CHANGING FACES OF THE COLLEGE

by D'Lyn Ford

This article appeared in the Summer 1996 issue of New Mexico Resources.
Photography: J. Victor Espinoza

---

The faces tell the story. Profiling a typical student from NMSU's College of Agriculture and Home Economics isn't as straightforward as it was 40 years ago when Pistol Pete exemplified the student body of mostly male, rural New Mexicans.

Today, Pistol Pete has a lot of cosmopolitan friends. The College's enrollment includes both country and city kids, freshmen and returning students, and international students from Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Women comprise at least half the College's enrollmentÑin 1994, the figure was 53 percent.

It's eye-opening to hear career plans of new graduates announced during Sam Steel Society induction ceremonies each fall and winter. Among the 60 students attending the spring 1996 ceremony, plans included teaching college geology, working at a zoo, attending culinary school, becoming a bank credit analyst, serving as a greenhouse grower, working on the family ranch, returning to the Mescalero Reservation as a biologist, and helping run an Atlanta hotel during the Olympics.

Three graduating Botswanian students, wildlife science major Ntidzi Manyothwane and agricultural economics majors Stilwell Dambuza and Kingsley Gofamodino, readied themselves for jobs back home with the ministry of agriculture. Alfred Serano of Belize planned to serve as an officer in his country's ministry of agriculture.

Wherever they're from or going next, most graduates leave praising the College's personal touch -- something that attracts new students. Incoming freshman Lucia Bond, an Arizona honor student and high school student body president active in FFA and 4-H, was taken with it. At a natural resources camp near Showlow, Ariz., she met one of the College's best recruiters. Fellow Arizonan Andy Smallhouse, fifth-generation member of a ranching family, also happens to be president of the Ag and Home Ec Council, a governing organization for the College's student clubs.

After talking with Smallhouse, Bond came to campus for a tour and went to dinner with Lynn Robbins, then associate dean and director of Academic Programs. "It sold her," Smallhouse said with a smile.

Floyd native Amy Rector pondered a career in chemical engineering, but she had experience on entomology judging teams in high school, which opened the door to agricultural biology.

Once a student teacher from NMSU talked to her about doing research with insects, introduced her to faculty, and gave her a tour of campus labs, Rector was hooked.

"That was right up my alley -- wearing a white lab coat and being in chemistry labs and playing with Bunsen burners," she said. "The idea fascinated me, but it was more of a fantasy than a reality. When I came to NMSU, I started taking classes that made it a reality."

These days, Rector's dream is to become a golf course superintendent so she can work with people in the outdoors and use her knowledge of insects, plants, soils, and business management.

Like Rector, Loralee Woods is one of a number of small-town students to shine at the College. Woods is a proud native of Grady, where she was among a graduating class of 16 -- all of whom went on to college. Woods followed her agricultural roots and both her parents, 1971 graduates, to NMSU.

At 1996 awards day ceremonies, Woods received a dean's award of excellence. Other award winners from small towns that day were Reid Schwebach from Macintosh, Tisha Massey from Animas, Brent Racher from Hagerman, and Charmyn Wiley and Kendal Kohler from Clayton. Donita Massey Privett from Dora was named outstanding student in agriculture.

Lowell Catlett, agricultural economics professor and adviser to many rural students, said coming from a small high school is no handicap here. "What these students may lack in depth of classes, like French or calculus, they more than make up for in self-confidence," he said. "They're used to being involved. To have a basketball team or a chess club, everyone in their school has to participate."

The College's willingness to meet personal needs attracts worldly wise students, too. After a 15-year-career with White Sands Missile Range and NASA, Robert Quintana returned to school in the agricultural and Extension education department (AXED). Rewarding experiences as a volunteer coach for nearly 20 years convinced him to switch from high-energy lasers and space shuttle support to molding young minds.

"I found that I had a passion for working with kids and for teaching them," Quintana said. He thought his real-world experience would enhance his ability in the classroom.

But when Quintana looked into becoming a certified teacher, it seemed almost none of his previous education or experience would count, until he discovered the advanced technology education option with the College's AXED department. In two and a half years, Quintana was able to gain the teaching credentials he needed to be effective in the classroom.

"As a returning student with family and obligations, for me to start over with a five-year plan, after having so much invested in my education already, would have been hard," he said.

Elias Hiyoveni from Botswana did his homework carefully before pursuing his bachelor's degree in theCollege's range science program. Working in the ministry of agriculture's range management division, he was looking for a practical education to help him meet Botswana's needs.

After poring over catalogs, he liked the way range and animal sciences were intertwined at NMSU. "I think studying here will better prepare me to handle the situation back home," he said. "It's important for my country to balance the numbers of livestock with the resources. I've tried to be as selective as I can when choosing courses, because it's an opportunity to learn something I can use."

Another factor in Hiyoveni's decision to enroll in the College was NMSU's positive reputation with professionals in Botswana who had studied here. Coming from a country that shares a border with South Africa, Hiyoveni wondered about possible prejudice in the United States. He was pleased to find the community "hospitable." "Maybe it's because of the large minority population in the state," he said.

In 1996, 16 students from Botswana were enrolled at NMSU; the previous year, 24 students from the country studied here.

Once students come to the College, faculty, staff, and friends keep an eye out for them. "Our office often gets calls from Extension agents or alumni back home, alerting us to students' needs," Robbins said. "Maybe a student is having roommate difficulties or needs to find a place to stable a horse. It helps us help them make the adjustment to college."

That atmosphere attracted Karen Browne from Santa Fe. "I was really interested in finding a supportive network of people to help me out my first year," she said. "It's a difficult transition, being away from home and being on your own. I was looking for a place that would make it an easier transition."

So far, Browne is succeeding as an environmental science major after a year of rigorous math and science classes.

"Professors have taken the time for just simple things, like remembering my name or commenting on something I said in class or wrote on a test one day. That kind of a personal aspect really makes learning easier."

Like many students in the College, Browne already is active in organizations, including the new environmental science club. Recently, she was selected as a College ambassador, a prestigious assignment. After at least two semesters here, ambassadors are nominated by their College departments and chosen following interviews with the associate dean. During the year, they visit high schools and county fairs across the state. They also represent the College at activities and functions.

Students gain similar experiences as members of the College's elite Speakers' Bureau. Speakers give informational and motivational talks for banquets, high school assemblies, graduation ceremonies, vocational agriculture classes, and other groups. Many Speakers' Bureau members are accomplished veterans of 4-H public speaking or FFA speech competitions. Their speech topics range from Scott Martinico's "Divin' and Survivin' Life" to Loralee Woods' "Hyperindustrialization."

Woods has found plenty of chances to be active and in touch at NMSU. She said what's been most valuable about her College experience is the emphasis on practical skills.

"In my classes, there's a lot of hands-on experience. We've learned how to search for information on the World Wide Web, open e-mail accounts, and figure profit analysis statements that are used in the real world," she said.

Clearly, 4-H and FFA act as the College's farm system for many students who want to be leaders. Kelly Neville, the new president of Associated Students of NMSU, honed her leadership skills as a San Juan County 4-H standout, then as the vice president of the Ag and Home Ec Council, even though she majors in another college. The Council is the voice of College organizations, many of which are making their mark in the record books by capturing national awards.

In just two years, the National Agri-Marketing Association chapter pulled off impressive back-to-back victories. In 1995, it was honored as best new chapter in the nation and faculty sponsor Cynda Clary was named outstanding adviser. The following year, NMSU was selected as outstanding national chapter.

Another one for the record books was a 1995 victory by NMSU's Western equitation team. After months of training that included riding without saddles and stirrups, NMSU riders captured a national championship in the 1995 Intercollegiate Horse Show Association competition. "I was really impressed with their professionalism inside and outside the ring," said coach Larry Sanchez, who put the riders through their paces on different horses each day.

Women from the College are leaving a legacy through a new fraternity of their own, Ceres, named for the Roman goddess of agriculture.

Donita Massey Privett, a 1996 graduate and past president of Ceres, said she was motivated by a vision of the future. When she visits the campus in 10 or 20 years, the Dora native hopes she and her friends can stop by the fraternity, meet the new members, and look at themselves in the group photo of chapter founders.

"It's unusual to have the opportunity to start something that's never been done before, that can benefit others later," Privett said.

FarmHouse fraternity initiated Ceres as an alternative to sister organizations like its Little Gems, whose membership was dropping. "We have two men's ag fraternities (Alpha Gamma Rho and FarmHouse), so why shouldn't there be a women's fraternity in the College?" Privett said.

Ceres, which incorporates a pledge semester but no formal rush, focuses on service and professional networking for women, as well as social activities. Members are mostly rural women from the College but include students majoring in fields like music and education as well.

The combination of academics and activities in the College will prepare students for productive careers. Mark Lujan, a wildlife science major from Taos Pueblo, has concrete goals for using his degree.

"The knowledge I gain can be used by my people to manage their resources," he said. "The resources don't have a voice, and it's the teaching of my people to be that voice so we can have something to share with future generations."

Lujan said studying at the College has helped him realize the widespread need to manage resources wisely. "I knew that wildlife and natural resources on the reservation needed protection, but being here, I saw it was not only my reservation that needed it," he said.

The College's influence stretches from northern New Mexico to Nepal. Rex Pieper, range science professor, has advised some 70 international students. On his wall is a plaque listing some of the places NMSU graduates have come from: Argentina, Australia, Botswana, Brazil, Burma, Canada, Chad, Kenya, Mali, Mexico, Morocco, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Paraguay, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Swaziland, and Uruguay.

"We can extend what we do here to some pretty remote places," Pieper said. "You never know how what we do here will manifest itself."

Last September, Pieper saw some of the results firsthand on a visit to the Middle East. At the University of Hebron, Ayed Mohammad, who earned his doctorate in range science at NMSU, was setting up an agricultural school. At Jordan University, Mohammed El-Shatnawi, another range science graduate, has started a small research program in the year since he graduated from NMSU.

Today's students are posting their resumes on the World Wide Web and pursuing leads by computer, thanks to the Internet experience and access they gained at NMSU.

Though the job market was expected to be among the toughest in 20 years, College graduates had lots to cheer about. Their success finding jobs mirrored a national report showing a surplus of jobs in food and agricultural sciences.

In fact, a nearly 5 percent shortfall of qualified applicants was expected to continue at least through the year 2000, according to a Purdue University study funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Moriarty native Michael Anaya was weighing five job offers in restaurant management. Having worked in the family restaurant and grocery store growing up, Anaya initially planned another career, but found himself returning to his roots at school. In 1996, he became the seventh of eight in his family to graduate from NMSU.

Anaya credits his education for helping him mature and his advisers in the hospitality and tourism services program with giving him sound advice. He turned to faculty mentors Ron Cox and Mike MacHatton one last time while making his job decision.

"They were always there with any questions I had," Anaya said. "If they didn't have an answer they would find out, and if they didn't know they wouldn't pretend to know. They would help me make my own decisions rather than making decisions for me."

Before moving on, students in the College have the chance to have the last word on their experiences at NMSU during exit interviews. The questions allow student to talk about why they came to NMSU, why they stayed, which activities they participated in, and what their future plans are.

The graduates' ideas and experiences help the College stay in tune with students' needs for the next group of new faces.

"I think students appreciate our asking for their input. It allows us to pass along praise and suggestions for improvement," said Bill Capener, a retired agricultural economics professor who conducts the exit interviews. "They nearly always say the College is friendly and personable, that people here know your name."