Click link above for "Announcements," six-word autobiographies and "Spotlight on the Classroom."

Welcome to the Student-Produced Monday Memo
Erin Griffith	Roma Vivas	Laila Haislett	Robin Haislett	Crystal Parra

Communication Services students Erin Griffith (editor), Roma Vivas, mascot Laila and Robin Haislett and Crystal Parra were dazed and confused when their Editor-in-Chef, Wendel Sloan, left them to compete on Bravo's "Top Chef" as his alter-ego, Chef Juandel. These students are responsible for the content of this issue. All praise and (especially) blame should be directed toward them.

Video Alert
	Watch video of "The Anglo Mariachi Cowboy" with "The Spanish Beauty" at the recent Hispanic Fashion Show at Eastern New Mexico University. [click here for video]

ENMU Hosting High Plains Film Festival May 10

ENMU graduates Michelle Tomlinson and Landall Goolsby, shown above in the movie "Backfire," will present an "Acting for the Camera Workshop."

Audio Alert
Listen to High Plains Film Festival director Laurel Petty engage in witty repartee while promoting the May 10 High Plains Film Festival with host Grant McGee on KTQM radio in Clovis. [interview] (Googled photo)

Interview with Michelle Tomlinson by Wendel Sloan Communication Services "If you work hard enough and smart enough, it's impossible not to see results." – Michelle Tomlinson

Q. How did ENMU prepare you for your career as an actress?

A. I wanted to act when I was a little kid but abandoned the idea in high school when I fell in love with video productions and worked on the technical side.

When I came to ENMU, I took a theatrical make-up Class with Felipe Macias and a beginning acting class with Dr. Patrick Rucker and completely fell in love with it all over again. Those two classes taught me the very beginnings of what it's like to morph into another person's "skin" to take on a character.

Thanks to Janeice Scarbrough casting me in my first play, "Romeo and Juliet," I started to gain a little bit of confidence in myself as an actor.

I was fortunate to get cast in several plays at Eastern. I firmly believe theatre gives an actor a strong foundation from which to spring into film and television.

ENMU, through the various classes and productions, gave me the freedom to grow and learn and thrive in my passion in a very safe environment. I practically lived in the theatre while I was there and learned as much as possible about everything I could from different acting techniques to theatrical make-up to stage-craft and stage combat.

It was also good for us to have to audition for all the upcoming plays each semester. You must know what that's like before pursuing a career in this industry. I learned a lot about the discipline of the craft and the intense focus it takes to take even a centimeter forward.

Q. What are the most important things you expect to teach the students attending your acting workshop at ENMU?

A. Besides the obvious of how different acting on camera is different from acting on stage, I hope to impress upon them the intense focus and discipline you have to have to pursue acting in general. It's easy to be a big fish in a small pond, but you need to be okay moving to the ocean and becoming a minnow again.

Q. What is the Hollywood life like, and are you having to do other things to make ends meet?

A. Hollywood life is really what you make it. There's a challenge in finding the balance between going out and trying to meet people by going to networking events and auditioning and trying to figure out the quagmire of the industry. Add to that any kind of day job, and it's pretty nutty for the first year or two you're here.

I do still have other jobs. I live a blessed life by working with an acting coach named Amy Lyndon and I am also an acting coach myself. I'm really fortunate to be able to be all about acting 150 percent of the time. It's virtually impossible to lose my focus living like this. I'm allowed the flexibility a lot of actors aren't with what I do to make ends meet.

Q. What are the ultimate challenges or goals for you as an actress? A. Hours in the day! I tend to, whether on set or not, work extremely long hours. By work, it could mean: working with Amy, coaching my own students, going to networking events, looking for a new agent, doing an Internet radio interview show, doing online interviews for various publications, attending screenings, submitting myself for projects, auditioning, etc. It's important to me to keep creating my own momentum and I can't do that by sitting on my duff. As for goals, there are currently four feature films that are awaiting funding that I am either to star in or play one of the leads. Every one of them has massive potential and I would love for this recession to end soon so we can get to it. Two of them are very action oriented, and that's the direction I feel my career going and I'm thrilled. I'm also set to direct a short film for a friend in the coming months and am really excited to try my hand in that arena and see what comes to fruition with it.

Q. Other thoughts?

A. Life is short and it's vital to follow your dreams no matter what the odds are that people think are stacked against you. If you work hard enough and smart enough, it's impossible not to see results.

Landall Goolsby Pursues Hollywood Dream by Wendel Sloan Communication Services “I may not be in front of a camera with Spielberg yelling ‘Action,’ at least not yet, but I am living my dream." – Landall Goolsby

Landall Goolsby not only owns a video store in Portales but also appears on some of the DVDs. Since graduating from Eastern in 1993 with a bachelor’s in theatre performance, he has pursued an acting career in Hollywood. “My first theatrical film, oddly enough, was called Video Store: The Movie,” Mr. Goolsby says. Not yet a household name, he has done whatever it takes to make ends meet. “I started walking dogs in exchange for acting classes,” he says.

He was a live-in housesitter/dog walker for six months in a Bel Air mansion, started a celebrity fan mail service and spent eight years as a personal assistant for Hollywood writers and actors.

Born in Portales, Mr. Goolsby has made steady progress – including "Target Versace," his first large feature film role. His "Gardens of the Night" played at the Berlin Film Festival.

He prepared carefully to play Andy Warhol in an episode of "American Dreams" on TV. “It was for one line and I rented all these Warhol documentaries.” Other appearances include "Criminal Minds" and "Cold Case" on CBS.

His largest profile role was in "The Eye" with Jessica Alba, shot in Albuquerque. Except for one line, his part got cut. “Still, it opened up some doors.”

Mr. Goolsby had a significant role in "The Last One," a horror film. He also shot a pilot for Spike TV called "1,000 Ways to Die." He auditions for more of the “character-y type roles. ‘Nerdy’ and ‘uptight’ are two words I have gotten to know very well. I also have had success with creepy characters, and my glasses get me cast in the cerebral roles.”

He did a TBS promo for the TV show "My Boy," where he met comedian Bill Engvall. Other actors he has met include Peta Wilson, Naomi Watts and the late Heath Ledger. Living at the foot of the “Hollywood” sign, Mr. Goolsby says that any success is a bonus. “I may not be in front of a camera with Spielberg yelling ‘Action,’ at least not yet, but I am living my dream. Anyone

can do anything. You just have to be clear about what you want and go after it. Oh yeah, and get a dog. That’s the other secret.”

Video Alert
	Watch a new Spanish TV commercial ENMU's Communication Services produced with Telemundo Amarillo to air on their station for at least three months beginning in the middle of May. [commercial]

2009 Spring Wellness Tennis Tournament (photos by Erin Griffith)

Hot Action on a Hot Day – These were the participants in the 2009 ENMU Spring Wellness Mixed-Doubles Tennis Tournament on Sunday afternoon, May 3. In a unique format organized by commissioner Minnie Bresler, the men and women rotated opposite-sex partners after each match, and individuals scored one point for each winning match. Total individual points determined separate winners for women and men.

Female Participants

1st Place Women – Jane Blakeley

2nd Place Women – Jane Liu (in playoff with Jessica Eden)

Male Participants

1st Place Men – Wendel Sloan

2nd Place Men – Steve Blakeley

Party After Tennis Tournament

Hosted by Rick and Minnie Bresler (photo by Wendel Sloan)

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Jolene Turpin Retires
Story and photo by Erin Griffith
Communication Services

Jolene Turpin, an institutional research specialist, sprinted full-force to her finish line at Eastern New Mexico University.

Ms. Turpin retired from Eastern Friday, May 1, moved to Lubbock on Saturday, May 2, and began her new job at Texas Tech University on Monday, May 4.

“I didn’t give myself any downtime.  I wanted to give as much here at the office as I could before I left; I didn’t want to leave stuff unfinished,” she said.

Ms. Turpin married her husband, David, last year.  “We were trying to work out a good place for both of us to go, and we both have family in Lubbock, so we’re going to start over there,” she said.  Her husband is currently deployed in Iraq with the Army National Guard, but should be back in August.

The people and the camaraderie in her office will be what Ms. Turpin misses the most, but she will also miss the school. “Since I’ve been here so long; it’s like home to me,” she said. 

Since she started working for the University in 1982, she has twice been the recipient of the Spirit of Eastern award and received a special recognition from the New Mexico Higher Education Assessment Association for her service to that organization.

She and her husband are having a house built in Lubbock, so she will be living with her mother for a while.  Ms. Turpin said, “My mom says, ‘You never can get rid of kids, they’re always coming back to live with you,’ but I know she’s secretly happy.”

Ms. Turpin says that once she can save up vacation time at Texas Tech, she will visit her grandkids: one lives here, one in Artesia, one in Arizona and one in Houston.

Scenes from Jolene Turpin's Retirement Party (photos by Erin Griffith)

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Mark Isham Retires
Story and photo by Erin Griffith
Communication Services

"I am going to fish, travel and read," says Dr. Mark Isham, associate professor of education foundations and graduate coordinator. Dr. Isham is preparing to retire after a 35-year teaching career, 27 of which have been at Eastern New Mexico University.

He recalls clearly his arrival to Portales in 1982. "I arrived Friday, August 20, at 7 a.m., just in time to shower and change clothes for the faculty breakfast and meetings that began at 8."

Among his many contributions to the education department, Dr. Isham helped coordinate the revision of the teacher education program in the late 1980s, gained recognition by the New Mexico Department of Education as exemplary. Personally, he is also proud to have served on several search committees and to have been influential in bringing to campus many of his talented and dedicated colleagues, whom he will sorely miss.

Above all, though, Dr. Isham says he will miss the students. "The real reward about teaching here is the students. I always look forward to classes where students are enthusiastic and want to learn and improve their skills."

As for retired life, Dr. Isham, who has been collecting mystery stories he needs to read, will divide his time between here and Minnesota where his sister lives.

"There are over 10,000 lakes in Minnesota, and I've only fished about a half dozen," says Dr. Isham, who loves the tranquility of simply being on a lake, and who says it would not really bother him if he caught no fish.

While his favorite fish to eat is tuna, Dr. Isham strictly practices catch-and-release. His favorite lakes, so far, are Clearwater, Vermilion, Winnibigosh and Osakis.

Along with fishing, he hopes to travel and spend large chunks of time particularly in France and England. He says he has not spent much time in Europe, "just enough to whet my appetite."

Dr. Isham summarizes, "As they say, it's been a good ride."

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Anthony Schroeder Retires
by Roma Vivas
Communication Services

Dr. Anthony Schroeder has given Eastern New Mexico University 33 years of service and says that now it is time move on.

The communication professor says he is looking forward to retirement and taking things slowly.

“I really don’t have big plans for when I retire, maybe going out to the grass and sleeping and having my dogs lay on top of me,” Dr. Schroeder said laughing.

The debate and forensics team advisor came to Eastern in 1975 because it was close to his home town of Trinidad, Colo.

“Before coming here I was living in Michigan and I wanted to get out of the cold and back to the Southwest,” Dr. Schroeder said

The three decades Dr. Schroeder has been a professor at Eastern have been one of the greatest pleasures of his life, but not without challenges.

“I have introduced literature to many of my students and got them to read more. When they go to tournaments they hear about pieces of literature and they say, ‘That’s pretty cool and interesting,’ so they get stimulated and start doing some research,” Dr. Schroeder said.

Despite the retirement plans, Dr. Schroeder does not plan to stop teaching.  There is a possibility of becoming part of the Fullbright Fellowship where professors get to teach in a foreign country.

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Video Alert
	Press conference with new Greyhound basketball coach Andrew Helton. – [video]

Andrew Helton Press Conference (photo and video by Wendel Sloan)

Video Alert
	Native-American Appreciation Banquet in Ballroom on Thursday night. [video] (video by Wendel Sloan)

KENW Receives Check (photo by Erin Griffith)

David Essex, Community Service Manager for Xcel Energy, presents a check to KENW-TV for programming support.  Pictured left to right are: Duane Ryan, Sheryl Borden, David Essex and Rena Garrett.

Sasha Parker Wins Laptop (photos by Casey Gregerson)
Sasha Parker won the laptop in a drawing after taking Noel Levitz's distance education survey.

Scenes from Mud Volleyball: Sponsored by ENMU Foundation and Student Government (photos by Roma Vivas)
Video Alert – Watch video, shot by Erin Griffith, of the Mud Volleyball Tournament. [Click Here]

Greyhound Football Golf Tournament

Brave Golfers –Golfers of various skill levels braved the nippy weather (though probably not as cold as participants in the mud volleyball tournament) Saturday morning at the Clovis Municipal Golf Course in a fundraiser hosted by the Greyhound football program. ENMU noon-time hoopsters John Kirby and Wendel Sloan participated on the third-place team. (photo by Wendel Sloan)

TRiO Celebration

On April 14, Eastern New Mexico University hosted TRiO Day with the three TRiO Programs. The TRiO programs represented were Upward Bound, Educational Talent Search (ETS), and Student Support Services (SSS, known at ENMU as the College Success Program). Each Program nominated a TRiO Voice as a speaker on behalf of the TRiO Program. Morris Sharp III represented ENMU Upward Bound; Nicole Padilla represented CCC Upward Bound; Isabel Gonzalez represented ENMU SSS; Felecia Cantwell represented CCC SSS’ Courtney Kyle represented ENMU ETS. The 2009 TRiO Achiever was Leticia Ibarra Perez an ENMU Alumni who participated in ENMU Upward Bound and SSS.

African American Musical Talent Show