Emergency medical services graduate Raquel Martinez returned to The University of New Mexico-Gallup to take a welding class to de-stress from work, but her new hobby led to an associate degree in welding and a massive metal sculpture.
What started as a sketch on the floor became a unique sculpture in the shape of a fantasy elk centaur with a real elk skull and antlers covered in epoxy and a body made of metal. Martinez learned how to weld the sculpture as she went along, becoming proficient in metal inert gas welding, cutting and bending metal, and using power tools.
“It feels really good to see it completed,” she said. “At first, I couldn’t weld anything in a straight line to save my life. Now, I can say I completed something this size. It feels really good.”
UNM-Gallup welding instructor Casey Tom said one of the hardest things about Martinez’s project was working with sheet metal, but she learned the technique on her own and nailed it.
As she completed her project, Martinez graduated with an Associate of Applied Science in welding technology in May.
Tom said he was proud to watch Martinez accomplish her goals. Tom said he used to build motorcycles, but he never saw them or the customers again after they were completed.
"But when you’re teaching a student and watching them grow and progress slowly, that’s one of the best parts of being an instructor,” he said.
'SERENDIPITY PLAYS ITS ROLE IN EVERYTHING WE DO'
A welding degree was not originally in Martinez's sights though. Her current passion is EMS, but that wasn’t always the case either.
“EMS wasn't my first career choice,” she said. “I was going to school for something else. EMS kind of happened by accident like welding did. I like how serendipity plays its role in everything we do.”
Martinez earned emergency medical technician certificates from UNM-Gallup in 2016 and 2017, then an EMS associate degree in 2020.
She works full-time as an EMT in Pinehill, where she lives with her husband and three children.
However, working as an EMT during the COVID-19 pandemic brought stress, guilt and doubt for Martinez as she witnessed the devastation happening in her community.
To help her take her mind off work, Martinez sought a new hobby.
A couple of her family members signed up for a welding class at UNM-Gallup in the fall of 2021, so Martinez decided to join them for moral support.
However, on the first day of class, she was the only one who showed up. She joked that she decided to stick with it “out of pettiness.” Then her advisor told her she could earn an associate degree, so she went for it.
"I was looking for something to help with de-stressing from my job,” she said. “This was something completely different and kept my mind off what I have to deal with back at work. It was just relaxing to be here.”
FROM INTIMIDATION TO IMAGINATION
Martinez admitted she felt insecure and intimidated in the welding class at first because she was one of three women in the shop.
But after completing the program, she believes more people — particularly women — should go into trades such as automotive, construction and welding.
Martinez had a lot of family support to help her overcome her doubts. Her family sat with her at home as she worked on her homework and brought back busted plates that didn’t pass.
“They were on this journey with me,” she said. “They kind of helped me keep going and were there telling me I shouldn’t be quitting because I felt like I wasn’t comfortable and should just give up.”
With a new degree under her belt, Martinez is still figuring things out. She doesn’t have plans to pursue a welding career. She considers herself a “professional student” who tends to find herself back in the classroom.
She is considering pursuing a bachelor’s degree in EMS — her family supports and encourages her — but she’s in no rush.
“I think my kids see that school is important, but you can’t force yourself to do something you don’t want to do,” she said.
Tom views Martinez as an example of what community members can accomplish at UNM-Gallup, but not just academically or professionally. It’s also about learning a new skill, using your imagination and being creative.
“We’re showing students, especially the younger generation, we can still make things from our hands, no matter where we come from or how small we are,” Tom said. “This is one of those steppingstones in those big moments in somebody’s life. And if they want to take that path, they can get into the industry.”
