Two University of New Mexico-Gallup students, Alvin Harvey and Joel Yazzie, have been nominated to the All USA Academic Team for community colleges. Sixty team members will be selected in May, from nominees across the nation, to be on the first, second and third teams.
Alvin Harvey, who is currently working toward an associate’s in Criminal Justice, was born in Fort Defiance, Ariz. He was raised in Three Turkey Ruins, near Canyon De Chelly, and attended the Nazlini Arizona Boarding School, Kinlichee Boarding School and schools in Chinle. He joined the Gallup Army National Guard in 2000 and completed a 15-month tour of duty in Iraq, for which he received an Army Commendation Medal for exceptional meritorious service.
Harvey has been on the dean’s list seven times, and this spring received a UNM-G Excellence in Student Leadership Award. He also received a recognition award from New Mexico Secretary of State Rebecca Vigil-Giron for “exemplary dedication and service in enhancing the quality of life among all the peoples of the Land of Enchantment.”
Currently Harvey is serving as the UNM-Gallup Student Senate president. He helped establish the UNM-G Collegiate Veteran Association, along with the Veterans’ Memorial Gallery. One of his plans is to “create a cohort of [student veterans] to acquire funding to assist student veterans who are in financial need to purchase books and other school supplies.” He also established the UNM-G Basketball Club in fall 2004.
A father, Harvey became interested in the plight of children he saw while in Iraq. Along with plans for a career in social work and law enforcement, he says he may focus on working with children. He has already interned with a local government agency to work with children and families. The future may also hold a career in internal affairs with the Bureau of Indian Affairs, he said. His current goal is to continue his education and to earn both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in social work.
A member of the Gallup Sunrise Kiwanis, Harvey helped with various Kiwanis projects and also helped plan events with the National Indian Youth Leadership group. He is also a professional Native American jewelry inlayer.
Joel Yazzie is seeking an associate degree in construction technology, with a goal to earn a bachelor’s in business or a Bachelor of University Studies. His career goal is to be a general contractor.
Yazzie, who attended Jefferson Elementary School, Gallup Mid-School and Rehoboth Christian School, has been on the dean’s list four times during his enrollment at UNM-Gallup.
He has been active on the campus and in the local community, serving as president of the Basketball Club and with Habitat for Humanity, helping to build a house during the spring 2005 semester. He also assisted in renovating a house on First Street as a construction project for his program. He was a supervisor and coordinator for this project. Once this house is finished, it will be sold by the college.
Other activities include his involvement with Special Olympics, coaching children and organizing a day of competition in May. He was a cook and server to the homeless for Care 66, and he helped an elderly person with various chores this past year.