Daily Lobo 3/1/2026

Daily l obo

New Mexico-born Project ECHO treats millions

UNM turns 137 years young with ‘build-a-bo’ and cupcakes

see Lobo Day page 2

By Addison Fulton @DailyLobo

In 2003, a New Mexican woman died of untreated hepatitis C, after an eight year struggle with the disease. Despite the fact that hepatitis C is treatable, the woman could not make the eight-hour drive from her rural home to Albuquerque for specialized care, and died of her condition.

In an effort to prevent tragedies like that one from occurring again, Project ECHO was born. For the last 23 years, Project ECHO has connected health care experts to communities in need of care, Project ECHO Director of Communications, Deborah Trevino said.

“(The woman’s) story, and many others like it, are what led to ECHO,” Trevino said. “Instead of patients waiting months and traveling long distances to see specialists, and there aren’t many of them — there is definitely a specialist shortage, not just in New Mexico, but around the country — we need to better support the local healthcare workers in their communities who already know and trust their patients and are trusted by their patients. We need to get them the knowledge that they need.”

Project ECHO is a part of Health Sciences at the University of New Mexico and overlaps with many of the goals of the UNM Grand Challenges Initiatives.

“ECHO is a piece of the broader organization that addresses a lot of those goals. We also collaborate with Health Sciences on many of our

programs, many of the doctors who work at UNM health sciences are part of ECHO teams and are those experts that are connected to various ECHO programs providing insights,” Trevino said.

Trevino said ECHO works through systems of experts, often associated with educational hubs like UNM, who are available for calls with frontline healthcare workers such as doctors or nurses. Care providers can consult with experts on the latest treatments and best practices.

“They do it over video conferencing; it’s accessible because it’s a lowbandwidth option and they talk to the specialists. The frontline healthcare workers learn from the specialists, and the specialists learn what’s going on in the communities,” Trevino said. “All of the providers learn from each other as well, and hear about similar cases or the experience of their peers in other remote communities. We call it an ‘all teach and all learn’ model, and that’s how it works.”

There have been nearly 9 million ECHO session attendances in conjunction with over 8,000 programs in 215 countries and areas, according to Project ECHO 2025 Impact Report.

Trevino said the program, which began in and operates out of New Mexico, is a global phenomenon.

“We originated the model, we train all of the partners, we helped them sort of support them as they continue with their programs,” Trevino said. “We provide the technology platform that they work on and measurement mechanisms and all of that. But also within this

organization, we have a New Mexico ECHO hub and there are a lot of programs that are run out of the New Mexico hub and it’s everything from opioid use disorder, to education programs, child trauma informed childcare — it’s just a whole range.”

Specialists in other fields beyond traditional healthcare, such as addiction recovery, literacy improvement and public safety, can also be reached through Project ECHO.

One success story shared in the Project ECHO 2025 impact report was the success of Nicolle Arthun, a registered nurse from Albuquerque who utilized Project ECHO resources to build respectful, culturallycompetent structures of care for groups that have been historically mistreated by the medical system, and less likely to seek prenatal care. Another success was Dr. Ruchi Seth, who utilized Project ECHO to meet the evolving educational needs of children in Noida, India.

“If we accomplish our goals, people in every community, regardless how remote or regardless of who lives there, everyone in every community has the access to quality healthcare,” Trevino said. “We believe that it’s a human right and what we’re trying to do is facilitate that accessibility to healthcare that is such a challenge in New Mexico, in the U.S. and around the world.”

Addison Fulton is the culture editor for the Daily Lobo. She can be reached at culture@dailylobo.com or on X @dailylobo

A recap of the 2026 Legislature’s important bills

By Penelope Loyd Sment @DailyLobo

On Feb. 19, the New Mexico Legislature adjourned their 30-day session, the last to be overseen by the outgoing Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham. According to a press release from the Office of the Governor, the three cornerstone priorities of the governor were medical malpractice reform, mental health commitment and universal child care.

Here are some of the most impactful bills that could affect New Mexicans.

HB 99: Medical Malpractice

Changes

HB 99 seeks to ease the cost of medical malpractice lawsuits for physicians to encourage doctors to stay and practice in New Mexico while also ensuring that patients who have experienced medical malpractice receive the compensation they deserve.

The bill stemmed from the severe physician shortage in New Mexico and was an attempt to create a better climate for doctors in the state, according to Source New Mexico.

The Patient Compensation Fund, established in 1976, covers payouts for patients if a medical professional is found guilty of malpractice. HB 99 ensures patients

will still be compensated for losses or damages they’ve experienced due to medical malpractice, but sets tiered caps on how much someone can recover in punitive damages beyond compensation.

On Jan. 19, the New Mexico Legislative Finance Committee published a report that found all but one of New Mexico’s 33 counties constitute “health professional shortage areas.”

SB 241: Child Care Assistance Program Act

The Child Care Assistance Program Act is the first legislative effort to make New Mexico the first state in the nation to pass no-cost universal childcare into law, a long-time priority for Lujan Grisham.

The bill sets aside $700 million annually over the next five years, dedicated to the state’s child care program and, by putting into state statute, builds a system that can withstand changing administrations and time.

”Every child in New Mexico deserves a strong start, regardless of their family’s zip code or income. With SB 241, we’re making that promise real — and we’re doing it in a way that protects this investment for generations to come,” Lujan Grisham said in the press release. see Leg. page 5

UNM turns 137 years young with ‘build-a-bo’

By Lexis Lovato @lovatolexis

While confetti fell, students celebrated 137 years of the University of New Mexico with cupcakes, free merchandise and a class photo to commemorate the University’s birthday on Friday, Feb. 27.

This year, Lobo Day was Route 66 themed with a free T-shirt for students picturing Lobo Louie and Lucy riding through the desert in a lowrider headed for the Sandia Mountains, framed in an interstate route sign.

Colorful posters and stickers of the same graphic on the Lobo Day T-shirts were available to take while students waited to take the group photo.

The class photo is hung in the Student Union Building for the next year, following an active tradition from the last several years.

UNM President Garnett Stokes attended the event and celebrated her last Lobo Day as president. Stokes has announced she will be retiring in July.

“137 years ago this week, on Feb. 28 — which is why we celebrate today — the University of New Mexico was established by the legislative assembly for the territory of New Mexico,” Stokes said. “We are older

than the state itself.”

Student Claire Tapia said Lobo Day helped her earn volunteering hours for Emerging Lobo Leaders.

“I’m willing to get some volunteer hours in and I’m so happy to be involved more,” Tapia said.

Alyssa Contreras, a student and cheerleader, said this was her first time attending Lobo Day. Her favorite part was getting to hang out with her teammates.

Barbara Rodríguez, interim provost and executive vice president for academic affairs, said Route 66 and UNM are about movement and momentum.

“Route 66 moved people across the country and UNM moves people forward through their lives,” Rodríguez said. “Every one of you is a part of that story now, just like Route 66 became a symbol of possibility and adventure. UNM is a place where new ideas begin, where friendships are born and where futures take shape.”

After students received their free t-shirt and completed the class picture, multiple booths around the SUB opened up with activities for students.

Students chose between three versions of UNM-branded clear bags to take to games and events.

The selection featured a tote bag, a crossbody bag with multiple compartments or a small purse.

A print photobooth was available to take pictures on film strips, with glasses and props provided nearby.

Students also lined up for their chance to “build-a-bo,” given a deconstructed Lobo with a UNM shirt and stuffing to make their own stuffed animal.

Hope Montoya, Associated Students at UNM vice president said her favorite part of the event was working with all of the Lobo Spirit and ASUNM students and seeing how excited people get to celebrate their Lobo pride.

“It’s a super fun event and even if you’re on your way to class you can just stop by, grab a T-shirt, grab a snack, meet new students around campus

and celebrate UNM’s birthday,” Montoya said. “We get to hear from the president, the provost, and some of our student leaders about why we love UNM, the history of UNM and celebrate our Lobo pride.”

Lexis Lovato is a beat reporter for the Daily Lobo. She can be reached at culture@dailylobo.com or on X @ lovatolexis

Dry, hot NM weather brings higher risk of wildfires

By Ethan Alvarez

@DailyLobo

Even as the decades-long drought in the Southwest continues, New Mexico is experiencing an unusually dry winter that could result in increased wildfires.

Most wildfires in New Mexico occur in mid-elevation mixed conifer forests, where fire suppression and human activity has increased fuel loads that

would historically burn every five to 25 years. The Director of the University of New Mexico’s Center for Fire Resilient Ecosystems and Society, Professor of Biology Matthew Hurteau, said some of the causes of severe wildfires are related to human intervention in natural fire cycles.

“Where we have intervened directly is kind of that midmontane layer, so the ponderosa pine mixed conifer, by putting out

the fires for a long time,” Hurteau said. “That’s where we get a lot of those big, hot, fast-moving fires that are really impactful.”

Nearly 85% of wildfires are caused by humans, according to the National Park Service.

In April 2022, New Mexico experienced its largest wildfire in history, the Hermit’s Peak and Calf Canyon Fire, which started when a prescribed burn by the Forest Service overran its boundaries and

combined with the Calf Canyon smoldering pile burn, resulting in 340,000 acres of forests burned. A 2024 report by the U.S. Government Accountability Office determined that incorrect prescriptions have been applied to burn plans in the past that sometimes are exacerbated by persistent drought.

This winter has been unusually warm and dry for New Mexico, and the upcoming fire season is shaping up to be more intense

than the historical average as a result, according to the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. When winter temperatures increase, the lack of snowpack leaves taller foliage upright, increasing the risk of wildfire, according to a presentation by the National Integrated Drought Information System.

After a particularly intense fire

see FiRES page 3

Tamarind Institute remembers artist Jaune Quick-to-See

By Camillo Cretara @DailyLobo

Jaune Quick-to-See Smith was a Native American visual artist known for her striking colors and strong shapes. On Feb. 12, Smith posthumously celebrated 46 years featured at the University of New Mexico’s artistic printmaking workshop, the Tamarind Institute. Originally opening its doors in 1960 in California, Tamarind moved to Albuquerque in 1970, with Smith starting her residence in 1980.

Tamarind Institute Director Diana Gaston said Smith has made approximately 40 editions.

“Our former director saw her work and invited her to come work with us, and that was about 40 years ago, so we’ve had this really long arc of time with her,” Gaston said.

A lot of her work includes motifs found in nature. Her 1980 piece, “Camas I,” features similar colors on the horse, bear and butterfly or moth. Each one of these animals have energy circles, colored in circles or blocks in parts of each animal. Standing out are the spots on

FiRES from page 2

has scorched a forest, like the 2011 Las Conchas fire in Jemez that burned approximately 156,000 acres, flooding and erosion further impacted the area, according to the National Park Service.

“That fire burned right before monsoon rains came, and the erosion and ash that came down off the mountains was so intense in the Rio Grande that the city of Albuquerque had to shut down the water intake because they couldn’t

the butterfly, as in nature, often bright colors are used to frighten away predators while also attracting possible mates.

“Coyote in Quarantine” was another mesmerizing piece on display. Created in 2020, Smith found inspiration for the piece from a drawing of a coyote under a blanket she made in 1994, but it was realized in 2020 when Smith sent a colleague a selfie of her head underneath a tablecloth.

Upon a first glance, it’s almost hard to tell it’s a coyote underneath the cloth. The cloth looks like it’s moving or dancing, and even though it’s a still image, it feels like it tricks the mind into thinking that there’s more than meets the eye.

Another piece highlighted was Smith’s 1995 piece, “In The Future.” This piece features a humanoid rabbit figure in red with a headless shadow behind it, as well as short excerpts of Gregor Mendel’s rules of segregation dominance, the principle dealing with how traits are passed down. This piece seemed to touch on subjects of ethnic identity, possibly related to Smith identity as an indigenous person.

The work featured the writing

process the stuff out of the water,” Hurteau said.

Much of each state’s firefighting resources are funded and managed by the federal government. In 2025, the Biden administration allocated $7.3 billion to the Forest Service and Department of the Interior, which includes the Bureau of Land Management and the National Park Service, for the purposes of wildfire management.

In 2023, New Mexico

“In the future we will all be mixed bloods and mestizos,” unique not only because of how it was placed on the lithograph but also the use of the word mestizo — an archaic term for a person of mixed race descent, specifically someone of American Indigenous and Spanish descent — not usually used in conversation. The writing draws attention to the words and the struggle they represent.

Although her lithographs are at the gallery until April 10, Smith has a permanently installed piece as well: her book “All My Relations,” located in the entrance of The Tamarind.

“The book was commissioned by a University professor, Sabhankar Banerjee. He was, at the time, curating a pavilion exhibition to coincide with the Venice Biennale, and he wanted to do a kind of a recreation of an 18th century Dutch Reading Room, and instead of filling it with Western voices, he wanted to fill it with indigenous voices,” Gaston said.

Camillo Cretara is a freelance reporter for the Daily Lobo. He can be reached at culture@ dailylobo.com or on X @ DailyLobo

appropriated $100 million in zero-percent interest loans to local governments or political subdivisions for the repair or replacement of public infrastructure in the wake of the Calf Canyon/ Hermit’s Peak fire. The loans will ultimately be reimbursed by the federal government. Research organizations like the FiRES Center provide up-to-date analysis of the economic impact of increased wildfire activity.

Wildfire management costs for the federal government are projected to increase, with a middle-of-the-road estimate of 42% and a high estimate of 84% by 2050, according to the Forest Service Southern Research Station. This does not include private or municipal funding, nor does it consider the impact on people and property.

Since 2022, the Federal Emergency Management Agency

has been allotted $5.45 billion to compensate victims of the Calf Canyon/Hermit’s Peak fire for damages, according to Source NM.

Ethan Alvarez is a freelance reporter for the Daily Lobo. He can be reached at news@dailylobo. com or on X @DailyLobo

LOBO SPORTS

Lobos win close one against San Diego State

By Rodney Prunty @rprunty05

In front of a sold out home crowd on Saturday, Feb. 28, the Lobo men’s basketball team faced off against San Diego State University Aztecs in a game that went down to the wire, ending in a 81-76 win for the Lobos.

The University of New Mexico was led by forward Tomislav Buljan, who had his way with the Aztecs all day. Buljan had a double-double, dropping a team-leading 24 points while grabbing 18 rebounds.

Coming off a loss to another Mountain West foe, the University of Nevada, Reno Wolfpack, Lobo Head Coach Eric Olen said every game near the end of the season is important.

“We’re competing for Mountain West regular season (championship), our team is on the NCAA bubble, there (are) seeding implications relative for the Mountain West conference tournament, all the things we’re playing for are still there for us,” Olen said. “Even through some of

Review

the disappointments, this league is

a grind, nobody’s running through it undefeated and your ability to bounce back and show a little resilience is crucial in this conference.”

The game saw a less than ideal start for the Lobos, who were being out paced and out hustled by the Aztecs, forcing them to play catch up early on. With momentum swinging in the Aztecs’ direction, the Lobos decided to kick into gear towards the end of the half, going on a tear, creating their own momentum while knocking San Diego State down a peg. Despite a rocky start, the Lobos only found themselves down by one going into halftime 37-36.

The second half of the game was all gas with no breaks from both teams. The Lobos rode the momentum they created at the end of the first half, causing fits on both sides of the court for the Aztecs, looking in control for most of the half. San Diego State didn’t plan to go away so easily however, keeping it close as the half went on.

In the waning minutes of the game, the Lobos scored clutch baskets

from guards Uriah Tenette, Jake Hall and Luke Haupt. Each shot felt like it came exactly when the Lobos needed it. Haupt’s shot in particular landed when the game was tied at 74 apiece in the final minute. Haupt drilled a three to give the Lobos a 77-74 lead that was just enough for UNM to close out the game in the end despite a final push by San Diego State.

After the win, the Lobos still remain on the bubble of the NCAA tournament and are sitting in second place — tied with the Aztecs — in the Mountain West conference. The Lobos will remain at home for their next game when they take on the Colorado State University Rams on Wednesday, March 4.

“Our guys should be confident that they know and feel that when we play good basketball, that we can get a win, get a result, on any given night,” Olen said.

Rodney Prunty is the sports editor for the Daily Lobo. He can be reached at sports@dailylobo.com or on X @ rprunty05

‘GOAT’ is a whimsical wonder kid story

By Addison Fulton @DailyLobo

I was in middle-school the first time I heard the boys in my class arguing about who was the G.O.A.T — greatest of all time. Then, I was a kid who stubbornly, intentionally went out of my way to not care about sports, so overhearing the conversation I said, “Why are you guys fighting about farm animals?” They laughed at me. They weren’t talking about that kind of goat.

Years later on Feb. 13, Sony Animation and director Tyree Dillihay released “GOAT,” with basketball player Stephen Curry attached as a producer and voice actor. The story follows Will Harris, a young anthropomorphic goat who dreams of playing for his home team, the Vineland Thorns.

Who’s laughing now?

“GOAT” is a delightful, visually stunning piece. Will wants more than anything to play “roarball,” the film’s equivalent of basketball, except with courts made of lava, ice and vines.

Roarball is dominated by bigger animals, such as panthers, bulls, horses and bears. Will, being a goat and small, is initially written off until he plays and holds his own against Mane Attraction, a horse that plays for the Thorns rivals, the Lava Coast Magma. He’s then signed to his hometeam, the Vineland Thorns, because they need a new teammate for cheap.

Will’s teammates are an eclectic bunch: Lenny Williamson, a giraffe voiced by Curry who’s played on ten teams in ten years; Olivia Burke, an anxious ostrich; Archie Everhardt, a rhinoceros who recently became a father to two rowdy girls and Modo Olachenko,

an unsettling komodo dragon.

Rounding out the roster is panther Jett Fillmore. Jett is one of the best players in the league, but she’s never won a “Claw,” the trophy for the championship. Jett is also getting older, having played the incredibly taxing sport of roarball for 15 years.

Jett is also Will’s hero, meaning it breaks his heart when she lashes out at him, claiming he will ruin the team and what may well be her last shot at a Claw.

The hand-drawn animation with painted textures is stunning. The film utilizes the same bright, comic book style that characterized and popularized “Into the Spiderverse.”

The characters are well designed and move beautifully. The backgrounds are detailed and exciting.

“GOAT” oozes love, both in the making of the film and in the theme of the story itself. It’s clear that the animators studied the animal species which their characters embody with bold animalistic movements, adding additional visual interest to the innately interesting sport of basketball/roarball.

The film unpacks a lot of the toxic elements of sports culture such as the way social media changed the game for the worse. Burke’s central angst is her fixation on reading online comments about her, many of which are not kind. It’s a comedic reference to the tendency of ostriches’ to bury their heads when frightened, but it’s also very real commentary on how online hate can rattle athletes.

Jett also agonizes over media and public perception as calls for her retirement mount and the sports world seems to sour on her.

“GOAT” also touches on the way greed can taint a sport. Florence Everson, the warthog who owns the Thorns team, has constructed

her roster not to win, but to garner attention. She admits that she only initially drafted Will because he would be the first small animal to play professional roarball, which would get media attention for the team and sell more tickets.

The most touching theme in the film is where motivation comes from. At the beginning of their character arcs, the other members of the Thorns, specifically Jett, are motivated by a desire to prove the haters wrong. Will, on the other hand, is motivated by a desire to prove his believers right. His hometown, Vineland, loves him. His friends believe in him from the beginning. It’s not about spite for Will, it’s about love.

The film more or less scraps the “no one believes in me because I’m different” trope that plagues a lot of underdog sports movie protagonists. We don’t waste time with Will trying to prove himself; he does so quickly and handily, and the film becomes about him bringing together this dysfunctional team. It’s a refreshing diversion from form.

The only negative that stood out to me was the constant and somewhat egregious MercedesBenz product placement. It’s ironic and immersion-breaking to have a miniature Mercedes ad folded into your film on how pursuit of money can ruin something that was initially a labor of love.

Nevertheless, “GOAT” is an excellent feel good film that leaves viewers with a pep in their step. If you need to reconnect with what really matters in life, you have to watch this little G.O.A.T.

Addison Fulton is the culture editor for the Daily Lobo. She can be reached at culture@dailylobo.com or on X @dailylobo

By Jaden McKelvey-Francis @jadenmckelvey

The home of University of New Mexico basketball is getting a rebrand.

Since its opening as University Arena in 1966, The Pit has hosted the Lobo men’s and women’s teams. Through a partnership with Nusenda Credit Union, the arena will now bear the name The Pit - Powered by Nusenda.

The 10-year deal, which was announced on Thursday, Feb. 26, will net UNM Athletics an average of $1.74 million per year and marks an advancement in the relationship between the partners.

“For more than four decades, Nusenda has been a trusted partner of our University. This expanded commitment reflects not only the strength of that relationship, but a shared belief in the importance of investing in student athletes and sustaining one of New Mexico’s most visible community institutions,” University President Garnett Stokes said in a press release on Feb. 26.

Nusenda has invested nearly $7 million into University

initiatives since 1985, according to the press release.

“In this era of collegiate athletics, sustained excellence requires collective investment. This agreement provides meaningful operating support for our programs while honoring the tradition and legacy of The Pit,” Interim Director of Athletics Ryan Berryman said in the press release.

This is not the first name change the stadium has gone through. In 2014, WisePies Pizza and Salad agreed to a $5 million, 10-year deal with the arena gaining the moniker WisePies Arena, aka The Pit. In 2017, the naming rights were sold to Dreamstyle Remodeling, and both The Pit and University Stadium were named after the company. The deal was discontinued in 2020.

The agreement will include financial literacy education for the University’s student athletes, and new signage is expected to be installed before the tip-off of the 2026-27 basketball season.

Jaden McKelvey-Francis is the editor-in-chief of the Daily Lobo. He can be reached at editorinchief@dailylobo.com or on X @jadenmckelvey

Leg. from page 1

SB 18: Clear Horizons Act

Although the Clear Horizons Act was killed on the senate floor, the bill remains notable for both its publicity and the seven Democrats who joined the minority Republican caucus voting against the bill.

The Clear Horizons Act sought to reduce New Mexico’s greenhouse gas emissions to 2005-level emissions or lower by 2050, but was killed on the senate floor with a 19-23 vote against the bill. This marks the second legislative session in a row that Lujan Grisham’s cornerstone climate policy did not pass.

SB 235: Microgrid Oversight Act

The Microgrid Oversight Act provides state regulators with greater control over power grids, or microgrids, to ensure that private power grids follow the Energy Transition Act in New Mexico that attempts to transition the state away from coal and toward clean energy sources.

The bill was passed with a 22-20 vote in the Senate and a unanimous vote in the House. According to the Albuquerque Journal, the bill was created in response to Project Jupiter, an AI-focused data center

that requires two microgrid facilities which are currently being constructed in Santa Teresa, New Mexico. These facilities are projected to generate 2.8 gigawatts of electricity using natural gas, an amount the Journal reported as being as much as Albuquerque and Las Cruces combined. SB 235 seeks to stop the loophole in the Energy Transition Act that allows larger facilities to buy energy outside the requirements of the ETA.

SB 6: New School of Medicine

Facility

SB 6 appropriates $546 million to the University of New Mexico from

the state general fund to be allocated to building a new School of Medicine for the University.

The school would likely finish construction in the Spring of 2030, and generate an estimated $1.5 billion in economic impact

SB 240: Capital Outlay projects

Included in the major capital outlay bill was approximately $300 million of appropriations for UNM projects. Some of the major projects include $900,000 to move the UNM Accessibility Resource Center to the first floor of Mesa Vista Hall instead of its current location on the

second floor. Over $1 million was appropriated to construct a softball facility on UNM’s main campus. Approximately $254 million was also approved through the bill for statewide healthcare programs and to pay for subsidies for New Mexicans on the health care exchange.

Penelope Loyd Sment is a freelance reporter for the Daily Lobo. She can be reached at news@dailylobo.com or on X @DailyLobo

HAPS The Entertainment Guide

Birthright of Albuquerque

Providing

10AM-1PM; 3228 Candelaria Rd

Chicana & Chicano Studies

Curanderismo Traditional Medicine without Boarders summer institute

In person: June 1-12, 2026

Online: June 23- July 9, 2026

Quirky Used Books & More

Last Monday Poetry w/ NM Poet

Laureate Manuel Gonzalez

5:00pm - 7:00pm 120 Jefferson St NE

Tuesday

Birthright of Albuquerque

Providing love, support, and hope to woman both before an after childbirth. birthright.org/albuquerque

New Volunteers Always Welcome

10AM-1PM; 3228 Candelaria Rd NE

Chicana & Chicano Studies

Curanderismo Traditional Medicine without Boarders summer institute

In person: June 1-12, 2026

Online: June 23- July 9, 2026

Quirky Used Books & More More than 24,000 Used Books

11 AM - 6 PM | 120 Jefferson St NE

Wednesday

Birthright of Albuquerque

Providing love, support, and hope to woman both before and after childbirth. birthright.org/albuquerque

New Volunteers Always Welcome

10AM-1PM; 3228 Candelaria Rd NE

Chicana & Chicano Studies

Curanderismo Traditional Medicine without Boarders summer institute

In person: June 1-12, 2026

Online: June 23- July 9, 2026

Quirky Used Books & More Books, Puzzles, Stickers, Mugs, Etc.

11 AM - 6 PM | 120 Jefferson St NE

Thursday

Birthright of Albuquerque

Providing love, support, and hope to woman both before and after childbirth.

birthright.org/albuquerque

New Volunteers Always Welcome

10AM-1PM; 3228 Candelaria Rd NE

Career Services

All Majors Job & Internship Fair

March 5: 10am-2pm

Location: SUB Ballrooms

Visit career.unm.edu for more info!

Chicana & Chicano Studies

Curanderismo Traditional Medicine

without Boarders summer institute

In person: June 1-12, 2026

Online: June 23- July 9, 2026

Quirky Used Books & More Books, Puzzles, Stickers, Mugs, Etc.

11 AM - 6 PM |120 Jefferson St NE

Friday

Chicana & Chicano Studies

Curanderismo Traditional Medicine

without Boarders summer institute

In person: June 1-12, 2026

Online: June 23- July 9, 2026

Quirky Used Books & More

Poetry Reading & Workshop

With Stephen Landis

5:00pm - 6:30pm

120 Jefferson St NE

Saturday

Chicana & Chicano Studies

Curanderismo Traditional Medicine without Boarders summer institute

In person: June 1-12, 2026

Online: June 23- July 9, 2026

Quirky Used Books & More

Books, Puzzles, Stickers, Mugs, Etc.

11 AM - 6 PM

120 Jefferson St NE

Sunday

Chicana & Chicano Studies

Curanderismo Traditional Medicine without Boarders summer institute

In person: June 1-12, 2026

Online: June 23- July 9, 2026

Quirky Used Books & More

Books, Puzzles, Stickers, Mugs, Etc.

11 AM - 6 PM

120 Jefferson St NE

Curanderismo Traditional Medicine without Boarders summer institute

In person: June 1-12, 2026

Online: June 23- July 9, 2026

ABQ BioPark Zoo celebrates International Polar Bear Day

By Elizabeth Bolke @DailyLobo

Kiska the polar bear has been a charismatic character at the Albuquerque BioPark since 1997, wowing visitors with his white coat, huge paws and playful demeanor. Zoo-goers celebrated their bear for International Polar Bear Day.

On Saturday, Feb. 28, the Albuquerque BioPark Zoo celebrated their bear for International Polar Bear Day. The BioPark hosted discovery stations packed with biofacts, hands-on activities to help guests explore polar bears’ natural history, how they stay

warm and what locals can do to help polar bears and their cubs in the wild.

Kiska, the 29 year old senior polar bear, was honored throughout the event. Kiska is a healthy bear for his age, BioPark Science Education Coordinator

Cesar Bustillos said.

“(Kiska) swims perfectly fine. He walks perfectly fine. He dives into the water perfectly fine. It’s a testament to the care that we put into our polar bear here at the BioPark. Even though he’s living in the middle of the desert, we’re still meeting his needs here,” Bustillos said.

International Polar Bear Day was founded in 2011 to raise awareness and conserve the world’s polar

DAILY

Riddles

WRC, Group Room

2:30

of Students

– 6:00pm Center for Financial Capability Workshop.

Meetings

Disabled Student Union Meeting

Women’s Resource Center Group Room 10:30am – 12:00pm

bears, coinciding with the time when polar bear moms and cubs are snug in their dens.

The event is a great and fun way to spread the message that polar bears need our help, Bustillos said

Demi Hamilton brought her son to the zoo to see Kiska.

“I saw (the event) online, and I know that he likes to see animals. So I thought, why not? Plus, we haven’t seen the polar bear before,” Hamilton said.

Located near Kiska’s habitat were a series of tables that had different facts and games related to polar bears and their habitat along with demonstrations of shared traits with other species of bears and examples of how polar

bears are tracked to monitor their health and feeding patterns.

“You get to learn more about the polar bear’s inner workings to better understand why we need to save their habitats and the polar bears themselves,” Bustillos said.

Lisa Hansen, a volunteer guide at the zoo, was there to provide information about polar bears and other animals. Hansen’s table showcased the work done by scientists to track polar bears.

“We want people to know where the polar bears live and how we’re able to track them, and we’re able to track them through the collars and the GPS ear tags and the things that stick to their fur, which is the newest prototype, less invasive

than anything else. And we just want people to understand how important polar bears are to the world’s ecosystem,” Hansen said.

Along with educating people on polar bears as a species, volunteers taught attendees how to conserve their habitat and their numbers in the wild.

“There are a lot of animals on our earth that are going extinct, and we want to make sure that polar bears don’t become one of them,” Hansen said.

Elizabeth Bolke is a freelance reporter for the Daily Lobo. She can be reached at culyur@ dailylobo.com or on X @ dailylobo

LOBO C ampus Calendar of Events Calendar

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Chinese Club Study Session LLC, Ortega, Room 124 1:00 – 3:00pm Conversation group follows.

Honors Student Association General Meeting Honors College Forum

5:30 – 7:30pm Theater & Film

Rio Grande in New Mexico Documentary Screening/Webinar with Q&A School of Law Room 2401 and Zoom

5:00 – 6:30pm A showing of the “Rio Grande Basin in New Mexico” documentary, followed by a Q&A with interviewees. The daily e-mail calendar will have the Zoom link.

Lectures & Readings

2026 PhD Colloquium - LAII LAII Conference Room 10:00am – 12:15pm A series of talks from LAII PhD Fellows.

Director’s Lectureship Seminar Fitz Hall Room 303 11:30am – 12:30pm

Dr. Amy Rowat, University of California, presents “Bioengineering Approaches to Understand and Harness Cellular Mechanobiology for Cancer.”

All About Taxes: A Presentation from the Center for Financial Capability Honors College Forum

12:00 – 1:00pm Learn about taxes with the Center for Financial Capability team.

Department of Chemistry & Chemical Biology Seminar

Mitchell Hall Room 101

4:00 – 6:00pm Jinhyo Hwang, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, presents “Mechanisms and Materials for Organic Semiconductors: From Molecules to Flexible Electronics.”

TUESDAY

11:00am – 1:00pm

Stop by to pick up a free book to enjoy—many languages to choose from: Arabic, English, French, German, Japanese, Mandarin, Russian, Spanish, and Swahili.

Recovery in Academia

SHAC Workshop Room 16

12:30 – 1:30pm Skills based support for mental health and substance abuse.

Lectures & Readings

NM ADRC Seminar College of Nursing & Public Health Excellence Building Room 2601 and Zoom

12:00 – 2:00pm Dr. Jon Buhrman, Meso Scale Diagnostics, presents “Ultrasensitive Multiplex Biomarker Detection in Neuroinflammatory and Neurodegenerative Diseases.” The daily e-mail calendar will have the Zoom link.

Nuclear, Particle, Astroparticle and Cosmology (NUPAC) Seminars

PAIS Room 3205

2:00 – 3:00pm

Cesar Luis Da Silva, LANL, presents “Hunting for Exotic Matter: How AI is Helping Our Search for the Strange Side of Quantum Physics.”

Bate-Papos Portuguese Language

Ortega Hall Room 124

4:00 – 5:00pm Practice your Portuguese language skills and enjoy Brazilian food and culture.

Meetings

Bosque Linguistics Association LLC, Ortega Room 120

4:00 – 5:00pm Study session. Help with coursework, exam prep, any linguistics questions, or just want to hang out.

Art & Music

Piano Studio Recital I Keller Hall

6:00 – 8:30pm Featuring the students of Professor Falko Steinbach.

Theater & Film

Peppa Pig: My First Concert

Popejoy Hall

6:30 – 8:30pm

Peppa Pig, along with Mummy Pig, Daddy Pig and George, visit Popejoy Hall for Peppa Pig: My First Concert - a fun, interactive introduction to a live orchestra for ages 18 months and older. Tickets start at $29.50.

Sports & Recreation

UNM Women’s Basketball vs Fresno State The Pit 7:00 – 9:00pm Tickets are free for students but must be acquired online.

Workshops

What is the Conference?

Zimmerman Library Room 254 and Zoom

12:30 – 1:30pm

Attend this workshop to learn about the structure of conferences the expectations for turning your paper into an effective presentation. The daily e-mail calendar will have the Zoom link.

Chemical Waste Management Zoom

3:30 – 4:30pm Series that will prepare you for lab work, or make you a more valuable

WEDNESDAY

Dion’s pizza, and there is pool, ping pong, board games, card games, and video games. There is also mandala coloring pages available to color.

Break for the Ball Johnson Center - Auxiliary Gym 6:00 – 8:30pm American indian student services

DAILY LOBO C ampus Calendar of Events of

STEAM & COPH Presents: Writing Accountability Groups

COPH East Room 1107

10:00 – 11:30am Join Dr. Dolores Guest and Dr. Martha Grimes for one to two hours of focused, independent writing. Each writing group time is designed to support your individual goal achievement.

Improve Your Study Skills

CENT Room 2080 and Zoom

4:00 – 5:00pm Come learn some STUDY HACKS to see how you can turn your current habits into effective studying to conquer your classes and beyond. Topics include Information Recall, Anti-Cramming, and The Test Cycle. The daily e-mail calendar will have the Zoom link.

Sports & Recreation

Lobos Slam Cancer Basketball Game

University Stadium

8:00 – 10:00pm

Raise awareness for early cancer screenings. Wear purple to the game to represent cancer awareness for all cancers.

UNM Men’s Basketball vs Colorado State The Pit

8:00 – 10:00pm

Tickets are free for students but must be acquired online.

THURSDAY

Campus Events

All Majors Job and Internship Fair

SUB 10:00am – 2:00pm

Connect face to face with top employers who are actively hiring. Explore internships and full time opportunities.

Lobolition

Cornell Mall

12:00 – 2:00pm Come celebrate the beginning of the Mountain West Basketball Tournament by “smashing” out the competition. Take your hit on a junkyard car decorated with our Mountain West competition.

Zines & Paper Crafts Crafternoon

Zimmerman Library Ford Room 254 1:00 – 3:00pm Celebrating Open Educational Resources and indie publishing.

HSA Study Night

Honors College Forum 4:00 – 7:00pm Charcuterie boards, lofi music, and fun drinks provided.

Open Table Connections Dinner and Dialogue

Luther House

5:00 – 7:00pm

Free weekly meal, along with text study, prayer, spiritual practices, public theology intentional community and advocacy for justice and peace.

Lectures & Readings

Spanish as a Heritage Language Program

LLC, Ortega Hall Room 335

12:30 – 1:30pm Santiago Vaquera Vásquez, UNM, presents “Spanglish, un lenguaje literario en One Day I’ll Tell You the Things I’ve Seen.”

Center for Regional Studies Lecture

Zimmerman Library Frank Waters Room & Zoom

2:00 – 3:00pm

Joseph A. Ukockis, UNM, presents “Diplomacy After Reconquest.” The daily e-mail calendar will have the Zoom link and password.

CART Astrophysics Seminar PAIS Room 3205

2:00 – 3:00pm Susmita Garai, UNM, presents.

Biology Seminar Castetter Hall, Room 100

3:30 – 5:00pm

Dr. Harold Zald, US Forest Service Pacific Northwest Research Station, presents.

Anthropology Book Presentation Hibben Center Atrium

6:00 – 7:30pm

Dr. David E. Stuart, UNM, presents “Ancient Women Gardeners: Prelude to the Chacoan World.”

Art & Music

Abe Franck Quartet Keller Hall

2:00 – 3:00pm UNM’s graduate string quartet, coached by Professor Travis Maril.

Meetings

Disabled Student Union Meeting Women’s Resource Center Group Room 12:30 – 2:00pm

Family & Friends Cancer Support Group

CCC Education Wing 4:00 – 5:30pm

A journaling support group for anyone who has a loved one with cancer, a loved one who has survived cancer, and/or a loved one who has died from cancer.

Workshops

Highways and Heartbeats Rodey Theatre

7:30 – 9:30pm Presented by artistic directors Marisol Encinias and Amanda Hamp, Highways and Heartbeats is the 2026 UNM Faculty Dance Concert featuring new works by acclaimed artists in Flamenco and Contemporary dance. Tickets

FRIDAY

Campus Events

Medieval

COPH

DAILY LOBO CLASSIFIEDS

DAILY LOBO C ampus Calendar of Events ampus

6:00 – 8:00pm

Tickets are free for students but must be acquired online.

Workshops

Frederick Hammersley Visiting Artist:

Workshop Art Annex

Thesis/Dissertation Presentation

and

12:00 – 1:00pm Abee Alazzwi, Interdisciplinary: Engineering, presents “Hierarchical Safe Reinforcement-Learning Framework for Mission-Aware, Edge-Enabled Multi-UAV IoT Networks.”

CMBD Seminar

Fitz Hall Room 303

12:00 – 1:00pm

The Cellular and Molecular Basis of Disease (CMBD) Series is the Health Sciences Center’s most prestigious seminar series and is meant to enhance biomedical science education by hosting high-profile scientists to speak on current topics in biomedical research.

Respectful Communication in Russian LLC, Ortega Hall Movie Room

1:00 – 2:00pm Conversation group event.

Economic Seminar

Economics Department Room 1002

2:00 – 3:00pm Alix Walkup, UNM, presents.

Economic Seminar

Economics Department Room 1002

2:30 – 3:30pm

Ana Paula Milan Hinsotroza, UNM, presents “Alcohol, Taxes, and Consumption.”

Physics and Astronomy Colloquium PAIS Room 110

3:30 – 4:30pm Dan Stamper-Kurn, Berkeley, presents.

Philosophy Colloquium

Mitchell Hall Room 102

3:30 – 4:30pm John Taber, UNM, presents “Intrinsic Validity and the Permissiveness Problem.”

Department of Chemistry & Chemical Biology Seminar

Castetter Hall Room 101

4:00 – 5:00pm Program to be determined.

Sports

& Recreation

Men’s Tennis vs Denver McKinnon Family Tennis Stadium

11:00am – 1:00pm

Tickets are free for students but must be acquired online.

Men’s Tennis vs Lubbock Christian McKinnon Family Tennis Stadium

3:00 – 5:00pm Tickets are free for students but must be acquired online.

UNM Baseball vs Tarleton State Lobo Baseball Field

10:00am – 1:00pm

Cosmic

Laurie will lead a process-based workshop for students involving acrylic resist painting and simple, hands-on dyeing techniques to create free hanging “Celestial Tapestries” on muslin fabric.

Art & Music

The Act of Arriving Opening Reception

Kukani Gallery

5:00 – 10:00pm

Examines liminal spaces as sites where temporal and spatial boundaries are undisturbed and actively navigated. Rather than positioning acts as a moment between fixed states, the exhibition positions arrival as a continuous process shaped by movement, duration, and perception.

Birdwatching Opening Reception

Masley Gallery

5:00 – 8:00pm A BFA thesis exhibition by Kat B.

No Promises Opening Reception fourteenfifteen gallery

6:00 – 9:00pm MFA Thesis by Hanna Taylor.

CelloLobos

Keller Hall

7:30 – 8:30pm

Cello studio recital, featuring the students of Dr. Christoph Wagner.

Meetings

Powering Up Parenting Students Meeting

Women’s Resource Center Group Room 12:00 – 1:00pm

Nahuatl Club Weekly Meeting Latin American and Iberian Institute Room 107

3:30 – 5:00pm

Nahuatl variant presentation. Everyone is welcome. No previous experience with the language is required.

Japanese Language And Culture Club SUB Sandia 5:00 – 6:00pm

Theater & Film

LLC Film Screening: The Return

LLC, Ortega Hall Movie Room

2:00 – 4:00pm

After 20 years away, Odysseus washes up on the shores of Ithaca, haggard and unrecognizable.

The king finds much has changed since he left to fight in the Trojan War. His beloved wife, Penelope, is a prisoner in her own home and hounded to choose a new

husband. Their son faces death at the hands of suitors who see him as an obstacle in their pursuit of Penelope and the kingdom. Odysseus is no longer the mighty warrior his people remember, but he must face his past to save his family.

SWFC: Uncut Gems

6:00 – 8:00pm SUB Theater

A charismatic jeweller makes a high-stakes bet that could lead to the windfall of a lifetime. In a precarious high-wire act, he must balance business, family and adversaries on all sides in pursuit of the ultimate win.

The Other Shoe Experimental Theatre

7:00 – 9:00pm

A passionate play with real-world emotions and problems, The Other Shoe flickers between a person’s lived encounters and therapy sessions, allowing the audience to experience a heart-felt story about love and mental-health. Ticket starts at $9.50.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban™ in Concert Popejoy Hall

7:30 – 9:30pm

Experience the adventures of your favorite wizard all over again set to the music of a live symphony orchestra.

Highways and Heartbeats

Rodey Theatre

7:30 – 9:30pm

Presented by artistic directors

Marisol Encinias and Amanda Hamp, Highways and Heartbeats is the 2026 UNM Faculty Dance Concert featuring new works by acclaimed artists in Flamenco and Contemporary dance. Tickets start at $10.

SATURDAY

Campus Events

Medieval Academy of the Pacific Honors College Forum

8:00am – 6:00pm

Annual professional conference hosted by UNM’s Institute for Medieval Studies.

Gross Anatomy and Kinesiology of the Lower Extremity Domenici Center East Wing

8:00am – 5:00pm

This course will use lecture and laboratory formats to review the anatomy of the upper extremity and key components of upper extremity kinesiology. The goal of the course is to emphasize anatomical relationships in order to enhance the participant’s clinical practice. -

Sports & Recreation

Baseball vs Tarleton State Lobo Baseball Field

12:00 – 2:00pm

Tickets are free for students but must be acquired online.

Baseball vs Tarleton State Lobo Baseball Field

12:00 – 2:00pm

Tickets are free for students but must be acquired online.

Theater & Film

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban™ in Concert Popejoy Hall

2:00 – 4:00pm

Experience the adventures of your favorite wizard all over again set to the music of a live symphony orchestra.

SWFC: Waves SUB Theater

6:00 – 8:00pm

The epic emotional journey of a suburban African American family as they navigate love, forgiveness and coming together in the wake of a tragic loss.

The Other Shoe

Experimental Theatre

7:00 – 9:00pm

A passionate play with real-world emotions and problems, The Other Shoe flickers between a person’s lived encounters and therapy sessions, allowing the audience to experience a heart-felt story about love and mental-health. Ticket starts at $9.50.

Highways and Heartbeats

Rodey Theatre

7:30 – 9:30pm

Presented by artistic directors

Marisol Encinias and Amanda Hamp, Highways and Heartbeats is the 2026 UNM Faculty Dance Concert featuring new works by acclaimed artists in Flamenco and Contemporary dance. Tickets start at $10.

SUNDAY

Art & Music

Pianistically Speaking

Keller Hall

1:00 – 3:00pm

Pianist/composer Richard Atkins

performs selections from both his current hit album Pianistically Speaking and his upcoming 2026 release, Autumnal Solitudes as a prelude to his Carnegie Hall debut in October of this year. Tickets start at $16.50.

Sports & Recreation

Baseball vs Tarleton State

Lobo Baseball Field

12:00 – 2:00pm

Tickets are free for students but must be acquired online.

!BASTA

Through March 6, 2026

John Sommers Gallery

Spatial Graphic Design

Birdwatching

Masley Gallery

March 3 – 13, 2026

A BFA thesis exhibition by Kat B.

Entangled Cultures: How Humans and Microbes Co-create through Fermentation

Maxwell Museum of Anthropology

Through March 14, 2026

Entangled Cultures presents diverse global examples of traditional vessels used in the creation and consumption of fermented foods and beverages.

The Act of Arriving

Kukani Gallery

March 6 – 27, 2026

Examines liminal spaces as sites where temporal and spatial boundaries are undisturbed and actively navigated. Rather than positioning acts as a moment between fixed states, the exhibition positions arrival as a continuous process shaped by movement, duration, and perception.

No Promises

fourteenfifteen gallery

March 6 – 27, 2026

MFA Thesis by Hanna Taylor.

Jaune Quick-to-see Smith: All My Relations

Tamarind Institute

Through April 10, 2026

In honor of the late American artist, an experienced and prolific printmaker, featuring 20 lithographs made in residence at Tamarind from 1980 to 2022, alongside works by artists whose paths and practices were influenced by the artist, including Jeffrey Gibson, Rose B. Simpson, Duane Slick, Marie Watt and Emmi Whitehorse.

Metal Rules!

Through May 2, 2026

INHABIT Galerie; 4436 Corrales Rd

MFA Thesis. Participating Artists: Bailey Anderson, Bruna D’Alessandro, Welly Fletcher, Shirley Klinghoffer, Stephanie Lerma, Iulia Octavia, Karen Yank.

One Earth, One Kin

Spectra Art Gallery, Honors College Through Spring 2026

The exhibit showcases connection and kinship with the earth through the eyes of student artists. Pieces by Arwen Lynch-Poe, Caitlyn Bizzell, Leo Brocker, Loui Burton, Maria Paez, Noheya Behay, and