Educating with Intention: Dr. Brandi Wells-Stone’s Path to Purpose at UNM
Discover how Dr. Brandi Wells‑Stone is shaping student advocacy, research, and opportunity as director of UNM’s African American Student Services.
by Shannon Yvonne Moreau
Home is where the heart is, as the adage goes.
For Dr. Brandi Wells-Stone, director of the University of New Mexico’s (UNM) African American Student Services, home is also where opportunity and destiny await.
Roots in Access, Routes to Leadership
Born and raised in Edgewood, Wells-Stone enrolled at UNM because of the Lottery Scholarship, which helps cover college tuition for New Mexico high school seniors. She didn’t plan on staying in New Mexico after college graduation, however.
“My bachelor's was in political science and criminology, so I thought I was going to move on and do constituency work,” Wells-Stone says. “I had done all of the things you're supposed to do as a political science major. Did the congressional internships in D.C. I was ready for that.”
A Shift in Direction
Yet something had already happened that would change her career trajectory. During Wells-Stone’s freshman year, a student leader handed her a flyer for the annual Welcome Back BBQ, put on by UNM’s African American Student Services (AASS), and she became immersed in student organizations.
As she was about to graduate, the former AASS director asked her to stay at UNM and work in student affairs. Wells-Stone wasn’t immediately sold. Then came the sweetener: her master’s degree would be paid for.
Wells-Stone applied for UNM’s Master of Public Administration (MPA) program and worked at UNM in administration and recruitment, eventually working her way up to advising and managing programs. By the time she earned her master’s, she realized the work she wanted to do in Congress was actually what she was already doing at UNM. “I'm advocating for students. I'm working on policy. I'm building resources and connections in a really tangible [way].”
Academic Leadership, Grounded in Community
Having just earned her doctoral degree in higher education leadership and administration this May, Well-Stone is excited to expand a recent research program, Ubuntu. Since UNM is an R1-classed research university, “it's also our responsibility to help build research confidence in our students,” says Wells-Stone. “The Ubuntu program is a cohort model that allows students to take their major and issues in our community and think through how they can solve that issue or ... uplift something that's already going well, utilizing theoretical frameworks and methodologies that were built within our community.”
Inclusivity in the Real World
I hadda ask. What would Wells-Stone say to those who question the legitimacy of organizations like UNM African American Student Services?
“There's evidence that cultural immersions and cultural engagements increase student development in terms of having a worldly view [and becoming] worldly leaders,” says Wells-Stone. “We welcome all students and community members to participate.”
Higher Education Opportunity in the Land of Enchantment
According to Wells-Stone, New Mexico has two significant assets to increase college enrollment: the state Lottery Scholarship for high school seniors and the Opportunity Scholarship for residents who’re earning their first degree.
The latter postsecondary opportunity brought home one of Wells-Stone’s family members. When her uncle lost his job during the pandemic, he moved to New Mexico and was able to attend Central New Mexico Community College with the Opportunity Scholarship.
Wells-Stone concludes, “More of our adult learners need to know about it.”