UNM’s Alumni Association and Parent Association are partnering to host “Summer Sendoffs” Saturday, Aug. 1, in six New Mexico cities and towns and at one location in Colorado.

Designed to celebrate freshman acceptance to UNM for the fall semester, Summer Sendoffs will be held in Las Cruces, Roswell, Clovis, Farmington, Santa Fe, Gallup and Colorado Springs.

New UNM students and parents will have an opportunity to meet families in their area and mingle with experienced UNM representatives, alumni, parents and students who can serve as a support network back home and on campus. Each student receives a gift. Door prizes and refreshments are also part of the festivities.

Registration by Monday, July 27, is required for the free event. To RSVP and for more information on the event time and location, visit http://www.unmalumni.com/. (more…)

Join us for the Parent Connection Workshop “From Facebook to Checkbook: What Every Parent Needs to Know about Information Security in a Digital Age,” featuring UNM Information Assurance Director Michael Carr. The event is on Wednesday, June 3, from 6 – 7 p.m. in the Dean of Students Conference Room, second floor of the Student Services Center, main campus. Check‐in begins at 5:30 p.m. - meet and mingle with members of the Parent Assocation!

Carr will discuss dangers and pitfalls students face when sharing information online. Topics to be covered include identity theft, problems with networking online and what can parents do to help students stay safe and informed.

The series is sponsored by UNM’s Dean of Students’ Family Connection Program, Parent Relations Office and Parent Association and Extended University. Parking is $1.75 per hour in the Cornell Parking Struture near Central and Cornell NE. To get to the Student Services Center (SSC) from the Cornell Parking Structure walk north on Cornell Mall. Pass by Popejoy Hall and the Student Union (SUB). At the SUB’s north end, go east to the SSC.

To view taped editions of past workshops, visit our workshop information and archive page.

No fooling, the UNM Parent Connection Workshop Wednesday, April 1, is focused on getting your student a job and on the path to a meaningful career.

Students will get ahead of the Lobo pack by gaining professional experience during the college years. UNM Career Services expert Marty Apodaca will talk to families about ways students can explore interests that may lead to a college major. He will also discuss how to find summer internships, co‐ops, and employment opportunities, and how to land a “real” job after graduation. (more…)

UNM’s second in a series of free Parent Connection Workshops is Wednesday, Feb. 4, from 6 – 7 p.m. and focuses on a topic close to our hearts – intimate student relationships and how they influence student success. Whether your student is in love or looking for it, this workshop addresses how parents can provide informed support on issues such as relationship counseling, managing study time and family planning.

Parents attending the January workshop provided feedback on the new series: “I would have preferred this workshop be offered in November – we missed some scholarship deadlines,” “Great idea, thanks!” “Please post directions [to the workshop location].”

Our workshops are held monthly in the Student Services Center, Dean of Students Conference Room, 2^nd floor. From the Cornell Parking Structure, head north on UNM’s Cornell Mall. Pass by Popejoy Hall and the Student Union (SUB). When you reach the north end of the SUB look eastward. A sign will direct families to the SSC, located behind Mesa Vista Hall. 

Check‐in begins at 5:30 p.m. Parents enjoy the camaraderie shared with Parent Association members who are on hand to visit with you about their experiences. The series is sponsored by UNM’s Dean of Students’ Family Connection Program, Parent Relations Office and Parent Association.

The UNM Mentoring Conference is Wednesday, Oct. 22, through Friday, Oct. 24 in the UNM Student Union Building. The focus is fostering mentoring cultures in higher education through shared research and best practices. Faculty, staff, administrators, graduate and undergraduates, parents, teachers, community leaders and members of the community are invited to register.

• Learn from recognized experts in higher education mentoring
• Get tools you need to find or be an academic or career mentor
• Share and build on your ideas with peers and professionals

The deadline for regular registration is Tuesday, October 14. It will be possible to register at the door, but lunch will not be included with on‐site registration. Visit http://mentor.unm.edu/conference.html to learn more and to register now.

Freshman Family Day is a UNM tradition welcoming incoming students and their families to the college community and held the afternoon before the start of fall classes.

The event is Sunday, Aug. 24, and is three‐fold. It kicks off at 4 p.m. with a Freshman Convocation in Popejoy Hall, followed by a social celebration and class crawl at the UNM Duck Pond, and a movie at sunset on Johnson Field.

Incoming freshman and their families are introduced to administrators, faculty and staff. Students learn that they are about to embark on an academic adventure designed to prepare them for a rewarding life.

The event also demonstrates that the university partners with the family to ensure student success and that UNM values family and does not seek to separate students from familial, cultural and communal roots.

Freshman Convocation is a ceremonial event held at most colleges and universities. The ceremony, usually a combination of the serious and the light‐hearted, provides an opportunity for the administration, current students and Parent Association president to address families. Be sure to stop by the parent table to meet members of the association and learn how you can become actively involved with the campus.

For more information and to register, visit Freshman Family Day, an event sponsored by the Office of the University Secretary.

The University of New Mexico Parent Association and Alumni Association are partnering to kick off the new tradition “Summer Sendoffs.” Casual sendoff receptions for incoming students and families will be held Saturday, Aug. 9, from 2 – 4 p.m. in Gallup, Farmington, Santa Fe, Las Cruces, Clovis and Hobbs. The events are designed to celebrate freshman acceptance to UNM for the fall semester of 2008. The associations hope the sendoffs will grow and be offered in more locations next year. 

Students and parents will meet other families in their area and mingle with UNM representatives, alumni and parents who can serve as a support network. It’s a great chance to meet fellow Lobos and enjoy some refreshments. Each student receives a gift. Door prizes for students and parents include autographed items by famous Lobos. To RSVP, visit the Summer Sendoff site. If you are a parent or alumnus/alumnae interested in hosting a sendoff in summer 2009, call Laura Kelley, 277‑5808 (alumni office) or Laurie Mellas, 277‑5915 (parent office).

International Programs and Studies recently completed a successful first semester of a new Study Abroad program in Rome, Italy. 

To raise funds for the program, the UNM Development office is currently registering a group of 18 adults to experience Italy during a 10‐day trip, Sept. 20 – 29. Costs start at $5,800 and include a $2,500 tax‐deductible charitable gift to the Rome Program.

The program signals a new direction in international education at UNM. It is designed so UNM students can fulfill some core degree requirements during a 16‐week semester. While not replacing typical foreign exchange programs or short term faculty‐led programs, the Rome program allows for experiential learning and personal growth in a setting designed for specific academic and personal needs.

Aside from a mandatory course in Italian language study, courses are in English, carry full UNM credit and are pre‐approved by UNM departments.

“It was incredible as an art major to get to see the works of art in person and to have our class lectures on site at museums and monuments,” said Noelle Richardson, a senior who graduates from UNM this summer. “Having a discussion about Caravaggio in front of one of his paintings at the Vatican is much different than seeing a slide of it in a large classroom. It was a once in a lifetime academic experience.”

Less than eight percent of UNM’s recent graduating class studied abroad, compared to the national average of 22 percent. UNM hopes to turn these figures around by the creation of the Rome program and similar programs in other regions.

For more information on the trip or supporting the Rome Program, call Mary Wolford at 277‑1088. Students interested in studying in Rome should contact Lauren Fowler Young at 277‑4032.

UNM’s Student Activities Department honored some of the brightest UNM seniors at the Annual Recognition Reception held at the Student Union recently. Among those celebrated were recipients of the Clauve Outstanding Senior Award: Matthew Barnes, Megan Fitzpatrick, Louis Jeantete, Margi Miranda, Brandon Ryan, and John Smeltzer.

The Clauve Award is given to seniors who have performed well academically and made significant contributions to the general welfare of the campus community through their involvement in student organizations and activities.

These six seniors were good company at the ceremony as they shared the stage with more than 30 other students honored for their excellence in education and community service. (more…)

On May 11, UNM’s Student Union continues its tradition “Late Night Breakfast,” but with a green twist this year. Plates and utensils will be made from green materials which are biodegradable (or made of recycled materials). Late Night Breakfast is a free student event held every semester before finals week providing breakfast, giveaways, and a stress free environment.

As part of the Red AND Green Campaign, the SUB encouraging green habits. The Student Union hopes to show people how easy it is to take small steps that make a difference for the environment.

The event is 9 to 11 p.m. in the SUB ballroom and includes a free movie, the hit comedy Anchorman, shown in the SUB Theater at 7 p.m. The first 200 people in line get a free tee‐shirt. Free parking for this event is available in the Cornell Parking Structure conveniently located near the Student Union Building

For more information about the Student Union and its upcoming free events for students, visit the SUB’s website or call 277‑2818.