Fall 2025 Inspiring Graduate | Ian Widrick-Martinez

For Ian Widrick-Martinez, walking across the stage to celebrate the completion of his Master of Public Administration will be the culmination of a journey that began with a conversation with his father and has taken him across the region, all while finding his passion along the way.

"At my high school graduation, my father pulled me aside and shared how one of his biggest regrets was not pursuing higher education," Widrick-Martinez said. "He told me about times where he was living paycheck to paycheck and struggling to make ends meet. I grew up in single income households, and I saw my parents struggling to make ends meet. My father never wanted that for me, my mother never wanted that for me, so then I pursued my associates degree at Santa Fe Community College."

While attending Santa Fe Community College, Widrick-Martinez began working for the SFCC Foundation as a student employee, a decision that would set in motion the rest of his career. The role ignited a passion for higher education philanthropy, as Widrick-Martinez saw an opportunity for him to be a voice and a representative for students like himself.

As his career advanced, Widrick-Martinez accepted a position at the UNM Foundation, where he was trusted to step into a frontline fundraising position, which has proved to be a pivotal moment in his career. It also allowed him to become more familiar with the University as a whole. Something that proved integral in helping him decide where he wanted to pursue his master's education.

"I met some of the most dedicated faculty, some of the most wonderful supporters," Widrick-Martinez said. "I knew that I wanted to pursue my graduate education at a university that really modeled the values that are important to me, which are access, inclusivity and community. Learning more about the program, I realized that this pathway, a Master of Public Administration, would be an excellent steppingstone for me to continue to be a leader in my field. "

Widrick-Martinez' MPA was done virtually, as he moved to Colorado to pursue new career opportunities, first at the University of Denver and now at the University of Colorado at Boulder. Despite not being on campus, he said he was able to build strong relationships with both his professors and classmates and receive the support he needed as he went through the program.

"I couldn't be more thankful to have built the friendships that I have in the program. My friends have supported me throughout my entire master's journey here at UNM and vice versa," he said. "The faculty were so supportive, made the time to meet with me on zoom. When things started getting real and I started writing my professional paper, I really leaned on my faculty advisor and other faculty to pick their brains about various research topics that I might pursue."

In addition to the support from his classmates and professors, Widrick-Martinez also recognized the support that he received from his parents, his family and his partner, who were able to provide the strong support system that he needed at home as he worked on his degree. Now, with his master's in hand, Widrick-Martinez said his goal is to someday run a non-profit organization focused on higher education advancement so that he can continue to be a voice for students and provide them with opportunities to excel.

"I couldn't be more grateful to have pursued my master's here at UNM and to now be an alum," he said.