Each year in the days leading up to Spring and Fall commencement, the University Communication and Marketing team honors graduating Lobos whose stories reflect the many paths that lead to success at The University of New Mexico. It has become a meaningful tradition celebrating the leadership, resilience, determination, and individuality that define the Lobo experience.
For the campus community, commencement is more than a ceremony — it is a celebration of journeys shaped by different experiences, backgrounds, and ambitions. As graduates cross the stage to receive their diplomas, they represent the many schools, colleges, programs, and communities that make up the fabric of UNM. Though their paths may differ, they are united by a shared commitment to learning, growth, and making an impact beyond the University.
The Class of 2026 reflects the spirit of UNM: diverse paths, shared success. These graduates are researchers, artists, educators, advocates, entrepreneurs, healthcare professionals, and future leaders whose stories demonstrate the strength found in community and the power of perseverance.
While it is impossible to feature every graduate, we hope these stories offer a glimpse into the diversity, spirit, and achievements of the Class of 2026.
Congratulations, Lobos — you’ve earned this moment.
Danielle Cummings | Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Psychology
By
Danielle Cummings, who will graduate from The University of New Mexico School of Medicine in May 2026, hasn’t just defied the odds—she has rewritten what people thought those odds were in the first place.
When doctors told her she probably wouldn’t run again, she didn’t accept that as the final word. Today, she is competing internationally in paratriathlon, with her sights set on the Paralympic stage.
And when she was warned that a needed surgery might prevent her from finishing medical school, she faced that challenge head-on too.
Read the full story...
Mutazz Jaber | Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Psychology
By Cameron Goeldner
Mutazz Jaber will become the ninth member of his family to graduate from The University of New Mexico this spring as he walks across the stage with a double major in political science and psychology.
Jaber, who lost his father during his freshman year, used his memory as motivation to get involved on campus.
“I didn’t have any strive to do anything, but entering my sophomore year I decided to get involved and actually make a difference,” Jaber said. “My father was an immigrant from Palestine and he and my mom built such an amazing life for me and my siblings and I thought how privileged of me to throw that all away because I’m grieving. I decided to not let his legacy be in vain.”
Read the full story...
Kingsley Nelson Jr. | Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering
By Cameron Goeldner
Kingsley Nelson Jr.’s impact on The University of New Mexico will remain long after he graduates. Nelson, who is majoring in chemical engineering with a minor in economics, plans to complete a master’s degree at UNM in December via the shared credit program, which allows students to complete graduate credits during their undergraduate studies.
“I grew up around engineering my entire childhood,” Nelson said. “Choosing chemical was the struggle for me, I was fortunate to take part in an LPN nursing program while I was in high school and that’s where I got introduced to a lot of medical principals, anatomy and physiology. That’s where my love for medicine grew and I wanted something that combined the two.”
As a freshman, Nelson walked into African American Student Services and found a community.
Emily Notsinneh | Bachelor of Arts Journalism and Mass Communication
By Anna Padilla
Emily Notsinneh is what she calls a parenting student. She received her associate's degree right out of high school from Central New Mexico College. Nine years later, she’s returning to school with the support of the family she built in that time.
“UNM was the right choice because of all the support they offer students, especially parenting students,” Notsinneh said.
As a first-generation, non-traditional student, Notsinneh felt out of place amongst students who were in a different stage of life that she was. “No one ever made me feel unwelcome or uncomfortable. It was something I had to get through for myself, for the sake of furthering my education,” Notsinneh said.
Read the full story...
Jasmine Hobbs | Doctor of Nursing
By
Jasmine Hobbs, RN, grew up in Grants, N.M., spending time in the hospital with her grandfather and watching nurses show up with compassion and warmth for families on their hardest days. That memory stayed with her.
This spring, she will graduate from The University of New Mexico College of Nursing with her Doctor of Nursing Practice in Adult-Gerontology Acute Care, ready to return to her rural community as the kind of provider she always admired.
Hobbs is very close with her grandfather, who she described as a miracle man. He survived multiple heart attacks over the years.
Read the full story...
Rachel Swanteson-Franz | Juris Doctor
By Anna Padilla
As a child, Rachel Swanteson-Franz used to run and play on what is now UNM’s School of Law campus. She never thought she would end up right back at that school years later to complete her juris doctorate.
She attended the University of New Mexico for both her undergraduate and graduate studies, something she says ultimately changed the trajectory of her academic career.
“I initially wanted to major in dance, but in high school I fell in love with biology. At that point was when the impacts of climate change were becoming very apparent in New Mexico,” Swanteson-Franz said. “I was super lucky to know someone from the biology department, Dr. Ben Hanelt, who brought me on as a volunteer when I was 17 and that really solidified that UNM was where I wanted to go for undergrad."
Read the full story...
Macaiah Shendo | Master of Public Health
By Bryan Schroeder and Photos & Video by Allan Stone
Macaiah Shendo, a student in The University of New Mexico College of Population Health (COPH), is pioneering a new field of brain health care for Indigenous peoples in New Mexico. But if you ask him, he’s no trailblazer. He believes he’s simply doing what he was raised to do: help his community.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Shendo, who is from the Pueblo of Jemez, saw his community struggling and knew he had to do something to help.
He switched his educational track from mechanical and aerospace engineering to psychology, eventually landing at the COPH. In a matter of days, he will graduate with a Master of Public Health degree with a concentration in epidemiology—and he will be one step closer to becoming potentially the first-ever “Indigenous neuropsychological epidemiologist,” he said.
Read the full story...
Solomon Gbara | Bachelor of Arts in Organizational Communication
By Megan Borders and Video Dylan DeYapp
If you’ve spent any time in the McKinnon Center for Management on The University of New Mexico’s central campus, chances are you have crossed paths with Solomon Gbara. He is a constant presence in the second-floor open study area. It’s his favorite place to connect with his fellow students, study, and coordinate impactful meetings and events, all of which make him a cornerstone at the Anderson School of Management.
Gbara entered UNM knowing he wanted to get the most out of his education. He learned early on that it's not just what you know, it’s also who you know. So, he hit the ground running, knowing that an education from the Anderson School with a concentration in entrepreneurship would leverage his skills and future.
Malia Dumlao | Bachelor of Arts in Organizational Communication
By Dani Rae Wascher and Video Justin Otsuka
Malia Dumlao’s college experience took an unexpected turn, leading her from the track & field all the way to the sidelines of an NFL stadium. She is living proof that nothing is out of reach — if you’re willing to try.
Growing up in Roswell, New Mexico, Dumlao came to The University of New Mexico on the Presidential Scholarship, one of the most prestigious awards a student can earn.
“Being able to be one of those students, to represent the scholarship, is amazing,” Dumlao said. “I got to know my donors and seeing them every year at the Presidential Dinner is such a cool feeling. Being able to thank the people who helped support my education means so much.”
Read the full story...
Dava Manes | Bachelor of Arts in Sociology
By Megan Borders
Dava Manes is living proof that it’s never too late to rewrite your story for yourself, your family, and every future student who has ever wondered whether they waited too long to earn a college degree. Making her an inspiration to everyone she meets.
She has reframed education as a lifelong endeavor rather than a youthful requirement. She is the mother of two teenagers, a successful TikTok creator, an entrepreneur, and a lifelong learner.
At this spring’s undergraduate commencement ceremony, Manes will walk across the stage, highlighting years of hard work, perseverance, and navigating life’s challenges to earn her bachelor's degree in sociology. A dream she has had for more than 20 years, and at 40, she will achieve it.
Read the full story...
Taya Perales | Bachelor of Business Administration
By Dani Rae Wascher
“My perspective on UNM has definitely changed throughout my time here and has become more and more positive each year.”
While Taya Perales calls Albuquerque home, she has also found a new one at The University of New Mexico. Originally drawn to the university because of the Lottery Scholarship, her perspective quickly shifted once she set foot on campus.
t was during her sophomore year that her journey truly began to unfold. At the time, Perales was serving as an American Indian Student Services ambassador when one of her supervisors encouraged her to apply for student employment full-time positions. That’s when she discovered Anderson’s SEED — Student Engagement, Empowerment and Development.
Through her work with SEED, Perales helped organize events and guided students as they navigated scholarship and internship opportunities. Working primarily with seniors, she gained early insight into what was possible.
Read the full story...
Rebecca Merzke | Doctor of Pharmacy
By Tamara Lopez and Photos & Video by Allan Stone
“It was terrifying.”
Those are the words Rebecca Merzke used to describe going back to school.
“I was going from making a six-figure salary to selling my house and moving in with my in-laws,” said Merzke, a soon-to-be graduate of The University of New Mexico College of Pharmacy.
She was chosen as this year’s “Inspiring Graduate” for the College, in recognition of Merzke’s years of dedication to her education.
She said she’s what society calls a “non-traditional student.”
Read the full story...
