Office of the President
Monday Morning Memo
October 20, 2008
Dear NMSU Community:
Good morning! What a wonderful sense of community we experienced last week, as we really showed what we can do when we work together. With a sea of pink clothing across our campus during the week to symbolize support for the Tough Enough to Wear Pink breast cancer awareness campaign, everyone's combined generosity resulted in a check of more than $515,000 being presented at halftime of the football game Saturday. My sincere thanks to all who showed support, in ways big and small, for this important cause.
Tough Enough to Wear Pink is one of many exciting events and campaigns happening at New Mexico State University, and this excitement is resonating across campus and across the community. People want to be a part of NMSU and they are showing their support by contributing in record numbers to help move this university forward.
As we near the five-year mark of the Doing What Counts comprehensive campaign, we can point to many successes. We closed the last fiscal year with just under $200 million in gifts from the private sector. Nearly a third of the gifts received to date have come from university faculty and staff, with more than 800 contributing regularly through payroll deduction. My special thanks to each of you for your commitment to NMSU.
One of the goals of this campaign was to increase participation of the university family - alumni, faculty and staff. It is support from those who have benefited the most from their association with this university that will really signal success on all levels. The NMSU Foundation's first goal of $150 million was surpassed very quickly. Since the campaign's priorities were not fully realized, the foundation's board of directors increased the goal to $225 million by December 2010.
Priorities include funding for new academic chairs and professorships, and scholarship endowments. During the current fiscal year, the foundation has received 1,229 scholarships worth more than $2.6 million, going to 3,165 students. Capital construction projects include a new Native American Cultural Center, the Center for the Arts and the Domenici Institute.
Through this journey we have discovered many Partners in Excellence working with us to raise the university to a new level of excellence. In a week we will honor these partners at a special recognition dinner. We want them and all of you to realize that it is the strong support from the private sector that has helped make New Mexico State University the world-class institution it is.
Have a great week!
Waded Cruzado
