WNMU Partners with Aramark to Unveil Major Dining Hall Renovation
The Mustang Dining Hall at Western New Mexico University (WNMU) has undergone a dramatic transformation. The university and its new dining services partner, Aramark, have completed a significant renovation, providing students with a modern, inviting space featuring a wider variety of food options. The project, designed to surpass the traditional cafeteria model, fosters a comfortable […]
WNMU Leaders Meet with Lawmakers in Santa Fe
This week, ahead of an upcoming special legislative session, a delegation from Western New Mexico University traveled to the state capitol. Board of Regents Chairman Steve Neville, Secretary/Treasurer J. Dean Reed and university Interim President Dr. Christopher Maples met with elected officials to address critical topics, including reductions in federal higher education funding, workforce development […]
J. Dean Reed’s Vision as Treasurer and Secretary for the WNMU Board of Regents
J. Dean Reed, a recently appointed member of the Western New Mexico University (WNMU) Board of Regents and an alum with a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in finance, detailed his commitment to ensuring robust financial oversight and driving strategic university growth. Reed’s appointment by Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham and confirmed in March 2025 by […]
WNMU Student Gabriel Farley Shares Insights from Prestigious Art Residency
From the quiet mountains of New Mexico to the bustling streets of New York City, Western New Mexico University student Gabriel Farley embarked on a transformative journey this past summer, immersing himself in the prestigious Summer Undergraduate Residency Program at the New York Academy of Art. A junior in the university’s Bachelor of Fine Arts […]
Graduate student earns fellowship to bolster local news in New Mexico
Western New Mexico University graduate student Regina Barnett (BS ’23) has been selected for a prestigious New Mexico Local News Fund [NMLN] Fellowship. The fellowship provides Barnett with a salaried position at Soccoro’s El Defensor Chieftain newspaper while she continues her coursework toward a graduate degree in Interdisciplinary Studies. The NMLN Fund is a nonprofit […]
WNMU Student Regent Champions Community Support and Student Voices
Keana Huerta, Student Regent of Western New Mexico University, is on a mission to ignite a deeper connection between the college, its students, and the broader community. Unanimously voted into the position by the New Mexico State Senate, Huerta is focusing her efforts on fostering a campus environment where every student feels the same excitement […]
WNMU Professor’s Sabbatical Launches Groundbreaking Research
Dr. Jennifer Johnston, an associate professor of psychology at Western New Mexico University (WNMU), used her one-year sabbatical in Winchester, UK as a launchpad into a groundbreaking field of research, reshaping how we understand the human brain. Her time abroad was a period of intense productivity, focused on pioneering research, networking with global scholars, and […]
Western New Mexico University Launches National Search for Next President
Western New Mexico University (WNMU) has launched a comprehensive nationwide search for its next president. The president serves as the institution’s chief executive officer and reports directly to the WNMU Board of Regents. The new president will guide the university through a pivotal period of renewal and growth, ensuring its sustainability and mission in a […]
WNMU Golf Alum Shandiin Harper Named to 2025-26 Class of PGA WORKS Fellowship
Former Western New Mexico University women’s golfer Shandiin Harper (Farmington, NM/Piedra Vista HS) (Farmington, N.M.) has been selected to the prestigious 2025-26 Class of 23 individuals for PGA WORKS Fellowship, representing the Sun Country PGA Section. “Being selected as a PGA WORKS Fellow has been an incredibly meaningful opportunity for me,” said former Mustang, Shandiin Harper (Farmington, NM/Piedra Vista […]
“Thinking Like a Mountain”: WNMU McCray Gallery Hosts New Exhibition
When Aldo Leopold published the essay “Thinking Like a Mountain” as part of the collection “A Sand County Almanac” in 1949, he coined a phrase that continues to reverberate today. For Leopold, the naturalist who first proposed setting aside a half-million acres surrounding New Mexico’s Gila River as wilderness, “thinking like a mountain” meant appreciating […]
