About Us

The Office of Land Grant Inclusive Mission at NMSU is committed to fostering a systemwide environment that values the contributions of all, encourages belonging, and promotes fairness for every member of our community. Through various initiatives, the office works towards centering servingness and creating a welcoming space where individuals of diverse backgrounds can thrive and contribute to the richness of our academic and social fabric. We welcome anyone and everyone to our programs who want to engage in community, share in knowledge, and learn with us.

MEET THE TEAM

Our office is driven by a dynamic team committed to fostering a campus culture that values belonging and mutual respect. Our dedicated professionals work collaboratively to ensure that every member of our community has the opportunity to thrive and contribute. With a passion for creating a supportive environment, the team actively engages in initiatives that promote cultural awareness, educational opportunity, and social growth. Together, we strive to cultivate an atmosphere where different perspectives are valued, and all individuals feel empowered to reach their full potential within the NMSU community.

 

EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP

 

Picture of Teresa Maria Linda Scholz, Vice President, Equity, Inclusion, and Diversity The image portrays a smiling person with shoulder-length dark hair, wearing rectangular glasses with thin, dark frames. She is dressed in a dark magenta blazer over a white top. Around her neck, she wears a silver necklace with a pendant that appears to be a stylized number eight or an infinity symbol. The background is softly blurred and indistinct, focusing attention on her. The lighting is bright and natural, providing a clear and well-lit image of her face and attire.

TERESA MARIA LINDA SCHOLZ

She/Her

VICE PRESIDENT

Email: tscholz@nmsu.edu




ASSISTANT VICE PRESIDENT

 

The image is a portrait of a woman smiling directly at the camera. She has long, curly dark hair that falls over her shoulders. She is dressed in a vibrant yellow blazer and underneath it, she is wearing a colorful striped top featuring vertical stripes in shades of blue, orange, pink, and white. The background of the image is blurred with tones of green and light brown, likely suggesting an outdoor setting. The woman's expression is joyful, and her smile is broad, showing her teeth.

MARIANA ORTEGA

She/Her/Ella

ASSISTANT VICE PRESIDENT

Email: mortega8@nmsu.edu

 

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TEMPORARY PROGRAM MANAGER

 

The image is a portrait of a woman smiling directly at the camera. She has long, curly dark hair that falls over her shoulders. She is dressed in a vibrant yellow blazer and underneath it, she is wearing a colorful striped top featuring vertical stripes in shades of blue, orange, pink, and white. The background of the image is blurred with tones of green and light brown, likely suggesting an outdoor setting. The woman's expression is joyful, and her smile is broad, showing her teeth.

ANGELA VELASCO

She/Her/Ella

Temporary Program Manager

Email: avelasco@nmsu.edu

 

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DIRECTOR OF THE PROGRAMS



The image features a person smiling at the camera in an outdoor setting with a blurred background of grass. They have short, dark hair styled upwards and are wearing black earrings. The person is dressed in a dark gray tee-shirt layered with a black vest. A thin, gold chain necklace is visible around their neck. The lighting is soft and natural, focused on their face, highlighting an open and friendly expression. Alt-text: Person smiling outdoors wearing a dark gray tee and black vest.

DAE ROMERO

they/them/elle

Interim Director

LGBT+ Programs

Email:  dae185@nmsu.edu

 

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Picture of Cecil Rose, Director of Black Programs The image is a portrait of a person taken against a blue mottled background. He has a neutral expression and is wearing rectangular glasses with dark frames. His hair is short and he is dressed in a light gray polo shirt with a collar and short sleeves. The polo shirt features dark blue trim along the collar and sleeve edges, two buttons on the placket, and a small pocket on the left side of the chest with the same dark blue trim and a button. The background provides a soft contrast to the subject, allowing him to stand out clearly in the image.

CECIL ROSE

He/Him/His

Director

Black Programs

Email:  crose3@nmsu.edu

 

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PROGRAM COORDINATORS



Picture of Lore Falls, Program Coordinator of LGBT+ Programs The image portrays a smiling individual with straight, shoulder-length hair that is dark at the roots and transitions into a shade of teal at the ends. She is wearing rectangular eyeglasses with black frames. She is dressed in a black top, which features sleeves adorned with a pattern of red and pink flowers and green leaves. Around her neck, she wears a black cord necklace with a round pendant that has a design in the center. The background is an evenly lit, textured blue backdrop, adding a neutral, non-distracting context to the portrait.

LORE FALLS

they/them

Program Coordinator

LGBT+ Programs

Email: jfalls@nmsu.edu

 

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Picture of Michelle Lonasee, Program Coordinator of American Indian Program. The image is a portrait of an individual facing the camera against a blue mottled background. The person has shoulder-length dark hair with bangs and wears rectangular glasses with black frames. They are dressed in a black blazer over a maroon blouse. Around their neck is a necklace composed of red, turquoise, and white beads. On the left lapel of their blazer, there is a small pin with white text on a red background.

MICHELLE LONASEE

She/Her/Hers

Program Coordinator

American Indian Program

Email: mtlonase@nmsu.edu

 

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Professional photo of a smiling Claudia Gonzalez Astorga wearing a colorful handmade cross-stich huipil, a vibrant yellow Mexican shawl braided in her long hair over her head, and wearing two small hand-woven silver earrings. Claudia is Mexican, have light brown skin, dark hair, brown eyes, and brown eyebrows.

CLAUDIA GONZALEZ ASTORGA

She/Her/Ella

Program Coordinator

Latin American Programs

Email: cgamex@nmsu.edu

 

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Picture of Natalie Thomas, Program Coordinator of Black Programs. The image is a portrait of a person against a plain, light-colored background. They are wearing a dark grey headwrap that covers their hair and is wrapped in a knot at the front. The individual has light brown skin and is smiling. They are wearing a black top and several layered necklaces, one of which features a pendant with a circular design. The person has a septum piercing and their makeup includes red lipstick and visible eyeliner. The overall lighting of the image is bright and even.

NATALIE THOMAS

She/They

Program Coordinator

Black Programs

Email: kokosong@nmsu.edu

 

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ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANTS



Picture of SPRI AUBREY Administrative Assistant/Special Executive, Office of Equity, Inclusion and Diversity. The image is a head-and-shoulders portrait of an individual against a mottled blue background. The person is facing the camera and smiling slightly. They have straight, short brown hair that is parted to one side. They are wearing a black blazer over a maroon collared shirt. The background has a textured, abstract pattern with various shades of blue and a slightly blurred appearance.

SPRI AUBREY

She/Her

Administrative Assistant/Special Executive

Email: saubrey@nmsu.edu

 

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Picture of Joseph Duran, Administrative Assistant, Chicano Program. The image is a portrait of a man from the chest up. He is facing the camera and smiling slightly. The man has short, dark hair that's neatly combed back and sports a short beard and mustache. He is wearing dark-rimmed glasses and a bright blue button-up shirt with the top button undone. The background is blurred, indicating it might have been taken outdoors, with greenery and sky elements vaguely visible.

JOSEPH DURAN

He/Him

Administrative Assistant, Intermediate

Email: dujoseph@nmsu.edu

 

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Picture of Britney Stout,Administrative Assistant, Intermediate, American Indian Program, Asian and Pacific Islander Programs and LGBT+ Programs. The image is a professional portrait of a person with curly, shoulder-length hair. They are smiling gently and looking slightly to the right. The background of the image is a textured blue backdrop, giving a studio photo appearance. The person is wearing a black collared shirt that features an embroidered red and white logo on the left side. The logo has the text "NMSU" in the center, with additional text around it.

BRITNEY STOUT

She/Her

Administrative Assistant, Intermediate

Email: dearbrit@nmsu.edu

 

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OFFICE SOCIAL WORK INTERN


Jarrith Johnson

JARRITH JOHNSON

Jarrith Johnson (him). I am a graduate student in the Master of Social Work Program at NMSU. My practicum is with the Office of Land Grant Inclusive Mission, and I look forward to assisting the NMSU community.

Fun Fact: I enjoy time with family and keeping up with friends back home.

 

GRADUATE ASSISTANTS



An image of Sarhan Osman Bhuiya, the Graduate Assistant for EID. The image is a head-and-shoulders portrait of a Sarhan against a textured blue background. The person has short, dark hair with a slight wave and a well-groomed beard and mustache. He is wearing rectangular glasses with brown frames and are gazing directly at the camera with a neutral expression. He is dressed in a black zip-up vest over a light gray turtleneck. The vest has an emblem on the left chest area with the text "NM STATE" in maroon and a small patch of additional text in white below it.

SARHAN OSMAN BHUIYA

He/Him/His

Graduate Assistant

Email:  sarhan@nmsu.edu

 

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Darien Salayandia Gardea

DARIEN SALAYANDIA GARDEA

He/Him/His

Graduate Assistant

Email:  darien01@nmsu.edu

 

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STUDENT STAFF



Amera Shije

AMERA SHIJE

She/Her

Major: Biochemistry

Miriam Silva

MIRIAM SILVA

They/Them

Major: Physics
Minor: Astronomy

Natalia Sierra

NATALIA SIERRA

She/Her/Ella

Major: Technical Theatre and Political Science

Nya Valenzuela

NYA VALENZUELA

She/Her

Major: Communication Studies
Minor: Spanish

Preston Mondragon

PRESTON MONDRAGON

He/Him

Major: Criminal Justice
Minor: Spanish