Fall 2012 - NMSU's College of Agriculture and Home Economics ...

Message fromDean CatlettEnrollment in the College of ACES for fall2012 continued the upward trend of the last severalyears. ACES’s enrollment was up 2.6 percentthis year over last year. Demand for our graduatesis strong across all departments. We have a greatalumni base that continues to help our studentsand graduates with internships and jobs. Thankyou for a job well done!Several faculty and staff retired this year,but we also welcomed several new faculty andstaff. Cynda Clary, interimhead of the Departmentof Agricultural Extensionand Education for the lastthree years, accepted a newposition at Oklahoma StateUniversity as the associatedean of Academic Programs.Frank Hodnett accepted theCatlettposition of interim head ofAXED. Rick Richardsonaccepted the interim head job for 4-H and YouthDevelopment vacated by Hodnett. Charlie Siepelretired as southwest district director of the CooperativeExtension Service as well as Chris Allison,department head of Extension animal sciences.Mark Gladden, director of development forACES, accepted a position in the College of Artsand Sciences. Terra Winter assumed the duties ofdirector of development for ACES.ACES, NMSU and all of New Mexico sadlylost a great friend this summer with the passing ofJohn Clemmons. John and his wife, Jenny, madecountless trips to Washington, D.C., on behalf ofACES as our Council for Agricultural Research,Extension and Teaching delegate working on issuesat the national level. John was a true and deepfriend and supporter of ACES and NMSU. LarryHobson has agreed to be our new CARET delegateand we welcome him into the ACES family.This year, we organized a Centennial Celebrationat the Leyendecker Plant Science Research Center.We are, as always, so appreciative of all of ouralumni and friends that support us and hope youwill continue to call, email or pop in for a visitwhen you are on campus.Dean Lowell CatlettNMSU explores prospectswith Costa Rican partnersWhenProvostWendy K.Wilkins leda delegationof NMSUfaculty andadministratorsto Costa Ricain January,their first stopwas CATIE,the Centerfor TropicalAgriculturalResearch and Higher Education.NMSU and CATIE have ahistory of working together sinceGerald Thomas was president ofthe university.One goal of this visit was tosign a new memorandum of understandingthat would encourageexpanded collaboration in research,study abroad and perhapseven joint degree programs.The timing was right. TomDormody, former head of NMSU’sDepartment of Agricultural andExtension Education, had just becomedean of the CATIE GraduateSchool.“We would like for NMSUto be CATIE’s premier partner inthe United States,” Wilkins said.“Our missions are very closelyaligned, especially in connectionto agricultural extension and research.This now extends to workon sustainability, energy and theenvironment.”Representing ACES on thedelegation were Sam Fernald,interim director of the NewMexico Water Resource ResearchInstitute; Priscilla Bloomquist,professor of Hotel, RestaurantNMSU students Denisha Gahie (second from left) and JaredDial (second from right) spent three weeks in Costa Ricalast summer taking part in the first summer SustainabilitySeminar Series held at CATIE.and Tourism Management; andDaren Bloomquist, college assistantprofessor in HRTM.The latter, a sustainable tourismexpert, coordinated NMSU’sparticipation in CATIE’s 2012summer Sustainability SeminarSeries. The focus of this inauguralseminar program was sustainabletourism.Bloomquist was able tojoin NMSU students Jared Dialand Denisha Gahie for part ofthe three-week program, whichcovered the basics of sustainability,globalization, environmentalpolicy, population trends, foodwebs, energy systems and greenbusiness models.Dial finished an undergraduateHRTM degree in 2010 andwent on to an environmentaltourism internship in WashingtonState. He currently works inNMSU’s Office of Sustainability.Gaining an international perspectiveat CATIE seemed like aperfect next step to him.“Costa Rica is a world leaderin sustainability and in sustainabletourism development,” hesaid.Jay A. RodmanJARED DIAL

College of ACES honors 2012 award winnersThe 2012 College of Agricultural,Consumer and Environmental SciencesAwards were given out at the end of thespring semester. Most of the awardeesreceived certificates and medals, whilesome awards had monetary value.The New Mexico OutstandingLeadership Award was given to Alisa Ogden.It is awarded to a person who hasmade an outstanding leadership contributionto agriculture in New Mexico.Joe Nelson was awarded the LeyendeckerAgriculturist of Distinction. Thisis awarded to any individual who hasmade a major contribution to agriculturein the state.The Fabian Garcia Founders’Award was given to Marvin Clay. He receivedthe award for showing leadershipbeyond regular duties that contributesto the enhancement of a program thatincorporates the spirit of the college.The winner of the Charles TharpFarms Distinguished Service Award wasCalvin Bailey. This honor is awarded to afull-time employee of the ACES College.Bernhard Leinauer was awarded theMobley Family endowed DistinguishedResearch Award. This award is presentedto an individual who has shownexemplary research in their field.The awards for distinguished staffmembers are given out each year. Therecipient of the Distinguished ProfessionalStaff on Campus award was MauriceCraig while the off-campus winnerwas Tammy Parsons. Also, the DistinguishedStaff Award on Campus wasgiven to Rosanne Norris. The MaloneFarms Distinguished Staff Off-CampusAward was given to Mary Louise Montoya.These awards are handed out tostaff members who have shown excellencein his or her job.The Distinguished ExtensionAward was given to Michael Patrick.The award is given to a full-time facultymember who has been employed forthree consecutive years and has shownexcellence in his or her position.A new honor, the DistinguishedCounty Agent Award, was presented toPatrick Torres. He earned the award byrepresenting his profession and countywith dignity and humility.Excellence in teaching is also celebratedin the college. The Kringle CatDistinguished Teaching Award, which isgiven to a teacher who has shown exemplaryteaching, was awarded to WandaEastman. Also, the National Associationof Colleges and Teachers of AgricultureTeaching Award was given to MarkUchanski. This award is given to anyfaculty member or graduate teachingassistant who belongs to NACTA andhas shown outstanding instructionalperformance.Brenda Bishop was honored as theOutstanding 4-H Agent. The award isgiven to an individual with at least threeyears of professional experience with4-H as well as demonstrated exceptionaleffort in his or her duties.The Rural Agricultural Improvementand Public Affairs Project weregiven the Team Award this year. It isawarded to a team of at least threeNMSU faculty and staff members workingtoward a common goal.Industry leaders were celebrated aswell. The Family and Consumer ScienceIndustry Leader Award went to MerrilynCummings. Also, the Hotel, Restaurantand Tourism Management IndustryLeader Award was given to Bob Daws.Both awards are handed out to individualswho have made significant contributionsto their fields of work.Kyle PurcellGerald Thomas Hall gets new high-tech, comfy lobbyThe main lobby in Gerald Thomas Hall has been given a faceliftaimed at giving students a comfortable place to relax and study, andperhaps have a little bit of fun too.Gone are the old wooden benches and tired carpet. In their placeare new red and black carpet squares and four black leather couches.As an added bonus, a Wii game player with a flat panel television wasadded to one wall and another flat panel television was added withcable hookup.Whether students want to tune in to watch the news, weather,sports or occasional soap opera, or if they want to battle it out with ahearty Wii game, the controls are in their hands.The new carpet also doubles as a giant chess or checkerboard!“It is a great new look and I think everyone, especially the students,will have a new place to gather and relax,” said Lowell Catlett, dean ofthe College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences.Audry OlmstedA student takes a break in between classes to study in thenewly remodeled lobby of Gerald Thomas Hall.AUDRY OLMSTED

Message from yourAmbassadorI am Haley Montes, a junior in the Agriculturaland Extension Education department housedwithin the College of Agricultural, Consumer andEnvironmental Sciences. The community andfamily atmosphere is very prominent among thefaculty, staff, and students within the College ofACES. With nearly 1,800 students, eight academicdepartments, and more than 20 student organizations,there is great diversity and many talentedindividuals who call ACES home. There are uniqueopportunities for our students;some bachelor’s degreeprograms are not offered anywhereelse in New Mexico.The ACES Ambassadorsrepresent the current studentsand recruit new students whoshare our interest for a varietyof areas related to agriculture.MontesThis year’s ambassador teamis comprised of 20 individualsfrom the states of New Mexico, California, Coloradoand Texas, all studying an assortment of majors.I feel very privileged to be a part of ACES, andespecially honored to serve as a returning ambassador.The team not only guides tours throughoutthe year, but will also attend Expo New Mexico,the Eastern New Mexico State Fair, and the SouthernNew Mexico State Fair to promote New MexicoState University and the college. During thisfall semester, we will assist at Freshman Convocation,Aggie Fest, ACES Open House, Cowboys forCancer Research, and the Homecoming Scholarshipand Donor Breakfast. The team is also askedto visit our home high schools to offer prospectivestudents a familiar face, knowledge and answer avariety of questions ranging from the applicationprocess, to classes and general life as a student.On behalf of the 2012-2013 Ambassadorteam, I would like to thank ACES for this uniqueand wonderful opportunity. I look forward torepresenting the college and university and wouldlike to wish everyone a great semester! We hope tosee you at this year’s homecoming activities! GOAGGIES!!Haley Montes2012-2013 ACES AmbassadorNew Mexico youth gethands-on training at campFor the past twosummers, teens fromfamily-owned NewMexico ranches, anenthusiastic groupof instructors fromNMSU’s CooperativeExtension Service,and the picturesquelandscape ofthe Valles CalderaNational Preservein Northern NewMexico created aunique experienceat the New MexicoYouth Ranch ManagementCamp.Brianna Kimsey of Grenville, right, and Lukas Mottof Chaparral, look at a model of the cow's digestivesystem with NMSU professor Eric Scholljegerdesduring the New Mexico Youth Ranch ManagementCamp beef day activities.“When you capture this much positive energy in an event, greatthings happen,” said Manny Encinias, NMSU Extension beef cattlespecialist and a member of the camp’s organizing task force.The youth ranch management program focused on providinghands-on training for future ranch managers and stewards of NewMexico’s natural resources.“During the week-long camp, participants were challenged 12hours a day with a college-level curriculum of hands-on activities andlectures,” Encinias said. “Each day’s activities contributed informationthat the youth used to develop a ranch management plan for designatedareas of the 89,000-acre Valles Caldera National Preserve.”Information presented by Extension specialists and countyagricultural agents included Beef Quality Assurance training; prosand cons of artificial insemination and estrus synchronization; uses ofreal-time ultrasound technology to determine pregnancy and estimatecarcass traits; and range plant identification and range managementtechniques to determine stocking rates for grazing.NMSU Extension wildlife specialists and representatives from theNew Mexico Game and Fish Department talked about the importanceof co-existing with wildlife, how to estimate wildlife populationsand how to improve wildlife habitats.The youth were also exposed to various ways to market cattle.They participated in a traditional sale-barn mock sale conducted onsite.They also learned about forward contracting cattle through videoand online sales, as well as marketing beef and beef products directlyto the consumer.“We challenged these young people with a rigorous program forfive full days,” Encinias said. “They never seemed to weaken. Theywere like sponges absorbing knowledge all week.”Learn more about the camp at www.nmyrm.nmsu.edu.Jane MoormanJANE MOORMAN

Benally named Outstanding Senior for Spring 2012Roxanne Benally graduated in Maywith a Bachelor of Animal Science, andbecause she was named ACES OutstandingSenior, carried the College ofACES banner atgraduation.Animalscience DepartmentHead TimRoss was Benally’sadviser andnominated herfor OutstandingBenallyIt is hard enough pursuing a doctoraldegree. But Gabriela Colodner,doctoral candidate from Buenos Aires,Argentina, is pursuing her doctorate inrange science as a working mother in aforeign country.“She’s a hard worker, that’s forsure.” Andres Cibils, associate professorof rangelandscience and heradviser said.“She’s detail oriented,shows a lotof interest in herwork and reallyhas a passion forthe work she doesand is extremelydedicated.”Colodner decided to come to NewMexico State University while she wasteaching biology at a technology institutein Puebla, Mexico, and received ascholarship from the Mexican governmentfor current professors to pursue adoctorate.“I was looking to pursue wildlifeSenior.“As her adviser,I always appreciated the level ofpreparedness when she came in to visit,”he said. “Whether we discussed herclasses or her vet application, she was alwaysvery well prepared and organized.”Benally is from Shiprock, N.M.,and was very active in several NativeAmerican student organizations, like theAmerican Indian Science and EngineerSociety and the Kiva Club, during hertime on campus, but her involvementin activities didn’t stop there. She alsostudied in Belize in summer 2010, participatedin coed and women’s intramuralsports, was a member of the Pre-VetClub and served on the ACES Council.She is grateful for the people andorganizations she worked with while oncampus, specifically, the American IndianProgram, the College of ACES, theAnimal and Range Sciences faculty andstaff, Aggies Go Global and the IndianResource Department.studies,” said Colodner, who has beenliving in Mexico since her undergraduatestudies, “and I wanted the experienceof doing it abroad.”Having a friend who was alreadyattending NMSU suggest the programshere, she chose the program because ofher preference to arid environments,the proximity to Mexico and the cultureof the border region.“Gabriela brings an internationalperspective to the department,” Cibilssaid. “From her wildlife ecology background,she also brings important wildlifeperspective to the work she does.”By analyzing weekly satellite imagesof the past 10 years of the Corona,N.M. region, Colodner is researchingthe historical dynamic of “green ups,” orvegetation growth, and how it correlatesto weather and climate data by analyzingweekly satellite images of the region,collaborating with Michaela Buenemannin the Department of Geography.With two years of GPS tracking datafrom sheep and cattle, Colodner is alsoexamining grazing patterns to determine“Despite where you come from orwhat experiences you have endured,with hard work and prayer, anything ispossible,” she said. “NMSU presentedme with a prospect of hope that onlycompelled me to pursue my dreamseven more.”Though she is working now, Benallyplans to return to NMSU in thespring to take some graduate courseswhile applying to veterinary schools atColorado State University, WashingtonState University and Oregon State University.“I wish that we had a lot morestudents like her,” Ross added. “She isan extremely intelligent, conversant,well-organized young woman.”Emily C. KelleyDoctoral candidate manages research and motherhoodColodnerhow livestock respond to changes inthe landscape process. But, as she waspreparing to come to NMSU, Colodnerlearned she was pregnant with her daughter,now a year and a half old. Attendingclasses right up until the day her daughterwas born, she manages her time with thehelp of a babysitter as her husband had toreturn to Mexico for his job.“I want to go back to Mexico andshow that I could make it, along with myother responsibilities, and teach othersabout what I learned,” Colodner said.Two years into her doctoralprogram, she plans to be finished byDecember 2013. After completing theprogram, she will return to her teachingposition in Mexico where she plansto apply her research to similar naturalresource problems in Mexico, as well asother interdisciplinary research.Cibils says the skills, techniques,processes and analysis she is learning hereat NMSU will be applicable to a varietyof regions that have similar livestock andwildlife grazing-related issues.Gabriella Ferrari

4-H celebrates its centennial with ‘initiative'After 100 years of influencing theyouth of New Mexico, 4-H is still goingstrong.Throughout the year, the 4-Hprogram hosted by New Mexico StateUniversity has been celebrating itscentennial in various ways. This includesits “$100 for 100 Years,” whichhelps fund various 4-H projects aswell as creating a new logo to recognizethe milestone.4-H is a youth development programthat serves ages 9 to 19. Accordingto Rick Richardson, departmenthead of the 4-H youth and developmentprogram at NMSU, the programteaches children life and leadershipskills as well as a sense of belonging.Currently, 4-H youth developmentprograms reach more than 80,000children in New Mexico.“You’ve got to have the initiativeto do it,” said Richardson about whatit takes to be a part of 4-H.Steamed Manila clams bordelaise.Confit of a duckling a l'orange.Pickled herring. Rack of lambdijonaise with asparagus and roastedcarrots with sauce demi-glace.These are just some of the menuitems prepared by Chef MauriceZeck during the five- to six-courseInternational Dinners hosted byNMSU’s School of Hotel, Restaurantand Tourism Management.Hosted in the new Bobby LeeLawrence Academy of Wine, thedinners begin with a wine tastinghour donated by National DistributingCompany. With students from theHRTM 413 class, Zeck prepares sixdinners during the fall semester bringinginternational cuisine to NMSU.For fall 2012, the dinners will includePacific Northwest seafood, French,Bavarian, South American, Italian andRichardson, who received hisbachelor’s degree and master’s degreein agriculture from NMSU, is a former4-H member himself. He spenteight years in the program when hewas younger living in Lincoln County.He has continued to work with theprogram 30 years later.The H’s in 4-H stand for head,heart, hands and health. 4-H is differentfrom most youth programs becauseit is owned by the United StatesDepartment of Agriculture.4-H got its start in New Mexicoin 1912, the same year New Mexicobecame a state. In January of that year,an agricultural train that carried livestockand farm exhibits ran throughall parts of the Santa Fe Railwaysystem in the state.Special meetings were held to discussthe work of young boys and girls.The passing of the Smith-LeverAct of 1914 helped further the goalAmerican steakhouse cuisine.Although NMSU is not a culinaryarts school, Zeck said “we put forwarda product representative of the CulinaryInstitute of America or any otherprofessional culinary program.”The 14 students in the class workas a management team in cooking andserving the themed dinners throughoutRick Richardson, interim state 4-Hdepartment head, demonstrates to a parenthow to make a salsa garden.of 4-H. It set up Extension servicesfrom land-grant universities with thepurpose of informing the public aboutcurrent developments in various areas,such as 4-H.Kyle PurcellInternational Dinners serve Las Cruces communityDARREN PHILLIPSHRTM professor Chef Maurice Zeck in the newly constructedBobby Lee Lawrence Academy of Wine.the semester, increasing technicalkitchen skills, developing a personalculinary style and learning the foodand beverage operation includingcontrols, budget, labor and marketing.Students also are involved inthe pairing of wines and can suggestmenu items.Zeck specializes in “classicalcontinental cuisine,” which he sayshe limits the international dinnerthemes to, as they are proven with awide range of acceptance.The continually sold-out dinnershave 64 seats available for the generalpublic, with an additional eight seatsreserved for members of the restaurantindustry and guests of the dean, presidentand university.“Six times a year, I know 72 peoplewho have a good palate,” Zeck said.Gabriella D. FerrariCOURTESY PHOTO

Zuni youth program supports economic revitalizationFor several years, Michael Patrick,Extension community resource andeconomic development specialist, hasbeen working closely with school andlocal government officials in ZuniPueblo on initiatives to improve thatcommunity’s economic situation.Among the most successful hasbeen a project with Zuni High Schoolscience teacher William Becker tointerest students in community gardening,cultivating native plants andraising honey. Students involved in thegardening project have been recognizedby state officials and have won ribbonsat the state fair.This past year, Patrick and Beckerwere awarded a $13,000 grant for“Zuni Youth Agricultural Enterprises:Planning for Success,” a projectdesigned to coach Zuni High Schooljuniors and seniors through the processof turning their school gardening activitiesinto a viable business.The funding comes from theWestern Center for Risk ManagementEducation, a U.S. Department ofAgriculture center based at WashingtonState University.From a family show-lamb operationin Socorro to president and chief executiveofficer of FarmCredit of NewMexico – Al Porterhas seen it all.With around $1.3billion in loans onits books, FarmCredit of NewMexico boastsan impressive 30Aggies on its staffThe coregroup of studentsis completing theZYAE programthis fall semesterthrough theirscience class.The curriculumincludes eightclass sessions anda field trip to afarmers market.Patricksaid the topicsinclude entrepreneurship,business planning, financialmanagement and simulation of startingand maintaining a business.The short-term goal is a singlebusiness plan from the group ofstudents that would incorporate theirvaried interests in fruits and vegetables,honey, and even native arts such asjewelry and pottery.Becker is working to garner foundationfunding that would include seedmoney to actually get some of the students’business ideas up and running.In July, Zuni joined the National– more than one-third of the company’stotal workforce.“I’ve always had a passion for agriculture,”Porter said. “I’ve had many opportunitiesalong the way, but I wantedto stay and give back to agriculture inthis state – it’s where my heart is.”Porter attended New MexicoState University and earned a degreein agricultural business in 1978. Hisexperiences during those years shapedhis future, particularly through networkingwith a core group of about 40 fellowAggies whom he still visits with regularlyduring Homecoming.“If you go to college for solelyacademic purposes, you can easily missout on other important things, such asdeveloping relationships that will be mutuallybeneficial down the road,” Portersaid.Trust for Historic Preservation’s Mainstreeteconomic development programto become the first Native AmericanMainstreet project in the nation.“The timing couldn’t be betterfor the Zuni Youth AgriculturalEnterprises project,” Patrick said. “Ifeverything works out, ZYAE and theparticipating students will evolve into abroader initiative that will include theestablishment of a new set of businessesthrough the Mainstreet project.”Jay A. RodmanAggie heads largest ag-lending institution in statePorterZuni High School students manage a set of beehives for honey productionas part of the school’s community gardening project.Porter expressed interest in seeingmore industry involvement on campusafter participating in the inauguralspring 2012 Farm Credit of NM GuestLecture Series. The series brought topleadership from the company to NMSUto interact with students in five separateclassrooms including agribusinessmanagement, managerial accounting,mastering financial statements, dairyproduction, and advanced topics: agleadership.“There has to be an early start tohelp students understand the value ofgiving back to an institution,” Portersaid. “And educators should teach thepractical along with the theoretical.”JAY A. RODMAN

Two science centers celebrate centennial this yearWhile NMSU has been celebratingmany milestones this year – the 100thanniversary of New Mexico, the 150thanniversary of the Morrill Act and the50th anniversary of Gerald ThomasHall – it can add two more anniversariesto its list.2012 marks the 100th anniversaryof both the Jornada ExperimentalRange and the Agricultural ScienceCenter at Tucumcari.In 1912, President Taft designateda large tract of land to what is now “theJornada,” due to a widening recognitionof rangeland degradation in the region.The first research done was abouthow to manage livestock on the landscapesto maintain and sustain them.This is what ranchers needed toknow, in order to avoid overgrazing andto have healthy land that could get theirherds through periods of drought.The latest development is a push tobetter integrate the long-term ecologicalresearch with agricultural research.The USDA/ARS has formalized theLong-Term Agro-Ecosystem Researchnetwork, and the Jornada has beenidentified as one site of this LTAR scienceprogramNew Mexico GO Bond will affect all NMSU campusesThe New Mexico General ObligationBond C election containsproposed funding for improvementsto all New Mexico State Universitycampuses, along with several otherschools throughout the state. NewMexico voters will have the opportunityto weigh-in on whether these GeneralObligation Bond items pass at the pollsthis November.“States are known for their educationalinstitutions,” said AssociatedStudents of NMSU President BreeanaSylvas. “The fact that the citizens ofNew Mexico are considering GO BondC is a reflection of their desire to invest“The USDA/ARS JornadaExperimental Range has a longhistory of collaborative researchwith NMSU,” said DavidThompson, associate dean anddirector of the AgriculturalExperiment Station. “The relationshipsand shared resourcescontinue to provide sciencebasedanswers to questions aboutrangeland management andecological processes that benefitland managers in New Mexicoand around the world.”The Tucumcari center’s missionis to develop forage and grazingsystems for irrigated lands in the WesternU.S., and the evaluation of crops andcropping systems for local adaptation.The research is driven by the needsof the community.Using a New Mexico Water TrustBoard grant to the City of Tucumcari,the science center teamed with thecity in 2011 to pipe reclaimed treatedmunicipal wastewater from the city’swastewater treatment facility to the center,giving researchers the opportunityto conduct irrigated crop evaluationsand valuable irrigation studies, even inin higher education.”NMSU GO Bond requests include$19 million for renovations at Hardmanand Jacobs halls at NMSU in LasCruces; $1 million for infrastructurerenovations at the NMSU Grants campus;$2 million for Dona Ana CommunityCollege; $1 million for renovationsat the NMSU Carlsbad campus; and $1million for NMSU Alamogordo.“I had an opportunity to gothrough Hardman and Jacobs hallsrecently,” said NMSU President BarbaraCouture. “I remember my freshmanexperience at the University of Michiganbeing better than that, and that wasResearch on the adaptability of Criollo cattle to theconditions of the Jornada Basin is one research focusat the USDA/ARS Jornada Experimental Range nearLas Cruces.drought conditions."The Tucumcari ASC was the firstagricultural science center established offcampus in New Mexico,” said Thompson.“Their success helped pave the way for thedevelopment of the 12 off-campus sciencecenters we have today. Research at theTucumcari center has changed with thetimes to answer the questions of improvingagricultural productivity in the regionwhether vegetable production, bull testingor surviving drought conditions. Theycontinue this tradition by being our firstASC to partner with an urban communityto make use of reclaimed water."Audry Olmsteda whole lot of years ago. I think we needbetter facilities for our freshmen andsophomores, and passage of Bond Cwill bring that to us with no increase toyour taxes.”The GO Bond requests coverhigher education projects in the followingcounties: Bernalillo, Chaves, Cibola,Curry, Dona Ana, Eddy, Grant, Lea,Lincoln, Los Alamos, McKinley, Otero,Quay, Roosevelt, Rio Arriba, San Juan,San Miguel, Santa Fe, Socorro, Taosand Valencia.The election is scheduled for Tuesday,Nov. 6.Emily C. KelleyJAY A. RODMAN

OASIS Club focuses on keeping Earth green“The OASIS Club.” The namebrings to mind images of green vegetationin the middle of a desert. Which isappropriate for NMSU’s Organizationof Aggie Students Inspiring Sustainability,a major force in the greening ofNMSU.Founded in January 2008, the clubis perhaps best known for hosting yearlyEarth Day festivals. The fifth such eventwas held this past April 22 at Young Parkin Las Cruces and the tradition is slated tocontinue, according to Zachary Brecheisen,incoming club president.Constance Falk has been a facultyadviser for the group since its inception.She says the club was responsible forformer NMSU Interim President WadedCruzado signing the Talloires Declarationon Sustainability, a commitment fromuniversities worldwide to intensify theirsustainability efforts.“The club was also responsible for2009 being declared by Cruzado as theYear of Sustainability at NMSU,” Falksaid.Mark Uchanski, OASIS co-adviser,On the anniversary of his kidneytransplant, Ryan Goss, and his wife,Diana, established the Aggie OrganDonor Endowed Scholarship through theNew Mexico State University Foundation.“I received my kidney transplant onMay 30, 2011; a year later we decided tostart a scholarship to honor the memoryof the donor,” said Goss, College of Agricultural,Consumer and EnvironmentalSciences associate professor of turfgrassmanagement, who was suffering kidneyfailure from a hypertension condition.“This is our way of saying thank you tothe family of my donor for their sacrificewhich helped me.”While Goss does not know thename of his donor, he does know it waswas recently involved in pairing the groupwith the City of Las Cruces on a communitygardening project in Gomez Park.“Two OASIS members have beenmaintaining a small plot there all summerwith great success,” he said, addingthat the initiative also involves the localMaster Gardeners, public health officialsand the general public.The two students are Brecheisenand his roommate, Bryce Richard.“We are really looking forward tobringing the rest ofthe club out to thegarden to help getstudents somewhatfamiliar with someorganic gardeningpractices, such asmulching, drip irrigation,seed savingand soil health – andhave club get-togethers,”Brecheisen said.The club’s mainmission, as Brecheisensees it, is toa 12-year-old boy. From a newspaperarticle published at the time of his transplant,he knows five peoples’ lives weresaved by organ donations from a boy ofthat age.“This endowed scholarship is myway of helping students in a similarsituation, either as a recipient of anorgan or as a family member of thedonor,” he said.Once the endowment is funded,scholarships will be awarded to anyNMSU student with a minimum cumulativegrade point average of 2.5, whois on the organ transplant list to receivea new organ, or whose child, parent,sibling or self has donated or received amajor organ, such as kidney, liver, heart,expand the awareness of the campusand the community to current unsustainableapproaches in areas such asagriculture and energy, and to presentsustainable alternatives, whether they beof local, national or global origin.Fitting perfectly with that missionis another OASIS project: the annualOASIS Fall Film Series, open to thepublic and focusing on environmentaland social issues.Jay A. RodmanPictured from left are: Sukhbir Singh, PES graduate student andGrover’s teaching assistant; Kolbhushan Grover; Richard Pratt;Bryce Richard, undergraduate in agricultural biology and managerof the field lab; and Mark Uchanski.Organ donor scholarship helps students, familiespancreas or lung.“We hope people will see the benefitof this scholarship and help with the endowment,”he said. “Gifts of any amountcan be made directly to the NMSUFoundation. We also hope people will seethe value of being an organ donor andindicate such on their driver’s license.”Jane MoormanThis endowed scholarshipis my way of helping studentsin a similar situation, eitheras a recipient of an organ or as afamily member of the donor.–Ryan Goss, associate professorJAY A. RODMAN

New master's and doctorate programs focus on waterStarting in the fall 2012 semester,NMSU students can begin working towardeither the master of science or thedoctorate of philosophy in water scienceand management.This is an interdisciplinary degreeprogram sponsored by the departmentsof agricultural economics and agriculturalbusiness, animal and range science,civil engineering, geography and plantand environmental sciences. The degreeis open to students and faculty from alldepartments.The purpose of the doctorateis to provide graduate education foraddressing state, national and internationalwater issues, and to train thenext generation of water professionalsneeded to meet the challenges of supply,development, quality, management andadministration of water resources.The program trains researchersto meet current and emerging waterchallenges, which include: improved agriculturalwater efficiency use; reducedaquifer vulnerability; improved watershedmanagement for community watersupplies; affordable urban and agriculturalconservation measures; increasedeconomic development from the use ofabundant brackish groundwater; andgreater flexibility for adapting water usepatterns to drought and climate change.Five fields of study are offered inthe program: agricultural water resources;watershed, riparian and aquaticsystems; water quality and treatment;water economics and policy; and waterinformatics.With these degrees, graduatestudents will be prepared to face waterchallenges both within New Mexicoand outside the state.For more information on the masterof science and doctorate programs,visithttp://catalog.nmsu.edu/grad-2012-2013/02-ag/wsm.html.Audry OlmstedWith this doctorate,graduate students will beprepared to face waterchallenges both withinNew Mexico and outsidethe state.New Mexico State UniversityCollege of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental SciencesMSC 3AG, Box 30001Las Cruces, NM 88003-8003Sam Steel WayAudry Olmsted, EditorGerald Rel, Senior Art DirectorUniversity Communications andMarketing ServicesMSC 3K, P.O. Box 30001Las Cruces, NM 88003-8001Telephone: 575-646-3221Fax: 575-646-2099E-mail: ucomm@nmsu.eduaces.nmsu.eduNonprofitOrganizationsU.S. PostageP A I DLas Cruces, NM88003-9991Permit No. 162SL/9-12/17623