James Francis is much too modest to consider himself a role model. But that’s precisely how others have come to view him during his time at NMSU Grants.
Once plagued by alcohol addiction, Francis is a studious and driven second-year student who today stands in stark contrast to the person he once was when he first attempted college. This time, he knows the path to transforming his life and helping others like him from his community on the Acoma Pueblo runs through places like NMSU Grants.
Francis began his road to recovery about three years ago. After 12 months of sobriety, he returned to NMSU Grants to complete the degree he initially started in 2010. Although fond of the Natural Resource Management program, Francis had new aspirations and believed he’d be better suited to the new Counseling and Community Psychology program.
“I have this motivation, this focus, this drive to do the best I can in my academics and to attain a degree in order to help the people within my community,” he says.
Already he’s making a difference across the Acoma Pueblo, well before he graduates in December 2024. He started hosting a 12-step recovery program called Wellbriety, which centers around Native American beliefs and values. At weekly meetings, he mixes the principles behind the program with his own teachings based on what he’s learned at NMSU Grants.
He’s so passionate about Wellbriety and its approach in helping Indigenous people through holistic wellness that he brought the concept to NMSU’s Las Cruces campus for Research and Creativity Week in February 2024. His presentation won a first-place award, and he returned in April to present at the 2024 Undergraduate Research and Creative Arts Symposium.
“James is an excellent student who has applied what he has learned in his coursework to real-life experiences. He was inspired to learn to overcome his problems, improve his life and help others along the way,” says Kathleen O’Connor, an associate professor who manages the Counseling and Community Psychology program. “He is willing to dedicate time and effort as a student to become a changemaker in the world. We need more students like James to take the lead in today’s world.”
After graduation, Francis plans work toward a bachelor’s degree in counseling through NMSU Global so he can achieve his dream of becoming a substance abuse counselor.
James Francis, a student at NMSU Grants, is using his life experiences to help other students overcome addiction. Francis hosts a 12-step recovery program, Wellbriety, that centers around Native American beliefs and values.
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305 N. Horseshoe Drive
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