Danna Mayer-Llamas
UNM-LA News:
Danna Mayer-Llamas, a student at The University of New Mexico-Los Alamos (UNM-LA) has been named a 2021 Coca-Cola Academic Team Bronze Scholar and will receive a $1,000 scholarship administered by Phi Theta Kappa (PTK).
Earlier this year, Mayer-Llamas was nominated to the New Mexico PTK All-State Academic Team. PTK is an international honor society that celebrates the academic achievements of students at 2-year schools and provides opportunities for students to grow as scholars and leaders. Students are nominated to the academic team by their college administrators.
Selection is based on academic achievement, leadership, and engagement in college and community service.
“We are proud of all of our PTK students and commend their hard work and commitment to community,” UNM-LA Chancellor Dr. Cynthia Rooney said. “Danna is not only representing UNM-Los Alamos at the state and national level, she also exemplifies our campus values and mission through her accomplishments.”
Mayer-Llamas, from Española, attended high school at The Tutorial School in Santa Fe and then earned her High School Equivalency Diploma in 2019. She then enrolled full-time into the Associate of Arts in Pre-Business Program at UNM-LA. She will complete her AA degree this spring and has been accepted into the UNM Anderson School of Management where she will pursue a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with a concentration in International Management.
Mayer-Llamas was born in Teacapan, Mexico, which is a small town that subsists on tourism revenue. She plans on returning to Teacapan to use her degrees and experience to develop the business infrastructure needed to help the town thrive.
In addition to being a member of PTK at UNM-LA, Meyer-Llamas also serves on the Student Government and was an intern in the Community Internship Collaboration (CIC) Program.
If not for the pandemic, PTK All-State students and their advisors would have traditionally been recognized and celebrated in-person at the New Mexico Legislature.
Maryjane Geisler teaches English at UNM-LA and co-advises the local PTK chapter.
“We are proud of our Lobos who continue to put one foot in front of the other during this time,” Geisler said. “Danna is working extremely hard and making an intentional daily commitment to persist and thrive.”
Reflecting on her experience at UNM-LA, Meyer-Llamas said, “UNM-Los Alamos has opened so many opportunities for me that I will always be grateful. I am extremely honored to be receiving this scholarship and to be representing my institution.”
Phi Theta Kappa is the premier honor society recognizing the academic achievement of students at associate degree-granting colleges and helping them to grow as scholars and leaders. The Society is made up of more than 3.5 million members and nearly 1,300 chapters in 11 nations, with approximately 240,000 active members in the nation’s colleges. Learn more at ptk.org.
About UNM-LA
UNM-LA is an innovative, rigorous, and affordable comprehensive branch community college that provides foundations for transfer, leading-edge career programs, and lifelong learning opportunities. More information is available at losalamos.unm.edu.
