NMSU news release from Carol Ann Garcia
The NMSU Alumni Association has honored some of its best and brightest as NMSU’s fall 2020 outstanding graduates:
- Alyssa Adams: College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences; bachelor of science in Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management with a double minor in professional selling and marketing. After graduation, Adams plans to work at the St. Regis Resort in Aspen as a guest experience expert for the winter season and then continue to advance her career in the hospitality industry.
- Chad Johnson: College of Arts & Sciences; bachelor of arts in government with a minor in international relations. After graduation, Johnson plans to move to Albuquerque to pursue a career in public service with the city or in education lobbying. He is open to moving out of New Mexico as he encounters future opportunities in the field.
- Angel Salcido: College of Business, Economics and International Business; bachelor of business administration in economics and international business, bachelor of arts in foreign languages with a concentration in Spanish. Salcido plans to continue her education by moving on to graduate studies in International Economics and Development.
- Amberly Cotton: College of Education; bachelor of science in kinesiology – exercise science. Following graduation, Cotton will attend Texas Tech University at El Paso to complete an accelerated bachelor program in nursing, on her way to becoming a nurse practitioner.
- Lucas Rivera: College of Engineering; bachelor of engineering in civil engineering – water resources engineering option, minors in Spanish and mathematics. Rivera’s immediate plans are to continue his education at NMSU in the civil engineering master's program.
- Marcos Walters: College of Health and Social Services; bachelor of science in nursing. After graduation, Walters plans to move to Saint Louis to begin his nursing career in a nationally ranked hospital: Barnes-Jewish Hospital, in its Level 1 trauma cardiac intensive care unit.
- Amalia Zeitlin: Master’s candidate, graduate school, master of music. An outstanding performer with a growing regional and national reputation as a violinist, Zeitlin plans to continue advancing her career as a musician, performer and teacher following graduation.
- Connie Maxwell: Doctoral candidate, graduate school; Ph.D. in water science and management. Maxwell’s career path includes working with land managers to restore watershed health and supporting the communities that rely upon them.
Each semester, the Outstanding Graduate Award is presented to a graduating student from each of the academic colleges and to both a masters and a doctoral candidate from the graduate school. Honorees are chosen through a nomination and dean selection process and recognized for their exceptional academic achievements, notable leadership skills and extracurricular commitment to the university and the community.
“In these uncertain times, one thing remains certain: NMSU has some of the most outstanding students in the nation,” said Leslie Cervantes, associate vice president of Alumni and Donor Relations. “It is an honor each semester to recognize an outstanding graduate from each of our academic colleges, as well as two students from the graduate school. Their commitment to their academics and communities is impressive. The NMSU Alumni Association is honored to be a part of this important recognition for our students.”
This story was written based on a news release from Carol Ann Garcia (carolgar@nmsu.edu), a senior alumni relations officer with the NMSU Foundation.
