New Mexico State University presented Melinda Cuilty, enterprise instructional technology administrator for NMSU Global, the 2025 “A” Mountain Staff Award for her leadership in expanding immersive and virtual reality learning across campus. Cuilty received the award during NMSU’s Employee Appreciation Picnic, Oct. 31.
“Being recognized with the ‘A’ Mountain Award feels truly humbling and validating,” Cuilty said. “Personally, it means a great deal because it reflects not only the work I’ve put in but also the support and collaboration of the incredible community around me.”
Cuilty joined Academic Technology in early 2022 as a graduate assistant at NMSU and now leads efforts to integrate VR-based learning experiences, support faculty use of immersive tools and evaluate the educational impact of extended reality environments. Cuilty credits Robbie Grant, Academic Technology director; Andrew Sedillo, director of microcredentials and instructional design at NMSU Global; and Sherry Kollman, NMSU Global chancellor, with positioning NMSU as a national leader in virtual learning innovation.
“Excellence, for Melinda, is not only about the quality of her technical work but also about the relationships she builds,” said Marija Dimitrijevic, criminal justice program coordinator at NMSU Global, who nominated Cuilty. “She takes pride in listening to the needs of faculty and students, tailoring her support to meet their goals and continuously refining systems to enhance outcomes.”
“My interest in educational technology and virtual reality was inspired during my time in the NMSU educational learning technologies master’s program, where I had the opportunity to actively use VR in my coursework,” she said. “Experiencing VR firsthand showed me how powerful and inclusive it can be as a learning tool — allowing students to engage with concepts, places and experiences they might never have access to otherwise.”
From supporting faculty across disciplines to collaborating with NMSU Athletics and research teams, Cuilty has worked to make immersive learning an accessible and meaningful part of education. NMSU Global now loans nearly 300 VR headsets per semester to students across courses and the Addison Care Virtual/Augmented Reality Lab in Milton Hall, directed by Michael Hout, associate dean for research in the College of Health, Education and Social Transformation, supports in-person immersive learning experiences. So far, more than 1,200 students have experienced some type of immersive learning through Academic Technology.
“The most rewarding part of helping students and faculty engage with these tools has been seeing how transformative the experiences can be,” Cuilty said. “Getting to meet and work with such a wide variety of faculty and students across disciplines has been incredibly fulfilling — each bringing unique ideas, perspectives and creativity to how immersive learning can be used.”
Beyond supporting faculty and students, Cuilty has focused on helping learners move from simply using technology to creating with it. She hopes to expand opportunities for students to design their own immersive environments, giving them valuable technical and creative skills applicable beyond the classroom. By emphasizing both innovation and inclusion, her work continues to shape how NMSU approaches the future of digital education.
“By weaving student success into her daily work, she exemplifies what it means to keep education at the center of the university’s mission,” said Colleen Cleveland, instructional designer, who nominated Cuilty.
Although the award honors her achievements, Cuilty views it as collective effort.
“I don’t really feel I deserve the award — what we do is such a team effort and I am just one part of it,” she said. “This recognition motivates me to continue collaborating, learning and helping make a positive impact on our students and community.”
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CUTLINE: Melinda Cuilty, enterprise instructional technology administrator for New Mexico State University Global, received NMSU’s 2025 “A” Mountain Staff Award for her leadership in advancing immersive and virtual reality learning. She was honored at NMSU’s Employee Appreciation Picnic, Oct. 31. (NMSU photo by Josh Bachman)