Brigance to Retire After 40 Years of Service to UNM
December 9, 2024 - Dorene DiNaro
Green. It can symbolize so many things: wealth, envy, trees, the nudge to start moving at a traffic light, and even the Vice President for Student Affairs (VPSA) office in Scholes Hall. That’s because, unlike Kermit the Frog, “being green” came easy for Natalie Brigance – plant enthusiast, animal lover, recycle fanatic, and long-time University of New Mexico (UNM) employee.
Brigance, equally known by her VPSA colleagues for her professionalism and dedication to UNM, and for adorning the office with plants tended to by her green thumb, is set to retire at the end of this year after over 40 years of service. Her longest and most recent stint being in the VPSA suite on the second floor of Scholes Hall.
The year was 1984, John Perovich was the president of UNM, and Brigance was a proud, first-generation New Mexico State University graduate with a business degree looking for a job.
“My mother-in-law worked at UNM, and one day I was walking with her across campus and she was pointing out buildings and telling me about them,” Brigance said. “I remember when we got to Scholes Hall, I told her that it sounded like important work was done in that building and that I would like to work there one day.”
The seed was planted and Brigance decided to apply for a job at UNM. She laid down her UNM roots in the College of Engineering Special Programs Office as a clerical specialist—a title equivalent to that of an office assistant now. Her time in Engineering was spent working with Mathematics, Engineering, and Science Achievement (MESA) students, and the Engineering Co-op office under the leadership umbrella of then interim dean, Gerald May (yes, that Gerald May)—who served as both her mentor and professional reference before becoming UNM President in 1986.
In 1990, she moved out of Engineering and took a job as an administrative assistant in the UNM Foundation/Development office, which was in Hodgin Hall—the building that became her favorite campus landmark. It was in that role that she gained another mentor in her boss, Dennis Eloe.
“Working with Dennis, I learned the business of donor stewardship and how our work was important to the future of the UNM campus and students,” she said. “His work ethic and the way he cared for his staff made it easy to work hard for him,” she said.
She enjoyed the variety of tasks assigned to her in the Development office and said that every day was a little different. “I did everything from daily office administrative responsibilities, event planning, golf tournaments, and even staging a donor’s house for sale to ensure their gift wishes were fulfilled,” she said.
In 1997, after seven years, Brigance’s UNM career was starting to blossom, and she decided to take the knowledge she gained from her work in the Development office to a new position as a coordinator of administrative support to Dr. Eliseo “Cheo” Torres in the VPSA office—which happens to reside in the “important” Scholes Hall.
Her role in Student Affairs would evolve and grow over the years and she would eventually become Torres’s executive assistant. The two would share a mutual personal and professional respect for one another and work together in various capacities for the next twenty-five years until Torres’s retirement in 2021.
Brigance, who considers Torres a humble person, said he never forgot his roots or where he came from. “His leadership style didn’t always embody the traditional vice president role,” she said. Consequently, she was tasked with duties that vice presidents of other departments or other universities might consider unconventional—such as hosting international student groups in an effort to recruit them to UNM—but were fully embraced by Brigance and would become a highlight of her career.
“I started working for Cheo while he was planning a congresso (a formal meeting of delegates to discuss ideas and politics), centered around healing,” Brigance said. “It was a big international event that brought a lot of work, and attention to UNM from around the world.”
Soon, that congresso would evolve into the yearly UNM Curanderismo class, and something Brigance embraced and felt honored to work on every year. “My grandmothers were remedios (people who use herbal remedies or folk medicine), and so that was always a part of my childhood,” she said. “Working on the class was a bright spot in my career at UNM and part of what kept me here, and I am forever grateful for all of the beautiful healers I met through that class.”
side from her duties surrounding the summer class, Brigance handled all the daily administrative and office management tasks and spearheaded several important initiatives throughout the years. “Natalie took responsibility and led projects such as the Fellows program, golf tournament, and Louie awards,” Torres said. “She was a delight to work with.”
Whatever the task, the duo always completed it with students in mind. “Working with Cheo made me realize how important the work we do supporting our students is,” Brigance said. “Everything we do in that office is centered around students, even though we aren’t a heavily student-visited area.”
Another of Brigance’s favorite Student Affairs job duties was working with students and staff who participated in the former Student Affairs Fellowship Program—an initiative that saw more than 100 staff, students, and faculty participate while it was in existence from 1999-2020. “It was a 15-month program designed to advance the knowledge of Student Affairs and work collaboratively on projects,” she said. “I was able to work side-by-side with the fellows professionally, but we always had fun working together also.”
Alonzo Maestas, director for the UNM Veterans and Military Resource Center, worked closely with Brigance both as a colleague and during his time as a Student Affairs Fellow. He and Brigance have subsequently become friends and often would get together for coffee and tea. “Natalie always had a sunny demeanor and worked hard to ensure the projects we worked on were top-notch,” Maestas said. “I enjoyed working alongside her putting the Louie Awards ceremony together three or four times.”
Additionally, Brigance thoroughly enjoyed mentoring the student employees who worked in the office over the years. “The students bring new energy to the office, they’ve kept me young, and the reason we’re here,” she said. “I’ve loved learning from them and sometimes I think I learn more from them than they do from me.”
Another project she became passionate about within the last several years was the BeKind UNM initiative and the events surrounding it. Brigance was instrumental in helping with any task that came along—most usually it involved helping collect, transport, count, and deliver hundreds of stuffed animals to various charities throughout Albuquerque.
Outside of her usual work duties, Brigance spent 13 years volunteering for the Staff Council Rewards and Recognition committee. “I loved planning staff events for all staff—baseball games, zoo picnics, and all the awards ceremonies that the committee supports,” she said. “It’s great to recognize staff and faculty who go above and beyond their duties and I love that this work will continue.”
Following Torres’s departure in 2021, the VPSA office had three leadership changes including two interim vice presidents – Dr. Tim Gutierrez and Dr. Jenna Crabb – and finally, Dr. Eric Scott who became the permanent vice president in 2022. Brigance will end her career as Scott’s executive assistant. The two worked on several new initiatives together aimed at moving the Division of Student Affairs (DSA) forward while embracing its history.
“I consider it an honor to have served alongside Natalie for the last portion of her over 40 years of service to UNM,” Scott said. “Natalie is kind, understanding, responsive, and deeply committed to the success of our students. She was a critical part of my transition to UNM and her support will be missed. I congratulate and thank her for her service as we celebrate her well-deserved retirement!”
Part of Scott’s divisional transformations included the addition of a new executive leadership team in which Brigance served in pivotal roles including everything from calendaring to event planning. Dr. Jenna Crabb, who was appointed DSA executive director for Student Resources, and previously worked with Brigance in her director of Career Services role, and then as her supervisor when she served as interim vice president, came to rely on Brigance’s expertise.
She remarked on Brigance’s 40+ years of hard work, dedication, and the memories the two shared over the years. “Saying goodbye to Natalie is not easy,” Crabb said. “She has had an incredible impact on so many of us. Her unwavering commitment, kindness, positive personality, and friendship have made UNM a better place, leaving a lasting effect on both students and staff.”
Other memorable changes Brigance encountered included the implementation of new business systems, the construction of new buildings, the beautification of campus through renovations and upgrades, and a new way of working during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. “Nothing stays the same forever, and I’ve learned to embrace change and be gracious,” she said. “The pandemic changed our lives forever. I think one of the biggest things I learned from the COVID pandemic is that we can work remotely—it may not always be perfect, but we can do it.”
As she looked back on her UNM career, she remembered trying to enjoy the beauty of campus every time she came to work. “I loved going to the Duck Pond, and just sitting outside under the trees and enjoying all the nature we have on campus,” she said.
Often, she could be spotted rescuing birds, cats, dogs, ducks, and even returning wayward turtles to their Duck Pond home. “The Muscovy ducks knew me,” she joked. “I would feed them every day, and they’d see me coming.” In retirement, she plans to visit UNM with her granddaughter and share her love of campus with her.
She also remembered something Torres said regarding his own retirement that stuck with her all these years. “When you and I leave this place, a couple years down the road we’ll be forgotten, new people will come in and life on campus will go on,” he said.
While many people may tend to agree with the latter part of that statement, several of Brigance’s colleagues know she won’t be forgotten and completely concur with the sentiments of Crabb. “While this chapter may be closing, the impact Natalie has had on UNM and our Division of Student Affairs will endure forever,” she said. “We all wish her the very best as she embarks on the next phase of her life’s journey. Her legacy will always be cherished, and she will be deeply missed.”
It looks like Brigance has finally found the key to UNM’s “golden handcuffs.” Whatever her next move, she will always be a proud Lobo (and Aggie) and can be assured that she’s leaving the university a little better than she found it over 40 years ago, and there is no doubt that she will bloom wherever she is planted.
