Association exceeds annual membership goal

	Alumni on the Go
	by Debbie Widger, '81, '93
	Alumni Relations Director
	NMSU Alumni Association
	MSC 3AS, P.O. Box 30001
	Las Cruces, NM 88003
	(505) 646-3616
	dwidger@nmsu.edu

Membership

    Membership information was mailed in early July but a number of graduates did not receive notices, as many of you informed the alumni office by phone or e-mail. By the time this Aggie Panorama is published everyone should have been notified. Thank you for your support and kind reminders.

    We ended the 1999-2000 year with 4,436 active dues-paying association members, 436 above our goal of 4,000. We have an alumni record of 74,515 with good addresses for 58,097 living alumni.

    Our Life Members now total 452, an increase of 32 single members and six joint memberships. Life Membership dollars are deposited into an endowment and only the interest may be used.

    Dues help support scholarships, awards, alumni and student activities, high school honors nights, chapter and athletic promotions, Homecoming and reunions, and one of our largest expenses - postage and printing.

Executive Council Retreat
 

On Aug. 5 your new and continuing board members met for their annual retreat. Some of the new ideas for 2000-2001 are: Chile buckets (survival kits that include Mesilla Valley chile) for graduating seniors and a Graduation Fair where graduates can get all their Commencement needs taken care of. We plan to invite alumni to join us to share experiences about their work. Photo by Rita Popp.

Lost Class Ring

    A 1970 alumni ring was turned into the alumni office. If you are missing a ring please call us.

Homecoming 2000

This year students are inviting their parents back to campus. Our theme is "NMSU - Where Dreams Become Reality."

    The Classes of 1950 and 1960 are celebrating their 50th and 40th reunions. The committee for the Class of 1950 are: Ray Chavez, Ruth McKinney Ford, Jesse and Shirley Parker, Joe and Barbara Parker, Glyn Throneberry, John E. Uxer and Austin Vick. The committee for the Class of 1960 are: Betty Howe Brooks, John H. Byers, Dick Glaze, Belle Huffman Erickson and Jo Ellen Engle Montjoy. They have lunches, dinners and a dance, will be open to all alumni, planned.

    The Conquistadors and ROTC are planning reunions. Nina Banegas,'48, is chairing the Conquistadors reunion with help from Tomas Chavez, '54, and Rachel Chavez, '49, of Oklahoma. Gary Cataldo, '70, has been working on the ROTC reunion for three years. Some of his helpers are Quinie Flint, '55, and Kirk McCarter, '50.

    The alumni social is planned for Friday along with the dance, with music by The Desperados. The Eye-Opener Breakfast will kick off the Saturday events, and the students have promised a great parade. None of us will want to miss the Aggie football game Saturday evening.

Football Events

    Tailgates are planned for the NMSU-UTEP game in El Paso on Sept. 30 and the University of North Texas game on Nov. 18 in Denton, Texas. The NMSU-Army game is scheduled for Las Cruces on Oct. 7. This game was very exciting in New York last year and should be even more fun here at home.

Alumni Chapters
Colorado Barbecue - Aug. 12

    August is barbecue month for Alumni in Colorado and Northeastern New Mexico. Julie Ann Hall, '84, once again did a great job of organizing the Colorado- NMSU Aggie Alumni Barbecue. Over 65 alumni gathered at Palmer Park Saturday, Aug. 12, for food, fun and lots of visiting. Charles Carr, '38, and Otis Boise, '41, were among our group. A former student employee, Joseph Lopez, '95, was there with his wife Michelle, '95, and their darling daughters. What a treat.

    Everyone must have had fun. When asked if they wanted to do more events, they all said yes. Steve Castillo, '82, head of the Klipsch School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, and his wife Jeanine, '83, joined us along with Roger Hartley, head of NMSU's computer science department and his wife Cathryn Carver, '73, '75. Julie Smith, '93, '95, represented the business college. Julie is the college's major gifts officer.

    Steve and Roger joined Julie Hall on Friday and met with Lockheed Martin executives to discuss what Lockheed Martin looks for in future graduates.

Northeastern New Mexico Round Up - Aug. 13

    Jay Gogue, NMSU's president, was on hand for the Northeastern New Mexico Aggie Round Up Aug. 13, organized by Bill Cantrell, '69. Over 55 Aggies from Colfax, Harding, Union and Mora counties came out to meet and welcome Dr. Gogue at our annual Sunday afternoon barbecue.

    Several members of the College of Agriculture and Home Economics were in attendance: Dean Jerry Schickedanz, '70; Bobby Rankin, department head; Ron Gurley, director; and Glen Duff, '91, from the Clayton agricultural science center.

    In addition to the great barbecue Dr. Gogue, Chuck Widger, '81, and I were treated to some wonderful hospitality by Les and Linda Davis, '99, of the CS Ranch.

Roswell, N.M., Alumni Reception - Aug. 16

    Regent Jim Manatt, '71, and his host committee did a wonderful job of getting fellow alumni and friends out to meet President Gogue. What a warm welcome they gave Dr. Gogue, and he certainly impressed them with his warmth. Brian Faison, director of athletics, spoke about the program, which fired them up about future Chaves County events. The next one on tap was a bus trip to Las Cruces for the UNM game Sept.16.

    I understand we have a number of graduates in Chaves County who are not on our database. Bruce Ritter, '71, and Mary Ritter, '69, have offered to help Jim locate fellow Aggies.

Aggies to the Rescue

    Our license plate program has been a big hit among alumni and friends. If you wonder if the Aggie plate is for you here is a great story. Chandra Tharp was traveling through Ruidoso a few weeks ago and had car trouble. She pulled over to call her husband Craig Tharp, '90. Two alumni, Jerry Clark, '68, and Connie Clark, '76, '90, happened to be passing by and stopped to help because they saw the NMSU license plate. Our Aggies are the greatest!

    Chandra and Craig are grateful for the Clarks' help. Chandra is also very happy to display her Aggie plate on her brand new car.
 

Colorado Camaraderie At the Colorado Barbecue Ralph G. Torres, '67, receives a plaque commem-orating his earlier induction into the NMSU business college's Hall of Fame. The presenter is Julie Smith, '93, '94, the college's major gifts officer. Photo by Debbie Widger, '81, '93.	Picture This Charles Carr Sr., '38, left, photographs fellow alumni at the Colorado get-together. With him is Otis Boise, '41. Photo by Debbie Widger, '81, '93.	Getting to Know You  Alumni and friends at the Northeastern New Mexico Aggie Round Up get acquainted with NMSU President Jay Gogue. From left are Les Davis, Mary B. Davis and Linda Davis, '99, who holds an honorary doctorate from NMSU, all of the CS Ranch near Cimarron, Dr. Gogue and Ken Cantrell, '91, of Clayton. Photo by Debbie Widger, '81, '93.