He had fun designing for his alma mater. Oddly enough, after spending four years at NMSU from 1985-89, Much Ado was his first university main stage pro-duction. But Dudley says he never lost his ties to the school. After working professionally for more than 10 years, he still refers to Deb Brunson, the theater department’s costume designer, as his mentor.

“She gets embarrassed, but there is a spirit she instills in her classes,” he said. “I’ll be doing something, and wonder, ‘Would Deb have done it this way?’”

His admiration is reciprocated. “I admire the direction he has. His success is really a testament to his talent,” Brunson said.

It’s nice to be recognized for your work, Dudley said, referring to the Emmy nominations. “But you can’t help but wonder when someone else will come along and you won’t be cool anymore.”

Dudley says he wasn’t always cool. When he moved to New York, he had to work extra hard because his experience was minimal. Other applicants “were Ivy Leaguers who had come out of graduate school with awesome portfolios. It was hard to compete,” he said.

Dudley has worked on Broadway in productions of Phantom of the Opera, Grease and Carousel. In Phantom, he was the star dresser for the actor portraying the title character.

On Guiding Light, he oversees all activities regarding costumes. From bras to jeans and even jewelry, Dudley designs every outfit for every character.

Whether it’s a motorcycle shop or Saks Fifth Avenue, “I shop where the character would shop,” he said. “I become that character for a few minutes.”

Dudley says he enjoys the fast-paced lifestyle of New York. “There are so many people crammed into one place, and we’ve all got deadlines to meet and places to be,” he said. “Sometimes I cheat, though.” Cheating, he explained, means taking a cab.

Maria C. Lucero

When we read about the greatest presidents in the history of the United States, we find stories about men who have led in times of adversity and wars, but little is written about what these men were like as children – until now.

In his new book Cradle of Greatness, Donald Ferguson, former associate dean of the NMSU College of Education, examines the youth of eight American presidents. The presidents, Washington, Jefferson, Jackson, Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, Wilson, Franklin Roosevelt and Truman were selected as the greatest leaders in a survey conducted by Pennsylvania State University of 846 American historians.

While many of the presidents had factors in common, such as language-rich environments and the ability to read at an early age, all of them shared one thing: unconditional love from their parents, Ferguson said.

“I wrote the book primarily for parents as indicated in a slightly facetious statement on the cover: ‘Highly recommended for anyone intent on rearing a future president – or a responsible member of society,’” he said.

Ferguson said he wrote the book in a light, sometimes humorous style, but he is “dead serious” about the importance of childhood on what we become in maturity.

“At the end of the day, Cradle of Greatness pays homage to childhood and youth as much as it is a tribute to our greatest presidents,” he said.

Ferguson served as associate dean from 1967 through 1989. He is the co-author with NMSU President Emeritus Gerald Thomas of the book In Celebration of the Teacher.

Cradle of Greatness can be purchased in hardcover or paperback by calling 1stBooks Library at 1-888-280-7715. The book also can be purchased online at Amazon.com or at Barnes and Noble bookstores.

Chris Minnick

Teacher’s award benefits school

Mathematics is much more than arithmetic, says NMSU instructor and doctoral student Cathy Kinzer, ’76, ’93, whose efforts to help students become problem solvers instead of memorizers has earned her a Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching.

“For too long elementary mathematics has been a focus on arithmetic, memorizing arbirary rules and procedures without understanding the mathematics,” Kinzer said. “Math should involve thinking, reasoning, problem solving, making conjectures, developing strategies and offering explanations.”

Kinzer, who earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees at NMSU, has been a teacher at Mesilla Park Elementary School in Las Cruces for seven years.

The award, described by the National Science Foundation as “the nation’s highest commendation for K-12 math and science teachers,” recognizes exemplary work both in and outside of the classroom. It includes a $7,500 NSF grant to be used by Kinzer’s school for math and science education.

She is on leave from her public school teaching position while she pursues a doctorate and teaches elementary math methods in NMSU’s College of Education. She also works in the university’s Preparing Tomorrow’s Teachers Today program, developing the use of technology in the classroom.

“We need to help children develop a strong foundation in elementary school in geometry, informal algebra, number and operations, data and probability, and uses of technology in math,” Kinzer said. “Students need to become confident in their abilities to make sense of mathematics and become thoughtful problem solvers.”

Kinzer and her husband Grant Kinzer, head of the university’s entomology, plant pathology and weed science department, participated in a series of activities for Presidential Award recipients in Washington, D.C., March 6-10.

Karl Hill

Cathy Kinzer, pictured with her children Kacie, 17, left, and Kye, 15, integrates technology and problem solving in her teaching.
Photo by Michael Kiernan