Some 274  NMSU College of Engineering graduates were honored virtually at the Spring 2021 Order of the Engineer and Sociedad de Ingenieros ceremony on May 14. Among them were several students receiving recognition for their accomplishments.

• Matthew Colquitt, Engineering Highest Honors Graduate, Mechanical Engineering
• Jessie Linder, Chemical and Materials Engineering Departmental Outstanding Graduate
• Nicholas Ross Lujan, Civil Engineering Outstanding Graduate
• Leonardo Escamilla, III; Electrical and Computer Engineering Outstanding Graduate
• Sean Michael Smith, Engineering Physics Outstanding Graduate
• Selene Rodriguez, Engineering Technology and Surveying Engineering Outstanding Graduate
• Alfonso Pesqueira, Industrial Engineering Outstanding Graduate and Ambassador
• Joshua Wade Dyer, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Outstanding Graduate
• Adam Guy Flores, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Ambassador

In 1926, the “Ritual of the Calling of an Engineer” was initiated in Canada which in includes placing a wrought iron ring on the small finger of the working hand. In the United States, the ceremony is known as the Order of the Engineer. The ceremony presents an opportunity for newly graduated engineers to pledge to uphold engineers’ responsibilities to the public and to the profession while promoting honesty and integrity. Their obligation is to uphold the standards and dignity of the engineering profession and to serve humanity by making the best use of earth’s precious and limited resources.

The Sociedad de Ingenieros was established at NMSU in 1989 by deans and department heads of the College of Engineering. The society is dedicated to each graduating class of engineers in anticipation of the future contributions they will make to society while practicing their profession.

The society is named after the word ingenium, meaning innate or natural capacity and genius, in Latin which is the origin of romance languages. In countries where the romance languages are spoken, the title of engineer bears great honor and engineers are highly respected for the academic rigor required to obtain a degree in engineering and the achievements of engineers that effect the world. 

At each ceremony, eminente members are inducted into the society. These recipients have distinguished themselves in the field of engineering and serve as role models for new graduates. Scott McLaughlin, executive director of Spaceport America was named spring 2021 Ingeniero Eminente.