When Loyalty Pays Off
Even from a young age, Derek Dictson knew he would be an Aggie at New Mexico State University. His pride for the institution grew during his father's more than 40-year career with NMSU's Cooperative Extension Service—a career for which Billy Dictson, a retired director, would eventually be honored by the New Mexico Association and the National Association of County Agriculture Agents Hall of Fame.
So, Derek applied to NMSU and nowhere else. His loyalty paid off. Because Derek lived in New Mexico—then just outside of Clovis in a small town called Texico—he qualified for NMSU's premier scholarship program: The President's Associates Scholars.
"It paid my way through school," Derek says. "I graduated from NMSU without debt, and I understand how rare that is even today."
Yet, leaving debt-free isn't the only life-changing benefit of his time at NMSU. During his freshman year, he met his wife, then Nikki McClelland, at a student mixer. They would eventually marry following their sophomore year.
He also connected with one of his greatest mentors, Dr. William Gorman, who then taught agricultural economics in the College of Agriculture, Consumer and Environmental Sciences.
"I was two years into animal science when I realized I didn't want to go to vet school," Derek says.
"Dr. Gorman introduced me to career opportunities in Agricultural Economics, and it's because of his guidance to switch my major that I've been able to be nimble and find success in my career."
After graduating from NMSU, Derek and Nikki earned their master's degrees from Texas A&M. Their careers have led them to Seattle, Texas and now Alabama, where the duo works for Auburn University. Derek leads the fundraising efforts for the College of Engineering and Nikki continues the family's legacy in the university's extension and outreach efforts.
Yet, no matter where they go, Derek says New Mexico is still home—and it inspired the couple to start thinking about how to give back to the communities that set the course of their lives.
"Right now, Nikki and I are raising our kids so we can't give back as much as we'd like to," Derek says. "But it's because of our kids that we started planning for ways to take care of our family when we're no longer here, and that includes our NMSU family."
The couple established a planned gift in their estate that will support a future President's Associates Scholar who is studying in the field of agriculture. With this gift, Derek and Nikki are now two of the youngest members of the NMSU Foundation's 1888 Society.
"You're never too young to start thinking about how to take care of the ones you love the most," Derek says. "Through our estate, we are leaving a certain percentage to our kids and a certain percentage to the organizations we care about, including NMSU. State made us who we are and we're grateful for all of the opportunities and connections it provided to us along the way."
You, like Derek and Nikki, can create a legacy at NMSU. To become a member of The 1888 Society, contact Steven Covington at (575) 646-3190 or (800) 342-6678 or plannedgiving@nmsufoundation.org.