by Caleb Fort
Daily Lobo
About 550 high school juniors - all in the top 10 percent of their class - gathered in the SUB Ballroom on Tuesday to receive recognition certificates.
Stephanie Suliman, a UNM representative from Admissions and Recruitment Services and an organizer of the event, said the Star Scholars reception served two purposes.
"It's a recruitment effort, and at the same time, we recognize their academic achievement," she said. "These students are the cream of the crop. We definitely want them at UNM."
Get content from The Daily Lobo delivered to your inbox
Several UNM administrators spoke at the event.
Provost Reed Dasenbrock urged students and their parents to think about how important education will be in the future.
"Your students are entering a world - imagine what that world will be like years from now, all the things that will happen that we can't even imagine," he said. "Knowledge is the new currency. It's what enables them to get jobs, and what will enable them to make a difference."
Students should consider UNM for getting their education, he said.
"Even if you don't think you're going to come to UNM, apply here, apply for the scholarships," he said. "The possibilities really are here, and you need to examine those possibilities very seriously."
David Roybal, a student at Highland High School, said the administrator's presentations were persuasive.
"Before this, I was seriously considering any other school besides UNM," he said. "Now UNM seems like an option."
Peter White, dean of University College, spoke about how UNM tries to support freshmen.
"The University of New Mexico is very, very interested in having the best and the brightest come here to study," he said. "What we are interested in doing is making this large research university seem like a small, private, liberal arts school."
One example of those efforts is the Living Learning Communities, groups of about 18 students with the same major who live in the same dorm and take classes together, he said.
Suliman said she does not want to alienate students who are not in the top 10 percent of their class.
"We want everybody at UNM, but we definitely don't want all our top students leaving the state," she said.
Amy Prindle, a student at Sandia High School, said the award was nice, but it did not convince her to come to UNM.
"It's just not really what I'm looking for," she said.
She said UNM does not offer enough of the kinds of theater programs she wants.
Brittany Jaeger, president of ASUNM, spoke to the students about her experience at UNM, and encouraged parents to support their students throughout college.
"I've been here for four years, and I'm going to stay for another year because I love it so much," she said. "My parents have been here for all of it, and that's been really important."
She also congratulated the students.
"I wasn't a Star Scholar, but I want to congratulate all of you for being here," she said. "It says tremendous things about you and what you can accomplish."
Students from about 29 high schools from across the state attended the reception. Other receptions have been held in Farmington, Gallup, Clovis, Roswell and Hobbes, according to the UNM Student Affairs Web site.
Admissions and Recruitment Services and Alumni Relations co-sponsored the event.
