NMSU Panorama - Spring 2018

PANORAMA New Mexico State University Alumni & Friends Magazine

THE WIN

Alumni across the country help bring home a championship trophy

+ALSO INSIDE:

NMSU alumni find success in travel, food careers around the world

Volume 71 Spring 2018 • FREE

Letter from

the President

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his summer, I will officially retire as Chancellor of New Mexico State University. During my time here, it’s been an honor to meet and speak with so many alumni and friends of this great university. NMSU graduates continue to do amazing work in research, community outreach, business and other endeavors that improve lives each day. I’m thankful to have served our university for more than 30 years.

While I may be leaving, NMSU still needs your assistance. Our $125 million “Ignite Aggie Discovery” campaign is more than 70 percent complete. This fundraising effort benefits our entire NMSU system, and more than 2,600 donors have already invested in our students and our mission. Thanks to your support, and the efforts of our outstanding team in the NMSU Foundation, our alumni participation rate has increased 25 percent in the last several years. During that same time, the rate for our peer universities has decreased more than 27 percent.

Everywhere I go, across the state and the country, everyone is betting on the success of NMSU. They say, “I went there. I’m now in a position where I can help, and that’s exactly what I want to do.” The Aggie pride I’ve seen first-hand from our alumni and our state is inspirational, and it’s the reason we’ve been so successful.

In my retirement, if needed, I’m always available to continue promoting NMSU. In the words of the great Country and Western philosopher Garth Brooks, “I will sail my (Aggie) vessel until the river runs dry.”

Garrey Carruthers ’64 ’65 NMSU President and Chancellor of the NMSU System

This issue of Panorama is produced by the office of Marketing and Communications, New Mexico State University, 575-646-3221.

President and Chancellor Garrey Carruthers ’64 ’65

Correspondences may be sent to Marketing and Communications, MSC 3K, New Mexico State University, P.O. Box 30001, Las Cruces, NM 88003-3590 or panorama@nmsu.edu. Panorama is published three times annually. ISSN 2470-0649

President, NMSU Foundation Andrea Tawney

New Mexico State University is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer and educator.

The magazine can be found online at panorama.nmsu.edu.

Editor Angel Mendez Assistant Editor Tiffany Acosta Art Director Gerald Rel Contributors Minerva Baumann ’13, Joe Camporeale, Adriana M. Chávez, DJ Downs ’10, Linda Fresques, Daphne Griffin, Chris Hook, Billy Huntsman ’16, Erica Johnson, Andrés Leighton, Kip Malone, Jane Moorman, Darren Phillips, Melissa Rutter ’17, Ximena Tapia

Chief Operating Officer, NMSU Foundation Tina Byford ’00 ’11 Associate Vice President for Alumni Engagement and Stewardship Leslie Cervantes ’86 Associate Vice President for Marketing and Communications Justin Bannister ’03 ’13 Director of Marketing and Web Communications Melissa Chavira ’03 ’05 ’11 Director of News Darrell J. Pehr Director, Alumni Relations Rebecca Galves ’01

NMSU ALUMNI ASSOCIATION INTERNATIONAL BOARD OF DIRECTORS President Tony Martinez ’96 ’98 President-Elect Scott Sponseller ’96 ’98 Secretary/Treasurer Kay Brilliant ’71 Past President Crystal Lay ’02 ’10 Executive Council Kim Archuleta ’95 ’02, Steve Duran ’90, Connie Lee ’69 ’73, Carol Smallwood ’83, Daniel Sonntag ’14, Andrea Sparkevicius ’91 ’99, Adam Thompson ’08 2018© New Mexico State University POSTMASTER: Send address change notifications to Panorama, MSC 3590, New Mexico State University, P.O. Box 30001, Las Cruces, NM, 88003-88001

Contents Spring 2018 P10

A rally of support From bowl game eligibility to the historic win in Tucson, relive NMSU’s bowl win

P20

Changing the face of ag research

P16

GO Bond on November ballot to build, renovate NMSU facilities

Serving up success Alumnus, 4-star restaurant chef returns to NMSU

P22

Making a difference in the lives of youth

Two alumnae work with children, teens and their families on opposite sides of the country

P24

Filling the STEM talent pipeline NMSU’s STEM TECH Lab receives new name, major gift

Also Inside

2 Alumni Connections..............28 Pete’s Corner...........................34 Press Check.............................35 Aggie Pride..............................36 Around Aggieland..................

COVER PHOTO BY ANDRÉS LEIGHTON

Spring 2018 | New Mexico State University | Panorama

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AROUND AGGIELAND

Aggie bragging rights Recognized for military, veteran efforts

New Mexico State University and the Military and Veterans Programs office strive to create a supportive and inclusive environment for militaryaffiliated students, and since 2010, NMSU has been designated as a “Military Friendly” school, according to Victory Media and published in G.I. Jobs.

For the second consecutive year, NMSU has been ranked on the Military Times Best: Colleges 2018 list. In addition to an extensive, 150-question survey, colleges were evaluated on data from the federal Education, Defense and Veterans Affairs departments in five categories, including university culture, academic quality and outcomes, policies, student support and cost and financial aid. Also, NMSU was recognized as a Military Advanced Education & Transition 2018 Top School.

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10

YEARS

High marks earned in new, 10-year accreditation

NMSU received accreditation through the 2027-28 academic year from the Higher Learning Commission. NMSU evaluated the quality of its academic programs, operations and support services through the accreditation process.

The HLC awarded NMSU its first accreditation in 1926, with the last accreditation process occurring in 2007. This new, 10year accreditation includes the Las Cruces campus as well as NMSU Grants.

The HLC offers stronger institutions the chance to stay on the open pathway, which allows institutions the opportunity to pursue improvement projects that meet the institution’s current needs and aspirations. NMSU plans to remain on the open pathway for the next 10 years.

Included in top 50 colleges list for Latinos

In the November/December 2017 issue of “Latino Leaders” magazine, NMSU was among the universities listed on the Best Colleges for Latinos list. As a Hispanic-serving institution, NMSU’s student enrollment is 54 percent Hispanic.

For more "Points of Pride," visit nmsu.edu/pointsofpride.html

Sharon Jones receives honorary degree

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haron A. Jones, who retired as chief of staff for New Mexico State University System Chancellor Garrey Carruthers in July 2017, was recognized for her commitment to NMSU with an honorary degree in management during the fall 2017 commencement ceremony.

“Sharon’s honorary degree recognizes contributions that go well beyond her service to our great university,” Carruthers says.

Jones served as a senior administrator and eventually chief of staff from 2006 until her retirement.

Jones graduated with

ANDRÉS LEIGHTON

honors from Farmington High School and later attended college in Colorado.

Jones and her husband, Ronn, were partners in a Farmington, New Mexico, grocery store before becoming volunteers for candidates seeking public office. The Joneses met Carruthers while volunteering for the 1976 Presidential Campaign.

In 1977, Jones became the district director for U.S. Sen. Harrison Schmitt before being asked by Carruthers, then Republican Party Chairman for New Mexico, to serve on the party’s executive committee. In 1985, she joined

Carruthers’ gubernatorial campaign as the organizational chair during the primary election and then as the campaign manager during the general election. Carruthers won and became the 27th Governor of New Mexico, and Jones served as his executive assistant from 1987 to 1990.

Jones worked in the private sector from 1991 until 2006, when she became special assistant for Carruthers, who was then the dean of the College of Business and vice president of economic development at NMSU.

“Working with NMSU’s outstanding administration, faculty, staff and students has been a great privilege for me,” Jones says. “The dedication, focus and attention to improving NMSU has been an all-out effort in which I have been fortunate to share.”

Adriana M. Chávez Watch more on Jones' story at:

http://nmsu.life/jones

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ew Mexico State University awarded a posthumous bachelor’s degree in business administration at the December 2017 commencement ceremony.

Jon Canfield walked on behalf of his brother, Daniel, who died in 2017.

“He was a wonderful son and brother and will be remembered for his loving and kind heart and his fierce love for his family,” says their mother, Laurie.

Daniel was planning on a career in either tax preparation or tutoring and wanted to live and work in Colorado.

Daniel had traveled to Colorado Springs shortly before graduation to talk with tax preparation firms about employment. On his way home, he was killed in a highway accident outside of Colorado Springs.

“He was a good teacher,” Laurie says.

“He and Jon were looking forward to walking across the stage and getting their diplomas together.”

Jon, who also accepted his bachelor’s to achieve their dreams,” Laurie says.

“Nothing is impossible for those with degree in criminal justice at the love and faith. David and I are not ceremony, told his family that accepting NMSU alumni, but we are proud that his brother’s diploma was a very two of our sons graduated from NMSU, emotional experience. and we will always be Aggies at heart.”

“He was nervous about going up alone and last,” Laurie says. “Then

Billy Huntsman ’16 he thought about how happy Daniel would be at that moment. He thanked Daniel for all the help he gave him studying and now, Jon thought, I am happy to help you by standing here and accepting your degree.”

Daniel had a disability, and Laurie says it made school difficult for him.

“We are telling Daniel’s story to give hope and strength to all parents and families of people with disabilities and to encourage every person, Jon Canfield (center), who earned his bachelor’s degree in December regardless of ‘ability’ or and accepted a posthumous degree for his brother, Daniel, celebrated commencement with his parents, David and Laurie Canfield. ‘disability,’ to keep fighting Spring 2018 | New Mexico State University | Panorama

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COURTESY PHOTO

Recent grad honors brother with degree

AROUND AGGIELAND

Hensons receive Presidential Medallion

“We are deeply humbled to receive this prestigious award in view of the outstanding qualifications of the others previously chosen,” Mary says. “This recognition will remain one of the most cherished that we have received. Just the fact that it was our beloved NMSU that bestowed this treasure upon us automatically elevates its significance to us.”

The Presidential Medallion, which recognizes outstanding service given to the university beyond an individual’s

time as an employee, outstanding members of was presented at the our Aggie family.”

2018 Spring Convoca “Whatever we tion in January. achieved beyond col “Lou and Mary lege days can be traced Henson have done so directly to all of those much for our univerdistinguished educators, sity and so much for our administrators and coachcommunity,” NMSU es who were instrumental Chancellor Garrey Carin our development,” the ruthers says. “In addicouple says. “We will be tion to his outstanding forever appreciative of career, Coach Henson has their collective efforts helped with the Boys and to prepare us for future Girls Club and has alendeavors. It is our hope ways been willing to help that along life’s way, we Lou and Mary Henson with other community have paid forward what is efforts. Mary Henson played a key role owed to those who have gone before us in in the ‘NMSU Aggies are Tough Enough Aggie land.” to Wear Pink’ campaign. These two are

Jane Moorman COURTESY PHOTO

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eceiving the Presidential Medallion was a delightful surprise for NMSU alumni and former Aggie men's basketball Head Coach Lou Henson and his wife, Mary.

Faculty, departments honored in January system. The recognition is accompanied by a $12,500 annual stipend.

Eleven faculty members received the Donald C. Roush Award in recognition of their teaching excellence. They are Brian Schutte, College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences; Dante De Blassie, College of Arts and Sciences; Gabriela E. Moreno, College of Arts and Sciences; Paula Jean Groves, College of Business; Judith Flores Carmona, College of Education; Krishna Kota, College of

Engineering; Cheryl M. Lombardi, College of Health and Social Services; Jennifer Smith, NMSU Alamogordo; Jalal Hamedi, NMSU Carlsbad; Elizabeth Gamboa, NMSU Dona Aña; and Gail Burke, NMSU Grants.

The Department of Anthropology and Housing and Residential Life received the Outcomes Assessment Committee for CoCurriculum, Administration and Operations Excellence in Assessment Award.

Jane Moorman

Eve Adams, College of Education Counseling and Educational Psychology Department; Kathryn Hanley, College of Arts and Sciences Biology Department; and Bernhard Leinauer, College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences Extension Plant Sciences Department, were named Regents Professors.

The Regents Professorship, established in 2001 by the NMSU Board of Regents, recognizes faculty who have made outstanding contributions to the university’s mission and honors successes in the areas of education and research. A panel At the 2018 Spring Convocation held at Atkinson Recital Hall, New Mexico State University recognized Regents Professors, Donald of Regents Professors evaluate C. Roush award recipients, Presidential Medallion honorees and two departments. From left are William Walker, Rani Alexander, faculty-submitted nominations Dante De Blassie, Judith Flores Carmona, Jalal Hamedi, Gabriela Moreno, Eve Adams, Kathryn Hanley, Lori Henson, Bernhard from throughout the university Leinauer, Elizabeth Gamboa, Cheryl Lombardi, Paula Jean Groves and Brian Schutte.

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ANDRÉS LEIGHTON

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very fall and spring, convocation honors excellence at NMSU. In January, three Regents Professors, 11 faculty members and two departments were honored at the Spring 2018 Convocation ceremony.

Zuhl Museum reopens with more displays, new exhibits especially for children

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MSU’s historic Zuhl Museum, now renovated and expanded, officially reopened to the public in October 2017. The museum houses the Zuhl collection of more than 1,800 fossils, minerals and petrified wood.

sponsored by Wells Fargo.

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COURTESY PHOTO

Funded entirely by Herb and Joan Zuhl, the museum was established 13 years ago in a building that had formerly housed the NMSU Police Department. The Zuhls provided $600,000 to fund the expansion of the Zuhl Museum and create a space to house and display more of the collection.

“The collection has been on loan to the university by Herb and Joan Zuhl since 2000,” says Tiffany Santos, the collection’s director. “Originally the collection was housed in Zuhl Library.”

NMSU Chancellor Garrey Carruthers thanked Herb Zuhl who attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Zuhl also spoke to the crowd, which included about a dozen members of his family who had flown in from around the country. He described the collecting and polishing of the petrified wood as an art.

“I want to thank everyone who helped with the museum,” Zuhl says.

“I know the museum will continue in Herb Zuhl, far left, and New Mexico State University Chancellor Garrey Carruthers, far right, led the ribbon-cutting perpetuity and will be a permanent ceremony during the reopening of Zuhl Museum. Between Zuhl and Carruthers from left next to Zuhl is NMSU Board of collection to be used for education and Regents Chair Debra P. Hicks, Trish Marquez, El Paso Business Banking Manger for Wells Fargo, Tiffany Santos, director of the Zuhl Collection, NMSU Provost Dan Howard, NMSU Board of Regents Secretary/Treasurer Jerean Hutchinson and research for generations to come.”

Courage Idemudia, Southwest District Manager for Wells Fargo Bank.

When the Zuhls revealed their plans in 2000 to provide an estimated $3 million to NMSU from their estate, it was the largest single gift NMSU had ever received, and the library was named after them where some of the most striking examples of the collection are still on display.

In 2016 alone, more than 4,000 visitors signed in at the Zuhl Museum. On average, about 40 tour groups per year view the collection, including frequent school field trips from around the region.

Every second Saturday of the month, the Zuhl Museum invites families for a special event called the “Excavation Pit” where children discover their own dinosaur. The expansion also includes a Kids’ Corner sponsored by Wells Fargo.

The Zuhl Museum is open from noon to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and every second Saturday of the month from noon to 5 p.m.

Two young "excavators" enjoy digging for dinosaurs in the Zuhl Museum's new Kids' Corner

Billy Huntsman ’16

ANDRÉS LEIGHTON

For more information, visit zuhlmuseum.nmsu.edu

AROUND AGGIELAND

AGGIE MILESTONES 130 years

In 1888, Las Cruces College was founded. A year later

the Rodney Act of 1889 created an agricultural college in Southern New Mexico, and Las Cruces College became known as New Mexico

125 years

The Aggie football team was created during the

Agricultural College. The

1893-1894 school year. The squad featured many

university experienced two

of the college’s first graduates,

additional name changes

including famed

until officially becoming

agriculturalist

New Mexico State

Fabian Garcia.

University in 1960.

60 years

In 1958, NMSU at Alamogordo began operation where its

first classes were held at Alamogordo High School. Now, the campus has grown to support 1,700 students and nearly 200 faculty and staff members.

50 years

Corbett Center Student Union opened in fall of 1968. The 109,000 square-foot building cost $3 million and replaced Milton Student Center.

Corbett Center is the hub of student life on campus

40 years

The home of the NMSU football team,

Aggie Memorial Stadium, was officially dedicated in September 1978. The Aggies celebrated the opening with a 35-32 win over University of Texas-El Paso.

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that gives students areas to dine, study and relax with friends.

The building has since undergone renovations in 1996 and 2014.

Pixar co-founder inspires next generation

A highlight of his visit was a presentation he made – “A Quick Tour of the History of Pixels.” He was also honored as the Ingeniero Eminente at the College of Engineering Order of the Engineer/Sociadad Eminente graduation ceremony. Eminentes are recognized for accomplishments in their field and serve as role models for new graduates.

Smith developed an industry-changing digital graphics technology concept and was a founding member of Lucasfilm in 1980. In 1986, he co-founded Pixar and in 1991, Smith founded Altamira, later acquired by Microsoft. Smith directed the first use of full computer graphics, the “Genesis Demo,” in a successful major

motion picture, “Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan,” while at Lucasfilm.

Smith, who grew up in Clovis, New Mexico, worked as a junior engineer at the Physical Science Laboratory while earning his bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering at NMSU. He While visiting campus in December 2017, NMSU alumnus Alvy Ray Smith spoke at the Outstanding Graduates Fall Luncheon at the Stan Fulton Center. graduated with high honors in Watch Smith’s experience at: 1965 and went on to earn a master’s and doctorate degree in computer science at http://nmsu.life/smith Stanford University. In 1999, he received an honorary doctorate from NMSU.

Linda Fresques

GRADIMAGES

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ew Mexico State University graduate Alvy Ray Smith, who co-founded Pixar and shared in two Academy Awards for technical advances in digital media, visited NMSU in early December 2017.

Alumnus makes pioneering discoveries

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ANDRÉS LEIGHTON

ew Mexico State University alumnus Don Cleveland discovered something at Princeton University that he might never have known had he not left his hometown of Las Cruces after earning his physics degree from NMSU in 1972.

“I realized that kids from New Mexico State University can compete with anybody,” Cleveland says.

Now, a field-leading researcher in the area of genetics and neurosciences at the University of San Diego, Cleveland was among a handful of scientists to receive a $3 million Breakthrough Prize in December 2017.

Watching his father, who was a physics professor at NMSU, slowly disabled by Parkinson’s disease, motivated Cleveland’s interest in neurosciences. His breakthrough discoveries could also impact future treat-

ment of other neurodegenerative diseases such as Lou Gehrig’s disease, Huntington’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease.

Cleveland returned to Las Cruces in February 2018 to be honored by NMSU’s College of Arts and Sciences at the annual “A Starry Night” event. He says it was an honor to be back in his hometown to receive the award.

“I remember from the class of graduate students I was with at Princeton there were four of us who have been the most successful and have received honors around the world, like the Breakthrough Prize,” Cleveland says. “They have one thing in common. We all came from America’s public universities. NMSU’s faculty can prepare you for anything.

Just don’t sell yourself short.”

Don Cleveland, 1972 NMSU alumnus, received honors for his breakthrough discovery in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases like Lou Gehrig's and Alzheimer's diseases.

Minerva Baumann ’13 Spring 2018 | New Mexico State University | Panorama

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AROUND AGGIELAND

NMSU custodian overcomes language barriers, earns engineering degree

ANDRÉS LEIGHTON

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ince 2005, Oscar Murillo has worked full-time at New Mexico State University. At the same time, he studied in the classroom and this spring, earned an NMSU bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering.

A custodian with the Facilities and Services department, Murillo has worked in the Hardman and Jacobs Undergraduate Learning Center since 2015. He typically attends class in the morning and works in the afternoon.

Murillo uses NMSU’s Educational Assistance Program, which covers tuition and required fees for up to six hours in the fall and spring sessions and up to eight hours in the summer session. The benefit is available to eligible employees and qualifying family members.

Not only has Murillo had to master balancing work and his studies, the Chihuahua, Mexico, native also had to learn English. He attended classes at Doña Ana Community College to immerse himself in the language.

“It’s not been easy to work and study. It’s complicated, but I keep going,” says Murillo, who became a U.S. citizen in July 2017. He started taking classes in 2008 but took a four-year break while his mother, Bertha, battled cancer.

“My mom’s not here, but I think she would be proud of me,” he says. “She pushed me to continue.”

Even with his newly earned degree, Murillo says he will continue to work at NMSU and pursue a master’s degree in electrical engineering with a specialization in power and control until the right full-time engineering position comes along.

Despite studying industrial engineering in Mexico, Murillo says, “I’m really passionate about circuits and electricity.”

He credits Klipsch School of Electrical and Computer Engineering Associate Professors Robert Paz, who passed away in 2017, and Muhammad Dawood with helping him succeed.

“If I need help with my classes, he’s always available in his office,” Murillo says of Dawood. “I know sometimes I may bother him, but his door is always open.”

Tiffany Acosta

An NMSU custodian since 2005, Oscar Murillo overcame language barriers to earn his bachelor's degree in electrical engineering with the help of NMSU's Educational Assistance Program.

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Cybersecurity rules at Doña Ana Community College

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That’s why NMSU-Doña Ana Community College is committed to providing students with the tools they need to pursue high-tech careers and teaching them about new technology that’s become second nature to many.

The newest technological offering on the horizon at DACC is an associate degree in cybersecurity. Cybersecurity is a growing field that works to protect sensitive digital data from online hackers. The field is expected to suffer a global shortage of professionals in the next few years, and DACC is stepping up to the challenge, growing students into qualified professionals to meet the demand for these high-paying jobs critical in today’s society.

The proposed degree is awaiting final approval from NMSU, and students could enroll as early as fall 2018.

“Everything is getting hacked, and there is a heavy need for people who can do cybersecurity,” says Robert Doyle, an instructor in Computer and Information Technology at DACC.

He says he has already received inquiries about the new degree, especially from students who currently hold an associate degree in computer technology.

Yet, cybersecurity isn’t the only high-tech field DACC is creating to help fill jobs.

Students interested in developing apps for Apple’s app store can take classes in Apple Swift Xcode, the newest programming language from Apple. Swift is easy to learn, provides excellent security and performance and is used by app developers at all skill levels. According to PayScale Human Capital, the average salary for a mobile app developer is $71,861.

Those taking the Swift coding class at DACC can create apps that speak to the limits of their imagination, whether that be an app to find the best place to eat in Las Cruces or an app to help people organize their lives.

While DACC is offering students these new pathways to high-tech careers, the school also is bringing technology into traditional classroom settings with the XCITE initiative, an effort that incorporates iPads into learning experiences across a broad range of courses.

So far, 26 faculty members are teaching classes using iPads, including Science Professor Sarah Balizan, the first Apple Distinguished Educator from a New Mexico college.

“I’m pleased with the ability of students to follow along on their iPads during a class lecture and discussion,” Balizan says. “Giving them access to course content lets them immediately take notes, highlight, record my voice and then review their notes at a later time.”

Erica Johnson

DACC STAFF PHOTO

ecent advances in technology mean today’s college students can choose from vastly different career options compared to years ago.

Even students pursuing more traditional fields, such as agriculture, are finding the landscape transformed by technology.

Computer and Information Technology Professors Robert Doyle (left) and Gus Pina (right) guide student Gloria Nevarez Leslie in a technology program new to DACC that equips her with the skills needed for cybersecurity careers.

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T R O P P U S

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From bowl game eligibility to the historic win in Tucson, relive NMSU’s bowl win

By Angel Mendez

ew Mexico State University and bowl eligibility are two phrases Aggie fans have longed to mention in the same sentence. This season - win after win - those phrases earned their way into the minds of coaches, the offices of the athletic department and eventually, the sports media world, coming true with a game-ending touchdown against South Alabama in December 2017.

Shortly after, the Aggies got the call – a matchup against Utah State in Tucson in the team’s first bowl game since 1960 at the NOVA Home Loans Arizona Bowl. We all know the outcome. Larry Rose III slides in the end zone in overtime to snag the victory, and the thousands-packed Aggie crowd (unapologetically) storms the field.

It’s a day the Aggie football team will never forget. But for the community and the state of New Mexico, it will be an entire month-long celebration many will remember for lifetimes to come – a rally of support that united Aggies near and far in many ways.

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JOE CAMPOREALE

Y L L A R A

ANDRÉS LEIGHTON

COURTESY PHOTO

THE INVITATION

The Community Steps Up

We’re Going Bowling

After a neck-and-neck game against South Alabama, senior wide receiver Conner Cramer caught a final pass in the end zone to win the game 22-16. Redshirt sophomore wide receiver Izaiah Lottie celebrates on the field with fans and teammates after the game.

After earning an invitation to Tucson, several community leaders created special avenues for Aggie fans throughout Las Cruces to attend the historic game. Las Cruces City Manager Stuart C. Ed allowed employees a free day off for those traveling to Arizona.

Donors and friends of NMSU contributed financially, offering free tickets to Las Cruces Public School employees and NMSU students who wanted to root on the Aggies. Classrooms with young Aggie fans showed their spirit, including these 5th graders at Mesilla Elementary School.

Aggie Pride Band Shows Off

JOE CAMPOREALE

THE PRE-GAME PREP

CHRIS HOOK

Thousands crowded downtown Tucson for the “Battle of the Bands" before the big game. The Aggie Pride Band performed in front of a loud and proud Aggie crowd.

Taking A Moment with Fans

The NMSU football team started the week off in Tucson by paying a special visit to some of their biggest fans at Diamond Children’s Medical Center.

See how the band performed at:

http://nmsu.life/band

Watch this special visit at:

http://nmsu.life/visit Spring 2018 | New Mexico State University | Panorama

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A RALLY

SUPPORT

Jeremiah Young led the NMSU captains on the field to the coin toss, continuing a tradition started by his mother Lori Paulson. She served as the team's honorary captain in 2015 while battling cancer before passing away months later. The team carries on her legacy and uses it as motivation to win.

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CHRIS HOOK

CHRIS HOOK

A swarm of Aggies showed up to the tune of 25,000 people to root on the Aggies in Tucson.

JOE CAMPOREALE

THE WIN

Just over four minutes into the game, sophomore running back Jason Huntley answers Utah State’s returned kickoff with his own, driving 100 yards to the end zone for a 10-7 lead.

JOE CAMPOREALE

Watch the full game recap at:

JOE CAMPOREALE

http://nmsu.life/game

CHRIS HOOK

After missing a 28-yard field goal, Utah State’s defense needed to hold NMSU from scoring. But, senior running back Larry Rose III found a hole and sprinted 21 yards, winning the 2017 NOVA Home Loans Arizona Bowl, 26-20.

The catch that held breath hostage was a shot from redshirt senior quarterback Tyler Rogers to redshirt senior wide receiver Jaleel Scott, who kept his foot inches inside the inbounds line after several reviews of various camera angles, according to officials. The game was tied 20-20, leading to an overtime stint.

A celebration ensued as Rose III crossed the end zone with thousands of Aggie fans leaping the guard rails to storm the field jumping, screaming, smiling and enjoying the moment. It was the feeling of winning, ending the longest bowl-drought in college football history.

JOE CAMPOREALE

JOE CAMPOREALE

Defensive Line Coach John Mumford huddles the team to talk strategy. The defense played a major role in the game led by junior linebacker Leon McQuaker who had 13 tackles, along with junior linebacker Terrill Hanks at 10, senior linebacker Dalton Herrington at nine and senior defensive back Jaden Wright at nine. A forced fumble recovered by redshirt sophomore linebacker Shane Jackson at Utah State’s 35-yard line mid-game shifted the momentum in favor of NMSU.

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A RALLY

NMSU PHOTO

SUPPORT

THE TROPHY COMES HOME Las Cruces Celebrates

NMSU PHOTO

CHRIS HOOK

DJ DOWNS

The celebration didn’t end in Tucson. Hundreds showed up at Plaza de Las Cruces in January 2018 to congratulate the entire team and see (and kiss) the trophy won for them and the entire community. The City of Las Cruces helped bus in fans to the event from around the city for free on the “Aggie Bowl Victory Bus.” Dozens of leaders, including Las Cruces Mayor Ken Miyagishima, NMSU System Chancellor Garrey Carruthers, NMSU Regent Debra Hicks, NMSU Athletics Director Mario Moccia and Visit Tucson’s Brent DeRaad, all spoke about the impact this win had across the state of New Mexico. A similar celebration happened in “Aggie-querque” later in the month where hundreds enjoyed a visit from NMSU Athletics staff, the team and the trophy.

Football Success Fund Enhanced for Recruitment

With the help of more than 160 donors, Leslie Cervantes with the NMSU Foundation presented Head Coach Doug Martin with a check worth almost $42,000 raised through the university’s “Make a STATEment” crowdfunding platform. All of the donations support the team’s recruitment efforts as well as retaining the high-quality coaches that led the team to victory.

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$24 Million Earned in Media Placements

This win shined light not only on the Aggie football team but also on the university itself. NMSU Marketing and Communications measured the earned media value of all the football sports coverage throughout December and January, not including major national spots with CBS Sports and ESPN. The Aggies’ success brought in $24 million worth of attention to the team, the university and one of the greatest stories in college football history that many will cherish for a lifetime.

See his plaque on display at:

http://nmsu.life/atkins

S DARREN PHILLIP

One of the greatest players in the history of NMSU football passed away one week before the Aggies’ historymaking win. Pervis Atkins was a running back on the 1959 and 1960 Sun Bowl Championship squads.

After helping the Aggies to an undefeated season in 1960, he earned first-team All-America honors – a welldeserved award as he was known to handle many different duties on the field including kicking and returning along with lining up at tailback and tight end.

The Los Angeles Rams selected Atkins in the third round of the NFL draft in 1961. He played professionally for five seasons, including stints with the Washington Redskins and Oakland Raiders.

In 2010, Atkins was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. A plaque with his name adorns the newlyrenovated Allen Family Football Locker Room, alongside dozens of other successful Aggie football alumni.

NMSU PHOTO

Pervis Atkins leaves a legacy

Pervis Atkins, a key player on the 1960 NMSU football championship team, passed away one week before this year's history-making game.

Then and Now: 1960 Aggie Cheerleader Left: Reunited from 1960 to now – Dave Thompson (left), MaryJane Kennedy Lent and Lonnie Terry.

Below: MaryJane Kennedy Lent (front left) in 1960 poses alongside her cheerleading teammates.

TO COURTESY PHO

COURTESY PHOTO

What a wonderful time we “old” Aggies had at the NOVA Home Loans Arizona Bowl game and alumni tailgate in December.

Since I was an NMSU Cheerleader at both the 1959 and 1960 Sun Bowl Games in El Paso, it was exciting for me to attend the Arizona Bowl 57 years later. I had the chance to reconnect with old classmates like 1960 football players Dave Thompson and Lonnie Terry.

When I was a student cheerleader on the field in the 1960 game, I knew so many in the stands and on the field. Now, as proud Aggie alumna years later, the atmosphere was very different but equally thrilling for me.

The stadium was packed and spectators were excited and friendly. Even if we may not have met previously, we were all Aggies together cheering for our team.

MaryJane Kennedy Lent, ’61

Spring 2018 | New Mexico State University | Panorama

15

ANDRÉS LEIGHTON

NMSU graduate Andres Padilla visited the College of ACES School of HRTM in February 2018. He was the featured chef for the HRTM's first-ever Chef Artist Dinner.

Serving up success ANDRÉS LEIGHTON

Alumnus, 4-star restaurant chef returns to NMSU By Ximena Tapia

16 Panorama | New Mexico State University | Spring 2018

ANDRÉS LEIGHTON

Chef John Hartley, professor in the School of HRTM, talks to a Ashley Lucas about preparing a dish during class. Chef Hartley and HRTM students worked alongside Chef Padilla at the Chef Artist Dinner in February.

Alumna opens luxury hotels across the globe

Growing up in a small town of about 500 people, Tanya Sabelman wanted to leave Lindrith, New Mexico, and see the world. Her dream came true—she is now the Global Openings Manager for Luxury Brands Ritz-Carlton, EDITION and Bulgari hotels. Sabelman helps hotel managers open new locations across the world. She makes sure that everything is in place and ready to go for each and every hotel grand opening.

In the past 10 months, Sabelman has travelled to Kazakhstan, Switzerland, Malaysia, China, Thailand, United Arab Emirates and many other countries along the way.

She graduated from the School of HRTM in 2002.

Tanya Sabelman graduated

“I always knew that I wanted to travel and see the from the School of HRTM in world, and I knew that a degree in HRTM would allow me to 2002. She now travels the world organizing grand openings for do that,” Sabelman says. “In college, you don’t really under- luxury hotels. stand what it’s like working in a 24/7 industry, but it’s what I’ve always wanted to do.”

Although she works long hours, including holidays and weekends, Sabelman is living her dream, and she wouldn’t trade it for a thing.

Ximena Tapia

Spring 2018 | New Mexico State University | Panorama

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COURTESY PHOTO

A

s he walks through the double doors leading into New Mexico State University’s 100 West Café and makes his way into the restaurant’s kitchen, Andres Padilla can’t help but reflect on how much he has learned and grown in the 15 years since he graduated from the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences’ School of Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management.

“It’s very humbling to be back. As a college student, you can’t see or imagine what the real world will be like,” Padilla says. “I didn’t imagine this being my future, but I love it.”

Padilla was the featured chef at HRTM’s first-ever Chef Artist dinner in February 2018. HRTM Director Jean Hertzman says it was an honor to have him back in Las Cruces.

“It’s a tremendous opportunity for people of the area to have food prepared for them by a chef of such high status, and the fact that he is our alumnus makes it even better,” she says.

Padilla graduated from the School of HRTM in 2003. He is now a chef at Topolobampo, an award-winning Mexican cuisine restaurant in Chicago.

He started as a sous chef in 2008 and worked his way up to chef de cuisine in 2012. Topolobampo received a 4-star rating

by Chicago Magazine and has won several awards from the James Beard Foundation, the most recent – Outstanding Restaurant 2017 award.

This Chef Artist dinner was only the second time Padilla had returned to New Mexico since graduating, but it still felt like home to him.

“There are not very many mountains in Chicago, so it was really nice to fly in and see them. They remind me of who I am and where I’m from,” he says. “Chicago is home for now, but New Mexico is really home for me.”

The Chef Artist dinner and silent auction raised approximately $10,000, split between the HRTM Student Travel fund and HRTM Alumni Endowed Scholarship fund. They also raised $3,000 for the Fill the Glass Campaign, which provides funds for the operation and maintenance of the Bobby Lee Lawrence Academy of Wine.

“These students are the future managers and leaders of all segments of the hospitality industry.”

–JEAN HERTZMAN, HRTM DIRECTOR 18 Panorama | New Mexico State University | Spring 2018

ANDRÉS LEIGHTON

Ashley Lucas prepares a dish during class at the School of HRTM. Students played an important role in preparing for the Chef Artist Dinner and assisting Chef Padilla.

ANDRÉS LEIGHTON

Students work hard year-round to ensure success at all the events, lunches and dinners at the School of HRTM. They do all the work from setting up the tables and serving their guests to cooking the food. Aiyanna Guerra prepares the dining room for lunch in the 100 West Cafe.

Industry partnership planned for new campus hotel

Construction at New Mexico State University for the Courtyard by Marriott hotel began in October 2017. Standing west of the Las Cruces Convention Center, this new hotel will provide students in the HRTM with many learning opportunities. The hotel managers will often be invited as guest speakers to classes, and students will be able to do site visits, apply for part-time jobs and internships and earn management positions after graduation.

“We’re most excited about this project because developing a third-party hotel property on campus The Courtyard by Marriot hotel is expected to open by June 2019. It will provide for the benefit of the many learning opportunities for students in the School of HRTM. community as well as our students is something that’s been in the works for years,” says NMSU System Chancellor Garrey Carruthers. “We’re delighted to move this project along, particularly since it’s been 14 years in the making.”

The hotel is expected to open in March 2019.

Ximena Tapia

Spring 2018 | New Mexico State University | Panorama

19

COURTESY PHOTO

While the Chef Artist dinner was one of HRTM’s biggest events of the year, students and faculty stay busy with weekly events. The 100 West Café, a food laboratory for HRTM students, offers fixed-price lunches starting the fifth week of the fall and spring semesters. They have a different theme every week, including French, Brazilian, Creole, Greek and many more flavors from around the world.

On four Thursday nights each semester, the school of HRTM treats its guests to a gourmet international dinner. The night starts with a wine tasting reception in the Bobby Lee Lawrence Academy of Wine, followed by a five-course dinner in the 100 West Café. The international dinners for Spring 2018 featured a Tour de France, La Cucina Italiana, West Coast Wines and an “Around the World Winemaker’s Dinner,” featuring Irby Wood from Jackson Family Wines.

Hertzman describes the international dinners as, “the hottest ticket in town and one of the most gourmet dining experiences you can have in Las Cruces.” They sold out in both the fall and spring semesters and continue to grow in popularity.

The Adjustment Project, also known as The TAP Series, is a monthly happy hour of specialty cocktails, beers, wines and non-alcoholic beverages with complimentary appetizers. The series runs on Fridays once a month, including summer.

All of these year-round events are led by HRTM students that help them prepare for future careers.

“These students are the future managers and leaders of all segments of the hospitality industry,” says Hertzman.

Students work tirelessly all year long, but they know it’s all worth it in the end, just as it was for Padilla.

“There’s a big bright future here for everybody,” Padilla says, “It’s just a matter of putting your head down, working hard and loving what you do.”

Three agricultural facilities on the Las Cruces campus in need of major upgrades will benefit from a "Yes" on a proposed General Obligation Bond from voters in November 2018. No tax increase is associated with these bonds.

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Biomedical Research Center

Animal Nutrition and Feed Manufacturing Facility

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Food Science Security and Safety Facility

CHANGING THE FACE of Agricultural Research

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GO Bond on November ballot to build, renovate NMSU facilities

By Minerva Baumann ’13

ore than $31 million in capital outlay projects will be on the ballot for the New Mexico State University system as part of more than $128 million in proposed general obligation bonds for aging buildings at universities and colleges across the state. The funding is part the General Obligation Bond for higher education projects, and there is no tax increase associated with these bonds.

If approved by voters in November 2018, $25 million is planned for agricultural modernization and educational facilities at the Las Cruces campus. Renovation and modernization is planned for the Food Science Security and Safety Facility, the Biomedical Research Center and the Animal Nutrition and Feed Manufacturing Facility.

“Agricultural research is central to our mission at New Mexico State University,” NMSU System Chancellor Garrey Carruthers says. “After generations of use, many of our agricultural facilities are growing old and in need of repair. Should the voters approve this GO Bond, NMSU will not only be able to improve these facilities, but also add new dimensions to our research, including food safety and security.”

20 Panorama | New Mexico State University | Spring 2018

RENDERING COURTESY OF PARKHILL, SMITH & COOPER

Agriculture and food processing are an important part of New Mexico’s economy, accounting for about $4 billion in sales. NMSU is poised to be an international leader in food protection initiatives to promote food safety in New Mexico and the region. The Food Science Learning and Safety Facility supports teaching in the processing of locally produced agricultural products resulting in economic gain for New Mexico producers and allied industries.

The Biomedical Research Center houses many students across disciplines as well as scientists who are dedicating their research to some of the world's most troubling health issues. An improved facility will create more sophisticated environments for these researchers to actively identify and test solutions for cancer, fertility, obesity, mosquito-born viruses and stress-related speech issues.

Additional benefits include enhanced safety for students and employees as well as encouraging student involvement in research.

“By supporting the GO Bond in November’s election, voters will be increasing educational opportunities and contributing to economic growth, thus improving the lives of New Mexicans,” says Rolando A. Flores, dean of NMSU’s College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences. “These modern facilities will lift NMSU, New Mexico’s agriculture and related industries to higher levels because they will provide faculty and students with better tools and technology.”

The GO Bond for higher education also includes a total of $6.2 million in infrastructure upgrades, renovations and construction for Doña Ana Community College, NMSU Alamogordo, NMSU Carlsbad and NMSU Grants.

The GO Bond for libraries, which includes more than $12 million for eligible academic libraries, is also on the ballot. The NMSU Library and all NMSU community college libraries benefit from these funds.

The last day to register to vote is Tuesday, Oct. 9. Early voting at dedicated locations begins Tuesday, Oct. 9, with the election happening Tuesday, Nov. 6. GO bonds come before the voters of New Mexico every two years to support projects throughout the state.

Agriculture and food processing industries generated nearly $11 billion and 51,000 jobs for the New Mexico economy, according to a recent study.

6,000 4-H and FFA students and families visit the Animal and Range Sciences Campus Livestock Center each year.

More than 80 percent of courses in Animal and Range Science will benefit from a new facility.

Every week, the current facility mixes 25 tons of feed to support the research and teaching mission as well as 4-H and FFA programs. With upgraded capacity and safety, the facility’s stakeholders will be better served.

For more information on this GO Bond, visit http://nmsu.life/gobond

Spring 2018 | New Mexico State University | Panorama

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Making a

difference

in the lives of youth

By Adriana Chávez

Holly Raines-Baxter and Kristin Prinn graduated with their master’s degrees in social work from New Mexico State University at separate times; the two women have never met. Both are making a positive impact on the lives of children, teens and families in Las Cruces and Camden, New Jersey.

Holly Raines-Baxter

Raines-Baxter graduated with her master’s degree from NMSU in May 2017, after she earned her undergraduate degree in sociology in May 2015, also from NMSU. She currently works as a therapist with the Southwest Family Guidance Center in Las Cruces.

Raines-Baxter, who is originally from Logan, New Mexico, knows the foster care system first-hand, helping her better understand the significant role she plays in the families she assists.

“I went through the foster care system in high school, and because of that experience, I decided to do something with it,” Raines-Baxter says.

After her mother died when RainesBaxter was 14, she was placed in five different foster homes. Luckily, her caseworkers made a big difference in her life and motivated her to pursue a similar career. She also had the support of her friends, her last foster family, who Raines-Baxter is still close to, and her now fiancé.

“I originally wanted to work for Child Protective Services, but now I work with teens who are at risk of going into foster care and their families to help keep them at home,” Raines-Baxter says. “I’ve learned that families are complicated, and I’ve had some good outcomes and not so good outcomes, but I’ve had kids still text me about how they’re doing and moms who still keep in touch. It’s very fulfilling 22 Panorama | New Mexico State University | Spring 2018

I went through the foster care system in high school, and because of that experience, I decided to do something with it.

-HOLLY RAINES-BAXTER to have those relationships.”

Raines-Baxter says her experience at NMSU has also helped her tremendously.

“It helped me learn more about the different cultures in our area. It made me more cognizant of issues affecting families here (in Las Cruces). I wouldn’t have been able to do my job without that knowledge,” RainesBaxter says.

Kristin Prinn

Prinn, who has been living in Philadelphia for almost 20 years, arrived in the Las Cruces area in 2004, after earning her undergraduate degree from St. Joseph’s University. At the time, Prinn was serving a oneyear mission with the Associate Missionaries of the Assumption and joined a group of international nuns working with youth and families in Chaparral, New Mexico.

“I fell in love with working with ganginvolved youth immediately. I saw very early on in my time on the border that a one-year

commitment wouldn’t be as impactful, so I looked into staying in the area to pursue my master’s degree in social work,” Prinn says.

NMSU also proved to be an affordable option for Prinn, who qualified for in-state tuition, and became a graduate assistant by the time she began the social work program in fall 2005. Prinn graduated from NMSU in May 2007, and benefited from the university’s diversity.

“I had gone from a predominantly white student body at my college in Philadelphia to the social work school at NMSU where I was one of the only white students in the program,” says Prinn, who learned Spanish during her time on campus. “Having the privilege to study with Latinos and American Indian students was an incredible experience for me and taught me so much about myself and the challenges our country faces daily.”

Prinn visits the area once or twice a year, including a service-immersion trip to Chaparral to learn about immigration with the youth she works with as executive director and founder of LUCY Outreach, a program in Camden that offers multilingual, culturally-sensitive services to low-income youth and young adults and their families.

“I was no angel as a teenager, so I never dreamed that I would work with this age group,” Prinn says. “So many people saw things in me that I never saw in myself.

Now, I can pay it forward and bring out the best in my kids.”

ANDRÉS LEIGHTON

Holly Raines-Baxter, who earned a bachelor’s and master’s degree from New Mexico State University, has stayed in Las Cruces to help local children and their families as a therapist at the Southwest Family Guidance Center.

Spring 2018 | New Mexico State University | Panorama

JACK SAADY PHOTOGRAPHY

Following a one-year mission in Chaparral, New Mexico, Kristin Prinn earned a master’s degree in social work from NMSU. She returned home to the east coast and founded LUCY Outreach, a program that helps youth and their families in Camden, New Jersey.

23

Filling the

STEM talent pipeline

NMSU’s STEM TECH Lab receives new name, major gift By Angel Mendez

O

ne of the popular acronyms in the education world today – STEM – represents more than science, technology, engineering and mathematics. While many different definitions of STEM exist, the end goal of this interdisciplinary, collaborative study is to inspire and equip young students with the skillsets needed to fill the growing pipeline of 24 Panorama | New Mexico State University | Spring 2018

open STEM jobs available around the world. And, New Mexico State University wants to help.

Last Fall, NMSU debuted its STEM TECH (Test and Evaluation Collaboration Hub) Lab in O’Donnell Hall funded by a $900,000 grant from the Department of Defense. Operated under a partnership between the Colleges of Education and

ERIC WINTERS

DAPHNE GRIFFIN

Above: MaryLou (left) and Jack Davis believe in the impact a STEM education has on New Mexico's youth. Their recent investment in the effort has officially renamed a key component of NMSU's STEM outreach program as the "Jack & MaryLou Davis STEM TECH Lab." Left: Dylan Guerrero and Jasmine Paez from Zia Middle School experience the lab's virtual reality programs teaching STEM concepts with handson learning.

Engineering and NMSU’s STEM Outreach the “Jack & MaryLou Davis STEM TECH Lab” and created Center, NMSU is the only university to house new endowed scholarships in the Colleges of Education and such a lab, which brings in hundreds of K-8 Engineering. students from throughout the Las Cruces

“Jack and I see NMSU’s STEM TECH Lab as a unique facility community and uses that we hope will challenge students from high-tech simulation all grade levels,” MaryLou says. “The and other novel gadgets to teach STEM university and the state will benefit from Jack always says that an concepts. immersive student STEM experiences as

While direct impact on student they continue their studies and, eventually, education is an inherent part STEM interest will take years to measure, enter the workforce fully prepared for their new data shows NMSU’s STEM outreach futures.” of your life. It is one thing that through the lab and beyond is already The gift comes shortly after support affecting the local economy. Since from Smoky and Alan Torgerson who cannot be taken from you. You 2009, more than 24,000 students have invested in a STEM professorship to participated in NMSU’s afterschool recruit top teaching talent to the program. can lose your car, house and programs, generating $7.77 million Both gifts will enhance the STEM many material things in life, in labor income and $4.95 million in program and spark both an interest in childcare savings for area families.

STEM at a younger age as well as an but your education is what you

This success interested NMSU ’69 interest in NMSU as the prime pathway to alumni Jack and MaryLou Davis. pursue those STEM passions. will use to help regain them.

“Jack and I both believe that “This gift is a great example of proficiency in STEM is a must, even if the commitment and dedication of – MARYLOU DAVIS the student is not directly involved in a outstanding NMSU alumni who like to scientific profession,” says MaryLou. ensure that NMSU students are equally

A former educator herself, MaryLou, successful in their careers,” says College of who is also chair of the NMSU Foundation Board, and her Engineering Dean Lakshmi Reddi. “We respect their generosity by husband, Jack, former CEO of Arizona Public Service, see the making sure our STEM student recruitment and retention efforts importance of STEM from both the business and educational are designed in a way that every dollar they contribute has the perspectives. Their recent investment of $500,000 has renamed maximal benefit.”

Spring 2018 | New Mexico State University | Panorama

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A generous partner Longtime donor, friend passes away in January

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By Justin Bannister ’03 ’13 KIP MALONE

tan Fulton leaves a tremendous legacy at New Mexico State University that has benefitted countless students.

For more than a decade, his investments have been transformational – from academics, to instructional facilities, to athletics – he has truly elevated the university.

Fulton was very successful in the Las Vegas gaming industry. His company, Anchor Gaming, built the city’s first multi-line video slot machines and video poker machines. Fulton sold his interests in the company in 2000 and acquired Sunland Park Racetrack and Casino in Sunland Park, New Mexico, about 30 minutes south of Las Cruces.

That’s when his relationship with NMSU began.

Fulton was NMSU’s largest, single donor, giving more than $17 million in total. His first series of gifts helped build the Fulton Center on the south end of Aggie Memorial Stadium along with funding four academic chairs, a portion of the Domenici Hall construction and multiple improvements to Aggie Memorial Stadium. He also established an endowment to support merit-based fellowships for students in NMSU’s Graduate School.

In 2014, he received the Outstanding Leader in Philanthropy Award from the Association of Fundraising Professionals New Mexico Chapter. In 2003, he was awarded an honorary doctorate from NMSU in recognition of his remarkable record of philanthropy, for the inspirational example he set as a successful entrepreneur and for his significant support of the university.

Stan Fulton, NMSU's largest, single donor, passes away, leaving behind a transformational legacy that will impact students for generations to come.

26 Panorama | New Mexico State University | Spring 2018

A dedicated public servant

Retired U.S. senator passes away in September

T

By Tiffany Acosta DOMENICI ARCHIVES

he longest-serving senator in New Mexico history, U.S. Sen. Pete V. Domenici retired in 2008 after serving 38 years. As a senator, Domenici was very focused on issues such as energy and natural resources, behavioral health and budgetary matters.

He was a longtime chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, member of the Senate Appropriations Committee and chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee.

His leadership and expertise eventually led to the creation of the Domenici Public Policy Institute at New Mexico State University in 2008 to conduct public policy research, provide outreach with entrepreneurship and business incubation, assist in maintaining the Domenici Archives at the NMSU Library and sponsor an annual public policy conference. The Domenici Institute was the first of its kind in New Mexico.

Pete V. Domenici Hall, which opened in fall 2014, transformed the university’s Hershel Zohn Theater into a facility that houses NMSU’s Domenici Institute for Public Policy, making it the third building on campus used by the College of Business.

Domenici Hall uses state-of-the-art audio-visual technology and houses one of the few large auditoriums on campus, increasing classroom space capacity and creating a new venue for forums, seminars and other large meetings often open to the campus and community.

The 11th Domenici Public Policy Conference will be Sept. 12-13 in Las Cruces. The topics for the 2018 conference include national defense, immigration policies and evolving political landscapes of New Mexico and the nation.

U.S. Sen. Pete V. Domenici, the longest-serving senator in New Mexico history, invested many years in NMSU to shape and educate students and the community on public policy.

Spring 2018 | New Mexico State University | Panorama

27

ALUMNI CONNECTIONS

Bannister named NMSU associate vice president for marketing, communications

I

ANDRÉS LEIGHTON

n November 2017, New Mexico State University leadership appointed Justin Bannister as associate vice president for Marketing and Communications. He had served as the interim associate vice president for the previous year.

“Justin is the consummate team player, and his positive attitude is always uplifting,” says Andrea Tawney, NMSU’s vice president for university advancement and marketing and communications.

As associate vice president, Bannister oversees all marketing, media relations and university broadcasting operations and leads the planning and execution of NMSU’s marketing and advertising budget to support student recruitment and alumni engagement efforts.

“I’m incredibly excited for this opportunity,” Bannister says.

“NMSU is an outstanding university that changes the lives of every student who arrives on our campus. Our two biggest goals

for our marketing efforts are to help in recruiting more students and to continue building Aggie pride.”

In the past year, the Marketing and Communications office has expanded a number of outreach efforts into the Las Cruces community, including the creation of the Aggie Stomping Grounds program, a local business outreach effort that builds Aggie pride throughout the city. The group has also worked to grow NMSU’s digital and traditional advertising efforts across the southwestern U.S., which played a role in helping increase first-time freshmen enrollment by more than 11 percent this current academic year.

Bannister has a bachelor’s degree in journalism and mass communications and a master’s in communication studies, both from NMSU. He has worked at the university since 2006 in various communications roles and as an instructor at both NMSU and Doña Ana Community College.

Ximena Tapia

28 Panorama | New Mexico State University | Spring 2018

NMSU ARCHIVES

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ith the 57-year Aggie football bowl game drought snapped, many New Mexico State University fans, such as Clay Fiske and his son, Bill, were known to support the Aggies through it all.

Clay ’77, who earned the nickname, “Mr. Aggie,” traveled from his home in El Paso to nearly every Aggie basketball and football game, home and away, even in the last years of his life until his death in 2005.

Class of 1959 graduates, Bill who met his wife, Nancy at NMSU, was an avid Aggie supporter until his death in 2015.

“I didn’t go to many of the Aggie games until I married him (Bill), and then I don’t think I ever missed one,” Nancy says. “We had a lot of fun at the ballgames and at Aggie functions. New Mexico State was a big, big part of our lives, and we loved it.”

Bill and Nancy’s daughter, Kim Garcia, can imagine what a thrill the NOVA Home Loans Arizona Bowl game would have been for both her father and grandfather.

“They would have been ecstatic,” she says. “I can hear my granddad say ‘it’s about time,’ and being so excited. Knowing my grandfather, they would have found a way to travel with the team.”

Garcia considers Aggie games a significant part of her childhood, which continued with a fourth generation, her children.

“Every weekend we would go to a football game or basketball game.

It was a family affair for me, my brother, my parents and grandparents,” she says.

Tiffany Acosta

NMSU ARCHIVES

Mr. Aggie, family spent decades supporting NMSU athletics

Clay Fiske, who was a halfback for the NMSU football team from 1932-36, was a passionate fan. He shared a love for the Aggies with his son, Bill.

N

ew Mexico State University ’11 graduate Kellie Ann Jurado is one of only five women awarded the 2017 For Women in Science Fellowship from L’Oréal USA. Jurado, currently in a postdoctoral program at Yale University, received the $60,000 fellowship.

Jurado grew up with her father, a chile farmer in the Mesilla Valley, and her mother, a small business owner, in Roswell.

The idea of becoming a scientist was not initially on her radar.

“My professors at NMSU were 100 percent the reason I pursued science as a career,” says Jurado. “They helped guide my passion toward tangible goals and provided me with the experience and counsel along the way.”

The fellowship program has awarded 70 postdoctoral women scientists more than $3.5 million in grants over the past 14 years and will fund Jurado’s research on Zika virus pathogenesis and allow her to attend conferences. It will also support her

continued efforts on a community education campaign that promotes the uptake of the HPV vaccine, which helps prevent HPVcaused cancer. This is in collaboration with her husband Michael Simoni, who is an obstetrics/ gynecology resident physician at Yale University.

Kellie Ann Jurado is conducting research on Zika virus pathogenesis and supports a community education campaign promoting the HPV vaccine.

Earning a doctorate was the presenting themselves, then be proactive and natural next step for Jurado, who chose ask for them.”

Harvard University to earn her degree in

Minerva Baumann ’13 biology. She feels it’s important for NMSU students to dream big.

Watch more on Jurado at:

“Take advantage of every opportunity," http://nmsu.life/jurado Jurado says. "If opportunities are not

NMSU alumnus earns prestigious Engineering Emmy Award

A

COURTESY PHOTO

t the 69th Engineering quality productions.

Emmy Awards in October

The Engineering Emmy 2017, Colin McDowell is presented to an individual, and his company, McDSP, received company or organization for an Emmy Award for Outstanding engineering developments that are Achievement in Engineering so significant an improvement on Development. existing methods or so innovative

“I attribute a great deal in nature that they materially affect of McDSP’s success to our the transmission, recording or customers,” says McDowell, who reception of television, according to earned a bachelor’s degree in the Academy of Television Arts and electrical engineering from NMSU Sciences. in 1991. “They not only use our

“Colin is an inspiration to products every day, but they also all of our engineering students,” Colin McDowell and his company, McDSP, won an Emmy Award for Outadvocate for our company in ways says College of Engineering Dean standing Achievement in Engineering Development.

I would’ve never imagined. I am Lakshmi Reddi. “His enthusiasm is grateful for their support over contagious, and his ability to apply of Thrones” on HBO and the recreated nearly two decades.” engineering in liberal arts is outstanding. I “Beauty and the Beast.”

McDSP was recognized for its SA-2 am truly proud of Colin, and our staff and

McDowell says the SA-2 Dialog Dialog Processor, which improves the faculty wish him many more honors and Processor helps in music production with overall sound of recorded speech on successes.” vocals and other instruments to prevent television shows and movies, such as “Game sudden peaks in sound not suitable for high- Tiffany Acosta Fall 2017 | New Mexico State University | Panorama

29

PHOTO COURTESY OF L’ORÉAL USA

NMSU alumna among few awarded prominent research fellowship

ALUMNI CONNECTIONS

A COACH’S LEGACY

Top: Bob Rogers' experience as a basketball player for Coach Presley Askew transformed Rogers' take on the game and life off the court.

Middle: Featuring an early 1960s Aggie men's basketball team, Askew gets hands-on in practice with players.

Bottom: Sasha Weber [right], '16 Aggie women's basketball player and recipient of the Presley Askew Scholarship, now plays professionally in England. Last season, she played for Eisvögel USC Freiburg in Damen-Basketball-Bundesliga in Germany.

30 Panorama | New Mexico State University | Spring 2018

COURTESY PHOTO COURTESY PHOTO

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rowing up in Watertown, New York, Bob Rogers never imagined his life’s biggest inspiration would come from a ball, a hoop and a coach in a town more than 2,100 miles away.

Rogers and a Canton, New York, junior college teammate Ken Goodwin, were a force on the court in the late 1950s, and led the team to 34-6 record. Goodwin convinced Rogers to tag along on a trip to visit New Mexico State University and its growing basketball program.

That’s when Rogers met basketball head coach Presley Askew – one of NMSU’s greatest coaches and a mentor Rogers will never forget.

“He was a tough character and certainly not easy to play for,” Rogers says. “If you weren’t playing up to his level, he would let you know.”

Nicknamed “Stick,” Rogers received a scholarship and played center for the team. The Aggies enjoyed great community support after two previous back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances, but the team dropped to 10-14 in 1961-62 and 4-17 in 1962-63.

“At times, we didn’t hit it off,” Rogers says about his experience during those two seasons. “Coach Askew wasn’t a big people-person – he was all about the game, but he taught me so much during a time when I needed it. There’s no question about it.”

By 2011, he and his wife, Margaret, decided to bring this inspiration full-circle and honor the man who instilled the “taskmaster mindset” into Rogers. The duo created the Presley Askew Endowed Scholarship, using the IRA charitable rollover, totaling more than $350,000 to date. The scholarship honors student-athletes in men’s and women’s basketball and football who demonstrate academic excellence.

One of many to receive the scholarship was women’s basketball player Sasha Weber ’16, who now plays professionally in England.

“I am from Washington, and at the time, I believe I was the player furthest away from home,” says Weber. “It was beyond a blessing to have people surrounding me with love and support who weren’t immediate family, including Bob and Margaret with this scholarship. That’s really why I chose to go to NMSU…the community is one of the best I’ve ever been able to play in and become a part of.”

Angel Mendez

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A life inspired works to inspire others

Giving Tuesday By the Numbers • • • • • •

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Giving Tuesday for the NMSU system is all about the power of collective giving and the belief, devotion and passion for students. In its third year, Giving Tuesday successes included Total Donors in a 24-Hour Period: 1,715 Online Gifts: 906 Faculty/Staff Donors: 583 First-Time Donors: 368 Student Donors: 203 New Gift Agreements: 65

Three Exciting Gifts: • $150,000 from New Mexico Gas Company to Arrowhead Center • $50,000 from an accounting alumnus • $15,000 from El Paso Electric

New York City got a little brighter on the morning of Giving Tuesday with a ray of NMSU Aggie sunshine. With the help of Nasdaq and Blackbaud, NMSU received recognition on the Nasdaq Tower during the opening bell ceremony for its Giving Tuesday success.

ANDRÉS LEIGHTON

ANDRÉS LEIGHTON

Total Raised: $2.5 million

NMSU’s Kappa Sigma Fraternity teamed up to create an endowed scholarship in support of active or honorably discharged military service members who choose to attend NMSU.

Get a recap of the 2017 Giving Tuesday at:

http://nmsu.life/GT

Clifford L. Pelton made a $100,000 investment matched on Giving Tuesday in honor of his brother Bumpy to create a teaching endowed scholarship, a counseling endowed scholarship, a gap endowed scholarship and a study abroad endowed scholarship.

Mark your calendars for NMSU’s fourth annual Giving Tuesday set for Nov. 27.

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ALUMNI CONNECTIONS

I Am An AGGIE

NMSU features renowned alumni, students in new campaign

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ggie pride extends beyond the immense love for our outstanding student-athletes and their performance in front of big Aggie crowds. The biggest success that builds Aggie pride happens when students leave campus and start impacting the world.

From major corporate leaders and scientific innovators to entertainment gurus and film and movie experts, New Mexico State University produces some of the world’s most impressive pioneers in various industries across New Mexico, the nation and our world.

Fortunately, these great Aggies have agreed to share their pride through billboards, social media, print advertisements, and more in hopes of inspiring prospective students and reminding thousands of alumni how great it truly is to be an Aggie.

NMSU is proud of every single graduate who takes their Aggie experiences and transforms the communities around them for the better. And those willing to say, “I Am An Aggie,” after all of their tremendous accomplishments is the perfect illustration of Aggie pride.

Angel Mendez

See more Aggies at nmsu.edu/aggiepride

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Social Media Corner

Are you following NMSU Alumni and Friends on your favorite social media platforms?

nmsualumfriends Our first Panorama, NMSU alumni and friends magazine, of the year is now available! Link in bio.

Find us at: NMSU Alumni and Friends @NMSUAlumFriends

nmsualumfriends In case you didn't know, #MissNewMexicoUSA is @kris_leyva, AKA NMSU Aggie proud engineer and '16 alumna! She's using her spotlight to create inspiration in STEM careers for kids we're proud too!

@nmsualumfriends NMSU Alumni and Friends

Spring 2018 | New Mexico State University | Panorama

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PETE’S CORNER

Family roots tied in Aggie sportsmanship McAdams mother, daughter proud NMSU athletes

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Top: Gathered around Makayla McAdams, are her parents, Stephan and Connie; brother, Shane; and sister, Cassidy, at Makayla's senior day celebration in 2016.

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onnie Monks McAdams ’87 and her daughter, Makayla ’16, know how Aggie pride feels – both as New Mexico State University alumni and athletes.

“When they say Aggie pride, it’s not just a slogan, it truly is a pride that everybody has,” says Makayla. “Every time I come across somebody who has either gone to or graduated from NMSU, they have nothing but good things to say.”

NMSU is not just where the Tucson, Arizona, mother-daughter duo earned business degrees – it’s where they shined in women’s athletics.

Connie played volleyball from 1983 to 1987.

The Colorado native accumulated 75 blocks in her career and still holds the school record for most blocks during a four-set match with 16.

“Back then I didn’t realize I set a record,” she says. “I was just focused on playing the game.”

Makayla played softball from 2012 to 2016 and earned All-WAC honors as a pitcher. The team had four 30-win seasons in a row while she was at NMSU, plus two 14-1 league records in consecutive seasons.

During the 31 games she played in 2015, Makayla racked up an 8-4 record and two saves, including eight outings with zero earned runs. Her 4.38 ERA helped the team reach the first round of the NCAA Regional Tournament held in Tucson.

“We had an amazing group of girls on that team,” she says. “It was really special to do postseason play in my hometown of Tucson. That was an incredible experience on top of the whole season.”

When Makayla accepted the athletic scholarship to NMSU, Connie was comfortable with Makayla’s decision. As a parent she says, “It’s close enough and yet far enough away.”

Makayla thought “it was cool Mom had played at State,” and felt by playing there, it would give her mother the reunion-like experience of going back to campus when she attended Makayla’s softball games.

The Aggie football team’s trip to the NOVA Home Loans Arizona Bowl in December 2017 was a special time for the McAdams duo. They were there, each wearing their team’s NMSU shirt.

“It was an incredible representation of Las Cruces, and a huge win for our school,” Connie says.

“Once you are an Aggie, you stay true. I was impressed and proud.”

There is one more McAdams athlete still at home. Could Makayla’s younger sister, Cassidy, continue the family tradition? Only time will tell.

Jane Moorman

Left: Connie McAdams, Makayla's mother, still holds the NMSU school record for most blocks during a four-set match with 16.

PRESS CHECK

Recent books by NMSU authors Compiled by Melissa Rutter ’17

Joshua Wheeler ’10

Joshua Wheeler debuts his book of essays that takes readers on a trip through the muck of American myths that have settled in the desert of our country’s underbelly. It began July 16, 1945, when Wheeler’s greatgrandfather awoke to the world’s first atomic blast. The blast filled the horizon north of his ranch in Alamogordo and bleached his cattle white from the fallout.

Traversing the New Mexico landscape that his family has called home for seven generations, Wheeler excavates and reexamines these oddities, assembling a cabinet of narrative curiosities: a man who steps from the stratosphere and free-falls to the desert, a treasure hunt for buried Atari video games, a village plagued by the legacy of atomic testing, a lonely desert spaceport and a UFO festival during the paranoid Summer of Snowden.

The radical evolution of American identity, from cowboys to drone warriors to space explorers, is a story rooted in southern New Mexico.

All the Dreams We’ve Dreamed

Rus Bradburd

“All the Dreams We’ve Dreamed” tells a true story of courage, endurance and friendship in one of America’s most violent neighborhoods. Author and Chicago native Rus Bradburd is an associate professor in NMSU’s MFA program, and before that, spent 14 seasons coaching basketball at The University of Texas at El Paso and NMSU in the 1990s. That’s where he met Shawn Harrington, the courageous man in his book.

Bradburd tells the story of Harrington, who in 2014 was planning on turning a Chicago’s high school struggling basketball team around with the help of some promising players. But, that changed the day two young men fired at him and his daughter on their way to school. Harrington heroically used his body to shield his daughter and was struck and paralyzed. Over the next few years, as a shocking number of players were murdered, it became obvious that the dream of the game providing a better life had nearly vanished.

Fish Reference Guides

Craig Springer ’91

With more than 30 fish reference guides for anglers and naturalists, Craig Springer has nearly covered the whole country with his guides.

Springer covers fishes of New Mexico in his guide “Freshwater Fishes of the Southern Rocky Mountains: A Guide to Game Fishes.” The guide helps the reader to identify 64 species of freshwater fish likely to be caught on hook-and-line. This 12-panel guide includes notes on preferred habitat, geographical distribution, favorite baits and color illustrations that provide an indispensable aid for identification. The guide also conveniently folds up into a packet narrow enough to fit into a back pocket, still remaining sturdy enough and laminated for multiple uses. The cover of this guide also features New Mexico’s official state fish, the Rio Grande cutthroat trout – a fish Springer describes as the prettiest fish that swims.

Some of Springer’s other 30 guides include “Freshwater Fishes of Texas,” “Fishes of Chesapeake Bay,” “Freshwater Fishes of Oklahoma” and “Freshwater Fishes of Illinois.”

Springer has also been recognized with excellence in craft awards by The Outdoor Writers Association of America, the Southeast Outdoor Press Association and the American Fisheries Society.

Introduction to PCM Telemetering Systems, Third Edition

Stephen Horan ’79 ’81 ’84

Stephen Horan, retired NMSU professor from the Klipsch School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, has released the third edition of his book, "Introduction of PCM Telemetering Systems."

Created for his electrical engineering class before his retirement in 2009, Horan’s book summarizes the techniques and terminology used in sending data and control information between users and the

ANDRÉS LEIGHTON

Acid West: Essays

instruments that collect and process the data. It gives an overall systems introduction to three primary areas: system interfaces; data transport, timing and synchronization; and data transmission techniques. It also includes how designers apply relevant industry and government standards at each level in this process.

Parenting for a Lifetime

Lynn A. Blackwood ’81

Lynn A. Blackwood has taken a path most parents would never want to be in – parenting through divorce, bankruptcy and cancer. In his book, “Parenting for a Lifetime,” Blackwood distills those years of experience into a guide that allows readers into the real work of parenting, of not giving up when things get rough or you’re not sure what to do, of pushing through one trial after another to finish the job of being a great parent – not a perfect parent, but a great parent.

Blackwood encourages readers to understand the long-term goal of being a parent, raising responsible grown-ups who will make great parents themselves. “Parenting for a Lifetime” is an easy read and a book for parents at any stage.

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AGGIE PRIDE

Aggie crimson runs deep

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Mary Tippin Johnson, who graduated from New Mexico State University in 1942, was the first of four generations in her family to earn degrees from NMSU. COURTESY PHOTO

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our generations of the Johnson family have attended or are attending New Mexico State University. The Franzoy family holds three generations. Their connection, Fayth Franzoy, graduated in December 2017 with a bachelor’s degree in agriculture economics. Now, she is pursuing a master’s degree in agriculture at NMSU.

It all started with her maternal greatgrandmother, Mary Tippin Johnson, who graduated in May 1942 with her bachelor’s degree. Less than 30 years later, Fayth’s grandfather, Winston A. Johnson II, graduated with a bachelor’s and master’s degree in mechanical engineering in the 1970s while her grandmother, Vivian Johnson, graduated with a bachelor’s degree from the College of Agriculture and Home Economics a few years later.

Fayth’s mother, Sheri Franzoy, graduated in December 1991 with a degree in agriculture business and a minor in horticulture. Fayth’s father, Keith Franzoy graduated in May 1988 with an associate degree, and her paternal grandmother, Doris Franzoy, graduated in 1986 with a bachelor’s degree.

Fayth has one cousin, Heath Seward, who is attending NMSU and another cousin, Shelby Seward, who graduated in December 2015 from the College of ACES. Fayth says as more relatives graduate from NMSU, the family gets more excited.

“We’re incredibly proud of our university, and we get a little prouder every time someone graduates,” says Fayth. “When my cousin graduated, she was the first of my generation to get her degree, and I was super happy for her. Then, when I got my degree it was like, ‘I joined the crew. This is what it feels like.’”

Sheri says she has fond memories of growing up in Las Cruces and learning what it meant to be an Aggie.

“We could hear the bell at the tower and could also hear the football games from our house,” Sheri says. “Being an Aggie was just a way of life for me.”

Melissa Rutter ’17

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The Johnson-Franzoy family added a new generation of NMSU alumni in December

(Left to right back row) Winston Johnson Sr., Keith Franzoy and Winston Johnson II, (middle row) Vivian Johnson, Sheri Franzoy and Mary Johnson and (front row) Vernon Johnson celebrated Sheri’s graduation in December 1991 at the Pan American Center.

Sheri’s daughter, Fayth, continued the family tradition and became the fourth generation of NMSU graduates in December 2017.

TRANSFORMING LIVES THROUGH DISCOVERY

A future with unlimited possibilities for students is

At New Mexico State University, we are dedicated to helping students prepare for bright futures. Here, students gain valuable knowledge and skills in the classroom, in the lab and through a multitude of research and cooperative opportunities, internships and networking experiences. Every day, under the guidance of our outstanding faculty, renowned researchers and supportive staff, NMSU students are preparing to lead the next generation of educators, scientists, engineers and business and health care professionals.

our goal. Together, we can make that happen. Help us by referring a student to become a part of the Aggie experience! Scholarships are available for in-state, out-of-state and transfer students. Students can start their journey at admissions.nmsu.edu!

All About Discovery!™ New Mexico State University nmsu.edu

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