WRITER: Allison Brady, engr_media@nmsu.edu
New Mexico State University’s Department of Chemical and Material Engineering is offering a monetary award for its students during Capstone Design Day. Named the John Patton Student Design Award, it will be given to the team with the best presentation.
When completing their bachelor’s degree, most engineering students at NMSU are required to take capstone courses, a two-semester project during a student’s senior year that allows them to apply what they learned throughout their undergraduate years.
At the end of the semester, engineering students present their work at Capstone Design Day. Afterward, there is a celebratory dinner where the top projects are recognized with awards.
However, for CHME students, their end-of-year capstone includes a requirement set by the Accreditation Board of Engineering and Technology, making their capstone is slightly different compared to other departments. These students take the capstone course CHME 452/455 and do not qualify for the celebratory dinner awards.
“Our students work very hard on their projects, and we wanted to give them the chance to become publicly recognized along with students from other departments,” said Joseph Holles, the head of the Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering. “As such, I as the department head set out to work with NMSU Foundation and to raise funding support to present cash awards to our CHME students who produce strong design presentation.”
The fall 2026 semester marks the first time CHME engineers will have the opportunity to win the cash award for their presentation. It was named after John Patton, the CHME department head from 1977 to 1989 who was a known, avid supporter of student design.
“Awards like this are important for the students as they spend hundreds of hours working on these projects,” Holles said. “It is important that when a team completes a well-designed project, that we can recognize their work. We are now also able to recognize teams from the CHME department as well as other teams across the college. This demonstrates the contribution of CHME to the rest of the college.”
The John Patton Student Design Award, which will now be awarded annually long into the future, was made possible by two anonymous donors. Providing students with opportunities like this can only happen with the help of donors.
“The gift was given from a place of profound love and care for our students by some people who are very invested in the future of our students,” said Austin Tourtillott, associate director of development at the NMSU Foundation. “I do hope that when our students receive a scholarship or an award like this, that they stop to realize that this money came from somewhere. It never magically appears as much as we wish it could. Their support comes from people. People who are like them and have sat in the very same classrooms, who graduate and go on to do amazing things, and when they have the financial means to do so, they turn around and give it to others.”
Individuals, businesses and organizations interested in supporting Capstone Design Day and future engineers can click here for the NMSU Foundation’s giving page, which provides a variety of instructions on how to donate, along with showcasing opportunities for support.
For more information, contact Tourtillott at austin.tourtillott@nmsufoundation.org or 575-319-4695.
-30-
CUTLINE: During their senior year, engineering students at New Mexico State University are required to complete a capstone course that extends over two semesters, during which they apply what they learned over the course of their undergraduate degree. At the end of the course, the student teams present their work at Capstone Design Day. From left, chemical and materials engineering students Henry Siefert, Justice Armijo and Claudia Trevino present their capstone project, “Production of Nylon Monomer from Bio-renewable Feedstock.” (NMSU photo by Vladimir Avina)
Description: Three students stand in front of their poster presentation.
CUTLINE: At the end of Capstone Design Day at New Mexico State University, the top projects are recognized during a ceremonial dinner. Due to differences in capstone requirement, chemical and materials engineering students were not eligible for these awards. This year marks the first time they will receive an award thanks to two anonymous donors. From left, chemical and materials engineering students Chelsea Largo, Raul Velazquez, Gloria Hernandez and Sam Vasquez present their capstone project, “Bio-renewable Production of Adipic Acid.” (NMSU photo by Vladimir Avina)
Description: Four students stand in front of their poster presentation.
CUTLINE: This year, the top chemical and materials engineering capstone projects at New Mexico State University will be awarded the John Patton Student Design during the Capstone Design Day dinner ceremony. It is named after John Patton, the CHME department head from 1977 to 1989, who was a known avid supporter of student design. From left, chemical and materials engineering students Marwa Al Agtash, Gloria Esthefania Sepulveda, Maria Isabel Payan and Luke Sury present their project, “Bio-renewable Production of Adipic Acid.” (NMSU photo by Vladimir Avina)
Description: Four students stand in front of their poster presentation.