BY JOHN PAWLAK
Member
UNM-LA Advisory Board

I really love this town. When I moved to Los Alamos County 20 years ago, I was awe-struck by a myriad of wonders. The hypnotic blue sky. Distant mesas painting the horizon with organic colors. Incredible desert flora blanketing the landscape. For an escapee from New Jersey, it was nothing short of magical.

Oh, and of course, the seductive aroma of roasting green chile in late summer!

As a fervent follower of the rigors of mathematical order, I was equally impressed by our community’s sense of pride in its educational structure. A friend introduced me to various programs in the area and I started tutoring mathematics over at UNM-LA. The strong connection between the University and the High School was surprising to me. Back in New Jersey, the gap between high schools and local universities was more like a chasm.

Next, I taught a summer course at the University, enjoying the level of enthusiasm in the classroom. A good number of my students were from the high school, working hard to master the concepts.

My involvement with the University ultimately led me to teaching full time at the High School. Many of my students took dual-credit courses offered at the University, and many of them after graduating spent their first two years of college at UNM-LA, taking advantage of the proximity and low-cost high-quality education.

Like I said at the beginning of this letter … I really do love living here. The community spirit and passion for excellence is unmatched by any other place I’ve ever known. And so, when asked to help with outreach for the upcoming vote on the UNM-LA General Obligation Bonds, it was a no-brainer for me. UNM-LA is an enormous value-added asset to our community and voting “Yes” on the Bonds is a vote for our students!

In the following weeks, you’ll hear more about the benefits of the bonds, such as upgrading facilities to modernize safety and energy efficiencies, IT systems and equipment for improved student learning, and bringing the campus up to Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards.

I’ve always known the value of education, and having taught amazing students over the years has underscored for me the importance of actively supporting and sustaining the quality of that education.

And so, until my next letter outlining the many benefits of voting “Yes” on the UNM-LA General Obligation Bonds, enjoy that green chile! John Pawlak