Assistant dean of student success and Engineering Technology and Surveying Engineering department head at New Mexico State University Gabe Garcia has been honored with the Michael and June Gittings Endowed Chair. This honor recognizes Garcia’s history of leadership and his contributions to the college.
Garcia’s long-time affiliation with NMSU spans more than 35 years; first as a student earning a bachelor’s and master’s degree in engineering. He then earned a Ph.D. from Texas A&M University and returned to NMSU serving in academic and administrative positions ever since.
“It is an honor to be the first recipient of the Michael and June Gittings Endowed Chair in the College of Engineering. This is not just a recognition of past achievements, but a call to action toward nurturing the next generation of engineers,” Garcia said. “I believe that it’s our duty to create an environment where students are not only retained but thrive, pushing the boundaries of innovation. My role as a teacher and administrator extends beyond imparting knowledge; it’s about inspiring students to believe in the impossible and equipping them with the tools to make it possible. This honor is a testament to our collective commitment to education that not only focuses on academic excellence but on the success and well-being of every student under our guidance.”
Garcia was a valued faculty member in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering for 23 years, during which time he was awarded the prestigious National Science Foundation CAREER Award for his research. He then held administrative positions in that department. Recognized for his success as a leader he has been tapped for a growing succession of positions in the College of Engineering, now serving as ETSE department head, director of the Aggie Innovation Space, director of the interdisciplinary Capstone Design Program and assistant dean of student success and experiential learning.
“Dr. Garcia’s contributions have led to significant improvements in the college. He has helped to grow his department’s enrollment to its highest level with an increase of more than 70% in the past two years. He was instrumental in acquiring $5 million to Aggie Innovation Space that will benefit students throughout the college. Over the past four years he transformed the AIS from 1960s technology to a state-of-the-art facility that is unmatched by any institution in the state. With state funding and gifts, he is creating a metal manufacturing facility and is developing microcredential courses that will be available to all students. He developed the infrastructure to run a capstone design program which all students have to complete and has recruited a growing field of sponsors for real-life projects,” College of Engineering Dean Lakshmi N. Reddi said.
“This fund will initially support Gabe Garcia, a dynamic and innovation-focused individual who will lead collaborative teams of faculty across the college and instruct and mentor undergraduate as well as graduate students,” Gittings said.
To celebrate his 50th anniversary of graduating from NMSU, Gittings and his late wife, June, funded the Michael and June Gittings Endowed Chair in the College of Engineering with a $1 million gift to the NMSU Foundation.
Gittings credits former NMSU mechanical engineering professor Milan Cobble and the numerical methods he taught with changing the trajectory of his life. Gittings went on to earn numerous awards for his work at Los Alamos National Laboratory.
“We are extremely grateful to the Gittings for their generosity,” Reddi said. “Michael recognizes through his own experience how important it is for us to support our senior faculty members. Our hope is that his gift will enable a deserving professor to change lives the same way that Dr. Cobble did.”
“The creation of this chair by Michael Gittings will contribute to the quality of education we provide our students and foster the development of outstanding graduates for years to come,” said Sylvia Y. Acosta, NMSU Foundation CEO. “We are thankful for opportunities like this that allow the NMSU Foundation to build a bright future with professorships and chair endowments that enhance the student experience and strengthen the university’s reputation.”
