The University of New Mexico

NEWS RELEASE

Media Contact: Steve Carr, (505) 277-1821
scarr@unm.edu

March 26, 2008

UNM College of Education Hosts ‘The Stars Among Us Gala’
‘Building a Bright Future’ to help with new building

‘The Stars Among Us,’ the 2008 University of New Mexico College of Education gala, will be held Saturday, April 5 at 6 p.m. in Ballroom C of the UNM Student Union Building. This year’s theme, “Building a Bright Future,” will help fund the CoE’s new Education Office and Classroom Building.

This black tie optional event includes refreshments, entertainment and a silent auction. Additionally, Distinguished Alumni Awards and the third Chester C. Travelstead Endowed Faculty Fellowship for Teacher Education award will also be announced at the gala.

“The gala is a wonderful opportunity to honor those individuals who have been recognized with Distinguished Alumni Awards and the hester C. Travelstead Endowed Faculty Fellowship for Teacher Education award; as well as to give attendees a first look at some of the CoE new building plans,” said Andrew Lipman, CoE development officer. “Those attending will also be treated to entertaining jazz piano with Stu MacAskie and Albuquerque Poetry Slammers.”

CoE’s phase II classrooms will help replace space lost when the old education classroom building was demolished; utilize a multi-use concept with education classes in the evenings and UNM over-enrolled courses during the daytime hours; modernize to meet technological demands; consolidate space for faculty, staff and students to increase and enhance communication; improve accessibility options for students with disabilities.

Recipients of the 2008 Distinguished Alumni Awards include J. Placido Garcia, Jr. and Debra M. Sandoval-Woodward.

J. Placido Garcia, Jr.

The son of a well-respected educator and superintendent of the Socorro Consolidated Schools, Garcia began his career in education as a classroom teacher in Los Lunas in 1968. His experience includes work with the Socorro Consolidated Schools, Albuquerque Job Corps for Women, Albuquerque Public Schools, Bureau of Educational Planning and Development at UNM, New Mexico Research and Study Council at UNM and Albuquerque Technical Vocational Institute.

Garcia served on numerous boards and commissions including the UNM College of Education Advancement Council, Higher Learning Commission of the Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools and the New Mexico Diversity Leadership Council Board of Directors. He has also authored a number of publications including Joint Committee on Standards for Educational Evaluation, The student evaluation standards: how to improved evaluation of students in 2003.

Garcia earned his bachelor’s in secondary education (1969), his master’s in secondary education and educational administration (1972) and his doctorate in educational administration (1976) all from UNM.

Currently an art teacher with Level III dual certification at Belen High School, Sandoval-Woodward has been an educator in Central New Mexico for more than 25 years. She earned both bachelor’s and master’s in Fine Arts from UNM. She began teaching as an art teacher at Menaul High School in Albuquerque. She also taught at school districts in Belen, Bernalillo and Los Lunas.

Her teaching accomplishments also include a Graduate Tuition Fellowship from the Art Education Department; Teacher of the Year Award (1995); and as a finalist for the 2008 Golden Apple Award, given to the top teachers in New Mexico.

In addition to being an excellent teacher, Sandoval-Woodward is also an accomplished artist who has exhibited her arts and crafts at galleries and stores in Albuquerque and Santa Fe, as well as New York City and Los Angeles.

Tickets for ‘The Stars Among Us,’ are $50 per person or $80 for couples. For more information or to make reservations contact Margaret Duran, CoE development specialist at (505) 277-0835.

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