The Perfect Match for NMSU
It all started with a $250 scholarship—one that would take an Aggie from first-generation college student in the 1960s to New Mexico State University System Chancellor by 2013. But that $250—or about $2,000 today—not only set this Aggie onto a course for personal success but, in turn, benefited the future of NMSU and communities across New Mexico with two leaders who understand the power of giving back.
That's why former Chancellor Garrey Carruthers and his wife, Kathy, make the perfect match for NMSU. Both embraced this passion early on for making the communities around them better and have since made their impactful mark on thousands of Aggie students and the youth of New Mexico for generations to come.
Although Garrey retired in June, his and Kathy's impact on the NMSU system will carry on because of their time, passion, investment and most recently, induction into The 1888 Society after establishing a planned gift to NMSU. However, their ability to give back has transformed over time.
"You don't have to have a lot of money to be philanthropic," Garrey says. "Kathy and I didn't always have the financial means to donate money, so we made sure we invested our time in causes that we knew were important to the communities we were a part of."
In 1987, Kathy founded the New Mexico Coalition for Literacy to provide funding and training for adult reading programs in the state. Her passion for saving and restoring the New Mexico Governor's Mansion also helped her to start a private foundation that still raises funds for the building today.
Garrey earned two degrees from NMSU before returning to campus, serving and dedicating more than 30 years to students as a professor, dean, vice president and chancellor. His experience as the Governor of New Mexico, along with starting and selling his own company, made him extremely well-rounded to lead the NMSU system into some of its most successful years yet.
Over time, the couple started investing in the programs around them, including those at NMSU. Their gifts created scholarships for students, boosted academic programs, enhanced athletics and completed construction projects on the Las Cruces campus. Programs like the NMSU Spiritual Center and the Aggie Cupboard, along with a Chair for Economic Development in the College of Business, exist because of their support. By 2015, the duo received the Outstanding Leaders in Philanthropy award from the Association of Fundraising Professionals' New Mexico Chapter.
As part of their legacy of philanthropy to NMSU, the Carruthers' membership in The 1888 Society turns their longtime ideological match to NMSU into something more physical—matching challenge funds. This gift equips the NMSU Foundation with the financial means to continue growing a culture of alumni and friends who possess the same giving spirit the Carruthers' have embodied for years. Their planned gift will serve as matching dollars to incentivize Aggie supporters with a way to double their impact when they make a gift to programs, scholarships or departments throughout the NMSU system.
"I'm a strong believer in giving back to the people and places that make a difference in your life," Garrey says. "My success started at NMSU, so I will always find ways to make it even better and help out the next generation of Aggies."
Create Your Legacy
Discover how you can create your own enduring legacy at any NMSU campus. To learn more, contact Steven Covington at (575) 646-3190 or (800) 342-6678 or plannedgiving@nmsufoundation.org.