Marie and Manuel Garcia Sr.	Anthony Garcia, Rosario Garcia and Manuel Garcia Jr. pose in front of the family restaurant in Espanola, N.M.

Manuel and Maria Garcia worked hard all their lives to put their six children through college, he bartending and she cooking at the family restaurant - Anthony's by the Delta - in Espanola, N.M.

All six children attended New Mexico State University, and five hold degrees from the institution. The sixth, a dental hygienist, had to finish her degree at the University of New Mexico, but only after doing everything she could at the campus her family preferred: NMSU.

In appreciation for their parents' sacrifices, two of the Garcia's children - Santa Fe dentist T. Anthony Garcia and family restaurant manager Manuel Garcia Jr., along with his wife, Rosario - established a $2,000 annual scholarship for NMSU students from northern New Mexico.

"Ours was a desire to help out the community and the students in this area," T. Anthony Garcia said. "Our parents emphasized education so much that we felt it was the reason for our success, and we wanted to help other people from the area achieve success, too."

Money for the scholarship is raised at an annual Christmas party hosted at the family restaurant, T. Anthony Garcia said, adding that ticket sales are brisk every year and the community views the celebration as "the beginning of the Christmas season."

This year's Garcia Scholarship recipient is Sharlene Jones of Chama, N.M., who is studying pre-med.

Jess Williams, '85, '97

Noel Edison Blazer had fond memories of his alma mater, New Mexico College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts, which later became New Mexico State University.

He and his wife Patty were both in the Class of 1921. Blazer graduated with a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering and went to work as a design engineer for Westinghouse in California.

The Blazers appreciated the importance of higher education. Although they had no children of their own, in the late 1960s they set up a family trust that provided funds for about two dozen grand nieces and nephews to apply toward their undergraduate and graduate education.

Under the terms of that trust, when these grand nieces and nephews had outgrown their eligibility for educational assistance funds, the trust would be liquidated and the proceeds would come to NMSU to establish a presidential discretionary endowed fund.

Family representative Clint E. Smith, who has worked as a program officer for the Hewlett Foundation and is a Latin American scholar at Stanford, proposed the idea of the presidential discretionary endowed fund. It would enable each NMSU president to use the available earnings to make a unique mark on the institution.

The funds, which transferred to NMSU this summer, are valued in excess of $375,000. Smith hopes others will add to the fund.

Many of the Blazer kin remain in the area. Plans for a family reunion at NMSU are in the works for the near future. The reunion will provide an opportunity for them to see how the campus has grown and visit with each other and those who will benefit from this unique new endowment.

NMSU President William B. Conroy, who met members of the family in September, says the Blazer endowment is unique.

"Its earnings will make it possible, for the first time ever, for the president of NMSU to have discretionary funds to support projects that he or she feels have special importance to NMSU," Conroy said.

Ann Palormo

Renovation of NMSU's landmark Goddard Hall has been designated as the university's top capital outlay funding priority for the 1998 state legislative session.

The university seeks $3.5 million in state funds to help bring the building into compliance with current state and federal codes.

Goddard Hall is one of the buildings designed by architect Henry C. Trost as part of the original horseshoe design for NMSU. The building dates from 1913 and is listed on both the state and federal registries of historic places.

The College of Engineering has been working for several years to secure the $5.9 million in funding needed to complete the renovation.

More than $1.3 million has been pledged in private and corporate support from college alumni and friends. Included is a multi-year commitment from Boeing and gifts from more than 1,500 alumni. A $1.3 million grant from the National Science Foundation will be applied to the renovation.

When completed, Goddard Hall will house new laboratory and classroom space as well as a student services center for engineering students and alumni.

Number two on NMSU's capital priorities list is a new classroom and laboratory building priced at $11.08 million.

NMSU also will ask the state to fund pay increases of 7 percent for faculty and staff next year. Other 1998-99 appropriation requests include formula funding enhancements, restoration of line item cuts from 1997-98 appropriations and expansion of non-formula-funded programs such as the Agricultural Experiment Station, intercollegiate athletics, KRWG-TV and campus security.

NMSU President William B. Conroy, second from right, cuts a ribbon to open an exhibit on the work of architect Henry C. Trost, designer of the university's original campus masterplan. A likeness of the architect stands in the background. The exhibition, at the University Museum in Kent Hall, opened in September and continues for a year. From left are exhibit designers Sherry Doil-Carter and Camille Rendal, museum director Marilyn Norcini, Conroy and University Honors Program director William Eamon. The exhibit coincides with NMSU's Cornerstone Campaign for Excellence, which aims to raise funds for university programs and to restore the campus' YMCA building as an Honors Center. The exhibit showcases NMSU's architectural heritage and the YMCA building's place in that heritage. On display are copies of the original campus plan, Trost's original drawings and models of Trost buildings.