For more than 60 years, the New Mexico State University Alumni Association has presented the university’s most accomplished alumni with the Distinguished Alumni Awards. Six new recipients were announced as the latest honorees, representing fields ranging from higher education to mental health and well-being, high energy density science, educational technology, oil and gas, and consumer product manufacturing. In addition, the James F. Cole Memorial Award for Service, the Alumni Association’s highest award, and the Young Alumni Service Award recipients were announced.
Each awardee will be honored at the 2023 Distinguished Alumni Awards Gala Nov. 3. They will also join the NMSU Alumni Association trolley in the Homecoming parade and be recognized on the field at halftime of the NMSU Homecoming football game Nov. 4 against Middle Tennessee.
“It is always humbling to see the full impact of our graduates after they leave New Mexico State University, and this year, we are once again amazed and moved by the accomplishments of this class of distinguished alumni,” said David Strong, NMSU Foundation interim president and chief financial officer. “These Aggies are changing the world in communities across the globe, and despite their varied career paths and diverse lines of work, each alum shares one thing in common: they all received their academic foundation at NMSU.”
The Alumni Association has presented more than 350 of these prestigious awards since 1956, adding the James F. Cole Memorial Award for Service in 1966 and the Young Alumni Service Award in 2019. Recipients of these service awards demonstrate outstanding university involvement and notable civic, humanitarian and professional contributions.
This year’s James F. Cole Memorial Award for Service recipient is Barbara Hubbard ’70, who was director of special events at NMSU from 1968 to 1996 and is credited with bringing the first concert to the Pan American Center. She recruited some of the biggest names in show business to Las Cruces, including Garth Brooks, Trisha Yearwood, U2, The Eagles, Carrie Underwood, Brad Paisley, Elton John and Billy Joel. Not only did she bring generations of entertainment to the community, but she worked with many of these celebrities to contribute to the NMSU Foundation by establishing endowed scholarships. These scholarships have helped scores of students over the years, and she is still working with performers to secure even more support. Over her tenure at NMSU, Hubbard taught thousands of students and contributed generously to New Mexico State herself, including an endowed scholarship in the Department of Music and the School of Hotel, Restaurant, and Tourism Management.
The Young Alumni Service Award recognizes a graduate 40 or younger who has made great strides professionally and philanthropically, shaping their community’s future through service. This year’s recipient is Lea Wise-Surguy ’15, who earned an MFA in sculpture and is the co-founder and driving force behind Cruces Creatives, a nonprofit makerspace fostering economic development, furthering education, supporting the arts, protecting the environment, strengthening social connections, and advancing science and technology throughout New Mexico.
Distinguished Alumni awardees have demonstrated significant achievement and service that bring honor to the university. The 2023 Distinguished Alumni recipients are:
- Jeanne Gleason ’74, College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences: Professor Emerita Jeanne Gleason spent 50 years at NMSU, most recently as department head for Innovative Media Research and Extension. She has a national reputation as an early innovator in educational digital media, including computer and mobile learning games and interactive media.
- Gustav (Gus) Seligmann Jr. ’57, College of Arts and Sciences – Fine Arts and Humanities: Seligmann spent more than 55 years as a faculty member in the University of North Texas Department of History. He is the current president of the New Mexico Historical Society, and his wealth of knowledge regarding western history, the history of political parties, the U.S. constitution, and especially New Mexico history, is well known.
- Heather Whitley ’02, College of Arts and Sciences – Sciences and Social Sciences: Whitley is associate program director for High Energy Density Science in the Weapons Physics and Design Program at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. She provides technical oversight and management of the design, execution and analysis of experiments at the National Ignition Facility.
- Charles R. Rogers ’63, College of Business: Throughout his decades-long career in manufacturing, Rogers held numerous corporate leadership positions, most notably at the Walt Disney Company, Warner Brothers and Hasbro. As his career progressed, Rogers became a pioneer in establishing industry standards for corporate compliance and social responsibility, now critical elements of corporate culture in the 21st century.
- John Yates Jr. ’77, College of Engineering: Yates served as vice president and later president of Yates Petroleum. He remained chairman of the board until the company’s merger with EOG Resources in 2016. He also serves on the board of his family’s foundation, The Illinois No. 3 Foundation, whose mission is to support organizations and projects that conserve and enhance land and water resources through sustainable practices, provide access to healthy food, shelter and education for those in need, advance medical research, and promote the arts.
- Christopher Kazanjian ’12, College of Health, Education and Social Transformation: Kazanjian is an associate professor of educational psychology at El Paso Community College. Through his teaching at Cathedral High School, Northwest Early College High School and El Paso Community College, he has contributed to the ongoing education and empowerment of youth in his community.
To learn more about each awardee, full biographies will soon be available at https://www.nmsualumni.org/awards-recognitions.
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CUTLINE: The New Mexico State University Alumni Association has announced the 2023 Distinguished Alumni Awards. Six new recipients along with the James F. Cole Memorial Award for Service and the Young Alumni Service Award recipients will be honored at the 2023 Distinguished Alumni Awards Gala Nov. 3. (NMSU Foundation photo)