Student Appreciation Awards Announced

by Dr. Emily Nye, director of Student Services

SOCORRO, N.M., April 19, 1999 -- New Mexico Tech's first "Student Appreciation Awards" have been bestowed on six students and one student club in recognition of their service to and leadership in the university community.

"New Mexico Tech has many students who give their time and effort to extracurricular projects they care about," says Emily Nye, Tech humanities professor and Student Services director. "Many of these students also excel at part-time jobs, participate in professional associations, and, of course, struggle to keep up with their coursework. We on the committee decided to create some way to reward these outstanding people."

Nye is a member of the Student Appreciation Committee that was charged with selecting the winners.

Eighteen students were nominated to be considered for the honor by the university's faculty, staff, and other students.

The following winners will be honored at a campus awards banquet on Sunday, April 25:

• Tim Canty is a graduate student pursuing an advanced physics degree. In addition to serving as a teaching assistant, Canty has also been active in the Gradate Student Association. He has been a leader in the move to establish a student health center at New Mexico Tech. As a member of Tech's Physics Club, Canty has participated in presentations made at several local schools, and has also helped organize the university's annual Paper Airplane Contest, which has proven to be a popular community event.

• Wayne Davidson is a junior majoring in management. Davidson has been a leader in student government and, this past winter, worked as a lobbyist for higher education at the state legislature. He also has been an exemplary employee at various administrative offices: last summer, he helped the Tech Registrar's Office fine-tune the degree-audit program; and, more recently, he developed a webpage for the university's Academic Affairs Office.

• Leslie Glover, a senior engineering mechanics student, has been a leader in the Student-Produced Leisure Activities at Tech (SPLAT) group, a new student organization that plans and produces enjoyable activities for students. This current academic year's SPLAT events have included concerts, comedy nights, a ski trip, and a midnight breakfast during Finals Week.

• Roseanna Neupauer, a doctoral candidate in Tech's hydrology program, is also a recipient of a U. S. Environmental Protection Agency STAR Fellowship at the university. She is president of the Tech Graduate Student Association, has served on many departmental committees, and also has helped engender student involvement in extracurricular events. By working with the Tech administration, Neupauer brought to light a federal tax issue in 1998 that affected Tech graduate students, which led to her subsequent development of a related website. In addition, she also has garnered a well-earned reputation for working on cutting-edge research and academic outreach programs for her peers.

• Carlos Rey Romero is a senior chemical engineering student. He is an active member of the local chapter of the Society of Mexican American Engineers and Scientists (MAES) and has been an orientation leader, resident assistant, and vice president of the New Mexico Tech Student Association. For two years, Romero has served as president of the statewide Associated Students of New Mexico organization.

• Aaron Saenz, a senior technical communication major, has had several stints as a Hi-Tech Ambassador through the Admission Office, an orientation leader, and a resident assistant in Tech's residence halls. He has also been an officer for both the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers and Gays and Friends and currently is president-elect for the Society of Technical Communication. Saenz also has volunteered his services in the Socorro community by developing websites for several local non-profit groups.

• The Society of Economic Geologists is a student group which was noted for its excellent service at the National Science Teachers Association conference in Albuquerque last fall. Members of the group helped collect, process, and distribute more than 25,000 mineral specimens for teachers. They bagged minerals, added descriptive information, and helped staff the information booth.