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An image of an NNMC graduating class, focused on a black graduate with her left hand over her heart, looking skyward with intense emotion.
Apr 15, 2026 Northern New Mexico College Foundation Exceeds $1M Goal in President’s Eagle Campaign The Northern New Mexico College (NNMC) Foundation proudly announces that the President’s Eagle Campaign has surpassed its ambitious $1,000,000 goal, marking a significant milestone in advancing student success and institutional growth.
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A screenwriting class at Northern helped Hayward transform her idea into an attention-getting script ESPAÑOLA, N.M. — Northern New Mexico College is proud to announce that film student Dawniel Hayward has won 2nd place in the Screenwriters Conference 2026 Pitch Competition on June 7, 2026. Hayward’s winning pitch earned a $350 cash prize and attracted the attention of a major film producer. The first-place winner, Omar Paz Trujillo, is also a filmmaker from Española. The pitch competition was open to all participants of the Screenwriters Conference, which was organized by the Stagecoach Foundation and the Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA) and presented by the New Mexico Film Office. The organizers describe the conference as “a creative crucible designed to push your craft further.” Hayward was inspired by hearing advice from some of the industry’s top screenwriters, including some from her favorite shows, like “Star Trek: The Next Generation” and “Reservation Dogs.” She learned about the importance of the script’s first page and different pitching techniques, which she found useful in preparing her own pitch. One of the highlights for Hayward was teaming up for three hours with a group of people in a mock writers’ room. “I was pretty starstruck, honestly, by the whole event,” Hayward said. Hayward’s pitch was for a TV show titled “Bent Rails: A Punk Odyssey,” inspired by Hayward’s own 10-year journey as a traveling musician who hopped freight trains all over the country. Her lead characters are Kindred, a gutter punk who hops a train that is swallowed by a time portal, and Lily, a teen Chicana artist from Northern New Mexico who is fleeing an unbearable home life and searching for belonging. These two strangers are linked across space and time and by a graffiti tag that keeps appearing in the liminal spaces they travel through – HIRAETH, which is a Welsh word meaning a longing for a home that doesn’t exist, or that you cannot access. The written pitch closes with “This is a show with a queer heart and an anarchist pulse – honoring generations of misfits, drifters, and revolutionaries. It is a story of survival, belonging, and identity – set against a backdrop of late-stage capitalism and a country haunted by its own history. It poses the question: what if those who have been pushed to the margins of society were actually the most capable of changing our current timeline, of reshaping our future?” Hayward grabbed the judges’ attention by starting with her own story. She told them “I spent my 20s homeless, living out of a backpack, busking, hitchhiking and train-hopping around the country – and what I learned is that when you live a life untethered to society’s normal structures, and you pair that with complex PTSD and a crippling drug problem, you develop a weird relationship with time. You realize time doesn’t always move in a straight line. It buckles, it bleeds, and if you’re pushed far enough, it can break.” Giving her pitch was intimidating, but Hayward appreciated the opportunity. “It was great, because that's half of screenwriting, just being able to pitch your idea effectively, because there's a million scripts out there and nobody has time to read them all. So your pitch is your entry ticket to anyone even looking at your script,” Hayward said. “I was realIy surprised to find out that I was a finalist, and then I was pretty terrified to have to present my pitch to a huge room of people, including a bunch of screenwriters and producers in the industry. Then I was even more surprised to take second place.” Hayward’s pitch was effective. Afterward, some of the producers who heard it told her they got choked up during her presentation. “It really hit them in an emotional center, and I'm like, that's my superpower,” Hayward said. “I have this story that I really need to tell, and I just need to have faith in that.” The idea for the series came to Hayward eight or nine years ago, but she credits her screenwriting class with Film & Digital Media Arts (FDMA) Associate Professor David Lindblom with helping her bring the idea to fruition. Hayward is pursuing a Bachelor of Integrated Studies in Media and Art at Northern. “I never anticipated that just by taking a screenwriting class at college, this would happen. Honestly, I think so many people have a really good idea, but it never gets written,” Hayward said. “In the class, I had to finish things by a deadline, learn formulaic writing, and abide by industry standards. I’m used to writing prose, and being poetic and descriptive, and you can't do that in screenwriting. It's all about telling a visual story in concise language, it’s not a novel. My professor, David Lindblom, gave me the tools to transform this huge idea into a screenplay.” At the end of the conference, a major producer approached Hayward to schedule a meeting with her. “I’m actually getting the opportunity to talk directly with someone who helped produce the whole “Pirates of the Caribbean” franchise and the “Avatar” franchise. I’m like, wow, that's a real producer,” Hayward said. “I don't know how common it is for someone with their first script to immediately get it produced, but it did get me a conversation and a foot in the door. My dream job would be working in a TV writer's room. That would be amazing. Then maybe in a few years, after I've built some more reputation, they'd be like, ‘Hey, I'm interested in that TV pilot you wrote a while ago.’” Hayward is still absorbing the impact of the experience and looking forward to her meeting with the producer. She said, “It's amazing. It's a tricky industry to find your way into. I feel like I kind of pushed through that threshold a little bit, and that feels reaFrom left: Omar Paz Trujillo, 1st place winner of the Pitch Competition, 2nd place winner Dawniel Hayward and DezBaa’, Northern alumna and adjunct faculty
Jun 19, 2026 NNMC student Dawniel Hayward scores 2nd in Pitch Competition Northern New Mexico College is proud to announce that film student Dawniel Hayward has won 2nd place in the Screenwriters Conference 2026 Pitch Competition on June 7, 2026. Hayward’s winning pitch earned a $350 cash prize and attracted the attention...
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From left: Peter Fant, CEO of San Ildefonso Services; Daven Quintana, PMI Chief Operating Officer; Trish Alley, Small Business Advocate, LANL Small Business Program; Yvonne Gonzales, Small Business Program Manager, LANL; Eric Quintana, CEO and Co-founder of PMI (SBA National New Mexico Small Business of The Year Award); Julianna Martinez-Barbee, SBDC Director NNMC, New Mexico Small Business Development Center; Ron Lovato, CEO, TSAY Corporation and Pueblo Alliance, LLC (SBA National New Mexico Rural Small Business of the Year); Justin Crossie, SBA Region VI Regional Administrator and Larry Phillips Jr., COO Tsay Cooperation. Photo credit: Eric Williams Photography SBA photographer
Jun 17, 2026 Pueblo Alliance LLC Honored as SBA Rural Small Business of the Year Northern New Mexico College (NNMC) is pleased to announce that Ron Lovato, President of Pueblo Alliance LLC and CEO of TSAY Corp., has been honored as New Mexico’s Rural Owned Small Business of the Year by the U.S. Small Business Administration...
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The Carnegie Foundation Opportunity Colleges and Universities logo
Apr 22, 2026 NNMC earns Carnegie Foundation Opportunity Colleges and Universities Classification Northern New Mexico College (NNMC) is proud to announce that it has received the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching 2025 Opportunity Colleges and Universities Classification. Northern is one of 478 institutions to earn this prestigious...
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Aug 20, 2024 Northern Welcomes New Eagles! Northern New Mexico College (NNMC) recently hosted a highly successful New Student Orientation, welcoming approximately 170 new students to its vibrant campus. The event, designed to help students transition smoothly into college life, was packed with activities, workshops, and speeches that set the tone for an exciting academic year ahead. The day began with a warm and heartfelt welcome from Dr. Larry Guerrero, who set the stage for what would be an informative and inspiring day. Students were introduced to the NNMC campus through guided tours, where they familiarized themselves with key locations such as academic buildings, the...
Aug 12, 2024 Starting the 2024 School Year Northern New Mexico College kicked off the 2024-2025 school year with an exciting Convocation ceremony, setting the stage for a year full of learning and growth. The event, held in the college auditorium, brought together staff and faculty to celebrate the start of the new academic year and to honor those who have made significant contributions to the college community. President Hector Balderas warmly welcomed everyone back, praising the college’s unique strengths. He reminded the audience that Northern has something special that other colleges don’t—a long and rich history. "We have a deep history...
Aug 05, 2024 NNMC CAMP's New Student Orientation Northern New Mexico College (NNMC) warmly welcomed the 2024 class of its College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP) during a New Student Orientation held on July 31 and August 1. The event marked the beginning of a promising academic journey for the new Eagles, who were introduced to the wealth of resources and support available to them at NNMC. NNMC President Hector Balderas delivered an inspirational keynote address, recounting his remarkable journey from growing up in the small town of Wagon Mound, New Mexico, to achieving significant professional milestones. Balderas shared his experiences of overcoming adversity...
Aug 05, 2024 Governor Lujan at NNMC Town Hall Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham made her third stop on the Public Safety Tour at Northern New Mexico College on July 30, 2024, where she addressed public safety concerns and gathered feedback from Rio Arriba County residents. The town hall meeting, attended by numerous elected officials and leaders from local Pueblos, underscored the community's urgent concerns about crime and safety. NNMC President Hector Balderas, a former New Mexico Attorney General, introduced Governor Lujan Grisham to the packed auditorium. He emphasized the importance of community safety as a foundation for prosperity, expressing the college's honor in hosting...
Jul 31, 2024 Low Rider Cruise Through Española The New Mexico Land Grant Commission's meeting at Northern New Mexico College on Thursday, June 25, featured a memorable highlight: a police-escorted cruise through Española with LOS GUYS CC. This unique event was arranged by Senator Leo Jaramillo, who expressed his pride in representing the Low Rider Capitol of the world, stating, “I’m proud to represent the Low Rider Capitol of the world, where we’re brown, we’re down and we’re low to the ground.” The tour included esteemed commissioners Representative Harry Garcia, Representative Stefani Lord, Senator Elizabeth Stefanics, and Senator Shannon Pinto. Senator Stefanics...
 
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