logo
'Every Lobo makes a difference:' Family and friends celebrate UNM grads

'Every Lobo makes a difference:' Family and friends celebrate UNM grads

Yahoo18-05-2025

May 17—The closer his brother got to the stage, the wider the grin on Javier Castañeda's face grew.
"It's a great feeling. It's a blessing to be able to have him attend this school," Castañeda said of his younger brother, Jose Castañeda, who received his bachelor's degree in theatre on Saturday from the University of New Mexico. "Every day, he finds new ways to not just impress me, but our family, and just keep on going."
The Castañeda family was one of thousands who celebrated this weekend as more than 2,000 students from the largest university in the state received their bachelor's degrees, with family and friends packing the Pit for UNM's spring commencement ceremony.
"We are not the same university we were before you walked through our doors. Every Lobo makes a difference, every Lobo has an impact, every Lobo makes us better," UNM President Garnett Stokes told attendees. "We will watch with pride and certainty as you make your way into the world, but we also know that you are ready for it, for each of you has been well-prepared."
Across its campuses, UNM counted 3,636 students receiving degrees as part of the spring 2025 class, including associate's degrees from its campuses in Gallup, Los Alamos, Taos and Valencia, according to a news release. Its main Albuquerque campus accounted for over 3,000 of those degrees, with 2,172 of those being bachelor's degrees, 487 being master's degrees, over 200 doctorates, 127 graduate certificates and 12 education specialists.
Before the ceremony began, Cynthia Garibay described her feelings as a mix of excitement and anxiety as she prepared to walk the stage and receive her business administration degree.
"It's also exciting to know you're on to bigger and better things," Garibay said. "I already have a full-time job, but they are looking to promote me, so this degree definitely helps."
Before he made his way to the floor, Jose Contreras, an Anaheim, California, native who came to Albuquerque to study, excitedly pointed to a section of the crowd where 12 of his family members sat. They made the more-than 18-hour drive to watch him walk the stage.
"I'm excited to just enjoy a meal with them, and just enjoy New Mexico for a weekend with them," he said. He also reflected on his time in college and the milestone just minutes away.
"My favorite experience in college is, I think, this moment," said Contreras, who earned degrees in electrical engineering and Spanish. "Seeing everyone's faces from when we first started to now, I see all the years that have gone by, and I'm excited to just see this moment."

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Wanapum fire, near Beverly, burns about 370 acres
Wanapum fire, near Beverly, burns about 370 acres

Yahoo

timean hour ago

  • Yahoo

Wanapum fire, near Beverly, burns about 370 acres

Jun. 9—BEVERLY — A wildland fire closed a portion of State Route 243 north of Beverly Burke Road for about four and a half hours Saturday near Wanapum Dam and the Wanapum Village. The fire was reported at about 5 p.m., according to a statement from the Washington Department of Transportation. The road reopened at about 9:30 p.m. The fire was estimated at about 372 acres and was listed as contained as of Monday morning. Eric Linn, Grant County Fire District 10 chief, said land along the highway near Wanapum Dam is owned by a number of different federal and state agencies, which scrambles the fire management picture. While the fire was in GCFD 10's coverage area, the Federal Bureau of Land Management was the lead agency, Linn said. The BLM spokesperson could not be reached by press time. Editor's Note: This story has been updated throughout and is finalized.

Fire breaks out in parking structure of Nashville library and explosions are heard
Fire breaks out in parking structure of Nashville library and explosions are heard

Associated Press

timean hour ago

  • Associated Press

Fire breaks out in parking structure of Nashville library and explosions are heard

NASHVILLE, Tennessee (AP) — A fire broke out in the parking structure of Nashville's main public library early Tuesday and explosions were heard. Eli Gilmore, a Nashville musician who lives in the apartment building next door, said he heard loud explosions begin around 1:15 a.m. local time. 'We were sitting around and I just looked over and saw the black smoke coming out of the garage, and then we just started hearing cars exploding, one after another. We saw a floor crack and fall in. It's been shooting sparks across the street.' On a FaceTime call with The Associated Press, he showed video of the building with smoke pouring out of it and emergency vehicles surrounding it. He said at least 50 firefighters were visible on the scene. The city's fire department could not immediately be reached. ___ AP writer Ted Anthony in Pittsburgh contributed to this report.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store