Editor:
It has been an honor and pleasure to be part of the New Mexico Tech and Socorro communities for the past seven years. We thank everyone for your support in moving our university forward in the 21st century and strengthening the Town and Tech bond, demonstrating a joint commitment to the public good as well as providing opportunities for economic growth.
What we have jointly accomplished over this short time is a tribute to the resourcefulness, devotion, and diligence of the faculty, staff, students, and alumni of NMT, and the citizens of Socorro.
Here are examples of the results of our collaboration over the past seven years:
- revival of the Loma Theater in partnership with First State Bank, allowing our communities to enjoy first-run movies in our own backyard;
- creation of a nonprofit, Diamond in the Desert, transforming the walls of our city’s buildings into beautiful murals that depict our culture and history and bringing new Christmas lighting along California Avenue;
- establishment of NMT’s Department of Outreach and STORM FORCE, building community partnerships and empowering residents of Socorro and surrounding areas;
- transformation of NMT into an entrepreneurial university, by establishing the Office of Innovation Commercialization, promoting an entrepreneurial culture on the NMT campus through commercializing technology created and developed at NMT, and spinning off local companies in order to build a knowledge-based economy in Socorro;
- establishment of a center to accelerate the commercialization of technology in partnership with Nusenda Credit Union and the NM Small Business Development Center, supporting entrepreneurs and small business development in Socorro and New Mexico;
- appointment of NMT’s first chief diversity officer, advancing NMT’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion;
- growth in the number of degree-seeking Hispanic undergraduates from 30% in 2017 to over 40% in 2022, solidifying NMT as a Hispanic-Serving Institution;
- exceptional 2022 academic rankings such as 20th in the nation for academic stewardship by AcademicInfluence.com, and Journey Ranger placing NMT as not only the best university in New Mexico but stating that “some would argue is one of the best colleges in the U.S.”;
- creation of a culture of philanthropic giving in the university community that has attained over $85M out of a $110M goal in three years and that has been called “unprecedented in the history of the university” by a distinguished alum; and
- profound growth in NMT’s research enterprise over the past five years, doubling the amount of research expenditures from $50M to $97M, which builds a foundation for NMT to become a Carnegie R1 university, the highest level achievable for a research institution and potentially ranking NMT on the same level as Cal Tech.
Collectively, with inspired faculty, staff, students, and very supportive alumni and community members, we can all be proud of our university and the transformation it has taken.
We have been privileged to be part of this transformation and thank all of you for your support.
Dr. Stephen G. Wells
Mrs. Beth Wells
Santa Fe
