SILVER CITY, NM—Originally from Goodyear, Arizona, Alicia Mancilla began her college career as a criminal justice major at New Mexico State University. Now a rising senior at Western New Mexico University, Mancilla is studying Interdisciplinary Studies—combining Welding, Expressive Arts, and Business Administration—in a major that is uniquely suited to her interests and career goals.

Mancilla’s path to her new major, though, was anything but straightforward. “My sister had committed here for volleyball,” she explained, “and I would come and visit her, and I just loved the Gila, and I loved the town, but I never saw myself here. But then I decided I wanted to do welding, to pick up a trade, something different, and I had a tour [of the WNMU welding facilities with Program Manager of Community and Workforce Development] Kathy Sorells, and she inspired me to throw a couple of beads down. That was three years ago, and I loved it.”

Mancilla thought she would only be earning her associate degree from WNMU, but the New Mexico Opportunity Scholarship has allowed her to pursue a bachelor’s degree as well. The Opportunity Scholarship, she said, “allowed me to take all these courses and figure out what I liked—what I was passionate about. I got to take an art class with [Assistant Professor of Expressive Arts] Erin Wheary, and I discovered that I loved sculpture.”

“I love creating with my hands. Originally, when I was just going [to WNMU] for Welding, I was there to get a job, to go into the field. It is hard to explore that artistic side. Sculpture combines those two things,” she explained, noting how she could still use her welding skills but also exercise her creativity.

Mancilla also added Business Administration as a concentration in her Interdisciplinary Studies degree plan. While the combination of Welding, Expressive Arts and Business Administration might at first seem unusual, it is directly relevant to Mancilla’s career goals.

“My goal is to create custom gates and fencing,” she explained.  “When I first started welding, I was not sure exactly what I wanted to do. I just wanted to get my certifications.” But now that she has combined the three concentrations in her Interdisciplinary Studies program, she is sure that starting a custom gate and fencing business is in her future.

Mancilla said that she has been inspired on her path by the many creative people she has met in the Silver City community. “I see so many artists out there doing what I want to do,” she said. “They are a big inspiration.”