Former graduate student Col. Robert J. Wicke ’70 and his wife Dorothy recently established an endowment in the names of Milan H. Cobble and George P. Mulholland, professors emeriti in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at NMSU. Wicke created the endowment as an expression of appreciation for the education he received while earning his master’s degree here.

During their tenure at NMSU, these professors were highly regarded for their dedication to teaching and sincere commitment to student success. Cobble taught courses in heat transfer, solar energy, operational mathematics, gas dynamics, and viscous fluids from 1962-1984. He received many awards for his excellent teaching.

Mulholland served as a full professor from 1966 until his retirement in 1996. In addition to teaching, Mulholland spearheaded efforts to establish the Mechanical Engineering Academy at NMSU. He served as department head for six years, from 1988 to 1994.

Wicke’s career included work related to the design and production of nuclear power reactors, rockets and weapons. He served 11 years on active duty and 19 years in the reserves in the U. S. Air Force, with assignments in the early nuclear weapons activity and unmanned space exploration, as a flight test engineer and in operational testing of the Mach3+ manned aircraft.