After more than 40 years of military service and a lifetime in rural northern New Mexico, Vicente Fernandez decided to pursue a college education he had long postponed. “I got tired of being a statistic of those without a degree,” said Fernandez.
Fernandez explained that his early years were focused on raising a family and working, which left little opportunity for higher education. Only after retiring from the military did he find time to attend college. “I always wanted to obtain a degree so I could further enrich my life as well as my family and community,” he said. “Society views those without a degree as a person of lesser intellect, which is not true.”
He began his studies at UNM-Taos before moving to the University of New Mexico’s main campus in Albuquerque, where he completed his Liberal Arts degree through both in-person and online courses. The flexibility allowed him to stay involved with nonprofit work. “I chose to take some courses at the university and some online. I tried to schedule them as close to each other as possible so I would not have the long commute,” Fernandez noted. “Although I enjoyed being in the classroom better, the online courses worked well as my schedule with nonprofit organizations was taking up a lot of my time.”
A central motivation for earning his degree was giving back to his community. “I have always believed that community is a very important part of our lives,” said Fernandez. “Being able to give back to the community is very rewarding and gratifying. A lot of people get educated but never give back to the community that raised them. That was my big motivation.”
His academic experience also deepened his commitment to environmental stewardship, especially water management—an issue vital in northern New Mexico communities dependent on acequias for irrigation and tradition.
“I have always had a deep reverence for both water management and the environment. They go hand in hand,” said Fernandez. “My studies there at UNM and the people I met opened a world of information where I could research and talk to experts in these areas.”
As mayordomo (ditch boss) for Acequia Madre del Sur de Cañon del Don Fernando, Fernandez helps maintain communal water systems that are central cultural features across northern New Mexico: “Acequias are the glue that keep the community together,” he stated. “It is so rewarding knowing that you are keeping a tradition that our culture has depended on for hundreds of years alive and well and knowing that what you are doing will last well after you are gone.”
Fernandez’s leadership includes involvement with watershed restoration projects such as Rio Don Fernando, where he now mentors others—including his younger brother—to continue this work into future generations: “To keep the project going, I need to train someone to take over after I am gone,” said Fernandez.
Recruiting young people remains an ongoing challenge: “We involve younger students by offering them a chance to work with one of our participants and through community meetings,” said Fernandez.
His hope is that new generations inherit not only healthy land but also values rooted in stewardship: “Most young people from rural areas move out due to lack of opportunity,” he said, “But my hope is that they will return…and give back…to keep our culture and traditions alive.”
He encourages participation from all residents—longtime locals or newcomers alike: “Come to our acequia or community meetings,” urged Fernandez.
The University of New Mexico counts more than 200,000 alumni worldwide who contribute across various fields [source]. The institution offers educational programs across its main Albuquerque campus—as well as branches like Taos—and supports diverse student populations [source].
Education played an important role for Fernandez personally: “Having a good education where you can make things happen and not have to wait for others, that is what my time at UNM taught me.”
For students facing obstacles similar to those he once encountered, Fernandez offered encouragement: “I would tell them not to give up,” he said. “It takes discipline, hard work, and time. But the results you get at the end will forever be with you.”
