ABQ Times

The University of New Mexico's College of Education and Human Sciences (COEHS) has announced Associate Professor Shawn Secatero as the recipient of the 2025 Chester C. Travelstead Distinguished Faculty Fellow award. This accolade, established by COEHS donors, is intended to honor faculty members who demonstrate exceptional contributions.

"It is a great honor to receive the Chester C. Travelstead Distinguished Faculty Fellowship award on behalf of my students along with the Canoncito Navajo Community," Secatero stated.

Secatero is a prominent figure both in academia and within Indigenous communities. As a member of the Canoncito Band of Navajos, he has made significant strides in educational leadership at UNM, focusing on Indigenous leadership, dual enrollment, rural education, holistic education, and wellness. He developed an indigenous-based holistic well-being model for teaching and leadership and founded UNM's POLLEN program in 2016 to support Indigenous school administrators.

"The highlight is seeing my students walk across the stage to receive their degrees. With our POLLEN teacher to principal licensure program, we graduated 60 teachers in six successive cohorts, and we have also graduated 14 Native American Leadership in Education doctoral students," he said.

Outside his academic endeavors, Secatero organizes the Striking Eagle Native American Basketball Invitational (SENAI), one of the largest tournaments for Native American middle and high school students nationwide.

COEHS Dean Kristopher Goodrich praised Secatero's achievements: "Dr. Secatero was selected for the Chester C. Travelstead Faculty Fellowship because of his extensive history of community-engaged research supporting the needs of Indigenous communities in New Mexico."

Goodrich highlighted Secatero's creation of programs like POLLEN and NALE that provide mentorship and support for Indigenous individuals seeking educational administration credentials. "His work on the CORN POLLEN model of leadership provided the field with an Indigenous idea focused on multidimensional aspects of well-being as components of leadership perseverance and success."

Former Dean Chester C. Travelstead was known for advocating school integration during his tenure at UNM following Brown v. Board of Education. Goodrich noted that Dr. Secatero’s work continues this legacy while shaping future education in New Mexico.

In addition to this recognition from COEHS, New Mexico Magazine named Secatero a 2023 True Hero for his inspirational work with students.

Secatero will deliver a keynote speech at the Community Engaged Scholar's Showcase on March 25 at Travelstead Hall Lobby following a poster forum event.