New Mexico Graduate Department of History students Alyssa Brillante, Christina Montero, Heidi Iverson, and Joseph Seagrove will be giving presentations of New Mexico’s national parks and the history and stories behind them on March 11 at 10am-12pm at the Branigan Cultural Center.
Alyssa Brillante’s love of history and National Parks began in her childhood. Every summer her family would visit National Parks and learn about their history and the history of the surrounding area. Living in New Mexico most of her life allowed her the opportunity to explore the treasures of New Mexico. She is currently working on her Graduate Project with other graduate students, which will bring the National Parks of New Mexico to students, their families, and the public.
Christina Montero was born and raised in San Antonio, Texas. Her interests are Spanish colonialism in the New World, including the use of missions, Texas/Tejano history, National Park Service, public history, and genealogy. Currently, she is working on understanding the relation between the Hispanic population and genealogy, while also trying to increase the interest of doing genealogy.
Heidi Iverson’s interest in the national parks grew after the celebration of the National Park Services centennial this past August. Through research at New Mexico State, she has learned about the history of the National Park Service, and many unknown stories of the national parks in New Mexico. She is currently working on a publication focused on the national parks in New Mexico as her graduate final project. Through this publication, she plans to engage students, their families, and the public with what the national parks offer.
Joseph Seagrove spent eight years teaching high school social studies in El Paso, Texas after receiving his BA in history from NMSU. During his tenure, he independently created and implemented several new courses at his campus. A former Eagle Scout, Joseph is passionate about preserving the environment, particularly our national parks. He has recently contributed research to an ongoing project examining the national park system in New Mexico.
Admission to the Branigan Cultural Center is free. The museum is located at 501 North Main Street and is open Tuesday – Friday from 10 am to 4:30 pm, Saturday from 9 am to 4:30 pm. For additional information, visit the website at museums.las-cruces.org or call 575.541.2154.
If you need an accommodation for a disability to enable you to fully participate in this event, please contact the museum 48 hours prior to the event.