Office of the President
Monday Morning Memo
December 8, 2008
Dear NMSU Community:
I hope you enjoyed the images, above, that give a glimpse of some of the activities and accomplishments of this semester. We have one, final busy week before us as we wrap up a very exciting and rewarding Fall 2008. At the end of the week, students will finalize their coursework and we will celebrate the accomplishments of many during the fall commencement on Saturday, December 13, at the Pan American Center. Commencement is an opportunity to honor the accomplishments of our hard-working students as they take this next, important step in life, and a tribute to the faculty members and many staff who make these accomplishments possible. My congratulations to you all for what you have achieved.
Commencement also will be an opportunity for us to recognize the long and untiring efforts of U.S. Sen. Jeff Bingaman. It is a wonderful way to culminate a semester that started with the celebration of U.S. Sen. Pete Domenici's legacy through our Domenici Public Policy Conference. A longtime friend and supporter of NMSU, Sen. Bingaman will receive an honorary doctorate from NMSU during the commencement ceremony. Please allow me an opportunity to share some highlights of his life and career with you.
A native of Silver City, Sen. Bingaman earned a bachelor's degree in government from Harvard University in 1965, then entered the Stanford University School of Law, graduating in 1968. Sen. Bingaman's political career began when he was elected New Mexico's attorney general in 1978. In 1982, he won election to the U.S. Senate. Since then, his seniority in the Senate and his leadership positions on key committees have allowed him to successfully fight for issues important to New Mexico. Sen. Bingaman has shown an exceptional commitment to numerous NMSU programs, including those that strengthen economic development, research related to renewable energy and the protection of natural resources, among others. Sen. Bingaman won re-election in 2006 and is currently serving his fifth term in the Senate.
It is truly an honor to have such a dedicated person representing our interests in Washington, and we look forward to officially including the senator in the ranks of our graduates and welcoming him to our Aggie family.
As the semester comes to an end this week, our Monday Morning Memos will recess until January. Once again, I would like to thank all of you for your efforts and dedication this semester. Great job, Aggies! Finally, I wish everyone in our NMSU campus community a very special Holiday season and all the best for a Happy New Year.
Sincerely,
Waded Cruzado
