Good afternoon Lobos –

Last week, I had the privilege of attending the ribbon-cutting celebration for the new UNM Hospital Children’s Psychiatric Center, a transformational facility that will serve some of New Mexico’s most vulnerable children and families with compassion, innovation, and excellence.

The new 32,500-square-foot center replaces a decades-old, cottage-style facility with a modern, centralized environment designed around today’s best practices in pediatric behavioral health care. Thoughtfully designed using trauma-informed principles, the facility features calming patient rooms, welcoming communal spaces, outdoor courtyards, and specialized treatment areas—features that support healing while helping children feel safe, comfortable, and cared for.

Demand for children’s and adolescent mental health services continues to grow across New Mexico and the nation. It is our responsibility to ensure families can find the support they need during some of life’s most challenging moments. This new center reflects how far our understanding of mental health treatment has advanced and our commitment to providing the highest quality care for every child who comes through its doors.

Funded through a 2022 Higher Education General Obligation Bond approved by New Mexico voters, the $36 million project is also an investment in our future health care workforce, providing a state-of-the-art environment for physicians, nurses, therapists, and other professionals to learn and train. Most importantly, it is a place where children can heal, families can find hope, and dedicated caregivers can do their very best work.

UNM Hospital CEO Kate Becker to Retire in December

After eight years of exceptional leadership, UNM Hospital CEO Kate Becker has announced her retirement, effective December 11, 2026. Kate’s impact on health care in New Mexico has been extraordinary, and I am deeply grateful for her unwavering commitment to our patients, learners, faculty, staff, and communities. Her leadership has helped strengthen UNM Hospital and advance our mission in meaningful and lasting ways.

As we celebrate Kate’s remarkable service and prepare for this transition, we remain focused on building a more clinically integrated health system for New Mexico. Beginning July 1, Dr. Steve McLaughlin will serve as Interim Vice President of Clinical Affairs, helping guide these efforts and support continued progress across our health system.

Grand Challenges Building Momentum



Some of the most important challenges facing New Mexico require expertise that no single discipline can provide. That’s why I’m so encouraged by the progress of UNM’s six newest Grand Challenges Level 1 teams, which recently completed a year of collaboration focused on disaster resilience, multilingual education, rural perinatal care, safer streets, biodiversity change, and trustworthy artificial intelligence. Along the way, these interdisciplinary teams built strong partnerships, engaged communities, and developed research plans that are already generating real-world impact. From supporting disaster preparedness efforts in Church Rock to helping shape AI policy and expanding resources for multilingual families, their work demonstrates the power of collaboration in action.

Nusenda Extends Its Investment in Student Financial Capability



Earlier this afternoon, I was pleased to join our partners at Nusenda Credit Union in the Student Union Building to celebrate an exciting new chapter for our Center for Financial Capability. Since 2018, the center has helped Lobos build financial confidence through workshops, one-on-one consultations, and tax preparation services. Thanks to Nusenda’s expanded commitment—including a newly renovated space and $1.5 million in support over the next decade—the newly-renamed Nusenda Center for Financial Capability will continue helping students navigate the financial challenges that can too often stand in the way of earning a degree. I am deeply grateful for Nusenda’s longstanding partnership with UNM and its continued investment in our students.

Solar Splash Team Earns 3rd Place in National Competition

Congratulations to our UNM Solar Splash team on an outstanding performance at this year’s Solar Splash competition in Ohio, where they earned a third-place overall finish against universities from across the United States and abroad. Solar Splash challenges engineering students to design, build, and race solar-powered boats, putting their technical knowledge, creativity, and problem-solving skills to the test in a real-world setting. The team also placed second in the Solar Endurance race and third in the Slalom race, while taking home awards for Outstanding Solar System Design, Innovation, and Sportsmanship. Congratulations to Jeremiah Martinez, Micah Wolbrecht, Soren Colburn, Justin Howey, and faculty advisor Peter Vorobieff on a remarkable achievement.

Lobo Runners Clinch 10K, 5K National Titles



What a remarkable NCAA Championships for Lobo Track & Field! Habtom Samuel cemented his place in UNM history by winning both the 10,000-meter and 5,000-meter national titles, becoming just the 15th athlete in collegiate history to complete the outdoor 5K/10K double. The victories give Habtom five career NCAA individual championships and further solidify his status as the most decorated All-American in UNM history.

The Lobo team also celebrated a national champion on the women’s side, as Marion Jepngetich captured the NCAA 5,000-meter title with a personal-best performance. Pamela Kosgei added a national runner-up finish in the 10,000 meters and placed fifth in the 5,000, while Taniya Looney earned two Second Team All-America honors in the sprints. Overall, the women finished tied for 12th nationally with 22 points—the third-highest total in program history—with the men finishing in 14th. With two teams in the top 15, we were the highest-finishing non-Power 4 program in the championship field. Congratulations to these outstanding Lobos—and our entire amazing team—on an unforgettable season!