Membership supports programs for students, alumni

	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

The Alumni Office has been quite busy this spring. A number of activities have kept me hopping across New Mexico, Nevada, Oklahoma and California. Thank goodness for unlimited mileage on rental cars.

High School Honors Nights

Each spring the Alumni Relations Office/Association sponsors 21 High School Honors Nights around New Mexico and El Paso. All 33 counties in New Mexico are invited to participate. The best and the brightest in New Mexico and El Paso receive a certificate for their academic achievements through their junior year.

In Las Cruces, Albuquerque and El Paso, the invited students were in the top 15 percent of their classes and had at least a 3.3 GPA. In 1996, we found students in the top 10 percent had 3.9 GPAs. We missed a number of great students, so this year we invited those into the top 15 percent. In other areas we invited students with at least a 3.3 GPA.

Without the help of Aggie alumni, we would never be able to pull this program off each year. You support the program through donations and by attending student events. We thank you.

Big West Basketball Tournament in Reno, Nev.

The Alumni Association, Aggie Sports Association and the colleges of Agriculture and Home Economics, Engineering and Business Administration and Economics sponsored a breakfast for Aggie fans. Aggies from Nevada, Texas and New Mexico joined us for an informal breakfast. Everyone left with Aggie banners for the big game.

Alumni Directory

The alumni directory will be off the press this summer. Many of you have received calls from Harris Publishing to confirm information, including e-mail addresses. Alumni asked for an updated directory, and I chose Harris Publishing because they take the risk, do all the work and market the book. Other publishers print the directory, but the Alumni Association must do the marketing. I apologize for the extra phone calls, but telemarketing is still the best way to go.

Alumni Association's Centennial

On May 24, 1998, the Alumni Association will celebrate its 100th birthday. We want you to be a part of the fun. If you have ideas for activities in your area please call or drop me an e-mail message. A number of groups have indicated they want to help celebrate. How about you? Membership

Have you ever wondered how the Alumni Office is funded? Your Alumni Association is an interdependent organization that receives funds from the state and from alumni. Funds from alumni come in the form of active membership. Everyone who graduates is considered a member. Others become active, sustaining or life members to support alumni programs and student scholarships. This July you will receive a mailer asking you to become an active member. I hope you'll send your annual dues in the "Ole Aggie" spirit.

Los Angeles

Jerry Shaw, '49, of Volt Corporation hosted a reception for Aggies in the Los Angeles area. What a wonderful host. About 50 alumni joined Jerry; Derald Morgan, dean of the College of Engineering; Joe Creed, assistant dean of the College of Engineering; and myself. All ages were represented with some alumni who have been out less than two years and some who had been out a 'bit' longer. A number of familiar faces joined the fun. I don't know how many Los Angeles area gatherings Marshall Scott, '62, and his wife, Francis; and Bill Sturman, '48, and his wife, Renee, have attended, but there should be a prize in it for them.

Jerry shared the story of how he and his brother started Volt. It is nice to hear success stories, especially when they give credit to NMSU (a.k.a. NM A&MA).

Pistol Pete Honored

The late Frank Eaton, the man who was the inspiration for our mascot Pistol Pete, received a special award from the directors of the National Cowboy Hall of Fame. On March 15, I represented NMSU at the black tie affair in Oklahoma City. Elizabeth Wise, Frank's youngest child, accepted the award along with former NMSU president, James Halligan, now president of Oklahoma State University. When asked about her father and his legend, Mrs. Wise said, "To me he was just Dad." Clayton, N.M.

This summer the northeastern New Mexico "Round Up" will be in Clayton. Bill Cantrell, '67, is looking for a location for the gathering, which will be in late July or early August. We had such a great time at the CS Ranch last year we decided to make this an annual event. Beans, Burritos and Beer in Washington, D.C.

For all the alumni in the Washington, D.C., area, the Alumni Association will host its "BBB event" on Sept. 20. Information will be mailed to area alumni by mid-July. Aggie Alumni Homepage

The Alumni Association has a homepage at http://www.nmsu.edu/~alumni.

Leza receives honorary doctoral degree

Richard L. Leza, '73, chairman of AI Research Corp. of Mountain View, Calif., received an honorary doctorate during spring commencement on May 17.

About 1,765 students were candidates for degrees and about 1,100 attended the ceremony.

Leza was honored for his professional achievements and for his efforts to make opportunities available to others through higher education.

Leza, who grew up in Hatch, N.M., and received his bachelor's degree in civil engineering at NMSU, has been recognized as one of the nation's most influential Hispanic business people. AI Research, a private venture capital firm, works with and invests in new companies in the fields of computer software development, computer peripherals and medical instrumentation.

Leza established a scholarship for Hispanic engineering students and an endowment for library books at NMSU "because only education can create a better future and better leaders." He also established a fellowship at the Stanford Business School, where he received his MBA degree.

He has served on the NMSU Foundation Board of Directors since 1988. In 1990, he received NMSU's Distinguished Engineering Alumni Award.

Hall's name lives on through endowment

	Vernon Hall's friends, who began a $20,000 endowed scholarship fund for 4-H students in his memory, speak about Hall as though he left them only yesterday. Hall died in 1945 during World War II when he was 21 years old. A U.S. Army lieutenant, Hall won the silver star, bronze star and purple heart for his action in combat.
Hall

Many of his friends lived together in a 4-H Cooperative house, and when war broke out, most became soldiers. All returned but Vernon.

At a luncheon to celebrate the new endowment, the reunited alumni spoke fondly and often emotionally of Hall. The first scholarship was awarded to Mark Romero of Maxwell, a senior agricultural economics major.

"Vernon was always a leader, and he was a good listener," said Bill Utton, '47, of Aztec, N.M.

George Jackson, "46, of Santa Rosa, Calif., said: "I never knew Vernon to make a comment about someone else that was negative. He was a good man."

"He had an impeccable honor," said George Randle, '47, '48, of Placitas, N.M. "He's symbolic ... of all we're proud of." "I often say to myself, `Why did you take Vernon?" said Dois Dallas, '48, of Fairbanks, Alaska.

The group created the scholarship so that "Vernon Hall's name will be at the university from today to eternity," said Dallas, who spearheaded the four-year endowment fund drive and reunion.

REMEMBERING YESTERDAY Veron Hall's friends include (left to right) Bill Utton, '47, of Aztec N.M., George A. Hall, Dallas of Fairbanks, Alaska, George Jackson of Santa Rosa, Calif., ans Dois Dallas, '48, of Fairbanks.