Portales, NM – October 9, 2025– Eastern New Mexico University will recognize its 2025 Alumni Homecoming Honorees and 2025 Educator Hall of Honor inductee at the 49th Annual ENMU Foundation Homecoming Breakfast on Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025, in the Campus Union Ballroom. The annual banquet will present awards from the ENMU Alumni Association, the ENMU Foundation, and the Educator Hall of Honor.
“Homecoming is a time to welcome back and celebrate our alumni, and the Annual Foundation Homecoming Breakfast is a great tradition and opportunity to recognize some of our very best.” said James Johnston, ENMU Chancellor. “On behalf of ENMU, congratulations to these outstanding alums and thank you for being outstanding representatives of what it means to be a Greyhound.”
The 2025 ENMU Alumni Honorees include the Distinguished Service Award to Annemarie Oldfield, the Honorary Service Award to Phillip Bustos, the Outstanding Alumni Awards to Douglas J. Anderson, Rachael Frija, and Ahren M. Griego, and the 2025 Educator Hall of Honor induction to Gerry C. Washburn.
Annemarie Oldfield (MA 98, BA 91, AA 89), the recipient of the Distinguished Service award, has dedicated nearly four decades to the Eastern New Mexico University System as a student, educator, and administrator. Her remarkable service culminated in her role as Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs at ENMU-Roswell, where she served until her retirement in May 2025. Oldfield has been a fierce advocate for students, faculty, and educational excellence. Her legacy is deeply embedded in the growth and innovation of the ENMU-Roswell campus and the ENMU system.
ENMU Regent Phillip Bustos (BS'78), the recipient of the Honorary Service Award, has dedicated his lifetime to student success, community service, and educational leadership across several states, all rooted in the formative experiences and mentorship he received at Eastern New Mexico University. Bustos received his master's degree in education from the Harvard Graduate School of Education in 1979, which was followed by roles in the field of drug and alcohol prevention and treatment. He later transitioned into several roles in higher education administration while also maintaining work in community service.
Douglas Anderson (MA 99), an Outstanding Alumni Award winner, arrived at Eastern New Mexico University in 1995 with a dream he had nurtured since his teens: to earn graduate degrees and become a professor. While at ENMU, Anderson immersed himself in campus life, serving as executive assistant to Faculty Senate President Dr. Stephen R. Durand. He later completed his Master's in Anthropology in 1999, eventually pursuing a Ph.D. in Religious and Theological Studies. Anderson continued his path in education as an adjunct professor for Front Range Community College in Colorado. In 2017, he joined the Peace Corps, where his work has focused on nutrition, education, and underserved children in locations such as Cuenca, Ecuador, and Medellin, Colombia.
Dr. Rachael Frija (MSN 16), another Outstanding Alumni Award winner, is an inspiring leader, educator, and advocate whose work has advanced the nursing profession across New Mexico and beyond. Her journey into nursing education began at a small hospital in Albuquerque, where she served as a Nursing Professional Development Practitioner. It was there that she discovered her passion for teaching and mentoring new nurses, a passion that would define the next decade of her career. Frija completed her Master of Science in Nursing at ENMU in 2016, applying her learning to nurse development in clinical practice. She later pursued a Doctorate of Nursing Practice in Executive Leadership. Frija holds a double certification in Nursing Professional Development and Nursing Executive Leadership.
Ahren M. Griego (MS 19, MEd 17), the final Outstanding Alumni Award winner, has built a career defined by service, leadership, and a deep commitment to young people. A proud graduate of Eastern New Mexico University, where he earned both a Master of Education in Special Education Pedagogy in 2017 and a Master of Science in Sports Administration in 2019, Ahren has combined his academic preparation with his passion for teaching and athletics to impact thousands of lives in Albuquerque and across New Mexico.
The ENMU Educator Hall of Honor will welcome Dr. Gerry Washburn as their newest member. Dr. Gerry Washburn (MA 06, BS 78), a lifelong educator and proud native of New Mexico, currently serves as Superintendent of Carlsbad Municipal Schools, a position he has held since 2019. With more than three decades of service in public education, he has built a legacy rooted in leadership, mentorship, and a steadfast commitment to student success.
For more information on the Alumni Association and ENMU Foundation honorees being recognized at the 49th Annual ENMU Foundation Homecoming Breakfast on Saturday, Oct. 25, please visit enmu.edu/Homecoming.
