By Naomi Yee
Doreen Chavez’s biological family is small. She has only one sister back home in Albuquerque, N.M.
However, when Chavez set foot on the campus of Eastern New Mexico University, she said, “I became a part of a bigger, multicultural family.”
Chavez is a sophomore at ENMU and is currently studying psychology with a minor in visual aids. However, Chavez said she is open to new ideas 
regarding a minor.
Chavez graduated from St. Pius X, a private Catholic high school in Albuquerque. Her high school was very strict on dress codes and hair color—nothing like the freedom of expression Chavez gets to experience at ENMU.
While on her tour of the school, Chavez was introduced to the school mascots, Vic and Tory, and fell in love with the campus and the “friendly, down to earth people.”
Chavez, a very humorous person, also says how much she loves the ongoing construction in Portales because she never drives the same way twice.
Chavez got a job working at the Hispanic Affairs department when she first began her education at ENMU in Fall 2012. This year, she became its director.
Chavez said the goal of Hispanic Affairs is to raise awareness of cultures through education and fun presentations. For example, visiting presenters have talked about art, education, and history. Hispanic Affairs also will be hosting a craft day to explain the back-story of Halloween.
One of Chavez’s many jobs as director of Hispanic Affairs is to carry out the Reina y Rey competition.
The Reina competition was held October 2. The winner of this competition walked away with a sash, crown, and a $200 scholarship.
Chavez said that the women competing didn’t have to be Hispanic but had to show how they celebrate the Hispanic culture.
There was no Rey competition this year due to the lack of male participation, but Chavez said she is planning to bring the competition back next year.
Being only a sophomore, Chavez doesn’t have any concrete plans after graduation.
However, she does want to spend some time traveling to new places.
Chavez wants to visit an ocean, Hawaii and Spain.
“I like not knowing what to expect,” she said. “I like places where nothing is the norm.”