New Mexico State University Foundation History

A historic black and white photo of the early stages of construction on NMSU campus, showing two large buildings and a farm windmill in the distance.
A black and white photo of the Hadley Hall on NMSU campus.

1959

The NMSU Foundation was established in 1959 during the administration of NMSU President Roger Corbett. The first major campaign raised money to purchase a large computer for data processing, which attracted a new segment of students interested in computer science.

1977

The President’s Associates group formed in 1977, comprising Las Cruces business owners. They each pledged at least $1,000 a year for NMSU student scholarships in order to keep academically gifted New Mexico students in the state. The inaugural President’s Associates Ball was held Sept. 16, 1977, and was, according to then-President Gerald Thomas, “the event of the year.”

A historic photo of the Memorial Tower.

1988

During the 1988 Homecoming weekend, NMSU’s decade-long Centennial Campaign, the largest fundraising effort in NMSU history at the time, successfully reached its goal of $18,881,988 — an amount signifying NMSU’s first 100 years.

2001

The Aggie license plate was released in 2001, allowing New Mexico drivers to show their Aggie pride. Since then, almost 13,000 Aggie plates have been issued. Partnering with the New Mexico Motor Vehicle Division, $25 from each license plate comes to the NMSU Foundation in support of student and alumni programs.

The front of the Student Union building on NMSU campus.

2015

The first Giving Tuesday — the global day of giving on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving — was held at NMSU on December 1, 2015, and the successful inaugural event became an annual tradition. Since Giving Tuesday 2015, hundreds of alumni, friends, staff, and students around the world have raised more than $13.4 million on Giving Tuesdays to support scholarships and programs.

2019

On December 31, 2019, the historic Ignite Aggie Discovery! capital campaign came to a close. The largest cash-only campaign to date went public in 2017, and the $125 million campaign goal was successfully completed thanks to NMSU’s generous supporters.

An aerial shot of NMSU's campus

2024

The Founders Day | 1888 Minutes of Giving campaign was launched to commemorate the founding of NMSU in 1888 by raising money to support the future of the university. The continuous 1,888 minutes of fundraising supports a variety of different programs at NMSU, paying tribute to the visionaries who founded NMSU more than a century ago and reflecting their commitment to higher education and foresight in shaping generations of scholars, innovators, and leaders.

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