For the eighth year, New Mexico State University’s College of Arts and Sciences will host a gala fundraising event to recognize and honor businesses, community leaders and members of the faculty and staff for their contributions to the college and the university.
The “Starry Night” gala and the college is asking the regional community to submit nominations for these awards, which will be presented Friday, April 17. The deadline for nominations is Feb. 3.
“We want to invite anyone in the region to submit a nomination to let us know about individuals who deserve recognition and their contributions to NMSU,” said Enrico Pontelli, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. “NMSU’s success depends on support from our business and community leaders as well as our alumni, faculty and students. This is our opportunity to recognize their efforts.”
“A Starry Night” was started in 2013 and presents honors in three categories: The Town & Gown award, the Star of the Arts award and the Star of the Sciences award. The awards recognize individuals who have achieved state, national or international distinction through their accomplishments and leadership while supporting their community and NMSU’s College of Arts and Sciences. Once received, the nominations will be reviewed by a committee within the Dean’s Council, who along with Pontelli, will select the recipients.
The funds from this year’s “Starry Night” gala will again contribute to the College of Arts and Sciences’ Aggie Jumpstart program, a collaboration between the college and NMSU’s Office of Student Success. The program began last year and provides a head start for incoming freshmen considered at-risk during the summer before their first semester at NMSU.
“Aggie Jumpstart is an accelerated summer program to enable these students to get ahead on their required coursework, gain a variety of preparation skills such as time management, get acquainted with life on campus and become a part of a learning community,” Pontelli said.
The success of the first 40 students in summer 2019 has the college looking to expand the program this summer.
“The funds provide scholarships and financial assistance for participating students to cover the cost of housing for the summer semester,” said Pontelli. “The more money we can raise, the more students we can support.”
During the event, the college will also honor a star faculty member, student or alumnus from each of its 26 departments. The spring fundraiser begins with a reception showcasing these department stars at 5:30 p.m. in Devasthali Hall, followed by the awards ceremony at 7 p.m. at the ASNMSU Center for the Arts.
Nomination forms are available online through http://artsci.nmsu.edu/en/starry-night.
For more information, contact Ashley Jurado at ajurado@nmsu.edu.