Honors Week
The Honors College is excited to announce that the week of October 27th to 31st 2025 will be Honors Week! Honors Week events will occur *instead* of classes for that week and it is intended to expose you to the range of different interests and expertise that find their home within Honors and provide the opportunity to develop connections among topics and to our three “Cs” (Community, Curiosity, Creativity).
During Honors Week all instructors are going to run fun events highlighting the expertise and interests that they bring to Honors. Each student is expected to attend at least two different events during Honors Week from instructors who *aren’t* teaching your current classes (Preview Night counts as one!). We hope you’ll come to more, though! Events will be spread throughout Honors Week – see below for a list of opportunities, times, and places. Most events are capacity limited, so plan to arrive early to make sure you get the opportunity to participate where you want to (priority will be given to students who have attended fewer than two events). Be sure to bring your Lobo ID, because participation will be recorded by card swipe.
At the end of Honors Week, each student will need to submit brief answers to two questions. These will be submitted to their regular class instructors *not* the faculty with whom they take Honors Week events. These two questions are:
- How did you participate in Community, Curiosity, and Creativity during Honors Week?
- What connections can you draw between your Honors Week activities?
We hope Honors Week will be a part of our calendar for years to come, so we’ll be soliciting feedback on how we can improve after the event is over. Looking forward to seeing you all there!
Click here to view the Honors College Calendar with all of the events!!
Honors College Students should sign up for events prior to the event start. To sign up for an event, click on the title of the event to access the sign up form. Email us at honors@unm.edu if you have any questions.
List of Honors Week Events:
***Please note: Times and locations of events are subject to change! Please keep checking back in case any changes occur.
Jump Into Honors Week!
***This event does not count as in Honors Week event. This events goal is to promote Honors Week and give students a chance to learn more and ask questions.***
Time and Day: Monday, October 20, 2025, 12:00pm
Duration: 60 minutes
Location: Honors College Forum
Sponsoring Faculty Member(s): Honors College Roadrunners
Description of Event:
Curious about Honors Week? Wondering what exactly it is, and the kinds of events that will be happening during it? Come to the forum for a quick info session about Honors Week to find out all the insider details on this exciting new venture for the Honors College!
Bearing Creative Witness to Plastics Pollution
Time and Day: Asynchronous
Duration: 1 Hour
Location: Wherever you are, so long as you are outside!
Student Capacity: No Limit
Sponsoring Faculty Member(s): Dr. Bethany Jorgensen
Description of Event:
Plastics pollution can be found just about wherever there are humans – and often where we are not. In the course of any given day, you will probably pass by many different examples of plastics pollution – even right on UNM's campus. The aim of this activity is to heighten your awareness of plastics pollution and challenge you to bear witness to it while using your artistic skills to give it "voice ". In your own time, and in a place you care about, you will set out to start seeing plastics. Rather than conducting a cleanup, however, you will choose one piece that speaks to you and use it to create a piece of art. It could be a painting. It could be a photo. It could be a poem, or a sketch, a sculpture or a collage. Or you could write the story of how it came to be where it is, of what it tells you about its life and its journey so far, and of where it will go in the end. Over the course of the week, we will compile our pieces and make them available on display in the Honors College. By bearing creative witness to plastics, we will, in turn, be raising awareness about one of the most pressing socioecological concerns of our time. This activity can be done on your own or collaboratively with friends.
Photo courtesy of Papacría Lanzarote.
Hopeful Action = Powerful Change
Since this event is fully online, there is no form to sign up in advance. So, just watch the video online at your convenience. If your honors teachers need to track your attendance, feel free to fill out the Viewers and Comments form at the link below, and Dr. Donovan will let your teachers know.
Time and Day: Virtual, asynchronous video presentation available online any time during Honors Week
Duration: Approximately 45 minutes
Location: Online on viewers’ own devices through this link. To track your attendance viewing this video and to provide comments about the video to the students who created it, access the Viewers and Comments form here.
Student Capacity: No limit
Sponsoring Faculty Member(s): Leslie Donovan
Description of Event:
Ever wondered why nonviolent movements and actions have increased so dramatically over the last 25-40 years? Did you know that "nonviolent resistance campaigns are nearly twice as likely to achieve full or partial success as their violent counterparts" (Chenoweth and Stephan, Why Civil Resistance Works, 7)? Students enrolled in Dr. Leslie Donovan’s 400-level honors course created an online video presentation that explores the history, practice, and continuing relevance of nonviolent action. The video may be viewed online at any time on any device throughout Honors Week.
Mini Explora
Time and Day: Monday, October 27, 2025, 9am
Duration: 3 hours
Location: Honors College Flex Lab (Classroom 1020)
Student Capacity: 12 students in the Flex Lab, but students can wander in and out
Sponsoring Faculty Member(s): Dr. Carmen Sorge
Description of Event:
Small science “snacks” that students can interact with such as colored shadows, filters, optics, waves, sound and so on.
Plant Scavenger Hunt
Time and Day: Monday, October 27, 2025, 10am
Duration: 1-1.25 hrs
Location: Honors College Patio
Student Capacity: 20
Sponsoring Faculty Member(s): Tomasz Falkowski
Description of Event:
Students will participate in a campus plant scavenger hunt designed to sharpen their observational and identification skills. Working in small groups, they will solve riddles that lead them to specific plants around campus, where they will then use a dichotomous key to correctly identify each species.
Narcan Training
Time and Day: Monday, October 27, 2025, 11:00am
Duration: 60 minutes
Location: Honors College Forum
Student Capacity: 20
Sponsoring Faculty Member(s): Amy Farnbach Pearson
Description of Event:
Learn how to save a life! In 2021, over 100,000 Americans died of opioid overdose, and New Mexico ranked among the top 10 states for drug overdose deaths per capita. Opioids account for more than 70% of these deaths. Narcan (naloxone) reverses opioid overdose, and fentanyl testing strips prevent it. Come learn how to use both and go home with your own to have in case of emergency. UNM’s COSAP will present the training, and we will take some time to practice the process to be ready in case we need to give the medication someday.
What are Logarithms Even For?
Note: Click on the date to view the sign up sheet
Time and Day: Monday, October 27, 2025, 11:30am AND Wednesday, October 29, 2025, 1pm
Duration: 1 hour and 15 minutes
Location: Honors College Classroom 1004
Student Capacity: 20
Sponsoring Faculty Member(s): Chris Holden
Description of Event:
When logarithms come up, even compliant students start to wonder if all these functions and rules have any reason for existing other than pure sadism. If you ask YouTube, you tend to get some hand waving about science or something, but most people aren’t convinced. It seems like life would be simpler if no one ever invented logs.
It turns out the truth is hidden from us because logarithms were first invented to make arithmetic a tiny bit more bearable. Now that we let machines do all the number crunching, this original purpose disappears leaving us having to memorize rules that feel pointless.
This session will take a look inside the birth of logarithms, a once powerful ally to those who understand that fractions suck and arithmetic is hard. And from this, we’ll have an example that can clue us into a much broader truth. The way that things work in the world, even and especially math, are pretty messy and make more sense as funny things that happened than any sort of logic.
When I tell people I teach Honors classes about math where we read and talk, I get confused stares. I hope this helps.
A Hands-On Tour of New Mexico Nuclear History
Time and Day: Monday, October 27, 2025, 1pm
Duration: 1 hour
Location: Honors College Forum
Student Capacity: 18-30
Sponsoring Faculty Member(s): Carl Willis
Description of Event:
Nuclear technologies impact everyone. These technologies are especially important in the modern history of New Mexico, which is the birthplace of nuclear weapons, is geologically endowed with vast uranium resources, and is presently home to the US’s only deep geological nuclear waste repository, only operating uranium enrichment facility, two national laboratories, three nuclear weapon test sites, and significant environmental legacies requiring expert management. Students will reflect on artifacts (with companion photos and descriptions) representing the impact of nuclear technologies on New Mexico. (Items are radioactive in almost all cases and handling will be supervised.)
Medieval Mischief: Performing Mankind
Time and Day: Monday, October 27, 2025, 1pm
Duration: 75 minutes
Location: Honors College Classroom 1004
Student Capacity: 15-20 students
Sponsoring Faculty Member(s): Dr. Richard Obenauf
Description of Event:
Step into the hilariously irreverent world of Mankind, a late medieval English morality play that has entertained audiences for more than five centuries. Written in the 1470s and preserved in a single surviving manuscript, Mankind combines slapstick comedy, bawdy humor, and biting satire with serious questions about temptation, morality, and the purpose of life in the Middle Ages.
In this interactive event, students will hear a brief introduction to the play’s historical context before taking the stage themselves to perform selected scenes in Dr. Obenauf’s modern translation. Whether staged as a lively group performance or an informal table read, expect devilish villains, obscene comedy, and a surprising moral lesson. No acting experience required—just curiosity about the past and a good sense of humor.
CANCELLED: Fulbright, the Scoop from an Alum
Time and Day: Monday, October 27, 2025, 2:15pm
Duration: 45 minutes
Location: Honors College Forum
Student Capacity: 18
Sponsoring Faculty Member(s): Dr. Bridgit Luján
Description of Event:
Explore how to discover your unique stand-out research project. Discover what country best fits you and your project. Learn how to prepare for a Fulbright award. Students will need a pencil and 3-4 sheets of paper for brainstorming. Session will begin with a presentation and followed with individual/group brainstorming exercises.
Protest Posters!
Time and Day: Monday, Oct. 27, 2025, 4:00pm
Duration: 2 hrs 45 mins
Location: Honors College Classroom 1004
Student Capacity: 18-20
Sponsoring Faculty Member(s): Felipe Guevara
Description of Event:
Protest posters and the imagery they employ have historically served as potent instruments for expressing dissent and challenging social and political injustices. During Honors Week, you are invited to participate in a hands-on workshop where you will have the opportunity to design your own protest poster addressing an issue of personal significance. The event will also highlight influential protest posters that have shaped key social and political movements throughout United States history. All necessary materials will be provided, though you are welcome to bring additional supplies if desired.
Ways of Knowing Film Screening + Filmmakers Panel
Time and Day: Monday, October 27, 2025, 5pm
Duration: 1.5 Hours
Location: SUB Lobo Theater
Student Capacity: Lobo Theater Max
Sponsoring Faculty Member(s):Myrriah Gómez
Description of Event:
Ways of Knowing is a project where Navajo traditional culture and ecological knowledge reclaim and retell the nuclear legacy of the Southwest. It is an invitation to experience and learn the land — to unsee state borders, land claims, and uranium mines, and instead acknowledge the sacredness of the landscape and its capacity to heal under the loving stewardship of Indigenous elders, scholars and activists. This land – Diné Bikéyah – holds a history much deeper than the atom bomb, and has a future that transcends resource extraction and war. After the film, the filmakers will discuss the film-making process!
Film Showing: The Hunt for Gollum
Since this is a hybrid event-- in the Honors Forum and online-- there is no limit for attendance and no form to sign up in advance. So, just show up in the Forum or on the Zoom link below to watch the film. Dr. Donovan will track the in-person and Zoom attendance to let your teachers know.
Time and Day: Monday, October 27, 2025, at 5:30 pm
Duration: Approximately 60 minutes
Location: Honors College Forum and on Zoom.
To join on Zoom:
https://unm.zoom.us/j/93899973157
Meeting ID: 938 9997 3157
Student Capacity: 50+ and unlimited online
Sponsoring Faculty Member(s): Leslie Donovan
Description of Event:
In 2027, Warner Bros. films is scheduled to release a new film titled The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum. While fans are excited about this new installment to film adaptations of Tolkien’s works, did you know there was a 2009 film titled The Hunt for Gollum, produced by independent UK filmmakers? For Honors Week, Dr. Leslie Donovan will host a showing of the 2009 version (~40 minutes). The film will be shown as a hybrid presentation for in-person audiences in the Forum and virtual audiences on Zoom. After the film, we will discuss it informally. Refreshments will be provided in the Forum for in-person attendees.
Irish Dance: Cultural Nationalism vs. Colonialism
Time and Day: Tuesday, October 28, 2025, 9:30 am
Duration: 75 minutes
Location: Honors College Forum
Student Capacity: 30
Sponsoring Faculty Member(s): Maria Szasz and Renée Faubion
Description of Event:
This workshop will contemplate Irish Dance--its origins, characteristics, and history. We will discuss the Irish language, Catholics and Protestants, Nationalism, Republicanism and Unionism; the establishment of the Irish Republic and Northern Ireland, Colonialism, and The Troubles. We will also learn a brief (and not too difficult!) Irish Dance combination called the 'Skip-Two-Threes.' Everyone is warmly invited to join us--no prior experience in dance needed! Fáilte (welcome in Irish)!"
Batik Fabric as Empowerment
Time and Day: Tuesday, October 28, 2025, 11 am
Duration: 1 hour
Location: Honors College Flex Lab (Classroom 1020)
Student Capacity: 18
Sponsoring Faculty Member(s): Megan Jacobs
Description of Event:
Learn how international non-profit organizations, such as Global Mamas in Ghana, empower and employ women to create unique, handmade textiles while earning fair wages. Learn how to make a batik textile using wax resist using designs specific to New Mexico! Students will keep the textiles they create and dye!
Critical Thinking with Vampires and Serial Killers
Time and Day: Tuesday, October 28, 2025, at 12:30
Duration: 75 minutes
Location: Honors College Forum
Student Capacity: 20+
Sponsoring Faculty Member(s): Renee Faubion
Description of Event:
Test your knowledge and your reasoning in a game that will be part trivia, part problem solving. While some familiarity with horror and serial killer history will be helpful, you will work in teams, so you can pool your knowledge.
Design for Compassionate Interactions
Time and Day: Tuesday, October 28, 2025, 1pm
Duration: 1 hour
Location: Honors College Classroom 1040
Student Capacity: 18
Sponsoring Faculty Member(s): Megan Jacobs, Vanessa Svihla, and Leslie Donovan
Description of Event:
How can design for disability be affirming? Nearly 1 in 3 people will experience disability in their lifetime, yet disability is often left out of mainstream conversations, ignoring disability as a fundamental human experience. This hands-on workshop introduces crip futurity, a framework that replaces ableism with joy, and celebrates some of the ways disability serves as a source of creativity. Students will work in small groups to explore how norms, systems, and designs produce disability, and draw inspiration from disability innovations, like curb cuts and electric toothbrushes, that benefit everyone. Students will redesign systems, norms, or interactions in ways that affirm the agency of disabled people/people with disabilities, fostering compassion, and supporting human flourishing.
Getting your kicks on Route 66
Time and Day: Tuesday, October 28, 2025, 1pm
Duration: 1.5 hours
Location: Meet outside of the library on the top floor of George Pearl Hall
Student Capacity: 25
Sponsoring Faculty Member(s): Troy Lovata, Jason Moore
Description of Event:
New Mexico contained the longest stretch of the iconic 2448 mile-long Route 66, the Mother Road, which ran from Chicago to Los Angeles and turns 100 in 2026. But did you know that it is part of Lobo history, too? Main Campus lies on Route 66 (a.k.a. Central Avenue) and has seen all the waves of travellers pass through by that route: early refugees fleeing the dust bowl; those fortunate enough to be able to be tourists during its heyday in the 50s and 60s; the last stragglers before it was decertified in 1985; and more recent visitors interested in the fascinating history of this piece of Americana. And commuting college students…
During the Spring Semester of 2026 Professors Troy Lovata and Jason Moore, along with Senior Teacher Sarah Fryberger, will be offering a once-in-a-lifetime 100th Anniversary edition of their 3 CR Honors course: The Geology and Anthropology of Route 66, which will travel the entire length of Route 66 in NM (and some) over a 9 day field trip. This 2-hour walk along historic Route 66 in Albuquerque will give you a taster of that course, focusing on some of the amazing history of the corridor that has been used to travel across New Mexico ever since there have been people in New Mexico. We’ll think about landscapes, tchotchkes, food, music, neon, rubber, and chrome, along with some of the darker history of displacement and discrimination associated with Route 66.
The Beauty of the Beat: Hip Hop Production
Time and Day: Tuesday, October 28, 2025, 2pm
Duration: 2.5 hours
Location: Honors College Conference Room 1052
Student Capacity: 18
Sponsoring Faculty Member(s): Johannes Barfield and Will Barnes
Description of Event:
Professors Johannes Barfield and Will Barnes invite students to an interactive workshop on the art of hip hop music production. Participants will experiment with an Akai MPC 2000xl sampler/drum machine, vinyl records, and a record player to discover how beats are built from scratch. Drawing from a collection of historically significant records, students will explore the process of creating drum patterns and sampling the sounds that shaped rap music.
Level up your Academic Reading
Time and Day: Tuesday, October 28, 2025, 2pm
Duration: 45 minutes
Location: Honors College Forum
Student Capacity: 50
Sponsoring Faculty Member(s): Jason Moore/CTL
Description of Event:
Academic reading is more than just getting through the pages; it is about actively engaging with the material to understand and retain it. In this workshop, you will learn strategies to approach reading assignments with greater focus and purpose. You will explore techniques for interpreting, evaluating, and synthesizing information to deepen your comprehension and make meaningful connections across texts. By the end, you will be equipped to get more out of your readings and apply what you’ve learned more effectively in class discussions, assignments, and exams.
Fun With TTRPGs
Time and Day: Tuesday, October 28, 2025, 3pm
Duration: 1 hour
Location: Honors College Classroom 1004
Student Capacity: 20
Sponsoring Faculty Member(s): Jonatha Kottler
Description of Event:
Join super-nerd Jona Kottler to talk about the history of TTRPGs, the best games for getting started, tips on character creation, GMing, D&D, Indie Games, pregen adventures and free resources. Lots of dorky roleplaying discussion, and the chance to win some great swag! Bring your pencils and 7-sets, or show up to find out what that means.
Paleoart: Art the Boundary of Art & Science Roundtable Discussion
Time and Day: Tuesday, October 28, 2025, 3pm
Duration: 2 hours
Location: Honors College Forum
Student Capacity: 30
Sponsoring Faculty Member(s): Jason Moore
Description of Event:
Paleoart: Art the Boundary of Art & Science Roundtable Discussion
Mystery Powder Identification
Time and Day: Tuesday, October 28, 2025, 3:30pm
Duration: 1 hour
Location: Honors College Flex Lab (Classroom 1020)
Student Capacity: 15
Sponsoring Faculty Member(s): Kwabena Dabie
Description of Event:
As a curious and creative honors student, this is your time to shine. You will be using your curiosity and creativity to identify an unknown "mystery" powder. This hands-on activity provides a method for identifying some mystery powders based on their physical and chemical properties.
Games for Writing
Time and Day: Tuesday, October 28, 2025, 5pm
Duration: 1 hour
Location: Honors College Forum
Student Capacity: 30
Sponsoring Faculty Member(s): Jonatha Kottler
Description of Event:
If you love to write and have trouble with the "discipline" of writing, come and learn some fun games that are a great gateway to creative writing of all kinds.
Paleoart Workshop
Time and Day: Tuesday, October 28, 2025, 5pm
Duration: 1 hour
Location: Honors College Flex Lab (Classroom 1020)
Student Capacity: 18
Sponsoring Faculty Member(s): Ian Hutchinson
Description of Event:
Join Ian Hutchinson in demonstrating a step-by-step process to reconstructing artistic portrayals of prehistoric organisms. Be sure to bring questions and practice artwork related to paleontological background, anatomy, and paleoartistry during this workshop!
AI Time Travelers
Time and Day: Tuesday, October 28, 2025, 5:30 pm
Duration: 1 hour
Location: Online/Asynchronous (Zoom)
Student Capacity: 20
Sponsoring Faculty Member(s): Dr. Dayra Fallad-Mendoza
Description of Event:
Zoom Link: https://unm.zoom.us/j/99126688810
Did you know AI is not that new? Join me on a journey through the history of artificial intelligence through an interactive, game-based session. Together, we’ll uncover key milestones in the history of AI, from the early days of Alan Turing’s famous test to today’s generative AI. This 60-minute showcase is designed for students who are curious, collaborative, and ready to think critically about the role of AI in knowledge and discovery.
Scribendi Open Mic
Time and Day: Tuesday, October 28, 2025, 6pm
Duration: 2 hours
Location: Honors College Forum
Student Capacity:100 students
Sponsoring Faculty Member(s):Amaris Ketcham
Description of Event:
The annual Scribendi Open Mic will be held during Honors Week! Bring your poems, stories, songs, stand-up, and art to share at this year’s event. Hosted and emceed by the Scribendi staff, students take over the forum and share creative works that are funny and heartfelt, daring and eclectic. All forms of creativity are welcome—by all students! We look forward to hearing your work!
Wheels Museum Field Trip
Time and Day: Wednesday, October 29, 2025, 8:30am
Duration: 3 hours
Location: We will leave from campus to go to the Wheels Museum
Student Capacity: 32
Sponsoring Faculty Member(s): Naomi Yavneh Klos
Description of Event:
Wheels Museum is a nonprofit organization in the Albuquerque Rail Yards dedicated to collecting, preserving, and creating educational exhibits about the history of transportation in Albuquerque and New Mexico with emphasis on the impact on the development of the area. Their collections embrace the history of the railroads, the impact of the rail yards on Albuquerque, as well as automobiles, horse and wagon, and other modes of transportation. We will have a tour of the museum with its founder, and brainstorm ideas for creative uses of their space.
Honors Cheat Codes
Time and Day: Wednesday, October 29, 2025, 9am
Duration: 1 hour
Location: Honors College Forum
Student Capacity: 50
Sponsoring Faculty Member(s): Jason Moore
Description of Event:
What can you get out of Honors beyond Priority Registration? Do you want to know how to maximise your membership in our community? Come and chat with the Honors College Chair and learn a compilation of secrets, little-known benefits, and hints compiled from Honors faculty and staff that will help you graduate; explain Honors to your friends, family and future employers; and get the most out of our community, curiosity, and creativity.
The High Achiever’s Struggle: Tackling Impostor Syndrome, Perfectionism & Fixed Mindsets
Time and Day: Wednesday, October 29, 2025, 10am
Duration: 1 hour
Location: Honors College Forum
Student Capacity: 25
Sponsoring Faculty Member(s): Jason Moore
Description of Event:
Do you ever feel like you're not as capable as others think you are—despite your accomplishments? High-achieving students often face intense pressure, leading to impostor syndrome, perfectionism, and fixed mindsets that can make their college experience more difficult or even hold them back. This workshop creates a space to explore these challenges, understand their impact, and learn evidence-based strategies to build self-compassion, confidence, and a growth-oriented mindset. Join us for real talk, reflection, and tools to help you thrive—not just strive.
Off to the (Wikipedia) Races
Time and Day: Wednesday, October 29, 2025,11:00am
Duration: 1 hour
Location: Honors College Classroom 1040
Student Capacity: 18
Sponsoring Faculty Member(s): Amy Farnbach Pearson
Description of Event:
Challenge yourself to find pathways between seemingly disconnected topics and ideas in this fast-paced game! Race to navigate between Wikipedia pages related to Honors College professors’ areas of expertise, using only the links on each page you visit. Use your wits, creativity and navigation skills to see how quickly you can find the connections.
Please bring a device you can use to access Wikipedia.
Grab a Bite, Take a Bag, and Meet the New Dean
Time and Day: Wednesday, October 29, 2025, 12pm (or until supplies last)
Duration: 1.5 hours
Location: Honors College Forum
Student Capacity: 250
Sponsoring Faculty Member(s): Dr. Sarita Cargas
Description of Event:
Join us for Lunch with the Dean! Enjoy a free meal, meet the new Dean of the Honors College, and grab some grocery giveaways to take home. Stop by for a quick bite or stay and connect!
Zen Untangling
Time and Day: Wednesday, October 29, 2025, 12:00pm
Duration: 1 hour
Location: Honors College Classroom 1040
Student Capacity: 18
Sponsoring Faculty Member(s): Amy Farnbach Pearson
Description of Event:
Would you like to meditate, but hate sitting still? Take a soothing hour to make order out of chaos by sorting small objects or untangling knotted yarn. We’ll complete psychological stress inventories before and after to see its effects!
Meg Ryan Fall vs Practical Magic Autumn
Time and Day: Wednesday, October 29, 2025, 1:00pm
Duration: 1 hour and 30 minutes
Location: Honors College Classroom 2141
Student Capacity: 20
Sponsoring Faculty Member(s): Maria DeBlassie
Description of Event:
Confess: Do you celebrate Meg Ryan Fall? Or do you prefer Practical Magic Autumn? Or, like me, do you celebrate both?
This event will explore the overlap between the romance and gothic genres by looking at iconic romantic comedy and horror movie trailers. We will discuss the common themes and narrative patterns in each genre and have fun rewriting romantic comedy plots as horror stories and turning horror movies into swoon-worthy romances.
This will faciilitate a discussion of the two most often dismissed but deeply formative genres in popular culture. We will end our discussion of how these stories shape us, even down to how we celebrate autumn!
Herbarium Tour and Botanical Illustrations
Time and Day: Wednesday, October 29, 2025, 2pm
Duration: 1-1.25 hrs
Location: UNM Herbarium/ Museum of Southwestern Biology
Student Capacity: 18
Sponsoring Faculty Member(s): Tomasz Falkowski
Description of Event:
Students will take a guided tour of the UNM campus herbarium at the Museum of the Southwest, where they will explore the vast collection of preserved plant specimens and learn how samples are collected, pressed, and prepared for long-term storage. The visit will highlight the importance of herbaria for research, conservation, and understanding plant diversity. Following the tour, students will have the chance to practice botanical illustration, carefully observing specimens and sketching their unique features, blending scientific accuracy with creative expression. This event offers a hands-on introduction to both the science and art of botany.
Safer Intersections
Time and Day: Wednesday, October 29, 2025, 3pm
Duration: 1 hour
Location: Honors College Forum
Student Capacity: 20
Sponsoring Faculty Member(s): Lisa Losada-Rojas, Alex Webb, and Catherine Harris
Description of Event:
Participants will be invited to redesign intersections they have experienced by placing cardboard art pieces, lego blocks, and other shapes onto a chalk-drawn city grid on the street.
Young Frankenstein, Interrupted
Time and Day: Wednesday, October 29, 2025, 4pm
Duration: 2 hours, 15-ish minutes
Location: Honors College Classroom 1004
Student Capacity: 20
Sponsoring Faculty Member(s): Renee Faubion
Description of Event:
Mel Brooks’s loving spoof of classic horror films is now itself regarded as a classic, and as one of the best comedies of the 1970s. As we watch the film, we will pause occasionally to process some of the patterns and influences shaping the film and considering how well it has (or hasn’t!) aged.
Actually it’s Complicated
Time and Day: Until Weds October 29, 2025, 5pm
Duration: 10 minutes
Location: Virtual
Student Capacity: NA
Sponsoring Faculty Member(s): Dr. Naomi Yavneh Klos
Description of Event:
Groups of two to four students are invited to create a podcast of up to ten minutes that explores the complexities of a controversial topic in a manner that is respectful to both sides. You may decide whether or not you want your podcast to conclude by coming down on one side or another, but the discussion must be designed in such a way that the listener comes away with a fuller understanding of the other side’s argument.
The point is to open the door for conversation and collaboration, not to shut communication down. Are there places where the two sides might find common ground, or, agreeing to disagree, work together toward a greater good?
Although your podcast need not address a religious freedom issue, this competition draws on Bishop Stendahl Krister’s three rules for interfaith dialogue:
1. When you are trying to find out about another group’s beliefs, ask its adherents and not its enemies;
2. Apples to apples, not crabapples to pomegranates: Don’t compare your best to their worst;
3. Leave room for “holy envy”: give yourself space and grace to see what is positive and even beautiful in the beliefs of those with whom you disagree
Choosing your topic: You might choose a topic about which you are genuinely of two minds, or can at least understand the other viewpoint, even if you don’t agree. You might also consider choosing a topic about which you feel very strongly, and use the assignment as an opportunity to understand the other side. Such exploration may be painful or even challenging, but, remember: the goal is not to get you to change your mind or endorse the other viewpoint, but to understand it. Thinking from the perspective of groups, you might want to construct your group deliberately to include people with varying viewpoints.
Groups: Students should plan to work in groups of two to no more than four students. Not everyone needs to speak on the podcast, but everyone should be involved in research and creation.
Research: The podcast should also be well-researched, drawing on a variety of sources to understand the deep nuances of the topic. Think about the perspectives and biases of the sources you consider. If you already have a strong opinion about a topic, be especially careful to search out the best, most reputable sources on the other side. What evidence and research do they provide to support their assertions? Your group should consult at least 8 sources, and a bibliography is due with the podcast.
Format: Be accurate and creative! You may interview actual experts on your podcast or create your own “expert panel,” but, however you decide to present the material, the podcast should be well-organized and edited, with a clear introduction, middle, and end. The speakers should be clear and to the point (not rambly!) and the discussion easy to follow.
Judging will be based on:
- accuracy and thoroughness of information provided in the podcast
- ability to explore fully both sides of the argument
- Clarity of argument
- Appropriate language (avoid jargon and swear words or denigrating terms)
- Organization
- Research
- Creativity and engagement
- Participation in the peer review process
- Execution
- Adherence to time limit
Questions? Ask Dean Yavneh Klos yavnehklos@unm.edu or just knock on her door!
Scholars Wing Supper Club – Chris' Curry
Time and Day: Wednesday, October 29, 2025, 7:30pm
Duration: ~ 2 hours
Location: Hokona Ballroom
Student Capacity: ~50
Sponsoring Faculty Member(s): Chris Holden
Description of Event:
Chris Holden (Dr. C) is the Faculty Advisor for the Scholars Wing. Among other community building activities, he makes dinner and brings it to Hokona about once a month: Supper Club. This is a time for students to take a moment from their busy days and enjoy a home cooked meal together.
This month, we’re making more and inviting more broadly.
Chris’ Curry is not an authentic regional recipe, but it has met with rave reviews. It will be gluten free and vegan, healthy and tasty, and not too spicy unless you want it to be. Come, fix a bowl and hang out for a bit. If you want to bring some math to thank Dr. C, he’s always looking to do a bit more.
Soundscapes: Field and Stage
Time and Day: Thursday, October 30, 2025, 9:30am
Duration: 75 minutes
Location: Honors College Classroom 1040
Student Capacity: 30
Sponsoring Faculty Member(s): Professor Johannes Barfield, Renée Faubion and Maria Szasz
Description of Event:
Join us for an immersive sound-based experience during Honors Week. In this collaborative workshop led by Professors Johannes Barfield, Dr. Renée Faubion, and Dr. Maria Szasz, students will split into two groups: one will perform and record passages from stage plays and literature, while the other will take a guided soundwalk to observe and capture the ambient world around them. Using professional audio equipment and editing software, both groups will reunite to mix their recordings into rich, cinematic soundscapes that bring text and performance to life through layered sound design. Whether you're into performance, storytelling, or sound production, this is your chance to experiment and create collaboratively. No experience required, just bring your curiosity.
E-textiles
Time and Day: Thursday, October 30, 2025, 11am
Duration: 1 hour
Location: Honors College Flex Lab (Classroom 1020)
Student Capacity: 18
Sponsoring Faculty Member(s): Mary Tsiongas and Megan Jacobs
Description of Event:
Students will create a simple e-textile sampler using conductive thread, LEDs, batteries, and basic electronic components. Through hands-on exploration, they will gain a foundational understanding of simple circuits and leave with a stitched, functional sample of their own design.
Do I Have a Game for You!
Time and Day: Thursday, October 30, 2025,12pm
Duration: 1 hour
Location: Honors College Forum
Student Capacity: 30
Sponsoring Faculty Member(s): Jonatha Kottler
Description of Event:
A chat for all kinds of folks who are interested in board games. We will talk about different kinds of games (Euro/worker placement, bluffing games/hidden traitors, trick-taking games, memory games, co-ops and many more!) and how you can choose games to fit the folks you want to play with to maximize your fun.
Pickleball Party
Time and Day: Thursday, October 30, 2025,12:30pm
Duration: 1 hour
Location: Johnson Gym - South
Student Capacity: 30
Sponsoring Faculty Member(s): Ryan Swanson
Description of Event:
Did you know that Pickleball is America’s fastest growing sport? Come see what all the fuss is about in this Honors College pickleball extravaganza. You’ll learn the rules of the game and get right to playing. Equipment provided; all levels of experience welcome!
Elevator Speech Competition
Time and Day: Thursday, October 30, 2025, 1pm
Duration: 1 hour
Location: Honors College Forum
Student Capacity: 35
Sponsoring Faculty Member(s): Tito Busani
Description of Event:
Learn what it takes to make an award-winning elevator speech. If you’re trapped in an elevator with a luminary who could change your life, if only you can share your creative vision, the ability to effectively develop an elevator speech is paramount. Students in ECE 419 will provide elevator speeches about their design related projects. Come see what skills they have learned along the way.
Banned Books Read-In
Time and Day: Thursday, October 30, 2025, 2pm
Duration: 1 hour
Location: Honors College Forum
Student Capacity: 30
Sponsoring Faculty Member(s): Jonatha Kottler
Description of Event:
We will gather together and read aloud from the most frequently banned books of the year, discuss a bit about where the books are most commonly banned and the reasons why.
Put Words On It!: Effing the Ineffable
Time and Day: Thursday, October 30, 2025, 3pm
Duration: 1 hour
Location: Honors College Forum
Student Capacity: 30
Sponsoring Faculty Member(s): Betsy James
Description of Event:
Thinking of writing fantasy or science fiction? Already got a novel started? Join fabulist author Betsy James for some inside tips on where your inspiration hides and how to get going (and keep going) on your story. Get a glimpse at the bedrock of SF and fantasy, and follow up with professor Megan Abrahamson’s “Fantasy vs. Sci-Fi Showdown” at 4pm. SF geeks and fantasy fans, unite!
Fantasy vs. Sci-Fi Showdown (Virtual)
Time and Day: Thursday, October 30, 2025, 4pm
Duration: 1-1.5 hours
Location: Online
Student Capacity: No Limit!
Sponsoring Faculty Member(s): Megan Abrahamson
Description of Event:
Come debate fantasy and science fiction—not whether you like Star Wars or Star Trek more, but how we have come to define fantasy and science fiction. This event is for the Honors students with some familiarity with the genres, and for those who wonder whether horror and speculative fiction (and magical realism, and romantasy, and the new weird, and and and) are or are not part of the conversation.
Register for this session by noon on Thursday and expect a Zoom link to be sent to your UNM email at least one hour before start time.
Preview Night
Time and Day: Thursday, October 30, 2025, 6pm
Duration: 2 hours
Location: All Honors
Student Capacity: All Honors Students Welcome
Sponsoring Faculty Member(s): All Honors College Faculty
Description of Event:
If you haven’t attended before, Preview Night is your chance to find out what Honors courses will be offered next semester! Along with a dash of community building, all the teaching Honors faculty will be liberally scattered around the building ready and raring to tell you about the exciting courses and opportunities that they will be offering in Spring 2026. Get the information early so you can be ready with your finger on the button come Priority Registration to get the amazing courses that catch your eyes.
Placemaking UNM: Murals on Campus
Time and Day: Friday, October 31, 2025, 9am
Duration: 60-90 minutes
Location: Honors College Patio
Student Capacity: 18
Sponsoring Faculty Member(s): Troy Lovata
Description of Event:
Professor Troy Lovata, who teaches Honors seminars that often explore how people mark place and represent culture, will lead students on an hour-long walking tour of UNM campus murals beginning at the Honors Building Patio. Murals are conscious attempts to define community, celebrate specific people and places, and write or rewrite histories. Murals have been especially fostered in the Southwest and are specifically supported as public art across Albuquerque and on campus. Their selection, creation, and occasional removal, destruction, vandalism or change reflect the history of UNM and how the University has tried to define itself over the last century and quarter.
Grid Systems in Research Posters
Time and Day: Friday, October 31, 2025, 10am
Duration: 30 minutes lecture and 1 hour practice
Location: Honors College Forum
Student Capacity: 20-25
Sponsoring Faculty Member(s): Rambod Vala
Description of Event:
Learn how to bring clarity and structure to your research posters. This workshop covers grid systems, hierarchy, typography, and color choices that create unified and legible designs. We’ll also review image resolution, exporting PDFs, and generating QR codes so your poster communicates research effectively across platforms.
Students need to bring their own laptops. Please have Illustrator and InDesign downloaded which all UNM students can get for free. UNM students can get Adobe Creative Suite Programs, such as Illustrator and InDesign, for free here.
Rudolfo Anaya Archival Collection
Time and Day: Friday, October 31, 2025, 12pm
Duration: 1.5 Hours
Location: Honors College Forum
Student Capacity: 20
Sponsoring Faculty Member(s):Myrriah Gómez
Description of Event:
Do you have any interest in learning how to conduct archival research? Then this is the workshop for you! During this workshop, you will be introduced to the Rudolfo Anaya archival collection. We will discuss the protocol for using the archives at the Center for Southwest Research at the University of New Mexico. In honor of All Saints and All Souls Day, we will focus on some of the most spooky and scary materials from his collection.
Jaguars and Tapirs and Cows, Oh my!
Time and Day: Friday, October 31, 2025, 2pm
Duration: 1 hour
Location: Natural History Science Center
Student Capacity: 25
Sponsoring Faculty Member(s): Jason Moore
Description of Event:
Interested in getting involved with research at UNM? In dinosaurs? Both? Drop by the UNM paleontology labs and see all the cool fossils that we are working on and then hear from the Honors students who are currently undertaking their own research projects there. They’ll tell tales of field hijinks and give you the straight dope about how undergraduate research has helped/inspired them, as well as offering some tips for getting involved at all levels.
The yellow star marks the location of the building this event starts at. You can also view the map by clicking here.
Click here to view the Honors College Calendar with all of the events!!
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