Carlsbad banker Don Kidd and his wife, Sarrah, made a major gift to New Mexico State University to establish the Don and Sarrah Kidd Endowed Chair in Literacy in the College of Education.

The chair will attract and reward high quality teaching, research, service and outreach to New Mexico’s public schools by a faculty member in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction. The chair also will collaborate with the New Mexico Coalition for Literacy whose focus is adult literacy.

Kidd’s appreciation for education fuels his desire to encourage others to take advantage of educational opportunities that come their way. He relocated the continuing educational program sponsored by the American Institute of Banking to the NMSU Carlsbad Community College, enabling participants to earn college credit.

Following a term on the NMSU Board of Regents, Kidd was elected to the New Mexico Senate. In 1995, he was one of the key players who created the Lottery Success scholarship program that has opened up educational opportunities for thousands of New Mexicans.

Kidd continues to look for ways to mentor others; believing strongly that “each of us must offer to others the opportunities we have received.”

In spring 2006, Kidd was awarded an honorary doctorate by NMSU and in 2007 he was awarded the Branding Iron award by the NMSU Foundation.