Adams State University Hispanic Serving Institution Week will include two panel discussions beginning at 4 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 13 and Friday, Sept. 14. The events are free and open to the public.

The Adams State Office of Title V Initiatives will host panelists on Thursday, Sept. 13, in Carson Auditorium followed by round table discussions in the Student Union Building banquet rooms. Great Stories – Latino Males in Higher Education will feature Dennis López as the moderator. Panelists include Francisco A. Garcia, Ph.D.; Joseph Dominguez, Tranquilino Hurtado, Diego J. Trujillo, Stefan Armenta, and Alfonso Velasquez.

On Friday, Sept. 14, the panel Great Stories – Empowering Women, A Call to Action in Carson Auditorium will also be followed by round table discussions in the SUB banquet rooms. The panelists include Peggy Herrera, Maria T. Puppolo, J.D.; Kristy L. Duran, Ph.D.; Marguerite Salazar, Donna Griego, Amanda Alanis, and Belén Maestas.

Since 2000, Adams State University has been designated an Hispanic Serving Institution. In honor of Hispanic Serving Institution Week and National Hispanic Heritage Month, the Adams State Office of Title V Grant Initiatives will also host additional free events for campus and community members, from September 8 and September 14, including the Ghostlight Project, an art workshop, music concert, Kindred Spirit luncheons, and a Nutrition and Equity Workshop. For more information call 719-587-7591 or 719-587-8833.

Bios

Dennis López received a bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Adams State and earned an Educational Leadership Type D certification from the University of Denver. López spent years in the education system including K12 and collegiate; including serving in administration as a principal. After retirement from the education field, López worked in the health care field. He helped found Adobe de Oro Concilio de Artes and the Sangre de Cristo National Heritage Area, and serves on numerous other community organizations.

Francisco A. Garcia, Ph.D., a technical training coordinator for Vestas Towers America, Inc., is passionate about complementing traditional learning with modern educational technology methods and tools. He received a Bachelor of Science degree from Colorado School of Mines and a Master of Arts from Adams State, and a Doctorate in Organization, Information, and Learning Science from the University of New Mexico. His interests include game-based learning and simulations. Francisco is an alumni of the Minority Engineering Program at the Colorado School of Mines along with being a member of the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers.

Joseph Dominguez began his educational career earning an associate’s degree and later received a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree from New Mexico Highlands University. He served three terms on the New Mexico Highlands University student government, with two consecutive terms as the student body president. He additionally served on the 2015 Presidential Search Committee. Currently, he is the coordinator of the Outdoor Recreation Center, a program that Dominguez created for NMHU students.

Tranquilino Hurtado obtained a Bachelor of Arts from the University of New Mexico and is currently pursuing a Master of Arts at New Mexico Highlands University. He currently serves as a student engagement coordinator at New Mexico Highlands University. He is the chairman of the Mora Independent School district.

Diego J. Trujillo earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of New Mexico and a Master of Arts from Adams State and is currently working toward the completion of a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from the University of New Mexico. He works at the University of New Mexico-Taos in the capacity of Program Operations Director.

Stefan Armenta received his bachelor’s degrees from Adams State. Stefan is not only a first-generation college graduate but he also was the first recipient from Antonito to receive the Daniels Fund scholarship. He has worked as a firefighter, biologist and riparian technician.

Alfonso Velasquez earned his bachelor’s degree from Adams State, and is working on his master’s degree. While an undergraduate student, he worked in Computing Services as a work-study receiving many promotions. After graduation, he worked for the Adams State Nursing Department as a simulation laboratory technician, then accepted a position with the Admissions Office and now works for the Academic Instructional Technology Center as an instructional designer and trainer.

Peggy Herrera earned both a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Arts degree from Adams State. Her experience in the educational arena spans over a 40 year period. Her work experience as a Home Instruction for Preschool Youngsters, (HIPPY) began as a coordinator for the program and evolved into a HIPPY USA National Bilingual Trainer, a role she currently maintains. She has also served the AmeriCorps program as a trainer and site coordinator. At the present time, she is a Parent Professional Partnership Training Trainer, a True Colors Trainer, a Parents as Teachers Bilingual Trainer, and an adjunct professor for ASU’s Early Childhood Education program.

Maria T. Puppolo, J.D., earned a Bachelor of Arts from Mount Holyoke College, a Juris Doctorate from Western New England University School of Law and a MBA from Springfield College. Puppolo managed her own law practice for many years and currently serves as a program manager at the Hampden County Sheriff’s Department. She also serves as an adjunct faculty member at Springfield College and Springfield Technical Community College teaching business management, criminal justice and public policy courses. Puppolo is a member of the Hampden County Bar Association’s Education Committee and serves as a Commissioner on the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women.

Kristy L. Duran, Ph.D., professor of biology at Adams State, is passionate about involving students in undergraduate research. She received her Bachelor of Science from the University of New Mexico, Master of Arts from Colorado State University, and a Doctorate in Evolutionary Biology from the University of Colorado, Boulder. She is a Ford Fellow, SACNAS Leadership Institute Alumnus and is the advisor for ASU’s SACNAS Chapter.

Marguerite Salazar, executive director of the Department of Regulatory Agencies, sits on Governor Hickenlooper’s Cabinet and oversees 11 distinct Divisions within the Department. Prior to taking this position, Salazar served as the Insurance Commissioner for the State of Colorado overseeing all aspects of insurance. She was appointed by President Barack Obama in 2010 to serve as Regional Director of Region VIII Department of Health and Human Services where she worked with six states within the region implementing the Affordable Care Act. Salazar served as CEO for Valley-Wide Health Systems for 23 years. She has received many awards and honors including being named one of the “25 Most Powerful Women in Denver” in 2013.

Donna Griego received her Bachelor of Science and her Master of Arts in Higher Education, Administration and Leadership (HEAL) from Adams State. She worked in many departments at Adams State for almost 30 years, including manager for the Counselor Education Online Master’s Plus and Doctoral Programs, and executive assistant to the senior vice president and provost. She served on the Colorado Humanities Board of Directors, and was selected as a Fellow and Leader for the Center for Equity in Learning and Teaching. Griego was the cofounder of the SLV Chapter of the Blue Star Mothers of America that provides support for mothers who have sons and daughters in active duty in the United States Armed Forces. She also taught Academic Achievement Strategies.

Amanda Alanis is an alumna of Adams State where she earned her Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts. She joined the San Luis Valley BOCES team providing speech therapy and language services for students ranging from preschool on to 6th grade for the SLV school districts as well as bilingual services to students whose first language was not English. In 2011, Alanis returned to the educational circuit and started to work on her Educational Leadership: Principal License.

Belén Maestas has been the registrar at Adams State since 2003. She was a non-traditional student and a first-generation American citizen. She was the first in her family to graduate from high school and earn a university degree. She is a firm believer that anyone willing to work hard for a degree can achieve it and education is truly the door that opens a whole world of opportunity and insight.