University of New Mexico Senior Jackie Walker has been awarded the outstanding student leadership award from the National Orientation Directors Association (NODA), Region III. The award was presented at the regional conference in February. Region III is made up of institutions in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming.
Photo: Jackie Walker
The annual honor is given to an undergraduate who exhibits leadership skills, performs at a level of complexity in orientation programs, impacts various areas of their institution and goes above and beyond established expectations.
Walker, who graduates this spring, has worked with UNM LOBOrientation during the past three years. Currently, she has a work-study position with UNM American Indian Student Services. Walker is from Albuquerque and is a member of the Cochiti Pueblo.
Walker has co-presented workshops at NODA regional and national conferences. Her presentation, “Respecting the thin line: maintaining appropriate student relationships” was ranked among the top presentations at a recent Colorado conference.
She has served as mistress of ceremonies for high school visitation days at UNM and hosted a game show formatted event about admission and financial information during American Indian Student Day.
Walker has helped train professional staff on the inner workings of advisement during orientation. “Jackie was able to train professional staff, her peers, and guide many incoming students confidently,” noted her nominator, Laura Valdez, Dean of Students Office.
Walker served as Miss Indian UNM during the 2005-06 academic year. This past fall she helped create a mentoring program called Sidekicks, to provide a guiding hand to American Indian students.
“Jackie continuously pushes herself outside of her comfort zone and impacts those around her as a result. She has been an incredible role model for many underrepresented students for the past three years. She genuinely cares for students, and is well respected on our campus because of her student centeredness,” Valdez said.