Joyce Garay, an associate professor of Latino/Latina literature, other ethnic literatures and feminist theories, has been a faculty member at NMSU for 19 years. Since 2022, Garay has served as the inaugural director of the Chicana/o Studies program in the Department of Borderland and Ethnic Studies in the College of Health, Education and Social Transformation.
The program focuses on the histories, social and political realities, and cultural expression of Chicanas/Chicanos in New Mexico, the Southwest, the borderlands and the United States. Courses in the program complement a wide range of majors and help students develop critical thinking, problem-solving and creativity skills, Garay said.
“What excites me about this program is its relevance,” she said. “We are in New Mexico. We are of the frontera. We are such a diverse population with experiences that really form who we are as a people. Do you need to be Chicano or Chicano to take these classes? No. Do you need to speak fluent Spanish? No. Do you need to have time or space in your program of study to become a minor? No. These courses are really for everyone.”
Garay said it’s critical for a Hispanic- and minority-serving institution like NMSU, which sits near the U.S.-Mexico border, to give students an appreciation and critical understanding of the complex, rich presence, participation and experience of Chicanas/Chicanos.
“The initiation of a Chicana/o Studies program is long overdue at NMSU. Having taught a Chicana/o literature course nearly every semester of my many years as a faculty member in the English Department, not a single semester elapsed without students expressing how meaningful being immersed in a history and culture central to this region is to them,” she said. “As a complement to vibrant Chicanx student services programming, which has been a consistent presence at NMSU for decades, the opportunity for students to take courses that foreground the presence and contribution of Chicanas/ Chicanos as a majority population in this region amplifies pride in and appreciation for the cultural wealth at NMSU and of the borderlands.”
Last fall was the first semester in which courses with the program prefix were taught. Two courses – CCST 2110G: Introduction to Chicana/o Studies and CCST 3120V: Chicana/o Genders and Sexualities – had strong enrollments, representing students from every college. This semester, CCST 3110: Chicana/o Studies History is currently at capacity, with similarly diverse student representation, enthusiasm and individual investment.
“Invited to be in community with others invested in learning more about our borderland histories and traditions, students inevitably gain an increased sense of belonging at NMSU, greater awareness and respect for their communities, and, for many, a clearer sense of and pride in their identities,” Garay said.
Garay also sits on the College HEST Diversity Council, which has representatives from each of the college’s nine units.
“As a member, I represent the Department of BEST and share our priorities and vision with the group as well as keeping my BEST colleagues apprised of HEST's diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives,” she said.
Garay has a Ph.D. in English from Arizona State University, where she specialized in American ethnic literature, primarily Latina/o and African American literary traditions.
For more information about the Chicana/o Studies program, visit https://best.nmsu.edu/programs/chicana-studies.html.