Eastern New Mexico University announced this past week the passing of the University's eighth president, Everett L. Frost, who passed away on October 21. Frost served as ENMU president from 1991 to 2001, leading ENMU through a period of advancement and change that laid the foundation for the current success of the university.
A visionary leader, Frost came to Eastern New Mexico University in 1970 as an assistant professor of anthropology. Frost said in an article from Eastern Magazine in the spring of 2021, "Dr. George Agogino hired me in 1970 to join what was then and still is now one of the strongest small university anthropology programs in the nation. While I was primarily prepared and interested in teaching cultural and social anthropology, I had done archaeological fieldwork, so he and the late Dr. Cynthia Irwin-Williams told me they wanted a cultural anthropologist who knew how to talk to archeologists."
Frost's contributions to the Anthropology Department and the University included working with Eastside legislators Stuart Ingle and Gary Robbins. They secured funds so the University could manage the Blackwater Draw National Historic Landmark archaeological site with a caretaker's house, a lab building on site, and a building covering the current excavations, enabling year-round work and public visitation.
Dr. John Montgomery, professor of Anthropology and dean of the Graduate School, stated when asked about Dr. Frost's impact on the Blackwater Draw National Historic Landmark that "ENMU continues to follow Dr. Frost's far-reaching vision about the importance of this National Historic Landmark and its place in national and regional research, education, and outreach. Dr. Frost is a large reason for Blackwater Draw National Historic Landmark being such a valuable research site that future generations of students will be able to use and learn from."
Frost advanced in his career at ENMU, dedicating over 30 years of service to the institution. He served as assistant dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, dean of Academic Affairs and Graduate Studies, vice president for Planning and Analysis, and dean of Graduate Studies and Research before becoming the University's eighth president in 1991.
Frost had many accomplishments as president of ENMU. One of the highest recognitions he and the University received in his tenure was leading Eastern to the prestigious Pew Leadership Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Education. The Pew Charitable Trusts wanted to support and fund innovative programs from campuses of any size that demonstrated vision and leadership to achieve their goal. Dr. Frost called for ideas from his administrative team, and two vital projects emerged, one infusing technology into the curriculum for students and faculty and another supporting the success and retention of students in college.
As an early adopter of technology himself, Dr. Frost seemed to be leaning toward the technology proposal, but instead, he endorsed the student-focused project. The project submitted to the Pew Charitable Trusts focused on enhancing students' success and retention in college.
ENMU was selected as one of only six Pew Leadership Awards recipients. With that funding, the campus launched its freshmen seminar program and learning communities, enrolling every first-year student in a seminar in the fall of 1998. The freshman seminars immediately and positively impacted retention and influenced how the University welcomed and oriented its students to the college experience. The program was embraced by faculty and Dr. Frost's successor, Dr. Steven Gamble, who rebranded the University with the slogan "Student Success—That's what it's all about!" With minor adjustments, this slogan is still in use by the University today.
Frost commented in the Eastern Magazine, spring 2001 edition: "Probably the greatest highlight for me was when we were awarded the Pew Leadership Award for the renewal of undergraduate education. ENMU was selected by a consortium of the American Association of American Colleges and Universities, the Carnegie Foundation, and Pew Charitable Trusts for an undergraduate quality case group of 20 institutions selected nationwide, including the University of Michigan, the Airforce Academy, and other nationally renowned universities. We are very honored to be included among them."
Other national accomplishments during Frost's tenure as president include ENMU becoming a federally designated Hispanic Serving Institution in 1999 and leading ENMU to become only one of 20 institutions selected to participate in the American Association of Colleges and Universities Greater Expectations program in 2000.
Pictured: Former ENMU President Dr. Everett Frost addresses the graduation class of 1998 at Greyhound Arena
Relationship building was also a key component of Frost's leadership at ENMU. In 1990, Clovis Community College (CCC) broke away from ENMU to become an independent community college. One of Frost's priorities was to find common ground with the CCC president so that the relationships between both campuses and students could continue their journey toward student success.
Frost also led the University through a period of expansion. Following up on a feasibility study begun in 1989 that he initiated with Dr. Chester Haughawaut from the Planning and Analysis office, and with the phenomenal support of the Ruidoso community, Dr. Frost oversaw the establishment of an instructional center in Ruidoso. A building donated in 1994 by the Walthall family came at a critical moment, and the campus continued to grow until it was awarded branch-community college status in 2005.
Frost commented in the Eastern Magazine from the spring of 2001 that the Ruidoso Instructional Center opening was one of the highlights of his presidency, saying, "The Ruidoso Instructional Center started operating the day I became president. We had done much preliminary work on it when I was a vice president. I put much personal work into that, and I think it's one of the really important developments of the University."
Due to Dr. Frost's groundwork, Roswell and Ruidoso remain strong campuses in their own right to this day. Their significant partnership is the basis for our current One Eastern initiative to strengthen the ENMU system further as we move into the future—none of which could have happened without Dr. Frost's leadership and attention to relationships.
Frost also saw opportunities to expand educational opportunities at Eastern New Mexico University. In 1991, eyeing the growth of allied health and the critical need for nurses, Dr. Frost saw that the state's east side had no bachelor's in nursing (a two-year completion program). However, there were strong RN programs at Clovis Community College, ENMU-Roswell, and NMJC in Hobbs. He set in motion a plan to add a BSN-completion program in Portales, with the active help, collaboration, and recognition of the RN programs and directors at Hobbs, Clovis, and Roswell. The BSN program continues to be strong today, and an MSN was added recently. Graduates of RN programs in Clovis, Hobbs, and Roswell remain essential elements of the successful BSN program on the Portales campus.
"Developing the Bachelor of Science program was a highlight of my tenure. I think this program has been very important for Eastern in serving the community and region," Frost said in Eastern Magazine in the spring of 2001.
Frost continued expanding educational opportunities at ENMU when he met with Delores Penrod in his early days as president. Penrod, the Community Services Center director in Portales, lobbied Frost for ENMU to restart its Social Work program. At Dr. Frost's direction, graduates of the 1970s program were contacted for advice and assistance, the Children Youth & Families Department and critical services were consulted, and the social work program at New Mexico State University generously offered curriculum advice and support. Today, ENMU's Social Work program continues to grow, and a Master of Social Work degree program was added in the fall of 2024.
His Spouse supported Everett Frost's long-time career at Eastern. Dr. Jan Frost, professor emerita in Anthropology, taught cultural anthropology, directed graduate theses, and designed ENMU's Women's Studies program with the support of a National Endowment for Humanities grant, which added a diversity component necessary for general education requirements at the time, another first in the state on New Mexico. They were an impressive academic and campus team. Frost's long-time friendships with President Bob Matheny and other administrators, faculty, regents, and community members connected and strengthened the campus and the community.
"Frost entered the office during a time of uncertainty and anxiety," commented Dr. Patrice Caldwell, President Emeriti at ENMU. "Dr. Frost retired from ENMU, leaving dynamic academic programs, national recognition, and a stronger system. To many, the transformation seemed inevitable and invisible, just as he would have wished."
Frost spent 10 years at the helm of ENMU and stated in Eastern Magazine in the spring of 2021 that the people were the most enjoyable part of his job. "It is a fact that the presidency, especially in New Mexico, is a very face-to-face job. On campus and off campus, you meet many people, and you develop long-term social relationships," he said. "I really enjoy standing at the gate of the president's house and greeting and talking with people, whether it is the faculty and staff, parents of freshmen, the Legislative Finance Committee, or representatives of Cannon Air Force Base. And that is what the job is about. Getting to know these people and understanding their relationship to the University."
Dr. Mary Ayala, the dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, reflected on her time working with Dr. Frost and his wife, saying, "I interacted with Everett and Jan socially and admired both. His advice was always honest, objective, and effective, and he had a great mind for detail and strategy. Everett did mentor me on a personal level. He supported me on things like being designated back in the day as ENMU's rep to AAUW (which landed me a spot on the state board), AAC&U, the Pew Leadership Team (there were maybe five to six of us on the team when we were selected as one of six institutions to win their prestigious leadership award), the Teaching Learning Technology Roundtable, the AAC&U Greater Expectations initiative, and CONAHEC (where I have been a board member for 17 years, and President for two years)."
"In Dr. Frost's final year as president, I was awarded the Carnegie Foundation's CASE Professor of the Year Award for the state of New Mexico," Ayala continued. "I credit his support for attaining that honor. I cannot tell you how much knowledge and experience I have gained thanks to Dr. Frost's support and belief in me in the early stages of my career."
Pictured (L to R) Former ENMU Presidents Dr. Steven Gamble, Dr. Everett Frost, Dr. Bob Matheny and Dr. J.S. Elwell at the 2017 Presidents Inaugural Luncheon
As a consummate academician, guru of governance, mentor, and friend to so many, Dr. Frost will be deeply missed, and his many contributions to the University and New Mexico higher education will not be forgotten.
Dr. Frost's words best conclude this article. "A University is like a great big puzzle; there are many pieces that need to be in place to get the final product," he said. "If the pieces are not there, then the President can't put them together. I've been very fortunate that we have had great pieces to put together."
Eastern is so much stronger because Dr. Frost saw the potential in the separate pieces—From academic success to relationship building, Eastern's advance has thrived, having been meticulously and compassionately pieced together by Frost.
