20th Annual Commencement Ceremony Held May 8, 2025
ENMU-Ruidoso Branch Community College hosted the 20th Annual Commencement Ceremony Thursday, May 8, at 6 p.m. at the Inn of the Mountain Gods, Mescalero.
The event featured three student speakers: High School Equivalency Diploma recipient Rosa I. Ortiz of El Paso, Texas; Ruidoso High School Dual Credit, Associate of Arts General Studies graduate Ingrid Del Muro Herrera of Ruidoso; and Associate of Arts in Elementary/Special Education graduate Madison Graves of Alamogordo.
The four President’s Award Recipients were recognized. Education Department Chair and Faculty Member Cleo Mow was recognized for the Excellence in Teaching Award. Adjunct Science Faculty Member Dr. Mohammad “Mo” Yazdi was recognized for the Excellence in Adjunct Teaching Award. Business Office Support Specialist Dana Haynes was recognized with the Distinguished Service Award and Calvary Chapel Pastor Anthony Geraci was recognized with the Friend of the College Award.
Two hundred and seven degrees and certificate were awarded, the largest number in ENMU-Ruidoso history. Fifteen students received their diploma for the New Mexico High School Equivalency; 111 for Certificates of Completion in Bookkeeping/Accounting, Child Development, Computer and Network Security, Core Curriculum, Cyber Defense Infrastructure Support Specialist and Welding Technology; 35 for the Certificate of Occupational Training in Culinary Arts Fundamentals, Emergency Medical Tech-Basic, Nursing Assistant, Phlebotomy and Pre-Nursing; 14 for an Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree in Business Administration, Hospitality and Tourism, Information Systems Cybersecurity, Nursing and Wildland Fire Science; 36 for an Associate of Arts (AA) degree in Business Administration, Early Childhood Care and Education, Elementary/Special Education and General Studies; two for an Associate of Science (AS) degree in Natural Science; eight students for a Bachelor’s degree from ENMU Portales in Applied Arts and Sciences; Business Administration and Nursing, Bachelor’s Degree of Science in Criminal Justice, Nursing, Sociology and a Bachelor’s Degree of University Studies; and one student for a Master’s Degree of Business Administration.
The processional was led by Mow who carried the Eastern New Mexico University (ENMU) mace. Mescalero Tribal Councilman Alfred LaPaz gave the Mescalero Apache blessing. ENMU-Ruidoso Branch Community College President Ryan Trosper welcomed the audience and made introductions. The Mescalero Apache Veterans Department presented the colors. The National Anthem was sang by Marla Heibert Caughron. The invocation was given by ENMU-Ruidoso Community College Board Chair Brad Treptow. Mescalero Tribal Council President Thora Walsh Padilla gave a welcome on behalf of the Mescalero Apache Tribe. ENMU System Chancellor and President Dr. James Johnston conferred the degrees and certificates. Vice President of Student Learning and Success Coda Omness presented the students with their diplomas, certificates and degrees. Johnston presented the ENMU Portales graduates with their bachelor’s and master’s degrees.
Student Speaker Biographies
Rosa Ortiz was born in El Paso, Texas, and raised in Mexico. As the middle child of two brothers and two sisters, she grew up in a family where none of her siblings were able to attend high school due to limited opportunities. Despite these challenges, she always dreamed of earning her high school diploma. After moving to the United States and dedicating many years to raising her children, she finally achieved her GED in 2024.
Ortiz’s passion for helping others has inspired her to pursue a career in nursing. She continues to work hard every day, not just for herself, but to show her children that it’s never too late to follow your dreams. Although she faces challenges with the English language, especially in writing, she is determined to succeed and make a positive difference in her community.
Ingrid Alexandra Del Muro Herrera is a dual credit student from Ruidoso High School who is graduating with an Associate of Arts in General Studies. She began the 2023-2024 school year as a high school junior and has already made impressive strides toward her academic goals. Among her proudest accomplishments is completing the Nursing Assistant course at ENMU-Ruidoso.
Herrera’s greatest motivators are her parents and her desire to begin discovering the path she wants to take in higher education. She plans to transfer to the University of New Mexico to pursue a degree in nursing or medical school. Ingrid would like to thank her parents and especially herself for the perseverance and strength it took to reach this point.
Madison Graves was born in Alamogordo and is a proud graduate of Ruidoso High School. She is the youngest in her family, with one older brother, and is a member of the Mescalero Apache Tribe. Graves recently earned her Associate of Arts in Elementary/Special Education.
She credits her success to her incredible family, whose unwavering support and encouragement have helped shape her into the person she is today. She extends her heartfelt thanks to her family for their pep talks, support, and for always motivating her to pursue her goals and go further in her education.
The following is the list of diplomas, certificates and degrees awarded based on the students’ hometown of record. The asterisk (*) indicates the graduate graduated with honors. Graduating with honors means that honors are awarded to students who complete their program with a cumulative overall grade point average (GPA) of 3.5, which is calculated after the last grading period prior to the student’s final enrollment.
New Mexico High School Equivalency Diploma
Alto – Sydnie Lippert
Capitan – Amanda Reynolds
Mescalero – Matthew Naiche
Nogal – Colin Bymoen, Lily Waltner
Ruidoso – Kai Clem, Esparansa Corona-Coyazo, Emma Drane, Denisse Fierro Ramos, Madalyn Heidbreder, Maddison Rue, Gabriel Sanchez
Ruidoso Downs – Rosa Isela Ortiz, Grisel Tapia
Tularosa – Francisco Gutierrez
Certificates of Completion
Bookkeeping/Accounting
Bent – Smantha J. Wiley
Child Development
Alamogordo – Crystal Leann Lelesch*, Aryn Renee Mikolajczyk*
Albuquerque – Kara Gwyn Brock*, Breanna Kathleen Brouillettee*, Claudia Patricia Cardoza Leon*, Miriam Murillo Cuevas, Beatriz Diaz*, Sabrina Esquibel*, Destiny Genevieve Marie Garcia, Zulema Gonzalez, Hannah Gracia, Dominique Renee Martinez*, Cheryl Gwen Martinez-Tarango*, Nicole Marie Miller*, Ana Cristina Ornelas*, Bernadette Paul*, Tania Georgette Quiroz*, Daniela Catalina Restrepo*, Jessica Elizabeth Reyes-Lujan*, Miranda Grace Sanchez*, Rachael Rose Sanchez*, Claudia C. Tavares*, Marissa Monique Trujillo*
Alto –Alycia Badillo*, Hannah Michelle Jones*
Anthony – Marifer Aguirre Castro*, Jennifer Daniela Flores*, Ana Lizeth Guzman, Marisol Mena*, Rosario Ortega
Artesia – Julianna Jean Carrillo*
Aztec – Alejandra Rascon*
Chaparral – Jacqueline Merary Avalos*, Andrea Yocelin Campos Hernandez, Sandra Yadira De La Rocha, Aylin Escalera*, Ashley M. Hernandez, Clarissa Renee Lacy, Irma Briceyda Lopez*, Andrea Moreno, Hazel Marie Salinas
Dexter – Areli Nicole Mendoza-Loera*
Eunice – Layla Tyan Lovett*
Farmington – Charolynn R. Begay*, Christiana Angela Dominguez, Madison Lee Rardin*
Hagerman – Abigail Rena Benge*
Hatch – Martha Arcely Jimenez*
La Luz – K’Leigh C. Coons*, Rufina Felicetti*
Las Cruces – Zipporah Drake*, Nathan James Lopez*, Amanda Marie Prangner*
Lordsburg – Clara G. Escobar Todd*, Maria Jacqueline Roland*
Magdalena – Shaylyn Nicole McCan*
Mescalero – Jessica Michelle Rodriguez*
Mesilla Park – Brenda Reyes*
Portales – Sanora Twyla Marie Sanchez*
Rio Rancho – Ashley Y. Lujan*, Angelique Madrid*
Roswell – Catalina M. Bustamante*, Sandra Lee Chavez*, Francis R. Gallagher*, Evelyn Gauna*, Bianca Monique Jurado*, Ana Laura Meraz*, Anabel Ortega*, Edith Santillanes*
Ruidoso – Daniela Alejandra Castro, Celina Monique Luna*
Ruidoso Downs – Lové Camejo, Savannah Devan Gonzales, Adriana Salas*
Santa Clara – Desiree Marie Castanon*
Santa Teresa – Miriam Alexa Baydon*, Mayra Carrasco*, Priscilla Lorraine Guerrero*, Yanely Y Quiñonez*
Silver City – Keyana Reyleen Baca*, Juan Carlos Quesada
Sunland Park – Evakristel De Luna*, Karla Lizet Nuñez*, Jessica Ramirez, Estrella M. Villanueva*
Tucumcari – Perla Rubi Avila, Michelle Yulissa Giner Rivera
Tularosa – Flora Marie Gonzales*
Canutillo, Texas – Laura Lizeth Gomez Urrutia*
Computer and Network Security
Portales – Raymond James Joseph Gallant*
Ruidoso – Silas Dimitri Laspada*
Core Curriculum
Alto – Alexa Bravo, Hannah Michelle Jones*, Mason Zabel*
Bent – Jensen Cody Thetford
Farmington – Giovanna Tamara Hastings
Ruidoso – Haydin Alexis Byington, Molly Grace Robinson, Zoey Clover Wheeless*, Harley Lynn Widener, Ngaio Claire Younger*
Ruidoso Downs – Fernanda Dunay Valdez Gallegos*
Sunland Park – Alicia Martinez de Orozco*, Jesus Rael Rodriguez
Cyber Defense Infrastructure Support Specialist
Forney, Texas – Severin Djoufack Sonna*
Gulf Breeze, Fla. – Larah Gamuyao Davis*
Welding Technology
Bent – Xavier Ruiz*
Mescalero – Kaylyn Rae Chino*, Davin Davis*
Ruidoso Downs – Luke A. Ordorica
Certificate of Occupational Training
Culinary Arts Fundamentals
Mescalero – Brayden Kesean Rocha*
Ruidoso – Pamela Louise Bonner*, Ayana Kelesi Yazzie
Ruidoso Downs – Cicilia Victoria Hernandez-Ferrara
Emergency Medical Tech – Basic
Nogal – Adam Shelton Dunn
Ruidoso – Jacob Bernard Bell, Austin T. Meuli, Victor Manuel Rodriguez, Emilio Salcido
Nursing Assistant
Alto – Darian Milam*
Capitan – Yara Leticia Gwyn, Anita Esperanza Trujillo*
Mescalero – Dalaney Nicole Reyes*, Ashlee M. Reynolds*
Roswell – Dannay Barraza*, Crimson Burkhart*, Nicole A. Krzebiot*
Ruidoso – Ingrid Alexandra del Muro Herrera*, Jatonna D. Holmes*, Harley Lynn Widener*
Tularosa – Christian K. Kazhe*
Phlebotomy
Alto – Brooklynn Shae Rodriguez*
Capitan – Sage Ann Bennett, Evangeline Grace Fraley*, Yara Leticia Gwyn
Ruidoso – Fiona Talena Alipala Liangco*
Mescalero – Samantha V. Kazhe, Lizette Osife*, Molly Flora Dawn Peña*
Ruidoso Downs – Angelica Alexa Pizarro*, Kayln S. Saiz*, Samantha Grace Woody
Pre-Nursing
Capitan – Cheyenne Aspen Godinez*, Velia Gutierrez Trujillo*
Ruidoso Downs – Allie M. Ordorica*
Associate Degrees
Associate of Applied Science
Business Administration
Capitan – Kristi L. Morrow*
Hospitality & Tourism
Capitan – Leonardo Guereca*
Information Systems Cybersecurity
Portales – Josue Barrera*, Raymond James Joseph Gallant*
Wildland Fire Science
Naples, Fla. – Michael George Joel Jr.*
Amarillo, Texas – Mark Dale Nicoletti Jr.
Canyon, Texas – Andrew John McGuire*
Associate of Arts
Business Administration
Mescalero – Anthony Eugene Mendez
Ruidoso Downs – Gloria Isabel Santamaria de Schwetz*, Alexis Renea Woodward*
Early Childhood Care and Education
Anthony – Jessica Marie Romero*
Capitan – Robin C. Woodward
Lovington – Carmen Victoria Villanueva Perez
Roswell – Mayra Daniela Palomares Hinojos*
Elementary/Special Education
Mescalero – Madison Manuella Graves*
General Studies
Alto – Citlali Roxan Figueroa*, Hannah Michelle Jones*, Samuel Brayden Mize, Orlando Ruiz-Tena*, Addisyn Rey Sanchez*, Mia Lynn Simpson*, Stephany Marlene Villarreal*
Bent – Shanay Dancing Fire Scott-Arbuckle
Capitan – Anthony Christian Harris*, Amanda Lee Storms*
Glen Coe – Wylie Brand Casson*
Las Cruces – Shirley Moffitt*
Mescalero – Catherine Marie Magoosh
Ruidoso – Anderson Marc Beatty*, Gracie Nicole Born*, Kyler L. Cox, Ingrid Alexandra del Muro Herrera, Makenzie Graham*, Patrick Kimbrell*, Adney Ryan Lusk*, Tyler Justin Page*, Danitza Guadalupe Perez Tanori*, José Pablo Piñon*, Jocelyn Aleah Rose*
Ruidoso Downs – Victoria Carrizales, Augustine Florencio Glass-Saiz*, Shaeli Naomi Thorp*, Fernanda Dunay Valdez Gallegos*
Associate of Science
Natural Science
Capitan – Anna Belle Hair
Ruidoso – Robert Eugene White
Bachelor’s Degrees (Portales)
Bachelor of Applied Arts & Sciences
Capitan – Emmanuel Hernandez
Woodbridge, Va. – Robert Borjon III
Bachelor of Business Administration
Las Cruces – Cynthia Flack
Bachelor of Nursing
Ruidoso – Steffanie Lee Dale
Bachelor of Science
Criminal Justice
Capitan – Courtney J. Baxter
Nursing
Ruidoso – Steffanie Lee Dale
Sociology
Capitan – Cheyenne Rose Kissee-Dowdell
Bachelor of University Studies
Capitan – Destini Leigh Taylor
Master’s Degree (Portales)
Master of Business Administration
Ruidoso Downs – Luis De La Cruz
