>>ANNOUNCER: REPORT FROM SANTA FE IS MADE POSSIBLE, IN PART, BY GRANTS FROM THE NATIONAL EDUCATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF NEW MEXICO, AN ORGANIZATION OF PROFESSIONALS WHO BELIEVE THAT INVESTING IN PUBLIC EDUCATION IS AN INVESTMENT IN OUR STATE'S ECONOMIC FUTURE, FROM THE NEW MEXICO MUNICIPAL LEAGUE, A BETTER NEW MEXICO THROUGH BETTER CITIES AND FROM >>LORENE: HELLO, I AM LORENE MILLS AND WELCOME TO REPORT FROM SANTA FE .

OUR GUEST TODAY IS DR. PATRICE CALDWELL WHO IS THE CHANCELLOR AT EASTERN NEW MEXICO UNIVERSITY IN PORTALES, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US DR. CALDWELL.

>>PATRICE: MY GREAT PLEASURE TO JOIN YOU ON REPORT FROM SANTA FE.

>>LORENE: YES, WELL WE HAVE A LONG HISTORY TOGETHER, I HAVE KNOWN YOU FOR MANY YEARS AND I WOULD LIKE YOU TO TAKE A MINUTE AND EXPLAIN YOUR LONG HISTORY AT EASTERN NEW MEXICO UNIVERSITY.

TALK ABOUT WHERE YOU CAME IN AND THEN HOW YOU KEPT FILLING AND DOING JOBS THAT NEEDED TO BE DONE AND THEN BECOMING INDISPENSABLE AND THEN BE HANDED THE NEXT CHALLENGE UNTIL YOU ARRIVED AT THE POSITION OF CHANCELLOR, TELL US ABOUT IT.

>>PATRICE: WELL HOW KIND OF YOU TO ASK.

I CAME TO EASTERN FROM UCLA IN 1980, THE CAMPUS SEEMED SO SMALL AFTER UCLA, BUT THE STUDENTS WERE SO POLITE AND THE FACULTY WERE SO WELCOMING AND THE ADMINISTRATION SAID, "WE CAN DO THIS, WE WILL LET YOU DO THAT," THEY WERE JUST WONDERFULLY EMPOWERING.

SO I CAME AS AN ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF ENGLISH, I WAS THE DIRECTOR OF FRESHMAN COMPOSITION AND THEN I BECAME CHAIR OF THE DEPARTMENT.

OUR DEAN LEFT TO TAKE A POSITION BACK EAST AND I WAS NAMED INTERIM DEAN IN 1988, WE DID A NATIONAL SEARCH AND I WAS THE SUCCESSFUL APPLICANT.

TEN YEARS LATER, I MOVED FROM THE DEAN POSITION TO A REALLY WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY, A FUNDED GRANT BY THE PEW CHARITABLE TRUST FOR EXCELLENCE IN UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION.

AND WE STARTED OUR FRESHMAN SEMINAR PROGRAM WITH THAT GRANT, IT WAS A WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE, GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH VERY CREATIVE FACULTY.

WHEN THAT GRANT CONCLUDED WE HAD AN OPENING IN THE OFFICE OF PLANNING AND ANALYSIS, WHICH OVERSAW GRANTS, ASSESSMENT, AND INSTITUTIONAL RESEARCH AND ALTHOUGH ENGLISH MAJORS ARE NOT REALLY KNOWN FOR BEING NUMBERS PEOPLE, I WENT INTO THAT GRANT, HAD A WONDERFUL TIME AND WAS THERE FOR 18 YEARS.

AT WHICH POINT OUR PRESIDENT WHO HAD HAD SOME HEALTH PROBLEMS INTENDED TO RESIGN, NOTIFIED THE REGENTS AND I WAS SELECTED AS INTERIM AND SUDDENLY IN APRIL OF A FABLED YEAR, I SUDDENLY BECAME THE INTERIM PRESIDENT WHICH WAS CONVERTED IN SEPTEMBER TO PRESIDENT AND CHANCELLOR.

SO I FEEL VERY LUCKY TO HAVE BEEN GIVEN SO MANY OPPORTUNITIES AND SO MANY WONDERFUL MENTORS, I THINK THAT'S THE KEY TO SUCCEEDING OVER TIME.

ALL THE PRESIDENTS AT EASTERN WERE WONDERFUL MENTORS, DR. BOB MATHENY, A WONDERFUL EDUCATOR, A WONDERFUL COMMUNITY MEMBER, DR. EVERETT FROST, WHO WAS THE FIRST PERSON TO SAY TO ME, "DON'T FEEL BAD IF YOU DON'T HAVE SOMETHING GOING ON ALL THE TIME, PEOPLE NEED TIME TO THINK," WONDERFUL ADVICE.

AND THEN, OF COURSE, WORKING WITH DR. GAMBLE WHO WAS JUST A LOVELY GENTLEMAN, A WONDERFUL COMMUNITY LIAISON AND JUST BUILT WONDERFUL BRIDGES EVERYWHERE HE WENT.

SO I HAD THREE WONDERFUL ROLE MODELS ALL WHO HAPPENED TO BE PRESIDENTS AND WHO GAVE ME OPPORTUNITIES TO SERVE EASTERN AND THAT MADE ME VERY HAPPY.

SO I THINK THAT WAS MY STORY AT EASTERN AND IT IS STILL CONTINUING SO I AM HAPPY ABOUT THAT.

>>LORENE: AND THAT LONG CHAIN OF SUCCESSES HAS NOT GONE UNNOTICED.

YOU HAVE GOT THE HIGHEST AWARD THAT THE EASTERN NEW MEXICO UNIVERSITY ALUMNI ASSOCIATION CAN GIVE, AN HONORARY LIFETIME AWARD THEY GAVE IT TO YOU IN 2018, NOT ONLY FOR YOUR SERVICE TO THE UNIVERSITY BUT FOR YOUR SERVICE TO THE COUNTRY.

SO CONGRATULATIONS YOU ARE DOING A WONDERFUL JOB.

I WANT TO TALK ABOUT WHAT A CHALLENGING YEAR IT HAS BEEN, BUT I WANT TO JUST TAKE A MOMENT AND CELEBRATE YOUR DEDICATION AND LOOK AT SOME CLIPS FROM THIS YEAR'S GRADUATION.

IT IS SO IMPORTANT FOR THE STUDENTS AND THE FAMILIES TO HAVE AN IN-PERSON GRADUATION AND YOU HAD THE COMPLETE COMMENCEMENT SO WE ARE GOING TO LOOK AT SOME CLIPS JUST FOR A FEW MINUTES AND IF YOU COULD TALK ABOUT THE PROCESSION, THE MUSIC AND SOME SPECIAL STUDENTS THAT WERE ABLE TO SPEAK.

SO COULD YOU JUST TALK ABOUT THE RECENT GRADUATION IN PERSON AND WHAT YOU WERE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH.

>>PATRICE: ABSOLUTELY, I WOULD LOVE TO, IT'S ALWAYS OUR HAPPIEST TIME OF THE YEAR.

SO WE AWARDED OVER 100 ASSOCIATES DEGREES, 388 BACHELORS DEGREES AND 137 MASTERS DEGREES, 375 STUDENTS WALKED AT GREYHOUND STADIUM SO WE WERE IN OPEN AIR ENVIRONMENT.

EASTERN USED TO DO OUTDOOR COMMENCEMENTS BUT WE HADN'T DONE IT IN ACTUALLY 60 YEARS, SO IT WAS A WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE, THE STUDENTS WERE WONDERFUL.

I THINK WE HAVE A CLIP OF THEM WALKING ON TO THE FLOOR OF THE GREYHOUND STADIUM.

MOST OF THEM, OF COURSE, HAD NEVER BEEN ON A FOOTBALL FIELD AND SO THEY LOVED THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY WERE SAYING THINGS LIKE, "I AM ON THE 50-YARD LINE, I'M FINALLY ON THE 50-YARD LINE."

THEY WERE MASKED, THEIR FACULTY MENTORS WERE THERE ESCORTING THEM, WE HAD STAFF MEMBERS CONDUCTING THEM TO THEIR SEATS AND, OF COURSE, THOUGH THEY WERE MASKED, WE COULDN'T STOP THEM FROM HUGGING EACH OTHER AND GREETING EACH OTHER AND SO WE WERE HAPPY TO SEE THEM DO THAT.

GREYHOUND STADIUM, YOU ARE VIEWING THE VISITOR'S SIDE BECAUSE THAT WAS RIGHT BEHIND THE STAGE, BUT BEHIND THE STUDENTS, THOSE STANDS WERE COMPLETELY FILLED, FAMILIES WERE IN GROUPS AND DISTANCED, BUT IT WAS A VERY GREAT AUDIENCE.

WE WERE FORTUNATE TO HAVE THE STADIUM BECAUSE WE HAD CAPACITY FOR 7900 SO WE COULD SPACE PEOPLE OUT AND IT WAS PERFECTLY SAFE, SO THAT WAS GREAT.

OF COURSE, WE HAD THE HONOR GUARD FROM CANNON AIR FORCE BASE TO PRESENT THE COLORS, WE HAD THE SINGING OF THE NATIONAL ANTHEM BY STUDENTS, WE HAD THE PLAYING OF THE PROCESSIONAL AND OF COURSE RECESSIONAL BY STUDENTS, WE ALWAYS HAVE STUDENTS PLAYING FOR STUDENTS AND STUDENTS SINGING FOR STUDENTS.

SO THAT'S THE EASTERN WAY AND WE ARE VERY PROUD OF IT.

AND THEN WE HAD THE FACULTY UP IN THE STANDS BECAUSE THEY COULDN'T ALL BE ON THE FIELD.

WE HAD FOUR WONDERFUL STUDENT SPEAKERS, EACH ONE OF THEM HAD A GREAT MESSAGE AND MAYBE >>VINCENT: TODAY WE TAKE A MOMENT TO STOP STRESSING ABOUT COLLEGE AND INSTEAD WE REFLECT AND REJOICE ON WHAT THE LAST FOUR YEARS HAVE GIVEN US.

AS I REFLECT ON MY FIRST SEMESTER HERE AT ENMU I CAN'T HELP BUT TO THINK ABOUT HOW LOST I WAS.

EVEN THOUGH I WAS A GOOD STUDENT I LACKED ASPIRATION.

I THINK MANY, IF NOT ALL OF YOU, CAN RELATE TO ME WHEN I SAY THAT UP TO THAT POINT I HAD NO CLUE WHAT I WAS DOING.

YES, A NEW COLLEGE WAS IMPORTANT FOR MY FUTURE BUT THE TRUTH IS AT THAT POINT I HAD NEVER SET A GOAL THAT WASN'T EASY.

MY MINDSET WAS STAGNANT, I WAS SETTING MYSELF UP FOR FAILURE.

WHAT I WASN'T DOING WAS SETTING MYSELF UP TO OVERCOME THE OBSTACLES THAT >>LORENE: AND SO IT IS SO MEANINGFUL, IT IS SO IMPORTANT FOR AFTER THE STUDENTS HAVE WORKED FOR YEARS, BOTH THE UNDERGRADUATES AND THE GRADUATES AND THEIR FAMILIES, IT IS SO WONDERFUL TO BE TOGETHER TO HONOR THEM AND CELEBRATE THEM.

IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE ABOUT THE GRADUATION YOU WOULD LIKE TO MENTION, BECAUSE I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE ASHES THAT YOU AS A PHOENIX HAD TO RISE FROM WHICH IS COVID.

>>PATRICE: I AM JUST ALWAYS IMPRESSED BY HOW MUCH SENIORS HAVE MATURED IN THE TIME THEY HAVE BEEN WITH US.

THESE STUDENTS TALKED ABOUT PERSISTENCE AND THEY TALKED ABOUT THEIR FIRST BAD GRADE AND HOW THEY CONVERTED IT AND HOW FACULTY HELPED THEM AND THE IMPORTANCE OF THEIR FAMILY AND FRIENDS SUPPORTING THEM.

THEY WERE GRACIOUS AND ARTICULATE AND I THINK THEY JUST SENT A WONDERFUL MESSAGE ABOUT THE STUDENTS THAT EASTERN CREATES BY BUILDING OF A FAMILY AROUND THEM AND SUPPORTING THEM TO ACHIEVE THEIR DREAMS, SO IT IS A VERY GRATIFYING MOMENT TO WATCH THEM.

>>LORENE: WELL, I WOULD LIKE TO SHIFT A LITTLE BIT NOW BECAUSE THIS HAS BEEN THE MOST CHALLENGING YEAR FOR OUR STATE AND FOR OUR PEOPLE BUT ESPECIALLY FOR STUDENTS AND INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING.

SO COVID HIT, THE PANDEMIC HIT, EVERYTHING HAD TO BE TRANSFORMED, YOU HAD TO GO TO REMOTE LEARNING.

I MEAN EVERYBODY WAS STOPPED IN THEIR TRACKS SO I WOULD LIKE TO TALK ABOUT HOW YOU WEATHERED THIS CRISIS AND SEEING THIS GRADUATION IS LIKE THE TRIUMPHANT BLOOM OF YOUR SUCCESS TO GET THROUGH THIS CHALLENGING TIME.

AND TALK ABOUT THE STATS, DROPS IN NUMBERS, WHO WAS PRIMARILY AFFECTED AND WHAT YOU DID WHEN THE NEWS CAME THAT EVERYBODY HAD TO SHUT DOWN.

>>PATRICE: IT WAS A TRAUMATIC YEAR FOR ALL OF US AND WE PARTICULARLY SYMPATHIZED WITH OUR COLLEAGUES IN THE K-12 SYSTEM BECAUSE OUR STUDENTS WERE, OF COURSE, MUCH BETTER AND MUCH MORE COMFORTABLE WITH TECHNOLOGY AND SO THE TRANSITION WAS NOT AS DIFFICULT FOR THEM, BUT IT WAS STILL DIFFICULT.

THEY MISSED EACH OTHER, THEY MISSED THE SOCIAL INTERACTIONS, LEARNING IS SOCIAL, THEY MISSED WALKING DOWN THE HALL AND FINDING A FACULTY MEMBER BECAUSE THEY GOT STUCK ON A PART OF AN ASSIGNMENT.

AND ALL OF THAT WENT AND NOT JUST YOU KNOW OVER A PERIOD OF A MONTH, SLOWLY AND GRADUALLY, BUT OVERNIGHT IT WAS GONE AND I THINK THAT SHOWS THE RESILIENCE OF OUR STUDENTS WHO STAYED WITH US AND STUCK WITH US.

SO, OF COURSE, IT WAS A BIG TRANSITION FOR STAFF, TOO, BECAUSE WORKING FROM HOME IS AN ART FORM THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE HAD NEVER EXPERIENCED.

SO, AGAIN, AT EASTERN, WE ARE BLESSED BECAUSE WE HAVE VERY GOOD TECHNOLOGY, VERY GOOD PERSONNEL IN IT AND GREAT TRAINERS AND SINCE WE ARE AN EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION WE ARE USED TO LEARNING.

SO WE LEARNED, I THINK, SOME VERY VALUABLE LESSONS ABOUT HOW TO DELIVER CONTENT ONLINE, HOW TO BUILD ONLINE COMMUNITIES AND HOW TO REACH OUT AND CONNECT WITH STUDENTS EVEN IF THEY ARE HAVING SOME CONNECTIVITY PROBLEMS, WHICH IN NEW MEXICO, AS YOU KNOW, IS VERY COMMON.

SO I THINK OUR ABILITY AND FAMILIARITY WITH TECHNOLOGY, OUR WILLINGNESS TO LEARN THAT NEW TECHNOLOGY AND TO GET THAT PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND THEN THE FACT THAT WE JUST CONTINUED TO SPEAK WITH EACH OTHER AND WITH OTHER INSTITUTIONS IN NEW MEXICO, OF COURSE, USING ZOOM AND TEAMS.

I THINK THAT KEPT US CONNECTED AND NOT FEELING ISOLATED AND I THINK THAT WAS VERY IMPORTANT FOR ALL OF US AND FOR HIGHER EDUCATION GENERALLY AND WITH OUR DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION AND OUR SECRETARY, STEPHANIE RODRIGUEZ.

SO I THINK THAT IS HOW WE WEATHERED IT.

HOW THE STUDENTS WEATHERED IT, I DON'T KNOW, THEY WERE MAGNIFICENT.

WE WOULD SAY, "I AM SO SORRY WE MISS YOU SO MUCH" AND THEY WOULD SAY, "YEAH, IT'S OKAY, I AM OKAY.

WE ARE GOING TO DO THIS."

AND THEY SUPPORTED EACH OTHER AND THEY SUPPORTED US, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO DELIVER THEIR CLASSES SO IT IS A REAL TRIBUTE TO STUDENTS AND THEIR PERSISTENCE AND THAT IS HOW WE GOT THROUGH.

>>LORENE: I THINK YOU MENTIONED THAT IT HAD BEEN HARDER FOR THE UNDERGRADUATES, PARTICULARLY THE FRESHMAN, BECAUSE THEY HADN'T BEEN IN SCHOOL LONG ENOUGH TO KNOW TO MAKE THE SHIFT.

BUT FOR THE GRADUATE STUDENTS, IN PARTICULAR, YOU KNOW, THEY JUST TOOK IT IN STRIDE PRETTY MUCH DIDN'T THEY?

>>PATRICE: THE GRADUATES WERE LIKE SILK, THEY MOVED INTO THE ONLINE ENVIRONMENT EFFORTLESSLY.

THE SENIORS AND JUNIORS VERY, VERY ADEPT AT TECHNOLOGY AND WASN'T THEIR FAVORITE MEDIUM BUT THEY COULD HANDLE IT.

THE SOPHOMORES STRUGGLED AND THE FRESHMEN WERE LIKE, "WHAT?

HOW DOES THIS WORK, AM I DOING THIS RIGHT?"

YOU KNOW THEY WERE SO FUNNY.

BUT THEIR EXPERIENCE HAD BEEN VERY LIMITED, THEY HAD ONLY HAD ACCESS TO FACULTY FOR ONE SEMESTER AND THEN PART OF ANOTHER, WHEREAS THE SOPHOMORES KNEW A LOT OF FACULTY, THE JUNIORS AND SENIORS KNEW ALL OF THEIR FACULTY AND SO IT WAS EASIER TO CONNECT WITH THEM.

AND THEN WHEN WE HAD A NEW FALL WE HAD BRAND NEW STUDENTS WHO HAD NEVER BEEN TO COLLEGE AND HERE THEY WERE NAVIGATING ONLINE, SO KUDOS TO THEM, THEY FIGURED IT OUT AND THEY LET US SAY, "DO THIS AGAIN, NO, COME ON, YOU CAN GET ON BLACKBOARD, YOU CAN DO THIS," AND THEY SAID "OKAY," AND THEY DID IT.

MATH, SCIENCE, ENGLISH, THEY DID IT ALL.

SO THEY WERE MAGNIFICENT.

>>LORENE: WELL I WANTED TO EXTEND MY KUDOS AND CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU AND THE FACULTY AND STAFF AT EASTERN AND THESE RESILIENT STUDENTS FOR MASTERING THIS CHALLENGE AND TO ME IT WAS JUST THE SHINING HOUR WAS SEEING THAT GRADUATION OF PEOPLE WHO HAD BEEN THROUGH SO MUCH TO MAKE IT WORK.

WE ARE SPEAKING TODAY WITH DR. PATRICE CALDWELL WHO IS THE CHANCELLOR AND PRESIDENT OF EASTERN NEW MEXICO UNIVERSITY.

I WOULD LIKE TO SHIFT FROM LOOKING AT THE PAST TO LOOKING AT THE VERY BRIGHT FUTURE.

CAN YOU TALK TO ME ABOUT WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THE FALL SEMESTER, THE VACCINE IS A PART OF OUR LIFE AND PEOPLE ARE FEELING MUCH SAFER.

I THINK YOU ARE GOING TO GO TO IN-PERSON CLASSES AND TO RESTORE AGAIN ONE OF THE BLESSINGS OF HIGHER EDUCATION AND THE UNIVERSITY IS THE COMMUNITY OF STUDENTS AND FACULTY AND STAFF AND THE EXCHANGE OF IDEAS THAT GOES BACK AND FORTH AND YOU CAN'T DO THAT ONLINE, TALK ABOUT WHAT IS COMING UP THIS FALL.

>>PATRICE: WELL THE BIGGEST CHEER AT COMMENCEMENT WAS EASTERN WILL BE FULLY OPEN IN FALL, WITH IN-PERSON CLASSES, FINE ARTS EVENTS, ATHLETIC COMPETITIONS, EVERYBODY BACK.

IT WAS THE BIGGEST CHEER OF THE DAY.

SO I KNOW STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES KNOW THE IMPORTANCE OF THAT IN-PERSON CONNECTEDNESS THAT YOU HAVE ON A COLLEGE CAMPUS.

AND WE INTEND TO BRING THAT BACK TO STUDENTS AS THOROUGHLY AND COMPLETELY AS WE CAN, RECOGNIZING THAT THEY HAVE LOST SOME GROUND.

THEY HAVE NOT BEEN WITH US, THEY HAVE NOT HAD ALL THE OPPORTUNITIES AND ACCESS TO ALL OF THE SERVICES THEY ARE USED TO, THEY WERE THERE BUT IT WAS A LITTLE MORE DIFFICULT FOR THEM TO ACHIEVE THEM.

AND THEN WE HAVE FRESHMEN WITH US WHO HAVE NEVER EVEN SEEN, BUT NOW THEY WILL BE COMING TO US IN THE FALL, SO WE ARE GOING TO DO A SPECIAL OUTREACH TO OUR CURRENT SOPHOMORES WHO CAME AS FRESHMEN AND WE DIDN'T GET TO DO ANYTHING FUN WITH THEM AS IN ORIENTATION, THEN WE HAVE OUR NEW FRESHMAN, VERY IMPORTANT TO CONNECT WITH THEM AND CONNECT THEM TO THE CAMPUS, THE CAMPUS FAMILY, THE CAMPUS COMMUNITY AND THE PORTALES COMMUNITY.

AND THEN THE JUNIORS AND SENIORS I THINK WE ARE JUST GOING TO FALL INTO EACH OTHER'S ARMS AND SAY, "YOU'RE BACK, YOU'RE BACK!

I'M SO GLAD YOU ARE BACK," SO THAT WILL BE A WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE.

WE ARE MAKING SOME PLANS FOR ACTIVITIES, WE ARE TALKING WITH FACULTY ABOUT WHAT WE MIGHT ANTICIPATE IT MIGHT BE HARD FOR THEM TO COME BACK TO DO.

THEY MAY NOT BE QUITE AS QUICK AT RESPONDING VERBALLY, THEY MAY BE MORE USED TO USING THE INTERNET OR USING A CHAT ROOM OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO SEE WHAT THEIR COMFORTABLE MODE IS AND THEN FIND IT AND THEN WIDEN IT OUT AND GET US ALL BACK TO WHERE WE WERE BACK IN 2020 BEFORE PANDEMIC HIT.

SO IT IS A WONDERFUL CHALLENGE AND WE ARE REALLY ALL LOOKING FORWARD TO IT.

THERE IS A LOT OF INTERESTING RESEARCH ON IT TOO, SO WE HAVE ALREADY LEARNED A LOT ABOUT WHAT WE CAN EXPECT FOR OUR STUDENTS.

>>LORENE: YOU KNOW I NEGLECTED TO MENTION THAT DURING THE PANDEMIC WHEN THE SCHOOL WAS ACTUALLY CLOSED THERE WERE MANY IMPORTANT PROGRAMS THAT KEPT ON GOING.

ONE, OF COURSE, IS THE BROADCAST JOURNALISM PROGRAM AND KENW, THE WONDERFUL TV STATION AND FM RADIO STATION THEY JUST KEPT BROADCASTING AND KEEPING EVERYONE UP TO DATE.

ONE DEPARTMENT YOU HAVE THE COMMUNICATIONS DISORDERS, THE SPEECH PATHOLOGY DEPARTMENT, THEY KEPT THE CLINIC OPEN BECAUSE THE NEED WAS THERE, THE PEOPLE WITH SPEAKING DIFFICULTIES THEY COULDN'T JUST GO DORMANT FOR A YEAR AND SO THEY CONTINUED THEIR WORK.

THERE WERE A COUPLE OF OTHER PROGRAMS, COULD YOU TALK ABOUT THE SOCIAL WORK STUDENTS AND WHAT THEY DID.

>>PATRICE: OUR SOCIAL WORK STUDENTS ARE OF COURSE VERY CONNECTED TO THE COMMUNITY, THAT'S WHAT DRAWS THEM TO THAT MAJOR.

AND EVEN THOUGH THEY COULD NOT HAVE ALL THEIR CLASSES IN PERSON, THEY STILL MET AS A CLUB AND DID COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND SERVICE THE ENTIRE YEAR WITH THEIR FACULTY AND THEY WERE MASKED AND DISTANCED AND THEY DID ALL THE RIGHT THINGS.

BUT I THINK THAT IS A REAL TRIBUTE TO THAT PROGRAM THAT THEY KNEW THEY COULDN'T BE FACE TO FACE IN A CLASSROOM BUT THEY WERE NOT GOING TO GIVE UP ON COMMUNITY AND THAT VERY IMPORTANT MISSION THAT I THINK IS IN THE HEART AND SOUL OF EVERY SOCIAL WORKER AT LEAST AT EASTERN.

IT IS THE COMMUNITY, YOU HAVE TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY ALL THE TIME AND WHEN MORE IS IT NEEDED THAN DURING A PANDEMIC, SO THEY WERE WONDERFUL IN THAT REGARD.

AND NO LESS THE COMMUNICATED DISORDERS, THEY WERE DEEMED ESSENTIAL PERSONNEL, BECAUSE THEY WERE OFFERING TREATMENT TO SCHOOL CHILDREN AND ELDERLY, THEY WERE ALL VACCINATED AND SO THEY WERE ABLE TO KEEP THE CLINIC RUNNING WITH THEIR FACULTY.

ANOTHER PROGRAM THAT WAS I THINK VERY RESOURCEFUL IN FINDING WAYS TO HELP WAS TEACHER EDUCATION.

NOW YOU KNOW SINCE SCHOOLS CLOSED DOWN WE COULDN'T PUT OUR STUDENT TEACHERS IN CLASSROOMS, BUT WE COULD SIT THEM IN A ZOOM ROOM AND WE COULD LET THE TEACHERS SAY, "WHY DON'T YOU WORK WITH THESE FIVE STUDENTS THAT DON'T SEEM TO KNOW HOW TO USE THEIR MICROPHONES."

AND THE STUDENTS WOULD SAY LIKE, "OKAY, SEE THAT LITTLE THING THERE WITH THE LINE THERE, OK TAKE THAT OFF."

SO THEY COULD TALK THROUGH THE TECHNOLOGY WITH THE STUDENTS WHILE THE TEACHER COULD DO CONTENT WITH THE OTHER STUDENTS AND I THINK JUST ANOTHER NEW WONDERFUL PARTNERSHIP THAT WE WOULD HAVE NEVER HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPERIENCE WITHOUT THE PANDEMIC.

SO I THINK THAT WHAT SOME OF THESE PROGRAMS, BROADCAST JOURNALISM IS ANOTHER ONE, ESSENTIAL PERSONNEL, BROADCAST, SO THEY WERE ABLE TO FIND NEW WAYS TO REALIZE THE MISSION OF THEIR PROGRAMS AND I THINK THAT IS A REAL TRIBUTE TO THEM.

>>LORENE: I THINK NOT JUST IN THE PANDEMIC BUT FOR AS LONG AS THAT STATION HAS BEEN IN EXISTENCE, THE BROADCAST JOURNALISM DEPARTMENT AT EASTERN NEW MEXICO UNIVERSITY PRODUCES EXTRAORDINARY JOURNALISTS WHO CAN WRITE SCRIPTS, THEY CAN ANCHOR, THEY CAN REPORT, THEY CAN EDIT, THEY CAN FILM.

BY THE TIME SOMEONE GRADUATES FROM EASTERN NEW MEXICO'S BROADCAST JOURNALISM SCHOOL THEY CAN WEAR EVERY HAT IN THE BUSINESS AND THERE IN VERY HIGH DEMAND, SO I WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO KENW AND ALL THE GOOD THEY DO.

THERE IS ONE OTHER THING THAT IS NOT PARTICULARLY PANDEMIC RELATED BUT A HIDDEN GEM AT EASTERN IS THE JACK WILLIAMSON LECTURESHIP, CAN YOU JUST BRIEFLY SAY WHO WAS JACK WILLIAMSON AND HOW YOU HAVE THE THIRD BEST SCIENCE FICTION COLLECTION IN AMERICA, THERE AT GOLDEN LIBRARY, TALK TO ME ABOUT JUST FOR A MINUTE ABOUT JACK WILLIAMSON.

>>PATRICE: WELL JACK WILLIAMSON WAS A GOLDEN AGE WRITER OF SCIENCE FICTION, PUBLISHED HIS FIRST SHORT STORY IN 1928 AND THEN CONTINUED TO PUBLISH IN NINE SUCCESSIVE DECADES.

SO HE WAS THERE FROM THE BEGINNING ALL THE WAY THROUGH ALL OF THE CHANGES OF SCIENCE FICTION, ITS SOPHISTICATION, ITS LITERARY QUALITIES, RIGHT UP TO HIS LAST NOVEL WHICH WAS IN 2005.

SO AN EXTRAORDINARY TALENT AND AN EASTERN ALUM AND GREW UP IN THE SAND HILLS OF SOUTH ROOSEVELT COUNTY AND IF YOU HAVE EVER BEEN TO THE SAND HILLS, AS I KNOW YOU HAVE LORENE, IT'S ABOUT THE LAST PLACE YOU WOULD IMAGINE BEING SCIENCE FICTIONAL, UNLESS OF COURSE A LUNAR LANDSCAPE COMES TO MIND, VERY BARREN, VERY POOR, HARDSCRABBLE FARMS AND RANCHES.

AND YET, HIS IMAGINATION WAS THE EQUAL OF ALL OF THE GREAT NAMES THAT YOU KNOW, HEINLEIN AND ARTHUR C. CLARK AND ALL OF THE GREATS OF SCIENCE FICTION.

HARLON ELLISON, WHO CAME TO SCIENCE FICTION WITH A DREAM AS JACK'S BIOGRAPHY TALKS ABOUT, WONDER'S CHILD, HE BELIEVED IN WONDER AND THAT'S WHAT ENABLED HIM TO DO THAT.

WE CELEBRATE THAT EACH YEAR WITH THE WILLIAMSON LECTURESHIP WHERE WE INVITE WRITERS TO COME, IT WAS GREAT WHEN JACK WAS STILL WITH US BECAUSE THEY JUST LOVED THAT.

BUT THEY COME, THEY DO PRESENTATIONS, THEY DO READINGS, THEY VISIT WITH STUDENTS, THEY APPEAR ON PANELS, ALL OF WHICH WE COULD DO VIRTUALLY THIS YEAR.

AND THEY TALK ABOUT JACK AND WHAT HE ACCOMPLISHED AND WHAT HE CONTRIBUTED TO SCIENCE FICTION.

AND THEN WE DO A WRITER'S WORKSHOP WITH CONNIE WILLIS, A VERY DEAR FRIEND FROM COLORADO AND A WONDERFUL WRITER AND WE JUST HAD A WONDERFUL TIME.

OUR TWO GUESTS WERE JIM KELLY, WHO JOINED US FROM COSTA RICA AND REBECCA ROANHORSE, WHO JOINED US FROM SANTA FE AND IT WAS A WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE.

EVERYONE WROTE BACK AND SAID, "IT WASN'T THE SAME AS BEING THERE BUT IT WAS PRETTY GOOD," SO WE ARE GOING TO KEEP THAT VIRTUAL ELEMENT GOING.

>>LORENE: WELL, WE HAVE MUCH, MUCH TO CELEBRATE AND I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR DEDICATION AND IN THE WAY YOU HAVE BEEN THE CONNECTIVE TISSUE, THE GLUE THAT HELD A LOT OF THIS TOGETHER.

SO I WISH YOU MANY MORE GRADUATIONS TO COME.

IF WE CAN JUST END LOOKING FORWARD TO THE FALL SEMESTER AND WHAT ELSE YOU HAVE GOING ON I WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

>>PATRICE: WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO A COMPLETE FALL SEMESTER, EVERYTHING FROM HOMECOMING, TO STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS, TO OUR ANNUAL GET BACK TOGETHER BBQ, WHERE EVERYONE IS TOGETHER AGAIN STAFF AND FACULTY, WHERE WE WANT TO CELEBRATE DAWG DAYS WITH OUR FRESHMEN.

WE WANT THE BAND TO PLAY, WE WANT THE PEP SQUAD TO LEAD CHEERS, WE WANT TO COME BACK THE WAY WE REMEMBER EASTERN AND BOY WE WANT A COLLEGE EXPERIENCE TO BE FOR OUR STUDENTS.

AND THEN WE KNOW THEY WILL BE READY TO LEARN, BECAUSE IF YOU ARE COMFORTABLE, YOU FEEL WELCOMED, YOU FEEL SUPPORTED, THEN YOU ARE READY TO LEARN AND WE THINK STUDENTS ARE MORE THAN READY TO LEARN AND BELIEVE ME OUR FACULTY ARE MORE THAN READY TO TEACH.

SO WE ARE ALL READY FOR THE FALL SEMESTER.

>>LORENE: AND ONE OTHER THING I WANT TO MENTION ABOUT THE WONDERFUL, IT IS CALLED TOWN GOWN RELATIONSHIP, THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE UNIVERSITY AND THE COMMUNITY OF PORTALES.

SO YOU ALL HAVE BEEN HAND AND GLOVE DOING WHAT IS BEST FOR YOUR STUDENTS AND I KNOW THAT THE COMMUNITY WILL BE REALLY GLAD TO HAVE ALL THE STUDENTS BACK AND I AM WITH THOSE CHEERLEADERS, I AM SAYING GOOD FOR YOU.

WELL, OUR GUEST TODAY HAS BEEN CHANCELLOR AND PRESIDENT PATRICE CALDWELL, DR. PATRICE CALDWELL, CHANCELLOR OF EASTERN NEW MEXICO UNIVERSITY.

I AM SO GRATEFUL THAT YOU HAVE TAKEN THE TIME TO BE WITH US TODAY, THANK YOU.

>>PATRICE: THANK YOU, LORENE, APPRECIATE IT SO MUCH, THANK YOU.

>>LORENE: IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE, WE HAVE A LOT TO LOOK FORWARD TO AND I AM LORENE MILLS, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU OUR AUDIENCE FOR BEING WITH US TODAY ON REPORT FROM SANTA FE .

>>ANNOUNCER: REPORT FROM SANTA FE IS MADE POSSIBLE, IN PART, BY GRANTS FROM THE NATIONAL EDUCATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF NEW MEXICO, AN ORGANIZATION OF PROFESSIONALS WHO BELIEVE THAT INVESTING IN PUBLIC EDUCATION IS AN INVESTMENT IN OUR STATE'S ECONOMIC FUTURE, FROM THE NEW MEXICO MUNICIPAL LEAGUE, A BETTER NEW MEXICO THROUGH BETTER CITIES AND FROM