At its annual Founders Day celebration, New Mexico State University commemorated its heritage and rich history with an event April 23 at Traders Plaza.
NMSU’s Employee Council, which hosted Founders Day, honored the “A” Mountain Staff Award recipient, Gabrielle Martinez, Curriculum Systems associate registrar, and the newest Aggie Legend, the late Charley Johnson, Aggie football great. Support staff at NMSU was also recognized as part of Administrative Professionals Day.
Johnson, who died in September 2024, was the Aggies’ quarterback for two Sun Bowl victories and an undefeated 1960 season. Johnson was an Army veteran and NFL quarterback for the St. Louis Cardinals, Houston Oilers and Denver Broncos, before he returned to NMSU as a professor and then head of the chemical engineering department. He also was a philanthropist, and his lifelong support of NMSU traversed coaching, mentoring and charitable giving to athletics, engineering, Alumni Association and Army ROTC.
The “A” Mountain Staff Award recognizes staff members who demonstrate the NMSU core values of leadership, excellence, access, diversity and inclusion, and those who are student-centered. The spring 2025 recipient, Martinez said she was grateful to receive the accolade.
“It means a great deal that someone took the time to submit it on my behalf,” she said. “I also started reflecting on the many leaders who have shared their vision and knowledge with me, as well as the incredible teams both here in University Student Records and across campus who have taught me so much and continue to collaborate with and inspire me every day.”
An NMSU staff member since 2013 serving in various roles across student services and administration, Martinez now oversees course and program maintenance, commencement ceremony logistics, degree certification, the academic catalog, scheduling, NCAA compliance and degree audit systems. An NMSU graduate, Martinez earned her Master of Business Administration in December 2016.
NMSU’s academic associate deans nominated Martinez.
“The work that Gabrielle Martinez does at NMSU supports all students who come to NMSU. In meetings on task forces and committees with whom all of the academic associate deans have worked with her, it is her dedication to supporting all students in their successful completion of their degrees at NMSU that shines,” said Anne Hubbell, Conroy Honors College associate dean. “Gabrielle is consistent in this dedication and will explain many times to the academic associate deans, and all others, how we can be more efficient and more student friendly.”
“My favorite part of my current role is witnessing the culmination of our students’ journeys at commencement,” Martinez said. “Hearing their stories, where they come from, what brought them to NMSU, and the challenges and triumphs that led them to that moment of crossing the stage, it is incredibly rewarding. Behind every Aggie ID we assist, there’s a unique and meaningful story.”
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CUTLINE: From left: Gabrielle Martinez, Curriculum Systems associate registrar at New Mexico State University, was presented the “A” Mountain Staff Award by NMSU President Valerio Ferme, NMSU Employee Council Vice Chair Sonia White, NMSU interim Provost Lakshmi Reddi and NMSU Employee Council Chair Donna Johnson at NMSU’s Founders Day April 23. (NMSU photo by Josh Bachman)