High school juniors get ENMU tour

High school juniors filled the Eastern New Mexico University campus on Saturday for Junior Preview Day to see what the college has to offer.

Parents joined their juniors at the event in an opportunity to learn more about ENMU from the faculty and staff.

President Steven Gamble said the event gives the college a chance to put their best foot forward.

“It’s always a positive thing when we can bring students and faculty together,” Gamble said, adding that students are more likely to enroll after getting a chance to tour the campus.

“It’s a great opportunity for students to meet our staff and faculty, to see our well-maintained residence halls and new renovations, and it gives us a chance to present our academic programs,” Gamble said.

According to the ENMU staff, 170 attendees registered for the event.

The following are high school students who attended the event Saturday:

• Dominic Torrez, 16, traveled four hours from Los Lunas to attend the event. Torrez said he plans on getting a degree in forensic science.

“ENMU is the only college that offers specific classes in that field,” Torrez said.

• Karin Garcia, 17, lives in Rio Rancho and is interested in speech pathology. Garcia decided to come along with a friend to the event.

“I’m just checking out colleges right now,” Garcia said.

• Sophia Hathorne, 7, came down from Rio Rancho and is interested in psychology, sociology and pre-med.

“I’m interested in ENMU, because it would give me the opportunity to stay close to home but also have some space,” she said.

• Bradley Ross, 18, who lives in Artesia, said that although he doesn’t have a degree in mind yet, ENMU is one of two colleges that he is interested in right now.

“I’ve been here before on choir and band competitions, so I’m kind of familiar with the campus,” Ross said. “I like the people here and the cafeteria.”

Ross said that his friends say ENMU has the best choir program.

“I’m a big choir person, and I love singing,” he said.

• Tyler Bonner, 18, is from Clovis and attended the event with his mother, Melinda, who had previously gotten a teaching degree from ENMU.

Bonner said he is interested in ENMU because it is close to home.

“It’s a really nice school, and I wouldn’t have to go far,” he said.

Bonner said he would like to play football at ENMU, and he may be interested in pursuing a degree in business and marketing, because he hopes to start his own business someday.