2025 Inspiring Graduate | Kaelyn Moon

For Kaelyn Moon, the path to UNM was paved by ambition, strong women and family ties.

Her inspiration for success began at home with her mother and grandmother. Her grandmother, Alta Maxine Harper, instilled in her the family values of hard work and dedication. At the same time, her mother, Debilyn Moon, shared her passion for education and UNM, having attended UNM herself. Moon's mother even took her on her campus tour, pointing out where she hung out and her former classrooms.

As she prepares to graduate, Moon reflects on her past four years at UNM and how she transformed her mother's inspiration into her own legacy. Driven by resilience, purpose and deep family roots, she has made her mark on the UNM campus and paved the way for future students who will come after her.

Moon was raised a Lobo. She grew up in various towns in New Mexico and graduated high school in Keller, Texas, but she always knew she would attend The University of New Mexico. When she received her acceptance letter, she said, "It felt like coming home."

Grounded by her mom's legacy, Moon loved walking by familiar spots and having class in the same room as her mom, but she made her time at UNM entirely her own. She learned different lessons and created new experiences and memories that are uniquely hers.

When she started college, Moon was uncertain about what she wanted to do, but she ultimately discovered that sociology and Africana studies were the perfect fit. "I realized I liked telling stories, and I think sociology is a scientific way of getting to tell them," she said. "I get to talk about life, love and different human experiences. Then use data to back it up."

One of her favorite class projects was a research presentation on the sociological impact of pop music. She chose the song Not Like Us by Kendrick Lamar. She learned how that song brought communities together while also connecting it to the Black Lives Matter movement, which created a deeper understanding of how to relate African American literature to contemporary social movements and their influence on the perception of the world.

She credits many professors as mentors who helped her face challenges and adversity to succeed. Some semesters, she found it hard to afford school, housing or food. "Many people poured into my cup, and I will be forever grateful to them," she said.

Moon specifically remembers her professor, Finnie Coleman, an associate professor of American literary studies, as someone who helped her become a scholar, not just a student. She credits him with helping her realize her potential; his commitment to aiding her personal growth will always remain with her.

Moon has always been a natural-born leader and go-getter, which shows in the 15 student leadership roles she has held since her first year. Each role builds on the skills necessary for success in the next one.

She participated in ASUNM, ushering in new policies that shape how students engage at UNM. Additionally, she held several leadership roles within her sorority, Zeta Phi Beta Incorporated. These experiences, combined with her family's and mentor's guidance, led her to discover her passion for serving others.

One of her proudest accomplishments was helping to lead the charting process for the first-ever National Panhellenic Council (NPHC) at UNM. The NPHC is an organization of nine Black sororities and fraternities. She led a group of students to create, revive, and unite in a way never before seen at UNM. She built a community of hundreds of UNM students, providing them a space to come together and share stories with each other.

"Chartering the inaugural National Pan-Hellenic Council organizations means more to me than simply being the inaugural president or a member of the inaugural executive board," she said. "This project focuses on connecting individuals to a purpose and assisting them in discovering what motivates them to improve themselves each day."

With graduation in her sights, Moon's plans are evolving as she finds her path. Her experiences helping students have shaped her in a way that makes her want to continue serving this population. She hopes to find a position at UNM that allows her to do that.

She advises current students to step out of their comfort zones. "Open yourself up to new opportunities, even if they are scary," she says. "Do it anyway, because you never know what will happen, and you won't be scared for long."

Her legacy is filled with compassion, hard work and determination. Current and future students will remember her name for years to come.