3744 huegelv Silver City, NM - Retiring Western New Mexico University professor Virginia Huegel will deliver the commencement address to 200 students on Friday, December 9 at 2:00 p.m. in the Fine Arts Center Theater.

Dr. Huegel was born in Kansas City, MO. She graduated in 1967 from El Dorado Springs High School in El Dorado Springs, MO. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Business Education from The School of the Ozarks, Point Lookout, MO and her Master of Education and Ph.D. in Business Education from the University of Missouri, Columbia, MO.

Dr. Huegel's professional career includes teaching at the University of Missouri, Saint Cloud State University, Wayland Baptist University and WNMU.

During her 10 years at WNMU, she taught five years in the School of Applied Technology and five years in the Department of Math and Computer Science. Her campus activities including hiking "W" Mountain, attending homecoming, advising in the Academic Support Center, attending Great Race, cheering at sporting events, building relationships with all employees, and participating in all aspects of shared governance. She has served as the Faculty Senate President from 2009 to the present.

Dr. Huegel has worked 31 years at various businesses gaining practical work experience that she brings into her classroom lectures. While working in Joplin, MO she met Ralph Huegel. They have two children, Rachel Lynn, a WNMU alumna, and Jacob Alan, currently serving full-time in the Arizona National Guard. They also have two grandchildren, Zoe Fayeth and Aidan Mathias.

A live webcast of the ceremony will be available for viewing here: www.wnmu.edu/commencement

Located in Silver City, New Mexico, Western New Mexico University has served the people of the state of New Mexico and its surrounding areas as acomprehensive, regional, rural, public coeducational university since 1893 and caters to a student body diverse in age, culture, language and ethnic background.