Spotlight
Moya connects
youth with UNM
By
Laurie Mellas-Ramirez
First
generation college graduate John Moya learned the value of education
from his mother sole sibling of 14 in her family to graduate
from high school.
My
mom pushed education. She told us, they can take your
car, take your house, but no matter what anybody takes from
you, they cant take your education away, he
recalls.
As a UNM
student recruiter, Moya ensures that other youth hear a similar
message. Our philosophy is, it doesnt matter where
students go to school, as long as they go to school, he
says.
Moya earned
his degree in organizational psychology from the College of
Santa Fe. Its half business related, half psychology,
he shares.
Balance
appeals to Moya. At UNM, his work schedule is split between
travel and office. As the recruiter for the northeast quadrant
of the state, he will visit about 35 schools and log seven weeks
on the back roads this year.
Moya gives
presentations about what kinds of opportunities await
students at UNM, he says. He covers everything from the
admittance process to scholarships and financial aid and information
about programs offered. Many rural families cant
afford college and some students may not know about scholarships
or financial aid or how that works, he says. I always
tell them, I am your first connection to the University.
Before
coming to UNM, Moya worked for the League of United Latin American
Citizens (LULAC) Education Center planting the seeds of higher
education in the minds of middle and high school students. He
remains on the LULAC board of directors.
He is president
of the New Mexico Education Council and in that role sets up
college fairs across the state. The group also awards four student
scholarships each year. He says the organization plays an important
role statewide. Students dont always get the correct
information or all the information they need to make a decision
about college. In most communities where I visit there are about
400 kids to one counselor, he notes.
When Moya
does take time for himself he doesnt venture far from
routine. Believe or not I like to travel, he laughs.
I go to Colorado, Las Vegas, New York.
With three
years under his belt at UNM, he is beginning to see youth who
benefit from his wanderlust and are taking the high road to
a college education. When I hear of students who werent
sure they were even coming to school and then I hear that they
entered, Im proud, he says.