‘I hope that somehow I contributed’: Kiyoko Simmons to retire from UNM after 21 years

With thousands of employees, The University of New Mexico bids farewell to several dozen employees a year through retirement. Though their roles are no less important, many of these workers' exits go unnoticed outside their immediate workgroup or area of specialization.

However, Kiyoko Simmons is not one of those employees.

Simmons, director of the Center for Academic Excellence and Leadership Development (CAELD), has been the been the primary contact, advocate and driver of UNM's efforts to award what are known as "nationally competitive scholarships" - Rhodes, Marshall, Truman, Goldwater, Udall, Fulbright and recently Churchill - in an effort to boost both students' opportunities as well as elevate the reputation of the University. In her two decades here, she has worked with countless faculty and staff, and changed the lives of hundreds of students and faculty.

When she retires on June 1, students, faculty, staff and many others will notice her absence and miss her extensive knowledge of navigating the national and international scholarship process and her efforts in bringing out the best in every student she encounters through deep concern and a belief that they have the ability to reach for the stars.

"I like connecting people - using my knowledge to make connections," Simmons said.

Frances Hayashida, director of the Latin American and Iberian Institute and professor in the Department of Anthropology, first met Simmons in near the start of her time at UNM in 2009. In 2017 she worked with her when Hayashida as a faculty member applied for a Fulbright to Chile. Simmons was the UNM Fulbright liaison who at that time advised both student and faculty applicants. Thanks to her help and support, Hayashida received the award, just one of the hundreds of people - many of whom are students - to benefit from Simmons' efforts.

"Kiyoko transformed the lives of many students," she said.

Although Simmons' impact has been substantial, she had a somewhat inauspicious start to her UNM career, beginning as a temp in 2004.

"No one would give me an opportunity to interview!" she said.

But that temporary opening eventually started her path to her current role. Her first major responsibility was within the Dean of Students office, running new-student orientation under Laura Valdez (who is now with Albuquerque Public Schools).

"This office is my baby. I threw so much into it. But now I feel it is right to let someone to take it to the next level."

- Kiyoko Simmons

Over the years, Simmons worked in a variety of offices at UNM, including University College, the Office of Academic Affairs, and then finally, Honors College.

She began in her current position with scholarships in 2009. It was a new position, which provided her with a lot of freedom but also a lack of definition. That meant she had to do her homework.

"Before I started, an Honors Program faculty member was in the role only part time," she said. "Now this is a specialized job in higher education, but back then it was a new kind of job, especially for UNM."

Simmons saw the potential for managing and advocating for these prestigious programs, so she spent time researching how other institutions were doing this.

"I had to look at other universities and their best practices," she said.

As a result, UNM's National and International Scholarships and Fellowships started, which developed into CAELD. Its purpose is to identify students who are interested in these scholarships so they can be prepared to succeed.

"I really shaped this role into what I believed it needed to be," she said. "It took me about five years to refine it. Once I took ownership of the work, my whole attitude shifted - it became enjoyable. I was able to mold the position into what it was truly meant to be."

During her two decades in this area at UNM, several new scholarships were added to the portfolio, and she has seen both growth and change with students.

"Students have so many options. My job has been to identify the things they can do now in terms of life and leadership skills to position them for what they want to accomplish."

Among the student scholars she worked with include two UNM student Regents - Jacob Wellman (Marshall scholar and Truman scholar) and Randy Ko (Goldwater scholar). And in 2017, Julian Vigil (now a Schmidt Science Fellow at the University of California, Berkeley) became the first Churchill scholar from UNM, in addition to receiving the Goldwater Scholarship. In just a few years, UNM now has four students who have received Churchills.

These scholarships are prestigious for a reason. They require highly competitive grade-point averages and academic performance, exemplary leadership and service records, and a passion for their field with a vision of how they can make a difference, or even change the world.

Although there is no shortage of talented students at UNM, Simmons had to go to work on promoting these opportunities to increase awareness. She said that as she made more connections with both faculty and students through sending "thousands of emails," she gained knowledge of many students who had high potential. Others would be recommended or referred, and some eventually sought her out.

"Faculty members help a lot in suggesting students," she said. "Also, the president's office and provost's office have always been very supportive."

Simmons said her proudest accomplishment in her role has been "changing the culture and mindset of UNM. I hope I accomplished that."

It started with boosting students' self-confidence.

"One of the biggest challenges to overcome was the issue of 'I'm not good enough. I'm only a UNM student.' I tried to show students that they can be just as good."

Hayashida said Simmons' efforts in this area were palpable.

"It can sometimes be hard for students to think that prestigious scholarships and graduate school are within their reach," she said. "Kiyoko was not only a great source of knowledge on the Fulbright and other scholarship programs, but she actively promoted the programs, encouraged students to apply, and provided consistent feedback and support. She helped them build the confidence and skills needed to succeed and thrive."

Simmons said there was no magic bullet in connecting with students to ensure that her guidance and recommendations were a good fit - just a listening ear.

"Students generally want to be heard," she said. "I'm curious about their thought process, because it always surprises me. What experiences have shaped them? Where are they headed? What social issues matter most to them? Helping students explore their ideas and aspirations has been deeply rewarding."

Gaining more prestigious scholarship recipients helps individual UNM students, but it can also raise the profile of the University as a whole-helping put UNM on the map with high-achieving students and even faculty. This can also help boost rankings and reputation measures.

"I hope that somehow I contributed to UNM's reputation," Simmons said.

Hayashida said one way that UNM has benefitted from Simmons' efforts can be seen in UNM's selection as a Fulbright Hispanic Serving Institution Leader every year since the award was established in 2021, which she said is largely due to Simmons' "tireless efforts to promote the program and to support applicants."

"The success of UNM in the Fulbright and other prestigious competitions definitely raises the university's reputation," Hayashida said. "But more than that, the students she worked with over the years, whether they won awards or not, all benefited from her encouragement and support. They take this positive experience with them when they graduate and move on to contribute to their professions and communities. This also elevates UNM's reputation in a way that is less visible but arguably more impactful."

Even after students move on from UNM, they remember how they were impacted.

"I get notes from former students with words of encouragement," Simmons said.

Miguel Sabol is one of the former students who gives Simmons credit for changing his life. He received a bachelor's in 2021 in International Studies and Spanish and a master's in Latin American Studies in 2023, both from UNM. He now is an advisor for UNM's international students and scholars in the Global Education Office.

"I still remember my first meeting with Kiyoko in my first month of freshman year in 2017. The only reason I was there was because at the Honors College orientation she said, 'Every one of you needs to make an appointment with me.' I thought that was serious, so I signed up for a time in the first couple weeks of classes. In that session she told me, 'Okay, you are going to be applying to all of these scholarships,' and with that she handed me an entire page, front and back, big fellowships and scholarships. I was a little taken aback, but it seemed like a good idea and something I wouldn't need to worry about for another few years."

Sabol said that he kept in touch with Simmons through the years, and she even reviewed materials for his master's application. And she never gave up on encouraging him to apply for the Fulbright.

"By the time I was in grad school, I knew I had to go for it, as I really wanted to make it to Brazil," he said.

Simmons edited his application and even set up a mock interview with a panel of UNM professors "who tore my application apart and gave great feedback."

Several months later, he was awarded a finalist spot for a Fulbright English teaching assistantship to Brazil. He was able to get help from Fulbright to get a visa for his wife, Monica, so she could live there with him.

"Traveling to Brazil on the Fulbright was extremely enriching and was an amazing experience," he said. "The Fulbright program offered the ability to network with and create friendships … and I know that many of those friendships will last a lifetime and serve to connect me with others who are working across the U.S. and the world."

Without Simmons' encouragement and assistance, that life-changing experience would never have happened for Sabol.

"I would say that she was the defining character that encouraged my application for Fulbright. She planted a seed in my mind seven years before I ever arrived in Brazil," he said.

As a Churchill scholar, Vigil spent a year at Cambridge University between completing his undergraduate degree and beginning his Ph.D. at Stanford. He said the Churchill experience allowed him to greatly broaden his perspective.

"Kiyoko leaves an impactful legacy, reflected in the many UNM alumni whose careers have benefited from the recognition and opportunities associated with national and international awards," Vigil said. "Securing UNM's status as a participating and nominating institution is an achievement I will always be proud of - especially as the number of fellows continues to grow -and is one of many efforts that Kiyoko led, further reflecting her selfless commitment to students and the academic mission at UNM."

In addition to working with students on prestigious scholarships, Simmons also cites as a highlight her co-coordination of the Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship, which provides financial support, research experience, and professional development for junior and senior students who are planning to pursue Ph.D. programs in humanities fields.

Originally from Japan, Simmons earned a master's degree in sociology in 1995 from the University of West Georgia and a Ph.D. in organizational learning and institutional technology from UNM in 2018.

Simmons set a goal when she started the position that UNM would get a Rhodes Scholar before she retired. Last year, UNM had the first Rhodes Scholar since 2001 - Abrianna Morales, a UNM alumna with degrees in psychology and criminology. Simmons was overjoyed, but took that accomplishment as one of the signs that she was in a place to end her UNM career.

After retirement, she and her husband, Bill, are looking forward to spending about half of their time in her native Japan (where her parents and other family members live).

Although she thought she would never leave this job, she feels the time is right for a transition.

"This office is my baby. I threw so much into it. But now I feel it is right to let someone to take it to the next level."