Student Health and Counseling ASAP Acute Care Clinic to be named after former director Dr. Olga M. Eaton
January 28, 2026 - Dorene DiNaro
SHAC executive director, Dr. Stephanie McIver and Dr. R. Philip Eaton admiring new dedication box
The University of New Mexico Student Health and Counseling (SHAC) ASAP Acute Care Clinic is set to receive a new name and a complete remodel. A crucial step in this transformation took place Jan. 13, during a dedication ceremony attended by colleagues, family and friends of former SHAC Director Dr. Olga M. Eaton.
Thanks to the generosity of Dr. R. Philip “Phil” Eaton, the clinic will be named in honor of his late wife, Olga, who served as SHAC’s director for 14 years during her tenure at UNM. The new name — the Olga M. Eaton, M.D., ASAP Acute Care Clinic — will appear at the clinic’s entrance alongside a handcrafted tin memory box celebrating her compassionate and supportive nature.
The memory box, unveiled during the ceremony, was envisioned by SHAC Executive Director Dr. Stephanie McIver after meeting with Phil and UNM Foundation staff. It was created by Santa Fe master tin artisan Fred Ray Lopez, with contributions from Facilities Coordinator Nicholas Ross and local craftsman Zecharia Starks.
Inside the box are meaningful items honoring the clinic’s new namesake, including her 1999 Regents’ Award, a biography, a poem, flowers and a subtle nod to curanderismo — a collection that reflects Olga’s dedication to students, staff, family and all who knew her.
Since Olga’s passing, Phil has taken to composing poems, something he considers therapeutic. One such poem, No. 115, “Heritage, an Awesome Reality,” which is included in the memory box, reflects on learning from ancient experience: “Healing with extracts of herbs, fruit, corn and faith. Generation after generation passing on the legacy of remedies.”
Phil, now 90, credits Olga’s presence for guiding him through every step of this new endeavor and reintroducing him to the art of curanderismo. “Olga and I used to go to the Albuquerque Botanic Garden quite a bit,” he said. “Olga led me to the El Jardín de la Curandera Healers Garden there shortly after her passing.”
Consequently, Dr. Eliseo “Cheo” Torres, former vice president for Student Affairs, hosted a one‑of‑a‑kind curanderismo class teaching the art of traditional Mexican healing methods — practices still used in Mexico and throughout New Mexico. “This is something we have right in our own backyard,” Phil said. “The whole country needs to know the value of curanderismo and learn from its legacy.”
Phil said curanderismo and its deep roots in New Mexico should be incorporated into caring for students — using the power of touch, listening and genuine care — something Olga embodied even without the formal curandera title. “Olga would make anyone she was talking to feel like they were the only person in the room,” Phil said. “She greeted every student with a warm touch, eye contact and a knack for really listening to what they had to say.”
She asked SHAC visitors how she could help them, rather than asking what was wrong or why they were there — a simple act and carefully chosen words that would change the dynamic of the situation. Phil said Olga was “the train driver” of SHAC, the steady presence who listened deeply and ensured students always felt supported.
“SHAC is the mother and father for the students and one of the ways we as a university can ensure that students don’t drop out,” Phil said. “Olga was able to give students the value of really being heard, and she really felt it was a privilege to be able to help someone.”
Phil said there is a natural link between counseling, healing and caring that supports the physical, mental and emotional stress and anxiety students experience while living away from home. “This connection has long been central to SHAC’s approach,” Phil said. “The outcome has been remarkable and steadily evolving in importance for decades, carried by the skilled hands of SHAC’s nurses, doctors, pharmacists, physical therapists, across‑the‑street consultants and many others who work together across generations.”
Dr. Eric Scott, vice president for Student Affairs, said that student well-being is a critical component of student success in postsecondary education and it’s only fitting that Olga continues to be a part of supporting well-being on campus.
“The services at SHAC, supported by the enhanced facilities in the Olga M. Eaton, M.D., ASAP Acute Care Clinic, ensure that UNM students will continue to have access to high quality care for generations to come,” he said.
Renovation and installation are scheduled to begin this spring, with the goal of opening to students in 2027. McIver welcomed the project, noting that the current clinic needs updates to meet modern standards for medical and treatment room space, as well as contemporary design for provider and support‑staff areas. "The redesign of the new clinic will improve patient flow for students, workflow for staff, be modernized, increase privacy, and is aesthetically appealing,” she said.
She said she is pleased that the memory box will help ensure every student who accesses these medical services learns about the significant contributions Olga made to SHAC and to the field of medicine.
“Even before I started here in 2012, I knew of Olga Eaton’s legacy,” McIver said. “The executive director who hired me, Dr. Beverly Kloeppel, was deeply mentored by Olga in the special nature of collegiate care — our responsibility to students, and her broad vision for how expansive our services can be — a ‘one‑stop shop.’ Those remain my goals today.”
As for Phil, he embraces his life and continues to be grateful for the more than 60 years he shared with Olga. He said he never imagined that 90 years old would be so good. “I can’t believe it took 90 years for me to find out the most important thing of my life,” he said. “Don’t feel sorry for me — I love to look back. That way you don’t forget anything.”
Fortunately, the students and everyone who utilize the new Olga M. Eaton, M.D., ASAP Acute Care Clinic will sense the impact she had not only on SHAC and UNM, but on everyone she encountered throughout her life.
