With a vision and mission of promoting educational growth, the GECU Foundation has committed to supporting student success in the College of Business with a contribution dedicated to the Center for Student Professional Development (CSPD).
The $250,000 gift was awarded in 2024 and aims to help College of Business students develop their skills and enhance their professionalism as they prepare to winter the professional workforce. The funds will be dispersed over a five-year period starting in spring 2025.
“We are dedicated to literacy, economic growth, and we know that NMSU has many leaders who are preparing students for the real world. GECU wants to be part of this very important journey,” said Crystal Long, CEO of GECU. “We believe we can have a lasting impact on these aspiring students and leaders by investing in their professional development.”
The sponsorship came about through several conversations with GECU and the GECU Foundation and how they could engage the college in the area of student professionalization and career success.
“The CSPD offers programming to help students enter and be successful in the professional workforce,” said Bryan Ashenbaum, Dean of the College of Business. “Specifically, the funds will support CSPD operations and the spring semester Student Professional Development Seminar, for which GECU Foundation will be the formal sponsor for the next five years.”
The funds come from the GECU Foundation, which focuses on 12 core development issues that are identified as barriers to economic growth and prosperity in communities throughout Texas and New Mexico.
“We are very grateful to the donors that support the GECU Foundation making our philanthropic efforts more meaningful to the communities we serve,” Long said. “We are proud to be able to leverage that and give back to the College of Business to support the students.”
GECU and the GECU Foundation also plan to support annual College of Business events, participate in mock interviews, and provide a pathway to ensuring student success.
“First-generation students may have challenges with limited resources preventing them from pursuing their dream careers,” Long said. “By working side-by-side with NMSU, we are confident that the support and encouragement will turn dreams into reality for these students by enhancing the critical skills they’ll need in the future.”
GECU’s goal is to maintain a great relationship with NMSU and to support the community.
“It is incredibly important to have support from GECU, a company that supports our students in their professional development paths and also hires many of them as well,” Ashenbaum said. “We are glad to see GECU coming to Las Cruces and engaging with NMSU, and we are looking forward to working with them for a long time to come.”
A version of this story first published in the latest issue of the College of Business Annual Report. Read the issue here.