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Finding Resilience at NMSU

Ricardo Marquez and Claudia Granados

The Victoria Rader Scholarship, with matching funds from the Jon Wynne estate, allows NMSU Doña Ana Community College students like Ricardo Marquez, center, and Claudia Granados, right, to attend school without worry of paying for college. Rader, left, made a cash gift so she could enjoy the scholarship now, and her bequest as part of The 1888 Society will grow the scholarship in the future.

Starting an academic career as an NMSU Aggie—no matter your ZIP code or financial background—is easier with the help of the NMSU system. This is a network of five campuses: including Alamogordo, Carlsbad, Doña Ana, Grants and Las Cruces, which all work together to serve a variety of students, active duty or retired military, working parents and others seeking higher education throughout New Mexico.

It's a system of empowering resiliency, as mentioned by Dr. Blanca Campa in the cover story. Led by Chancellor Dan Arvizu, the NMSU system operates as a one-stop-shop, offering educational K-12 outreach to New Mexico through its 12 Ag Science Centers and statewide Cooperative Extension Service, as well as meeting prospective students' postsecondary educational needs regardless of their stage in life.

"The beauty of the NMSU system is that location and time are no longer barriers to a high-quality education," Arvizu says.

The NMSU system meets a critical need in today's world of higher education. Unlike the needs of four-year students, community colleges reach a more diverse group of people who employers need trained for jobs available today.

"If a student's passion doesn't require a four-year degree, the NMSU system, through one of the community college campuses, offers several two-year degree, vocational and certification programs that equip students for high-paying, high-demand jobs in the workforce right now," Arvizu says.

On top of that, gaining a degree is more expensive than ever, and NMSU's community college campuses provide financially weary students a more affordable experience.

"In other words, we're able to show our students what NMSU is all about no matter what campus they attend," Arvizu says. "Because we're all part of the same system, our faculty care for our students the same, our operations move in the same way, and also important, our NMSU Foundation serves students across the entire system with scholarships in the same way."

Philanthropy through the NMSU Foundation impacts not only the 13,600 students at NMSU-Las Cruces but also the 10,000 additional students enrolled at NMSU's four campuses across the state. That means donors, through planned gifts or other funding, can create scholarships specifically to community college students through the NMSU Foundation.

"The NMSU system ensures that becoming an Aggie has no operational barriers," Arvizu says. "But with the support of our faculty, staff, alumni and friends who donate to NMSU students through the Foundation, we prevent financial barriers as well. No student will take the same educational paths to reach academic success, but through the NMSU system, success will always be what's waiting at their finish line."

A charitable bequest is one or two sentences in your will or living trust that leave to the New Mexico State University Foundation a specific item, an amount of money, a gift contingent upon certain events or a percentage of your estate.

an individual or organization designated to receive benefits or funds under a will or other contract, such as an insurance policy, trust or retirement plan

"I give to the New Mexico State University Foundation, a nonprofit corporation currently located at P.O. Box 3590, Las Cruces, NM 88003, or its successor thereto, ______________ [written amount or percentage of the estate or description of property] for its unrestricted use and purpose."

able to be changed or cancelled

A revocable living trust is set up during your lifetime and can be revoked at any time before death. They allow assets held in the trust to pass directly to beneficiaries without probate court proceedings and can also reduce federal estate taxes.

cannot be changed or cancelled

tax on gifts generally paid by the person making the gift rather than the recipient

the original value of an asset, such as stock, before its appreciation or depreciation

the growth in value of an asset like stock or real estate since the original purchase

the price a willing buyer and willing seller can agree on

The person receiving the gift annuity payments.

the part of an estate left after debts, taxes and specific bequests have been paid

a written and properly witnessed legal change to a will

the person named in a will to manage the estate, collect the property, pay any debt, and distribute property according to the will

A donor advised fund is an account that you set up but which is managed by a nonprofit organization. You contribute to the account, which grows tax-free. You can recommend how much (and how often) you want to distribute money from that fund to the NMSU Foundation or other charities. You cannot direct the gifts.

An endowed gift can create a new endowment or add to an existing endowment. The principal of the endowment is invested and a portion of the principal’s earnings are used each year to support NMSU's mission.

Tax on the growth in value of an asset—such as real estate or stock—since its original purchase.

Securities, real estate or any other property having a fair market value greater than its original purchase price.

Real estate can be a personal residence, vacation home, timeshare property, farm, commercial property or undeveloped land.

A charitable remainder trust provides you or other named individuals income each year for life or a period not exceeding 20 years from assets you give to the trust you create.

You give assets to a trust that pays our organization set payments for a number of years, which you choose. The longer the length of time, the better the potential tax savings to you. When the term is up, the remaining trust assets go to you, your family or other beneficiaries you select. This is an excellent way to transfer property to family members at a minimal cost.

You fund this type of trust with cash or appreciated assets—and may qualify for a federal income tax charitable deduction when you itemize. You can also make additional gifts; each one also qualifies for a tax deduction. The trust pays you, each year, a variable amount based on a fixed percentage of the fair market value of the trust assets. When the trust terminates, the remaining principal goes to the NMSU Foundation as a lump sum.

You fund this trust with cash or appreciated assets—and may qualify for a federal income tax charitable deduction when you itemize. Each year the trust pays you or another named individual the same dollar amount you choose at the start. When the trust terminates, the remaining principal goes to the NMSU Foundation as a lump sum.

A beneficiary designation clearly identifies how specific assets will be distributed after your death.

A charitable gift annuity involves a simple contract between you and the NMSU Foundation where you agree to make a gift to the NMSU Foundation and we, in return, agree to pay you (and someone else, if you choose) a fixed amount each year for the rest of your life.
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