Community News

WNMU nursing student Keana Huerta and member of the local band Siempre is balancing academics with her music career. She is seen here performing on campus at last summer's Welcome Back Bash, Aug. 19, 2023Keana Huerta was an understudy for the upcoming Amazon Prime TV episode of "The College Tour" that was filmed on campus in November. Link the article at the bottom of this article.

Music and nursing may seem like very different disciplines to most people, but for WNMU student and Hurley native Keana Huerta, they are very much entwined.

Her decision to pursue a career in nursing was influenced by her family's experience. "When my grandmother was sick in the hospital," said Huerta, "I came to see her, and I sang her a song. [Music] brings light to a part of someone's health journey that they otherwise might not have had."

Music therapy has been part of healthcare for a long time, said Huerta. "When people are at a very vulnerable time, sometimes they just need that light," she said, "and for me as for many other people, music is just that."

Music is such an important part of Huerta's life that she has been working hard to develop time management strategies to juggle being both a full-time college student and a professional musician. "With school and with music, I really had to learn how to balance stuff," she said.

WNMU alumnus Ethan Sanchez now has a successful career as a welder in the construction industryEthan Sanchez is a featured student in the upcoming Amazon Prime TV episode of "The College Tour" that was filmed on campus in November. See end of article for link.

Silver City native Ethan Sanchez did not always know that he would become a welder. "I started the CNA program. I wanted to be a nurse first of all," he explained. Once he entered into direct care, though, he realized that it was not for him.

While looking for an alternative career path, Sanchez met James Ortiz, Director of Community and Workforce Development at WNMU, who suggested he consider welding. "I tried it, and I fell in love with it," said Sanchez.

He noted that creativity and job security were the main reasons he was so attracted to welding. "You can always put your own touch to it," he said, "I like to make [my welds] personal." He also enjoys having a career that will always be in demand and pays well.

Upgraded broadcast studio – please come see it! – Gila/Mimbres Community Radio / KURU 89.1 FM

Gila/Mimbres Community Radio / KURU 89.1 FM

Saturday, March 16, 2024

Open House Saturday, 3/16/2024, 12-4 p.m., at 519-B North Bullard Street, Silver City, NM. See our renovated broadcast studio with brand new equipment – thanks to a 2022 award of $30,000 from The 30Something! Enjoy refreshments, meet Board members, DJs, and Program Hosts, and support community radio!

Dakota Montenegro holds her NYLF acceptance letter.Dakota Montenegro a junior at Aldo Leopold Charter School has been invited to attend the National Youth Leadership Forum (NYLF) of Advanced Medicine and Health Care at John Hopkins University this summer. She received the invitation because she earned college credit last year at the National Youth Leadership Forum in Boston, Massachusetts.  

NYLF Advanced Medicine & Health Care exposes students to a range of careers in health care and the skills needed to be successful. Students gain insights about their future in college, medical school, and more. 

This hands-on program teaches students to measure vital signs, about birthing procedures and common complications, and allows them to interact with current nursing students as they share insights on numerous topics relevant to health care. Attendees also learn about the cardiovascular system, aseptic techniques, venipuncture, and suturing, then engage in hands-on workshops and simulations with The Apprentice Doctor, such as taking a comprehensive medical history, analyzing how to make an accurate diagnosis, and following proper patient examination procedures. Dakota's current goal in the medical field is to become a radiologist. 

SANTA FE – Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham on Thursday appointed Sabrina Pack and Robert Stump to the State Game Commission.  

Sabrina Pack is a lifelong resident of Grant County and has strong ties to ranching in the area. She holds a Doctor of Business Administration with a specialty in Management. She is an executive board member of the New Mexico Broadcasters Association, board member of the Silver City Grant County Chamber of Commerce, and a member of the Grant County Prospectors. She is a marketing professional and serves as the Chief Operating Officer of SkyWest Media. 

Interdisciplinary Studies major and basketball player Brooke Rodgers is an aspiring screenwriter. She is seen here during filming of the Amazon Prime TV series "The College Tour," which filmed on the WNMU campus in NovemberBrooke Rodgers will be a featured cast member on the hit Amazon Prime TV series "The College Tour." Link to full story at the end of this article.

Brooke Rodgers started her college career in San Francisco, California, but when WNMU Head Women's Basketball Coach Josh Pace reached out to her, she was ready to make a change. She was anxious to leave the big city, to be closer to her family in Phoenix and to find a university that would allow her to better balance her academic life with the demands of playing collegiate basketball. "I knew Coach Pace would get me to where I wanted to be as a player," she said.

WNMU BSN graduates recite the Nightingale Pledge at their pinning ceremony, Dec 7, 2023. Fall 2023 graduates received a 100% passing rate on the NCLEX examSILVER CITY, NM—The WNMU Nursing program's recent pre-licensure BSN graduates have a 100% passing rate on the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX), the test that is required to become licensed as a nurse. The most recent national average passing rate for baccalaureate students is approximately 90%.

Associate Dean of the School of Nursing and Kinesiology (SONAK) Kim Petrovic attributed the success in part to state appropriations to the university, which allowed SONAK to make substantial changes to its prelicensure BSN curriculum.

Southwest New Mexico ACT

We are excited to share with you all that we have been up to!

Southwest New Mexico ACT exists to preserve, enhance, and sustain rural economic development initiatives and the creative economy in southwestern New Mexico. We spearhead community collaboration through cultural and historic preservation; sponsor and engage the region in arts and cultural events; inspire and promote outdoor recreation, education, and tourism initiatives.