The University of New Mexico Parent Association has released the 2015 official holiday ornament, featuring Mesa Vista Hall. 

Mesa Vista Hall, designed by the firm of John Gaw Meem and Hugo Zehner, was built in 1950 by Bradbury Construction Company as a 400-man dormitory. During that time, the hall featured many dining rooms along with quarters for the director, dietician, housekeeper and building engineer.

Although the hall hasn’t served as a dormitory for many years, it now holds many UNM Student Services Offices including African-American Student Services, American Indian Student Services, El Centro de La Raza, Africana Studies, the Scholarship Office and many others.

Jana Fothergill, a marketing representative with University Communications and Marketing (UCAM), did the original painting of Mesa Vista Hall. Fothergill has been designing the collectible ornaments for the past seven years.

“I was excited when the Parent Association told me that this year’s ornament would be Mesa Vista Hall. Not only is it one of our oldest buildings, it’s the source of the UNM logo,” Fothergill said.

Fothergill has more than 30 years experience in illustration and design, having earned her master’s degree in fine arts in Wisconsin before making New Mexico her residence in 1995.

“The building also gave me a chance to work in a more vertical format which opened more options in terms of framing. I saw that I could use elements that we often see in New Mexico tinwork mirrors,” Fothergill said.

Proceeds from the ornament sales will benefit the UNM-Parent Association Scholarship Fund.