Contact:

Kellie Arviso 925-0823 Carolyn Gonzales 277-5920

March 25, 2002

CROWNPOINT'S ARVISO DOING GREAT THINGS AT UNM

When the University of New Mexico Alumni Association rolls into Gallup to host the Star Scholars reception on Wednesday, March 27, UNM and the Gallup community can point to Kellie Arviso as an example of a top scholar from the region.

Arviso, valedictorian of the Crownpoint High School class of 2001, is a Presidential Scholar, recipient of the Chief Manuelito Scholarship from the Navajo Nation and received the Continental Divide Scholarship.

Arviso, daughter of Marshall and Karen Arviso, credits her English teacher at Crownpoint High School with academic help as well as gaining acceptance to the university. "Mr. Frank Farr was more than my English teacher. He helped me in every way possible," she says.

When Arviso came to UNM she had plans to study biology, but since then her course of study has changed. "I was exposed to the possibilities in biochemistry and changed my major," she says.

Arviso says the first semester away from home was difficult because she was the only one from Crownpoint who came to UNM last fall. "Since then, I've made a lot of friends. I'm close enough to go home when I need to, and there's so much to do here," she says.

The Star Scholars reception will be help at the Best Western Hotel at 7 p.m.

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The University of New Mexico
Public Affairs Department
Hodgin Hall, 2nd floor
Albuquerque, NM 87131-0011
Telephone: (505) 277-5813
Fax: (505) 277-1981