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UNMGallup Chancellor Dr. Sabrina Ezzell, right, and Local Advisory Board Vice Chair Raymond Calderon share a table with government and community partners during a meeting with Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham at the Roundhouse during the 2025 New Mexico Legislature.

UNMGallup celebrates Gallup-McKinley County Day 2025

Categories: Students   Faculty   Staff   Community  

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Branch campus leaders advocate for police academy funding during legislative session in Santa Fe

By Richard Reyes, Friday, February 14, 2025

SANTA FE, N.M. — UNMGallup joined a contingent of government and community partners in Santa Fe to celebrate Gallup-McKinley County Day on Feb. 6 during the 2025 New Mexico Legislature.

Gallup-McKinley County Day is an annual event that gives local leaders and lawmakers the opportunity to raise awareness about the region’s rich culture and history while celebrating honorees in the state Senate and House of Representatives.

“UNMGallup is proud to collaborate with our local government and community partners to represent Gallup and McKinley County at the Roundhouse,” Chancellor Dr. Sabrina Ezzell said. “This celebration allows us to bring a piece of Gallup to Santa Fe and highlight what makes our region and our people special.”

“The police academy is a top priority for UNMGallup because hiring and recruiting officers is a challenge for all law enforcement agencies these days,” Ezzell said. “We want to create a more convenient pathway for locals to enter the field of law enforcement so they can serve their community working for local agencies like the Gallup Police Department and McKinley County Sheriff’s Office.”

UNMGallup also aligns with including $1.1 million for the Gallup branch for campuswide facilities repair and renewal.

UNMGallup supports the New Mexico Higher Education Department’s legislative priorities too, including a 5% increase in instruction and general funding, $4 million for targeted student services/basic needs across all institutions, and $8 million for supplemental faculty compensation.

Celebrating Gallup-McKinley County Day

Gallup-McKinley County Day opened with community partners handing out corn necklaces to lawmakers and other guests throughout the Roundhouse. The corn necklaces are an annual tradition for the day, allowing everyone to add colorful flair to their attire and wear a piece of Gallup.

On the Senate floor, Sen. George Muñoz, a democrat who represents Cibola, McKinley and San Juan counties, celebrated his community as a melting pot in which the Indigenous peoples of the region live in harmony with descendants of immigrants from Croatia, Italy, Mexico, and beyond.

Muñoz then showcased the Gallup-McKinley County Day lapel pin, which all lawmakers and the governor received. The collectible sterling silver pin was shaped like a Diné ceremonial basket, or wedding basket. The basket symbolizes the emergence of the Diné as well as the significant events throughout a person’s life, which aligned with this year’s theme of Happiness, Security and Well-being.

Muñoz also highlighted a small concrete tile with the word “Gallup” in the middle, which mimicked the bricks once manufactured in Gallup and used in the construction of many historic buildings.

One of Gallup’s Senate honorees, Frank Kozeliski, created the concrete tiles in collaboration with students from Gallup-McKinley County Schools, who were also recognized on the floor.

Muñoz honored Kozeliski, an engineer who owned the business of Gallup Sand & Gravel for 31 years, and Richard Malone, who works for the New Mexico Office of the Medical Investigator and teaches as an adjunct faculty member at UNMGallup, for their dedication and contributions to the Gallup-McKinley County area.

On the House floor, lawmakers also honored Ben Welch, Chee and Timaris Montaño, and Marjorie Lantana.

Gallup-McKinley County Day then closed with a gala, featuring dinner, music and dancing, at La Fonda on the Plaza.

Gallup-McKinley County Day is organized by a planning committee made up of elected officials and employees from McKinley County, the City of Gallup, the Gallup-McKinley County Chamber of Commerce, the Northwest New Mexico Council of Governments, Gallup-McKinley County Schools, Rehoboth McKinley Christian Health Care Services, and UNMGallup.

Gallup City Councilor Linda Garcia, right, and County Commissioner Walt Eddy open the festivities for the Gallup-McKinley County Day gala at La Fonda on the Plaza in Santa Fe.