When Professor Emeritus of History and Government Ira G. Clark,
Jr. came to New Mexico State in 1942, he helped establish the
Department of History. He taught in that department until his
retirement in 1975, leaving behind a legacy that is undimmed
by the passage of time.
According to fellow historian Dr. Ray Sadler, Clark knew that
“his first job was teaching and his students knew that
he cared for them as individuals and was concerned that they
progress intellectually.” He added, “decades later,
his students love to tell Ira Clark stories.” Clark’s
students have enjoyed distinguished careers in teaching at all
academic levels, business, politics and public affairs.
One former student is New Mexico State Professor Emeritus Darlis
Miller, who calls Clark the inspiration for her career. She
had been a public school teacher but was interested in pursuing
an advanced degree.
After taking one of his classes, she was ready to tackle the
challenge. He served as faculty sponsor for her master’s
thesis and encouraged her to pursue a doctorate. Her dissertation
turned into her first book, and she then launched a 24-year
teaching career at New Mexico State.
Clark’s legacy as a historian equals his reputation as
an educator. Sadler describes him as “the most meticulous
historian I have ever known, careful to a fault.” He was
a member of many honorary societies, most notably Sigma Xi,
and historical societies ranging from the Dona Ana County Historical
Society to the American Historical Society.
His publications include Water in New Mexico, described
as the standard work on New Mexico water law, and Then Came
the Railroads: the Century from Steam to Diesel in the Southwest,
also considered a model text.
While at New Mexico State University, Clark was the first recipient
of the Westhafer Award recognizing his outstanding research
achievements. He also received an Excellence in the Humanities
Award from the New Mexico Endowment for the Humanities.
Clark made an equally strong imprint on the community he called
home for more than 60 years. He was active in his church, the
Las Cruces Tennis Club and the Senior Olympics, where he played
(and won) tennis matches well into his nineties.
In recognition of Clark and fellow professor Simon Kropp, New
Mexico State faculty, alumni and friends have established the
Clark/Kropp Endowment to honor the many contributions both these
men made to the university and the history department. The endowment
will be used to support student scholarships.
Digging in
Photo by: Victor Espinoza
From left, equestrian team members
Laura Smith and Rachel Rosencrans; supporters John and Povy
Bigbee of La Mesa; College of Agriculture and Home Economics
Dean Jerry Schickedanz; and Provost William Flores broke ground
in June on a new Equestrian Educational Center at New Mexico
State University. The center, to be located on Stewart Street
at the southwest edge of campus, will house a classroom, tack
and locker rooms, and offices for instructors and coaches. Dean
Schickedanz told the gathering that the university’s only
national team titles have been won by the equestrian and women’s
rodeo teams. The new facility will support competitive riders,
equine science students and beginning riders fulfilling physical
education requirements. The center is scheduled for completion
in November. The second phase of the project is a 1,000-seat
fully enclosed arena, funded by private gifts.
Hewlett-Packard supports new initiatives
Evans
Hewlett-Packard, recognized as a member of the Circle of
Excellence-Gold for cumulative giving in excess of $1 million
as of December 2001, has awarded the university more than
$400,000 in 2002 alone.
Recent funding includes a math/ science professional development
grant for the College of Education that benefits K-12 math
and science programs statewide.
Dr. Susan Brown, coordinator of professional development
for the college, is the project director for this grant. Also
included is a School of Education K-12 Technology Expansion
Grant to further fund the wireless technology partnership
with Lynn Middle School in Las Cruces.
Recognizing the cutting edge work done in the Klipsch School
of Electrical and Computer Engineering and the Department
of Computer Science, HP has provided equipment for ongoing
research in computer performance analysis. The New Mexico
State proposal was in competition with such institutions as
Princeton, Carnegie Mellon and Purdue.
HP also has made a high-tech diversity award to benefit student
organizations in engineering, science, computer science and
business computer systems as well as minority programs at
the university. This is the only award of its kind made in
New Mexico. It will provide student scholarships, laptops,
calculators, PCs, printers and digital cameras.
Patty Lopez, who is the regional college coordinator for
HP, recruited fellow New Mexico State alumnus Marty Evans,
EE ’99, to handle recruiting efforts at their alma mater.
An honor graduate, Evans joined HP following graduation. He
works in Vancouver, Wash., designing electronics for inkjet
printers. His familiarity with New Mexico State’s various
ethnic programs was influential in bringing the diversity
award to the university.
Evans, who has always had an interest in electronics, joined
the U.S. Air Force following his graduation from Las Cruces
High School. After a 10-year stint as an avionics technician,
he enrolled at New Mexico State to pursue an electrical engineering
degree.
Lowenstein
Dr. Bernard Lowenstein of Albuquerque always admitted he
knew very little about gardening, but his wife, Bonnie, more
than held up her end for the family. At the time of her death
in 1993, the New Mexico Garden Club gave a scholarship to
the Department of Agronomy and Horticulture in her memory.
Dr. Lowenstein further honored his wife’s love of flowers
with a permanent endowment that now awards more than $3,000
in scholarships each year to students in the department. That
was just the beginning of his relationship with New Mexico
State University.
Over the last nine years he also has supported the landscape
garden at the Fabian Garcia Center and made several gifts
to the new Bernard Lowenstein Lecture Series. The popular
series brought experts in related fields to speak to faculty,
students and the general public. Dr. John Mexal, the department’s
scholarship coordinator who worked closely with Lowenstein
to develop this project, hopes to fund several more lectures
in the coming years.
Now they will become the Lowenstein Memorial Lecture Series.
Succumbing after a brief illness, Lowenstein died in June
at the age of 94. The university recently learned that a gift
from his estate will add $50,000 to the Bonnie Lowenstein
Endowment. Lowenstein Bernard Lowenstein, 1908-2002
New Mexico association funds endowment
The New Mexico Land Title Association established an endowment
with a $10,000 gift to benefit the President’s Associates Scholarship
Program at New Mexico State University.
The 76-year-old statewide organization created its Chili Currier
Scholarship Fund—named for a longtime association member—in
the mid 1980s when one member donated $100 to be used for educational
purposes with the promise of similar gifts at the annual convention.
Since then, the organization has donated more than $100,000 in support
of current use awards to individual students who graduate from New
Mexico high schools and to endow scholarship funds at several institutions
of higher learning across the state.
Spearheading the endowment efforts for New Mexico State University
are Sue and Scott Ackleson and Sheryl and Steve Parsley, partners
in the Dona Ana Title Company, located in Las Cruces. Scott, Sue
and Sheryl are New Mexico State alumni. Since Sue and Sheryl have
served as members of the President’s Associates (PA) Board
of Directors and Scott’s son, Jason, attended New Mexico State
as a PA Scholar, they encouraged dedicating the endowment to the
PA scholarship program.
This is the organization’s seventh endowed fund. Annual earnings
will support funding for PA Scholars studying either in the College
of Agriculture and Home Economics or the College of Business Administration
and Economics.
The New Mexico Land Title Association has 90 members from land
title companies in each county of New Mexico.
Bequests ensure university’s long-term strength
Leaving a legacy is one of the most powerful and significant
gifts a donor can make. Bequests (gifts made through a will
or trust) have always been an important source of support
for New Mexico State University.
Legacy contributions provide an opportunity for donors to
continue to contribute their gifts to favorite campus programs
and to make a major gift that might not otherwise be possible.
Through a bequest, a donor may leave a specific dollar amount
to the university or dedicate a percentage of the estate.
The donor may stipulate whether the contribution is for a
specific purpose or for general university support. A bequest
gift also can be made in memory or honor of another individual.
Alumni support is critical to the ongoing
growth and success of New Mexico State University.
I would like to participate by supporting
the following:
Bonnie Lowenstein Memorial Scholarship Fund
Clark/Kropp Endowed Fund for the Department of History
Equestrian Center
Other _____________________________________
Name _______________________________________
Address _____________________________________
City, State, Zip _______________________________
Enclosed is my check for $______________________
Make check payable to NMSU Foundation Inc. and mail to: NMSU
Foundation Inc., P.O. Box 3590, Las Cruces, N.M. 88003 Please
charge my VISA, MasterCard or Discover Card $____________________________________________
Card # _________-_________-_________-__________
Exp. Date____________________________________ Signature____________________________________
Please send bequest information.
I have included New Mexico State University in my estate plans.
In addition to cash and securities, bequests to New Mexico
State may include real estate, works of art, jewelry, or mineral
or patent rights. All outright gifts to the university are
exempt from federal estate taxes and there is no limitation
on the size of the gift. When making or revising a will or
trust, donors are encouraged to use their lawyer or adviser.
University Advancement staff members will be pleased to assist
in incorporating gifts to the university into estate plans.
Please see the coupon at right to request more specific information
related to bequests.
New Mexico State is anxious to have the opportunity to acknowledge
those individuals who have already made plans for the university
in their wills. As wonderful as these gifts are, we much prefer
to thank you today while you can receive the recognition and
acknowledgment you deserve.
If you have made estate plans, we hope you will choose to
share that with us. We will be discreet with this information,
according to your wishes. For more information, call 1-800-342-6678
or 505-646-1611 or e-mail Ann Palormo at apalormo@nmsu.edu.
Philip Bills and his mother during his days at New Mexico State
University in the 1960s.
Alumnus gift recognizes mother's support
When Philip Bills, BSIE ’69, established an endowment
at New Mexico State University, it was an acknowledgment of
the support he received from his mother—support that
made his college education possible.
Bills’ father passed away when he was 10 years old.
“My mother worked very hard to make sure I completed
my degree. This endowment benefits students in similar situations,”
he said.
Bills took advantage of the AT&T matching program to
create an endowment that provides support for a student who
is either orphaned or from a single parent household. It is
administered through the Office of Financial Aid.
Bills, a Maryland native, came to New Mexico State University
because of the co-op program in the College of Engineering.
After a 22-year career with AT&T, he took early retirement
in 1998.
“I had a great time at New Mexico State.” Bills
said. “Those years were among the happiest of my life.”
Clark 
Evans 
Lowenstein 