UNMGallup student seeks relaxing pandemic hobby, finds degree in welding

Raquel Martinez poses for a portrait in front of her sculpture of an elk centaur inside the welding shop at UNMGallup on Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024.

UNMGallup student seeks relaxing pandemic hobby, finds degree in welding


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Raquel Martinez puts new skills to work and creates massive metal sculpture

By Richard Reyes, Friday, September 13, 2024

GALLUP, N.M. 鈥 Emergency medical services graduate Raquel Martinez returned to UNMGallup to take a welding class to de-stress from work, but her new hobby led to an associate degree in welding and a massive metal sculpture.

What started as a sketch on the floor became a unique sculpture in the shape of a fantasy elk centaur with a real elk skull and antlers covered in epoxy and a body made of metal. Martinez learned how to weld the sculpture as she went along, becoming proficient in metal inert gas (MIG) welding, cutting and bending metal, and using power tools.

鈥淚t feels really good to see it completed,鈥 she said. 鈥淎t first, I couldn鈥檛 weld anything in a straight line to save my life. Now, I can say I completed something this size. It feels really good.鈥

UNMGallup welding instructor Casey Tom said one of the hardest things about Martinez鈥檚 project was working with sheet metal, but she learned the technique on her own and nailed it.

Raquel Martinez puts the finishing touches on her sculpture of an elk centaur inside the welding shop at UNMGallup on Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024.

Raquel Martinez puts the finishing touches on her sculpture of an elk centaur inside the welding shop at UNMGallup on Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024.

As she completed her project, Martinez graduated with an Associate of Applied Science in welding technology in May 2024.

Tom said he was proud to watch Martinez accomplish her goals. Tom said he used to build motorcycles, but he never saw them or the customers again after they were completed.

"But when you鈥檙e teaching a student and watching them grow and progress slowly, that鈥檚 one of the best parts of being an instructor,鈥 he said.

'Serendipity plays its role in everything we do'

A welding degree was not originally in Martinez's sights. Martinez鈥檚 current passion is EMS, but that wasn鈥檛 always the case either.

鈥淓MS wasn't my first career choice,鈥 she said. 鈥淚 was going to school for something else. EMS kind of happened by accident like welding did. I like how serendipity plays its role in everything we do.鈥

Martinez earned emergency medical technician certificates from UNMGallup in 2016 and 2017, then an EMS associate degree in 2020.

She works full-time as an EMT in Pinehill, where she lives with her husband and three children.

However, working as an EMT during the COVID-19 pandemic brought stress, guilt and doubt for Martinez as she witnessed the devastation happening in her community.

To help her take her mind off work, Martinez sought a new hobby.

A couple of her family members signed up for a welding class at UNMGallup in the fall of 2021, so Martinez decided to join them for moral support.

Raquel Martinez's sculpture of an elk centaur stands tall inside the welding shop at UNMGallup on Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024.

Raquel Martinez's sculpture of an elk centaur stands tall inside the welding shop at UNMGallup on Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024.

However, on the first day of class, she was the only one who showed up. She joked that she decided to stick with it 鈥渙ut of pettiness.鈥 Then her advisor told her she could earn an associate degree, so she went for it.

"I was looking for something to help with de-stressing from my job,鈥 she said. 鈥淭his was something completely different and kept my mind off what I have to deal with back at work. It was just relaxing to be here.鈥

From intimidation to imagination

Martinez admitted she felt insecure and intimidated in the welding class at first because she was one of three women in the shop.

But after completing the program, she believes more people 鈥 particularly women 鈥 should go into trades such as automotive, construction and welding.

Martinez had a lot of family support to help her overcome her doubts. Her family sat with her at home as she worked on her homework and brought back busted plates that didn鈥檛 pass.

鈥淭hey were on this journey with me,鈥 she said. 鈥淭hey kind of helped me keep going and were there telling me I shouldn鈥檛 be quitting because I felt like I wasn鈥檛 comfortable and should just give up.鈥

With a new degree under her belt, Martinez is still figuring things out. She doesn鈥檛 have plans to pursue a welding career. She considers herself a 鈥減rofessional student鈥 who tends to find herself back in the classroom.

Raquel Martinez puts the finishing touches on her sculpture of an elk centaur inside the welding shop at UNMGallup on Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024.

Raquel Martinez puts the finishing touches on her sculpture of an elk centaur inside the welding shop at UNMGallup on Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024.

She is considering pursuing a bachelor鈥檚 degree in EMS 鈥 her family supports and encourages her 鈥 but she鈥檚 in no rush.

鈥淚 think my kids see that school is important, but you can鈥檛 force yourself to do something you don鈥檛 want to do,鈥 she said.

Tom views Martinez as an example of what community members can accomplish at UNMGallup, but not just academically or professionally. It鈥檚 also about learning a new skill, using your imagination and being creative.

鈥淲e鈥檙e showing students, especially the younger generation, we can still make things from our hands, no matter where we come from or how small we are,鈥 Tom said. 鈥淭his is one of those steppingstones in those big moments in somebody鈥檚 life. And if they want to take that path, they can get into the industry.鈥

鈥淩aquel Martinez puts away her equipment as her sculpture of an elk centaur stands tall inside the welding shop at UNMGallup on Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024.

鈥淩aquel Martinez puts away her equipment as her sculpture of an elk centaur stands tall inside the welding shop at UNMGallup on Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024.

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