Our people: Keeping Alumni Affairs in order

Melissa Sena, 55, is a native to the Portales area. She works at Eastern New Mexico University in the Alumni Affairs office as their administrative assistant.

She has been married to her husband Johnny for 25 years and together they share three children and four grandchildren.

Prior to working at ENMU, Sena had 20 years of experience as an insurance agent.

She is working on completing her associate's degree and plans to complete her bachelor's degree in criminal justice with a minor in sociology.

If you could live anywhere, where would it be? Why?

I don't know. I like it here because everybody knows everybody and when you need help the community pulls together. The small community is more family oriented; I like it here.

What is your favorite thing about your career?

I like putting on the events, getting to go to events, meeting new people. It's all new to me, but I like it. We do everything - we do the menus, book rooms, plan meetings, plan homecoming, we do everything.

It's just nice to see people appreciate our efforts. They appreciate that we went through the extra trouble for them.

What makes you laugh the most?

I think my granddaughters because sometimes they say the funniest things.

My student workers make me laugh too, because they make your day, too. My student workers are part of my kids, too.

What is your favorite sport to watch?

Football. Because that's the sport I watch the most of. It's entertaining. I like basketball too, but I don't watch it as much. Football is just preferred.

If you could go back in time what year would you travel to? Why?

2000 because that was right before my mom passed away. I wish I had been able to learn more about our ancestry and family history.

What's your favorite type of foreign food?

Sushi. I just like it; there's so many different kinds. Fresh sushi is always best.

What shows are you into?

There's a lot of them. But I like "Power," "Law and Order Special Victims Unit," "Ozark," "Nashville," "The Young and the Restless."

What's your dream car?

A Dodge Challenger. When I first started working here Candy Baros had a beautiful Dodge Challenger and I wanted one so bad. I liked everything about it.

I recently bought my dream car, but I had no intentions of buying it. Alumni Affairs often borrows cars from the Chevrolet dealership for parades. Well we had borrowed it and a couple days later I went back to look at it. I left that same day in it; I didn't even tell my husband until I got home.

What's the best way to start the day?

Coffee. Just coffee.

What age do you wish you could permanently be? Why?

29. Because for the longest time it would be my birthday and my granddaughter would say, "How old are you going to be, Nana?" and I'd tell her 29, every year. Until she finally got old enough to figure out I wasn't going to be 29 for every birthday.

- Compiled by correspondent Nicole Trujillo