Women's History Month Celebration 2025

Women’s History Month Celebration 2025

Last Thursday’s celebration of Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day offered inspiration and recognition for the incredible women at Northern New Mexico College. The event honored several women for their contributions and showcased powerful stories of resilience, mentorship, and achievement.

The event was organized by Tammy Winston from Student Life, Khiana Valencia from CASSC, and Milam Shah from Communications. Together, they also created a Gratitude Wall—a special space where students, faculty, and staff could honor the women who have inspired them.

✨ The Gratitude Wall

Attendees were encouraged to write messages of appreciation for women who have made a difference in their lives. The wall, located outside the Event Center, will remain up all month long in celebration of Women’s History Month. Participants could also:
💌 Grab a thank-you card to personally give to a woman they admire.
📸 Take a picture and tag Northern on social media for a chance to be featured.

The initiative was a collaborative effort by Student Life, CASSC, and Communications & Marketing to foster appreciation and gratitude within the Northern community.

Inspiring Stories from Northern Women

Coach Samantha Stukes shared the historic journey of the Women’s Basketball Team reaching the Continental Athletic Conference Championship final for the first time. Though they fell short of the championship win, she emphasized the importance of valuing the journey:

“Our goal this year was to win the championship, and now it’s like, what do we do now? But we had such a beautiful journey to attain that. It’s so important to value your journey and enjoy that process. We put so much in the basket of that goal, what happen when you come up short? Well, you change direction. You try again. You’ve learned, and you get better every time you try again.”

Alicia Naranjo spoke about the transformative opportunities available through the Educational Opportunity Center (EOC) and the power of spreading positivity through her personal philosophy:

“It takes only one person to affect that person to your right, that person to your left, the person in front of you, the person behind you…As humans, it’s important to know that as we go forward, the effect of love we put out is what’s going to come back. I hope my work has radiated something positive.”

Aida Saucedo, Assistant Professor in Teacher Education, shared her inspiring path from not finishing high school to earning a master’s degree and receiving a grant to pursue a doctorate in education and administration. She thanked Teacher Education Chair Sandra Rodriguez for her support on this journey.

“As placement coordinator here, I am now I am the one that helps teachers become teachers. Life isn’t easy, but it shouldn’t stop you from obtaining what you want.” She reflected on her journey of perseverance and her role in shaping future educators.

Farjahan Shawon shared her life’s journey and then closed her speech with two powerful quotes:
“Each time a woman stands up for herself, she stands up for all women.” – Maya Angelou
“Well-behaved women seldom make history.” – Laurel Thatcher Ulrich

Honoring Excellence: Women’s History Month Awards

Several outstanding women were recognized for their contributions:

🏅 Jessica Mercer – Outstanding Student Award
A Phlebotomy Instructor, student, and the college mascot, Iggy, Jessica is also launching a Phlebotomy Club on campus.

🏅 Amy Pena – Outstanding Staff Award
Presented by Khiana Valencia, calling her “a truly remarkable woman whose years of dedication to our Northern community has made a significant impact on all of us. She inspires those around her and supports them on every step of their journey. Through many changes of administration she has remained a steadfast presence for our college, ensuring that everyone who walks through the door feels welcomed, valued and never alone.” 

🏅 Sushmita Nandy – Outstanding Faculty Award
Presented by her husband, Associate Professor Ashis Nandy, for her dedication as a scholar, researcher, scientist, teacher, and mentor in establishing a research lab on campus.

🏅 Communications & Marketing Team – Outstanding Department Award
Milam Shah introduced her team, expressing gratitude for working with such a talented, supportive, and inspiring group of women, saying “I joined the Communications Department a year ago, and from day one I found myself surrounded by an incredible team of women who made my journey so special… At the end of the day, we appreciate each other’s skills, and we know what we’re doing and we give each other space, or just give each other coffee.” 

 

Fun, Trivia & Community Engagement

The celebration ended with a fun trivia game testing how well attendees knew their colleagues. Questions included:
❓ Who just got a new car?
❓ Who’s a crochet artist?
🏆 Martin Shupla won first prize!

📢 Community partners such as EOC and Girl Scouts (selling cookies! 🍪) also participated, making the event lively and engaging.

Through storytelling, recognition, and community-building activities, the Women’s History Month Celebration 2025 uplifted and honored the incredible women of Northern.