Good afternoon Lobos –

This morning at 9:30 a.m., employees at Presbyterian Healthcare Services, Lovelace Health System, and UNM Hospital locations across the region gathered for a moment of reflection to pay respect to New Mexicans who lost their lives during the COVID-19 pandemic and to pay tribute to the dedicated health care professionals who cared for patients across the state.

It’s been five years since COVID-19 arrived in New Mexico, with the first confirmed cases reported the second week of March 2020. On March 16, 2020, we announced that The University of New Mexico would be moving to limited operations for what we thought, and hoped, would be a short time. Two weeks later, we had made a rapid transition to remote instruction and learning. Shortly after that, we entered a long period of uncertainty, marked by social distancing, self-quarantining, masking and handwashing, improvised commencements, abbreviated athletic seasons, and a general feeling of disquiet as we learned to adjust to our unexpectedly altered reality.

Five years later, I am grateful for our health care workers who worked tirelessly and selflessly—some gave their lives--to tend to patients and their families with care and compassion. I am also thankful for the doctors and researchers who developed the vaccines—and for the teams of workers across our state who helped administer them--that helped us return to a forever changed normal. And I remain so grateful to all of you, who helped The University of New Mexico cope with, and come through, one of the most challenging moments in our history.

So today, I’m thinking of and mourning the more than 9,000 New Mexicans who we lost to COVID. But I’m also thinking of those who are still here and celebrating those who continue to help and to serve every day. Thank you, Lobo Nation, for your strength, your empathy, and your continued support for each other.

Office of Sustainability Hosting Two Town Halls

The UNM Office of Sustainability is hosting two upcoming town halls that will help shape the future of sustainability at UNM. These sessions will allow students, faculty, and staff to share ideas and suggest priority areas to reduce environmental impact and promote sustainable practices. You can attend the first town hall on Monday, April 7, from 11:30 to 12:30 in the Student Union Building, Lobo A&B, or the second on Wednesday, April 9, from 4 to 5 p.m. in Domenici Center, Room 3710. Don’t miss this opportunity to be part of a larger effort to develop a five-year Sustainability Strategic Plan, aligned with UNM 2040.

Celebrating Our Sarah Belle Brown Community Service Award Winners

Last week, I had the privilege of helping to recognize the recipients of the 15th annual Sarah Belle Brown Community Service Award, a celebration of Lobos who go above and beyond to serve UNM and the broader community. This year’s honorees are: staff award winner Amy Gundelach, oncology clinical nurse specialist, UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center, for her tireless efforts in gynecologic cancer awareness, patient advocacy, and compassionate care; faculty award winner Sarah Hernandez, associate professor, Department of English, for her dedication to Indigenous scholarship and her commitment to fostering ethical, community-engaged research; and student award winner Liliana Spurgeon, graduate student, Master of Public Administration, for her impactful work supporting Spanish-speaking communities and her leadership in recovery support through the UNM Collegiate Recovery Center. Congratulations to these remarkable Lobos! Their service embodies the spirit of public engagement that defines The University of New Mexico.

Health Professions Symposium is April 12

Mark your calendars now for the 9th annual Health Professions Symposium (HPS), set for April 12 at the Domenici Center for Health Sciences Education. As New Mexico’s largest health career event, HPS offers students a chance to explore their passions, connect with professionals, and discover pathways to their future in health care. Interested students should register now for this popular event.

UNM Named a ‘Tree Campus” Just in Time for Earth Month

Did you know that UNM is a nationally recognized arboretum with over 5,000 trees from 235 different species?  As a resident Lobo, I’ve often had the great pleasure of enjoying this distinction while walking through the campus—and that’s why I was so pleased to learn that The University of New Mexico has been named a Tree Campus for Higher Education by the Arbor Day Foundation. This recognition reflects our ongoing commitment to sustainability, as outlined in UNM 2040, and celebrates the care and dedication we’ve invested in our trees across campus. These trees not only provide shade and beauty but also reduce heat, improve air quality, and boost the overall well-being of our community. To celebrate this honor, we’re kicking off Earth Month with a special event on April 1 at 12:30 p.m. at Scholes Hall. You can join us that day for a tree planting, seed swap, and campus arboretum tours—and for the rest of April, the Office of Sustainability is offering plenty of other opportunities to get involved. I’m grateful for the collective effort that has made UNM a greener, healthier place for all Lobos.