,
Corrales Village Councilor Rick Miera wants to give a local high school or college student a chance to gain firsthand experience in government through a yearlong mentorship.
A longtime mentor, Miera wants to guide a Corraleño student interested in civic involvement and public service. The student will gain hands-on experience in local government, conducting research, attending council meetings and learning decision-making processes.
Although the aid program is unpaid, it will offer unique insight into governance while strengthening the connection between the village’s leadership and its younger residents.
“I’m looking for a student who is interested in learning more about how government works and interested in either wanting to move on in government or studying or planning to study that in their post-secondary education,†Miera said. “Bring somebody who wants to get involved and be an integral part of learning about the system and being a part of the system as it grows.â€
Miera retired as majority floor leader of the state House of Representatives in 2014 after serving District 11 since 1991. He ran for lieutenant governor in 2018 and now represents District 1 on the Village Council. In the legislature, Miera chaired the Education Committee, co-chaired the Legislative Education Study Committee and DWI Oversight Committee, and served on the Legislative Jobs Council.
A retired therapist, Miera worked as a drug and alcohol abuse and family therapist for the University of New Mexico Department of Psychiatry and the Bernalillo County Juvenile Detention Center.
The Miera mentorship philosophy
According to Miera, some mentors assign students tasks like licking stamps or answering phone calls — roles he rejects.
While in the legislature, Miera said he told a mentee who asked about such tasks that they wouldn’t be doing them.
“We have other people that volunteer to do that,†Miera said. “I want you to come and join me in a [committee] meeting.â€
Miera, then-chair of the committee, took the student into the meeting with him, and his mentee later said, “I didn’t think I was going to be able to get into one of those meetings.â€
Miera said the experience reflects his hands-on mentoring approach.
According to Miera, his former mentee, Javier Martinez, ran for House District 11 after Miera retired and is now the Speaker of the House.
Miera said his approach has remained the same since becoming a village councilor. He brings students to meetings to involve them in a councilor’s daily work, giving them opportunities to speak publicly and include them in real-world discussions.
“The No. 1 thing people are afraid of is speaking in public,†Miera said. “We’ll take care of that, and if they’ve got a little bit of hesitancy about that, OK, we can overcome that in a couple of weeks.â€
Miera said his last aide on the council was a Cibola High School student. She included the experience on her resume when applying to college, which he said made a significant impact.
Employers and universities want people who can work with others and engage with their communities. According to Miera, community work is almost mandatory before graduation in some states.
His mentee will have a seat at the table and will receive meeting materials, including the agenda. When Miera can’t attend a community meeting, the aide may go in his place or accompany him.
“That’s the kind of work I want them to do — learning firsthand how everything works,†Miera said.
Miera said mentees will research issues before council meetings and engage with the community.
“They won’t be going door to door, but they’ll have conversations with residents at places like the farm stand,†Miera said. “I hold a lot of meetings there, and sometimes I can’t attend because of scheduling conflicts. A mentee could represent District 1 at my request and under my supervision.â€
Miera said the aide may also meet with village administration and take part in discussions on local issues.
“They’re not making decisions that I was elected to do,†Miera said. “But at the same time, the aid will follow me and learn how and why I came to the conclusions that I do for making decisions.â€
Miera said some fellow councilors have asked about having an aide but worried it would take too much time.
“It does, but this isn’t just about me getting free help,†Miera said. “It’s about me sharing that experience with others so that maybe they’re going to take over as councilors, and when they do, they’ll come in well-equipped.â€
The requirements
According to Miera, he seeks a high school or college student who can commit to the mentorship for at least a year and be available on Tuesday nights, when the Village Council meets twice per month.
“I think for a high school student, it’s like a decision to want to learn more. And while learning, part of it, it’s not like book work, it’s a hands-on experience,†Miera said. “Then, if it’s somebody who already graduated or is in college and decided to want to get a political science major at the university.â€
Miera said high school students can gain hands-on experience beyond book learning, while college students, especially political science majors, can gain real-world insight into government.
Miera said high school and university students may be able to earn credit. He will work with schools to determine if they qualify for credit at either level.
To applyThose interested in applying for the aide position can contact Miera at 505-366-8200 or via email at rmiera@corrales-nm.org.