Alyssa Bitsie - The Daily Lobo

Larry Plumlee unpacks books at the University of New Mexico Press.

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UNM Press donates books to troops

Alyssa Bitsie | November 29

University of New Mexico Press has donated over 400 pounds of books to Operation Gratitude for American troops who are away from home this holiday season. Operation Gratitude is a non-profit organization that assembles and sends care packages to troops who are deployed overseas. The non-profit organization has been in operation since 2003.The care packages are also sent to military children, first-responders, veterans, new recruits, wounded-heroes and their caregivers, according to Operation Gratitude’s website. Each care package contains snacks, hygiene products, entertainment and handmade items, as well as personal support, in the form of cards or letters.

Families wander around the Albuquerque Civic Plaza and look at the Christmas decorations on the afternoon of Nov. 25, 2018.

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ABQ kicks off Christmas season with Winterfest

Alyssa Bitsie | November 26

Burqueños kicked off the holiday season this year with the fourth-annual Winterfest at Civic Plaza in Downtown Albuquerque on Nov. 24. The free, family-friendly event was filled with local vendors for everyone’s holiday shopping needs, comfort food and holiday treats. Winterfest took place the same day as Small Business Saturday. Small Business Saturday is a day when the state suspends collections of gross receipt tax on qualifying items at certain small businesses with 10 employees or less, according to the New Mexico Taxation and Revenue website.

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Stokes announces new research program

Alyssa Bitsie | November 19

University of New Mexico’s President Garnett Stokes launched the Grand Challenges Initiative in the Student Union Building on Wednesday Nov. 14. Stokes, along with other speakers of the Grand Challenges Initiative, addressed what UNM is doing to foster a more dynamic economy. Grand Challenges are problems of global, national and regional significance that require researchers to work together across disciplinary boundaries to develop and implement solutions, according to UNM’s Grand Challenges website.

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GEO encourages study abroad programs with fair

Alyssa Bitsie | November 15

The University of New Mexico is continuing to host International Education Week (IEW) at various locations across campus and the Albuquerque area this week. Along with other institutions, organizations and businesses, IEW is a series of events meant to celebrate the benefits of international education and exchanges worldwide, according to the IEW website. IEW began on Nov. 12 and will conclude on Nov. 16. UNM’s Global Education Office (GEO) coordinated this week’s various events, and on Tuesday afternoon students were able to find information about study abroad opportunities and cultural exchanges in the Student Union Building Atrium.

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UNM launches project to preserve Zuni language

Alyssa Bitsie | November 12

The University of New Mexico’s College of University Libraries project is working to preserve the Zuni language and culture by using modern digital technology. The Zuni Language Materials Collection (ZLMC) is comprised of materials donated by the Zuni Public School District to UNM in 2016. According to their website it is a digitized platform used to support Zuni language learners in the community, Zuni Pueblo and schools, as well as the UNM community. Arin Peywa is a member of the Zuni Pueblo and a UNM secondary education and English major. She was hired by the library and funded by the Zuni: Engaging Teachers and Community Program (ZETAC). This program provided funding to have the language materials scanned and digitized, Peywa said.

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Africana Studies tries for departmental status

Alyssa Bitsie | November 1

The University of New Mexico’s Africana Studies Program and their unofficial student-organization, Uhuru Sasa: Freedom Now, are pushing for departamental status. While Africana Studies, founded in 1969, was the first ethnic studies program at the University, it is the only one not currently a department. The Program must submit a proposal to be approved by first the UNM Board of Regents Academic/Student Affairs & Research Committee. It then will have to face a full BOR meeting and finally go before the Higher Education Department for approval.

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UNM makes change in common course numbers

Alyssa Bitsie | October 28

Students at the University of New Mexico will begin to see new common course numbers beginning in the Fall 2019 semester. The new mandated Common Course Numbering system (CCNs) is being implemented by the State of New Mexico’s Higher Education Department to standardize common courses among higher education institutions. According to the Common Course Numbering Project on UNM’s Office of the Registrar page, New Mexico House Bill 282 requires that 100 and 200-level courses share the same CCNs to ease transfers between higher education schools and for higher degree completions.

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UNM breast cancer organization receives large grant

Alyssa Bitsie | October 25

The University of New Mexico’s Comadre a Comadre program has received a one-year grant of $25,000 from the Prevent Cancer Foundation (PCF) to expand and enhance UNM’s community-based project Breast Health Platicas. Comadre a Comadre is part of the College of Education Department. Co-founded in 2002, their mission is to empower the lives of Hispanic and Latina women and their loved ones through advocacy, education, information, resources and support about breast health and breast cancer, according to the program’s website. UNM’s Comadre a Comadre was one of 12 programs recognized and chosen from a nationwide grant application process. PCF commitment is to stop cancer before it starts through four pillars — research, education, outreach and advocacy, according to the foundation’s website.

Photo courtesy of Albuquerque’s Walk for Freedom website.

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"Walk for Freedom" seeks to abolish modern slavery

Alyssa Bitsie | October 22

Members of the Albuquerque community came together for A21’s “Walk for Freedom” event at Alameda Open Space on Saturday morning. A21 is an international organization working to abolish slavery in the 21st century. The non-profit organization was formed in 2008 and works to eradicate human trafficking through awareness, intervention and aftercare, according to the organization’s website. The A21’s “Walk for Freedom” is a global walk in 50 different countries with over 450 walks in total, all held on Oct. 20, said the event’s host Jessica Otero.

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UNM instructor owns candle-making business as well

Alyssa Bitsie | October 22

A professor at the University of New Mexico is cooking up some sweet smelling candles in her spare time. Communications professor and fourth year doctoral student Hannah Long started her own candle-making business called WitchCrafted Candles. WitchCrafted Candles started in December 2017 as a new craft project, but with encouragement from her family and friends it turned into a passionate business venture.