop by one of the computer labs to get homework done, especially before going home if you’re already on campus for something else. By utilizing all of CNM’s resources, she hasn’t had to do any homework at home since she started, she said.

CNM Degree Works is one of those resources and she recommended using it. By showing students the classes needed for each program, it saves students time and financial aid, she said.

“I wish someone had told me that when I first started, that there was all this stuff available.”

She usually waits to get books for classes until after school starts, in case the teachers don’t need students to buy one of the online suggested books.

And don’t be afraid to ask questions. Your professors are there to help you and they really want you to succeed, she said.

Yvette Perez, a math tutor

“Panic early, beat the rush,” she said.

Students will panic toward midterms and finals, but it’s kind of late at that point, she said.

She suggests visiting the tutoring centers at any of CNM’s campuses early and often. Even if you’re not stuck, you can still go to do your homework there. If you have questions, you get past them right away.

Take IT 1010 early, especially since you will have to write papers in most of your classes.

She also recommended taking a college success experience class pretty early, because it will help you build a network of friends and people who have things in common with you – resources, study partners, study groups, etc.

Work as a student employee if eligible, she said. There are a bunch of positions open right now that need filling – if you know anyone who gets financial aid, let them know, too.

It keeps students on campus, in the environment, and they are allowed to do their homework while working, she said. There are tutors readily available and you’re also getting paid.

“You’re in the right place with the right people and it sets you up for success,” she said.

If a student does really well in any subject and has taken some classes, they could get a job as a peer tutor, she added. One doesn’t have to be on financial aid to get that kind of position; there are funds that are allocated for peer tutors separately, she said.

Perla Juarez, student employee

In the library, people can check out reserve books, calculators, laptops, iPads, highlighters, markers for the white boards, colored pencils and Sharpies – a bunch of stuff, all for three hours, she said.

You always need your student ID to access CNM’s library resources, because you can’t check out anything without it – not even a highlighter, she said.

People who are not actual students, graduated or otherwise, may get guest a ID.

Although students may buy or rent books at the bookstore, sometimes the library has those books and it’s cheaper to just come in and check them out, she said. You can even scan them and send the images to your email, so you don’t have to keep returning to the library.

lib 2a — Inside Jeannette Stromberg Library.

The libraries have study rooms that you can reserve for big study groups or presentations, in addition to printers and copiers and plenty of computers, she said.

The tutoring center also helps people who are struggling with their homework.

“It’s just pretty chill, I think. We’re open and calm, you can always ask questions and we try our best to answer them,” she said.

When it comes to study areas on Main Campus, Juarez indicated the library, the SSC building and its cafeteria, and the adjoined room to the cafeteria, which has couches and chairs, she said. She added the SB building and its computer lab.

“It’s a bigger place, that building is super modern and it’s really nice,” she said. “Open and colorful.”

The L building is more personal because has little study rooms with closing glass doors and cool chairs that are weird and modern, she said. It’s better if you want a quiet space.

lib 3 — Students occupy study rooms in the L building, while the lobby remains open.

She said that work-study jobs are awesome and if students can, they should try to get one.

It’s easy, especially since you’ve got access to the school while you’re working, she said. When it’s slow, you have the opportunity to do homework, which makes you feel like you can get things done and not feel as much pressure since your classroom is right there.

As a final note to students, she said that it’s not too bad and that school gets easier.

“At first it was really difficult to adjust to the difference of how much more homework you have and responsibility, but I think you just kind of get used to it,” she said.

Brahm Woody, an instructional technician

Students receiving financial aid should stay on top of their credit hours, he said. Taking 12 credit hours each term can eat up one’s available aid, although there is an appeal process that students may use to apply for more.

Students should also keep two programs in mind, he said. Taking classes that feed into two programs can prevent you from running out of financial aid by switching mid-program.

“It’s good to keep an open mind as far as where you want to go. Because destiny changes,” he said.

He recommends that students visit Academic Advisors just to make sure they’re still where they need to be, and to not stop at one – if you get advice that discourages you or isn’t what you wanted it to be, go see somebody else and get a different perspective, he said.

It’s also possible that one advisor may know something that the last person did not, he said.

“Definitely seek advisement. Even if you don’t think you need it, it’s recommended,” he said.

If you take advantage of office hours, come prepared with questions, he said. Have a goal in mind or prepared questions that they’ll be ready to answer. You only have a certain amount of time and don’t want to spend more of it fishing for what you need than getting what you need.

And don’t blow up your teachers’ email, he said. There’s a limit to where it could be excessive.

Stay on target with your program, but to unwind take a fun class, such as art or music.

“Stay sane. Because all work and no play will drive anyone nuts…you’ll end up like Nicholson in The Shining,” he said.

Don’t take too many classes, he said. Overworking can have a physical impact on you as well as mental, and he has seen people crash and burn by trying to take too many credit hours.

And do you keep any of that? he asked. You must memorize a massive amount of material in a short amount of time and will be lucky to keep a quarter of it – unless you stay on top of it.

When it comes to buying textbooks, look at their values and ask yourself a few questions – one may be cool for reference, but are you really going to reference it? Is it really something you’ll look at in five years? Would it be more worth it to rent it for a fraction of the price? Do you really need the physical copy?

Finally, take parking tickets seriously, he said – if you haven’t purchased a permit in a general lot and decide to park across the street, make sure to park according to the road signs.

“They will ticket you – it’s not if, it’s when,” he said.

Fall in love all over again with these V-Day specials

February 11, 2019February 13, 2019 cnmchronicleLeave a comment

By Ashley Shickler

Staff reporter

The CNM chronicle has found some great V-day deals for all you hardworking students. Make sure to impress that special someone by booking your reservations soon!

Tucanos Brazilian Grille

Alfredo, Manager of Tucanos Brazilian Grille said they will be serving a Valentines dinner from February 13^th-16^th. For $31.95 per person. The dinner will include a Rosemary salmon, Roasted ribeye, grilled shrimp, along with a chocolate truffle for dessert. To make reservations please call (505) 246-9900. Further information can be found here.

Melting Pot

Amanda, a hostess at the Melting Pot said they have a Valentines 5-course meal and a shared bottle of wine for $140 per couple. The appetizer will be a shrimp cocktail, along with a choice of sparkling gruyere or green chile cheddar cheese, choice of Bacon Caesar or Strawberry Pecan salad, followed by an entrée of either Filet, Herb Crusted Chicken Breast, Shrimp, Memphis-style BBQ Pork Medallions, Angus Sirloin and Featured Pasta. For the dessert, a cookies n’ Cream Oreo Dream, Flaming Turtle, or White Chocolate Amaretto Meltdown. Other specials including a lunch champagne toast can be found on their website. Please call (505) 843-6358 or book a reservation here.

St. Clair Winery

Cathy, hostess at St. Clair Winery said they will be having a special four-course dinner for $50 per person. For the appetizer, you will have a choice of jalapeno bacon shrimp or warm brie, Red bell pepper bisque soup or poached pear salad, Prime rib or halibut for the main entrée, followed by a cheesecake and chocolate Bundt cake. Please call (505) 243-9916 to make a reservation. Further information can be found here.

The Fragrant Leaf, Chocolate & Roses Afternoon Tea

Lee, host at the Fragrant Leaf said they will be having a special afternoon tea with two seating’s available, 1:00-2:30 pm and 3:30-5 pm on Sunday February 17^th for $35 per person. The tea service will include a Strawberry Chicken Salad Tea Sandwich, Pomegranate Glazed Turkey Meatball, Spicy Spinach Stuffed Mushroom Ham, Cream Cheese & Red Pepper Jelly Canape, White Chocolate Chip Scone with Rose Cream, Chocolate Peanut Butter Brownie, Peppermint Rose Sugar Cookie, Rose, Raspberry & Lychee Parfait, Jasmine Pearls Green Tea, and a Lychee Fruit Black Tea. Please click here to make a reservation or call (505) 505-255-0522. Advanced reservations are required.

Star Brothers Brewing Company

Derek at Star Brothers Brewing said they are having a sweetheart dinner and beer pairing on Valentine’s day for $60 per couple from 5-9 pm. The dinner will include a four-course ribeye dinner, with five ounce beer pairings for each course, beginning with a homemade French onion soup, paired with a Double English brown ale, tossed seasonal salad with apricot balsamic vinaigrette paired with a Hazy IPA, 18 oz wood-grilled ribeye, Yukon parmesan mashed potatoes, with red ale gravy, with sautéed garlic broccolini paired with American Red ale, following a cheesecake topped with raspberries paired with a porter for dessert. Please call Derek at (505) 300-6126 to Reserve your Sweetheart Table. Reservations must be made by February 11th.

NM Escape Room

Zoë Hill, Manager, at NM Escape Room said they have open/public booking for any number of participants on Thursday, February 14th during their public hours, which have scheduled start times for all the rooms between 3 PM and 10 PM. They are offering a promo code for this occasion. Use the word SWEETHEART when booking a group of 2 and save $5. *Promo code is only valid for Thursday, February 14, 2019. For more information please click here or call (505)-289-1002 to book your fun filled day!

Rio Bravo Brewing Company

Rio Bravo Brewing Company is having a four-course meal with beer pairings, including their velvet utters milk stout for $35 per person. The menu is TBA. Please call (505) 900-3909 for more information.

Calibers Shooting Range

Robert Pohl, Manager of Calibers shooting range, said they will be having a Valentine special on February 14^th where $84.99 gets you a $40 gift card that can be used for any items on the menu to either Daily Grind on their east side location or M’Tuccis on their west side location for a lovely dinner along with range time for two people, one hand gun rental, one rifle rental and box of ammunition with two targets of your choice. Tickets can be purchased here.

Women’s Wave Marches Forward

February 1, 2019February 1, 2019 cnmchronicleLeave a comment

Story and Photo By Staci Bostic-Baros

Staff Reporter

Speaking to hundreds of Women’s March participants gathered at Civic Plaza, newly elected NM Congresswoman Deb Haaland encouraged the crowd, reminding that anyone can enter politics, there are people and organizations ready and willing to help people get started, and anyone who is interested just needs to take the first step.

“It’s going to take every single one of us to take back the White House in 2020, but I know we can do it, the door is open, the ceiling is broken, and I intend to leave the ladder down for all women to run for office, I will be there to make sure that they do, that YOU do!”, she exclaimed.

There is more to do, more women are needed in elected offices, in the sciences, and CEO positions and women need to be paid equally, she said.

debhaaland2019 — Deb Haaland speaks at Civic Plaza during the 2019 Albuquerque Women’s March . Photo courtesy of Sienna Burkett

“To this day women and women of color are paid as little as $0.53 on the dollar compared to a white male-booo! -Don’t boo, vote. Right?!”, Congresswoman Haaland asked the crowd.

It is a historic time for women in leadership in our state and in our country because of you in 2016 we woke up the country, Haaland said.

“Here’s what happened, we elected more women than ever before to Congress; 131 women representing districts across the country, the first Hispanic women from Texas, the youngest woman in Congress ever elected, the first two Muslim women, and the first two Native American women”, Haaland cheered along with the crowd.

31 of our 70 State House Seats are held by women, five seats short of a majority with Congresswoman Xochitl Torres Small, the first woman to represent the southern part of our state but our fight is not over, it is just beginning, she said.

Many New Mexicans have stated loud and clear that bridges should be built, not walls so keep marching, keep donating, keep volunteering and keep resisting, she said

“Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. said ‘Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter’, so my sisters keep singing!” Congresswoman Haaland said before she left the stage.

We have a simple vision for this city, that working together we can continue to create a city that is safe, inclusive and innovative that works for all, began Albuquerque’s First Lady Elizabeth J. Kistin Keller, PhD.

“But we know that the most important part, inclusion is what makes safety and innovation possible in our city and what we have learned over the last year is that we can and we must do better, it’s going to take all of us working together as one Albuquerque but we have learned from all of you that we are a resourceful and a resilient bunch”, said Albuquerque’s First Lady.

As a community we have a lot to celebrate in this city and state, we are particularly excited as a city to have for the first time ever, a leadership team on City Council that is all female run, she said.

Everything needed to face our most pressing challenges head-on is right here in our community, she said.

“We’ve got the energy, we’ve got the creativity, and we’ve got the expertise to ensure that everyone in this community feels protected and respected and able to thrive.”

The City of Albuquerque’s first female Chief Administrative Officer Sarita Nair addressed the theme of this year’s march as the Women’s Wave, which speaks to the momentum of the women’s movement, but she also uses the term Women’s Glacier, because just like a glacier there is nothing that is going away about this Women’s Wave, said Nair.

“So I ask of you all keep speaking out, when we sit up there in City Hall it is so easy to forget all of the different issues that are so urgent to all of you, so we need all of you to speak on what is most important to you, so that we remember all of those issues when we continue to give attention across the board, whether it is ADA accessibility or backlogs of untested rape kits or making sure that our streets are safe for women and people of all levels of ability”, said Albuquerque’s Chief Administrative Officer.

Brewery Instructor Wants Better Beer and Life for All

February 1, 2019February 2, 2019 cnmchronicleLeave a comment

Story and Photos by Ashley Shickler,

Staff Reporter

Skye Morris-Devore is a Brewing and Beverage instructor on campus, as well as the co-owner and President of Tractor brewery.

CNM has a certificate program and an associate’s program that combines brewing classes along with science and business classes to try and give you a well-rounded approach to getting into the industry, she said.

Morris-Devore loves teaching about beer styles and flavors, and she finds this to be the coolest part of her job, she said.

In particular, she enjoys teaching students who already believe they are knowledgeable about beer, she said.

“Whenever you have someone that introduces themselves as a home-brewer or a beer geek and then you’re able to teach them something, then you feel like what you’re doing is really validating,” she said.

Even if you’re not thinking about getting the certificate or degree, just taking the classes is a good idea if you’re working in the industry, she said.

Sometimes our employees from Tractor are offered to take drafting classes for free because it’s important to know how to do something, especially if you’re alone on your shift on a Friday night, she said.

On top of being a mother to four-year-old twins, a wife, and instructor, Morris-Devore is also the co-owner and president of Tractor brewery.

“I’m a workaholic. I think that’s a big component of being able to juggle both. I love my work and you just have to honor your commitments and sometimes that personal stuff just falls by the waist side and you have to be ok with that for a little while,” she said.

Morris-Devore is able to juggle both jobs by the loving support of her family and friends, she said.

“I have a really supportive family and it’s important for people to know to that it’s great to have family, but family is what you make it, and that network of people who are friends is also really important,” she said.

She got into this industry by accident and didn’t know anything about beer, she said.

Her background is in manufacturing, and while she was working at a manufacturing company, her boss, who owned a brewery asked her if she’d like to run a brewery in her spare time, she said.

Morris-Devore was twenty-five and said sure, and that is how she ended up at Tractor, she said.

Morris-Devore started working there in 2007, and in 2014 her and her partner bought out the original owner and have been there ever since, she said.

“I found out that I was pregnant, so I quit my day job and began working at Tractor and doing the beer thing full time,” she said.

After coming back from maternity leave, she realized she had never took the time to learn about craft beer the way she should have, she said.

During the time Morris-Devore wanted to learn about craft beer, Santa-Fe Brewing was starting a study group for the cicerone program for the level 2 exam, she said.

A cicerone is defined as a beer expert and/or beer sommelier.

Morris-Devore spent six months studying three hours a week, and received her cicerone certification in October of 2015, she said.

Having completed all of these studies, the certification, and a MBA, Morris-Devore was able apply and receive a teaching position with the CNM brewing and beverage program, she said.

She believes that people who want to learn should figure out what job they want to do in the beer industry and go shadow someone for a day.

“You might find that you want to work in beer, but just not in the job you thought you did, so that can be an interesting transition. Be open to that,” she said.

There are challenges that come with being a brewery owner, she said.

Something that Morris-Devore hears from her students a lot is, they want to start their own brewery so they can be their own boss and make their own schedule. That’s just a lie though, they don’t actually end up doing that because it’s their job to make sure that everyone else has everything they need to do their job, she said.

Discounted Philharmonic Passes for CNM Students

February 1, 2019February 1, 2019 cnmchronicleLeave a comment

Story by Audrey Callaway Scherer

Senior Staff Reporter

Students have access to discounted season passes for unlimited New Mexico Philharmonic performances, said their Director of Outreach and YMI (Young Musician Initiative) Alexis Corbin.

The $30 NMPhil Sound Card allows students to attend any of at least 20 concerts in a season and bring a friend for free to certain shows on dates listed on their website. There are three more this season and the guest does not have to be a student, she said.

“It’s hard to be a student, but everybody deserves to have access to beautiful music,” she said.

A lot of people wonder if adult students count, she said, and they do.

It’s for all students age 6 or older. Sometimes students will get the card and bring parents along – especially high schoolers and middle schoolers, she said.

As long as you are taking one class at CNM, you qualify.

“It’s an affordable way to listen to classical music,” she said.

Students may choose from any seats remaining three days before the performance, or they may reserve seats a week in advance in the student section.

Corbin is excited about this outreach, she said.

“It’s about getting people in,” she said. “Many people will go for the first time and tell me it was amazing.”

The program gets students involved, but also helps with future attendees. It is both student outreach and community outreach, she said.

She added that there is a wide range of educational programs many don’t know about, in which they reach out to 4^th and 5^th graders by playing at their schools or bringing them to Popejoy for a full symphony.

“Everyone deserves access to beautiful music,” she said.

The 2018/19 season spans from September 1, 2018, through August 31, 2019.

Students may complete their membership form online or get access to more information at nmphil.org/soundcard.