CNM Employees Wear Regalia To Inspire Students to Graduate

Erica Volkers, dean of the School of Communication Humanities & Social Sciences who has worked with a cross-division team to coordinate the day’s activities, said it all started two years ago when a psychology faculty member, Kristin Roush, spontaneously showed up on Main Campus dressed in a cap, gown and hood, and carrying a homemade sign that said, “Graduate! You Know you Want To!”

“Wouldn’t it be fabulous if everyone showed up in regalia?” Roush told Volkers. That’s when the idea for Graduation Inspiration was born.

The first Graduation Inspiration was last fall, when faculty and staff showed up at CNM campuses dressed in their regalia. In addition, sites were set up for “flash advisement” sessions, where academic advisors and achievement coaches could meet with students, look up their records, give them advice on what courses they needed to graduate and help them apply for graduation.

“We will be providing similar services as last year at our flash advising sites (today),” said Lidia E. Muñiz, associate director for Academic Advisement. “The flash advisement tables will be located at Main, Montoya, Westside, South Valley and Rio Rancho campuses. The one way it will vary this year is that we have ‘graduation champions' in the different departments who are encouraging their colleagues to participate. Also, we will have a drawing for prizes for students.”

Faculty and staff who do not have graduation regalia were encouraged to borrow from a neighbor, friend or a high school graduate in their family.

“The regalia type doesn’t matter – just the fact they are wearing regalia will send the message to our students of our support for them achieving this milestone,” Volkers said.