Karessa Bitsoie Silversmith Receives Sarah Belle Brown Award

For Release March 7, 2008

Karessa Bitsoie Silversmith, senior tutor with the Adult Basic Education center and GED program at the University of New Mexico-Gallup, has won the coveted Sarah Belle Brown Community Service Award from UNM.

Silversmith received the award at a ceremony Tuesday, March 4, at the Albuquerque campus. Former Regent Doug Brown established this award in honor of his wife to support and promote the university’s commitment to public service.

“Karessa was selected because of her commitment to her students and her ‘can do’ attitude in helping them succeed,” said Beth Miller, UNM-Gallup Executive Director.

“Her goal is to help everyone who walks through the ABE Center doors each day realize his or her potential. Since assuming her position a little over a year ago, our success rates in ABE have vastly improved.”

Prior to coming to UNM-Gallup, Silversmith worked as a data technician for the Gallup McKinley Public Schools, at a local elementary school where current superintendent Esther Macias was the principal. During that time, she was enrolled at UNM-Gallup studying for a bachelor’s degree in University Studies. As a student, she participated in the Bridge program at UNM-Gallup, run by Kamala Sharma, an associate professor of Chemistry. Bridge sends students from UNMG to New Mexico State University for a term in the summer to learn how to conduct scientific research.

After graduating, Silversmith says she decided she wanted to focus on the field of human services.

“I always wanted to do more for our community. When I came to this position, I saw that we are all connected in one way or another, and that if we all do our part we can make change happen,” Silversmith said.

Silversmith says she tries to facilitate the change through finding what the needs of the community are and making connections between the various agencies and programs she works with, including those of the Navajo Nation as well as other local government agencies.

Silversmith, a Navajo, was born to the Edgewater Clan for the Tobacco Red Running Into the Water Clan.

“I am proud that this is the first time a Navajo person, and more importantly, a Navajo woman, has received this award,” she said.

Her story came to the attention of Lt. Gov. Diane Denish before the December 2007 commencement ceremonies. Denish mentioned her struggle as a working mother of two, a Native American, and as the wife of a soldier, Navy Gunner’s Mate First Class Travis Silversmith, currently deployed on his second tour in Iraq.

“Let this award be a symbol for women who are struggling with all these issues and a symbol for what can be accomplished,” she said.

Silversmith said she hopes to use some of the $2500 stipend the award brings to “honor what Sarah Belle Brown stands for” by paying the expenses of students in the GED program who are academically prepared, and yet cannot find a means to pay for their test.

“This act of kindness only attests to the truly altruistic nature of this individual,” said Christine Abassary, ABE Program Manager. “I salute her dedication and I am honored to know her as a person.”

Donations to the GED expense fund may be sent to UNM-Gallup, care of the Executive Director’s office, 200 College Road, Gallup, NM 87305.