Susan and John Long.

As part of John and Susan’s commitment to New Mexico State University’s comprehensive campaign, they have made a gift to the Dean’s Excellence Fund in the College of Business.

For their unrestricted gift, the Deans Suite in the College of Business was named for John and Susan Long on October 23, 2009, during the Homecoming celebrations.

John and Susan Long, and Dean Garrey Carruthers, Deans Office Dedication, Oct. 23, 2009.

John and his wife Susan are both alumni of NMSU’s College of Business. The Longs graduated in December 1976 and married soon after that. John’s first job was with Peat, Marwick, Mitchell & Co. (now KPMG) in El Paso for 3 1/2 years.

He has been at JDW Insurance, a large independent insurance agency, as CFO and COO since 1986 and now owns part of the agency. John has been active with NMSU, most recently serving as Chair of the NMSU Foundation.

Susan’s career included 25 years in the savings and loan/banking industry and three years in a home health agency. She “self-retired” in 2005 to spend more time with her family, travel and to play golf.

Now she uses her skills in volunteer roles. She is currently a member of the NMSU Business Advisory Council and the President’s Associates. She has assisted the college with judging students’ presentations in the BUSA 365 class.

Liz Ellis and Shari Jones.

At the Deans Suite Dedication, Oct. 23, 2009.

Students at the Deans Suite Dedication, Oct. 23, 2009.

Local business sells shirts, embroidery to feed children in Africa

ROJO does discounted screen printing and embroidery jobs for NMSU and community organizations, and donates 10 percent of the profits to Zimbabwe. Each purchase comes with an estimate of how many meals the order will purchase for children in Africa.

Two New Mexico State University graduates set up a local company with the goal of giving back, and have donated more than 23,000 meals to orphan children since opening.

Jose Rodriguez and Aron Jones co-founded ROJO, which derives from a combination of their last names. ROJO is an online company based in Las Cruces and sells apparel and embroidery.

“With every shirt sold [by ROJO,] about 50 meals are sent to Zimbabwe, Africa, to children in orphanages,” Rodriguez said. “We wanted to set up a company with giving back as part if the core mission.”

According to www.rojoapparel.com, ROJO does discounted screen printing and embroidery jobs for NMSU and community organizations, and donates 10 percent of the profits to Zimbabwe, and each purchase comes with an estimate of how many meals the order will purchase for children in Africa. Rodriguez said the service allows campus organizations, such as sororities and fraternities, to save money on custom orders while supporting a charitable cause.

“In a lot of ways, we’re more accessible to help out students, too,” Rodriguez said, adding that he and Jones are on student schedules as well.

Rodriguez graduated from NMSU in December 2008 with degrees in finance and economics and then pursued a career at Los Alamos National Laboratory. Rodriguez said he returned to Las Cruces, because he views it as home, and he always wanted to do something to give back.

“It’s been really fun and exciting to see the positive response we’ve been getting,” Rodriguez said. “We’re thankful for all the support.”

ROJO began operations in September, and donations will be sent to Zimbabwe at the end of every month, Rodriguez said.

“We just sent out [the first donations] for our first full month in operation,” Rodriguez said.

Rodriguez said he and Jones chose to send donations to Zimbabwe because it is one of the most impoverished countries in the world, and they wanted to donate to an area that needed it most.

Jose Rodriguez graduated from NMSU in December 2008 with degrees in finance and economics. Rodriguez said he and Jones chose to send donations to Zimbabwe because it is one of the most impoverished countries in the world, and they wanted to donate to an area that needed it most.

Rodriguez said ROJO hopes to have a food packaging event in Las Cruces later in the year, where anyone can volunteer to help package hundreds of meals for the children of Zimbabwe.

ROJO is partnered with Global Aid Network, which consists of Christian organizations with the goal of helping the needy. Gain members in Zimbabwe hope ROJO will travel to Africa, Rodriguez said.

“We are looking forward to visiting very soon,” Rodriguez said. “[We know it will be] a life-changing experience. We would like that.”

Kristina Medley is new editor and can be reached at trunew@nmsu.edu.

LAS CRUCES – Help the hungry, enjoy a tasty lunch whipped up by top areas chefs and take home a special handmade gift for yourself or others. It’s all part of Empty Bowls, the Las Cruces Potters’ Guild annual fund raiser in support of El Caldito Soup Kitchen.

Check out a preview event at the Empty Bowls Silent Auction from 5 to 7 p.m. today at the Rio Grande Theatre as part of the Downtown Ramble. Featured will be clay art objects by Potters’ Guild members along with sculpture, jewelry, bowls, art work and a handmade quilt. The lunch will be 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Oct. 16 at St. Paul’s Methodist Church, 225 W. Griggs Ave.

Read the article.

COLLEGE OF BUSINESS NOTE:

The Finance Club is helping support the El Caldito soup kitchen charity with a fundraiser/food drive. They are selling tickets to the El Caldito fundraiser “Empty Bowls” which will be held on Friday, Oct. 16,  at St. Paul’s Methodist Church from 11:00 am to 1:30.

NMSU’s Feral Cat Management Program makes sure between 110 and 150 feral cats on campus are fed, neutered and up-to-date with their shots. (NMSU Photo by Darren Phillips)

If you’ve ever met Patti Benzie, you probably noticed she likes cats. And, like many cat lovers, she keeps pictures of her pets (past and present) at her desk as the secretary for the Department of Accounting and Information Systems in the New Mexico State University College of Business. She even has a cat pin on her jacket and keeps a toy stuffed cat within arm’s reach of her chair.

Unlike many animal lovers, Benzie takes her commitment a step further, volunteering her time with NMSU’s FCaMP (Feral Cat Management Program). FCaMP started in 2002 as a resource to help manage the cat population on campus – then estimated to be between 200 and 250. Today the population is between 110 and 150, thanks in large part to the efforts of FCaMP volunteers who make sure every cat on campus is neutered and up-to-date on their shots. Volunteers also provide food and water for the cats and make some available for home adoption.

FCaMP is a recognized campus organization, but not funded by the university. Benzie is one of more than a dozen volunteers with the group.

Feral cats eat a morning meal provided by Patti Benzie (photo by Darren Phillips)

“Cats have been on campus forever. And they will always be here, no matter what anyone does,” Benzie said, noting that universities across the country have cat colonies.

She attributes some of the cats to students who keep them as pets and later abandon them. Others might be strays that find a good food source on campus. Before FCaMP, the cats were trapped and taken to the pound where they were euthanized – a strategy Benzie said wasn’t working because the cat population never shrank.

As part of her work, Benzie manages one of the several feeding stations around campus. She also keeps a look out for new cats that may need to be taken in to be fixed and to have their shots.

She said some of the largest cat populations are around the NMSU libraries, where they can be seen either in the early evening or early morning. She said the cats also come in handy for keeping down the university’s rodent population. FCaMP’s website is at http://www.nmsu.edu/~fcamp.

ROTC Pass in Review (Media Credit: Krista Avila)

Two F-16 fighter jet planes flew over NMSU Friday, to begin the 107th Pass in Review ROTC ceremony. The National Anthem was bellowed from trombones of the 62nd Army Band from Ft. Bliss, Texas.About 168 cadets of the NMSU Air Force and Army ROTC stood in attendance as their cadres and Interim President Waded Cruzado presided over them.

Pass in Review is an ancient military tradition dating back around 340 B.C. to the time of Alexander the Great, where a leader or president would look over his or her soldiers as they paraded past.

“It’s [about] honor,” said Ryan Walton, senior and Air Force cadet colonel. “It’s showcasing the troops.”

In attendance at Friday’s ceremony were Cruzado, Ken Miyagishima, mayor of Las Cruces, city council members and about 45 World War II veterans. Walton said the ceremony brought in more people than previous years.

Before the ceremony, the Arnold Air Society held a barbecue for veterans, many of whom brought their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Walton said most of the food was donated by Wal-Mart.

Students are attracted to join the Army and Air Force ROTC because they have a strong desire to serve their country, said Air Force Lt. Col. Steve Groll, who is also an NMSU professor of aerospace studies. When they join, they typically pick their career field and are later guaranteed an officer’s position in the service, he said.

“It’s a dream come true for me,” Groll said about his 18 years of experience in the Air Force.

Being in the military, whether the Army, Air Force or Navy, teaches one the aspects of discipline and teamwork, said Air Force Lt. Col. Rolf Mitchel, a World War II veteran in civil air patrol.

Originally born in Germany, Mitchel was shipped out in the 1940s and joined the U.S. Army. The Air Force didn’t start until 1947 and it was previously known as the Army Air Corps, Mitchel said. Although he was never in the ROTC, Mitchel likes to attend these events because it pleases him to see the young cadets march in the Pass in Review.

“I’m impressed because that’s our future,” Mitchel said, waving his hand in the direction of the 168 cadets.

The cadets marched simultaneously around the field at the Horseshoe, while the 62nd Army Band played a patriotic military tune. They marched past a tent housing President Cruzado, who stood in salute looking back at them.

Army Lt. Col. Brad Gavle said the Pass in Review went well, and he was very happy with the turn out.

Gavle announced he is taking a break from ROTC and the Army after 26 years of service. Since he was 19, Gavle has dedicated his services to the Army and will be succeeded by Andy Taylor in the NMSU Army ROTC program, he said.

Through the years in the Army, Gavle came up with what he calls the “Three Aggie Pillars” for his cadets. These pillars include academics, Army training and alumni community service.

If they keep up with those pillars, they can succeed in any endeavor, he said.

“It’s definitely a way of life,” Gavle said.

Members of New Mexico State University’s ALPFA student group participate in numerous community service projects, including raising money for the El Caldito Soup Kitchen; participating in “The Big Event,” an Associated Students of NMSU activity to reach out to the community to provide volunteer work; and organizing the Fall Mid-Term Bash, an event to help students in the NMSU College of Business come together through student organizations. (Courtesy photo)

Focusing on midterms, class projects and the occasional part-time job is enough to max out the schedule of any typical college student, but that isn’t the case for students in New Mexico State University’s Association of Latino Professionals in Finance and Accounting (ALPFA). The group regularly handles coursework while organizing community service projects, out-of-state case competitions and meeting with professionals.“For me, interacting with professionals in my field is my favorite part,” said Diana Telles, a graduate student and president of the NMSU Student Chapter of ALPFA for the last two years. “This organization brings professionals and students together, where students can receive mentorship. That’s incredibly valuable.”

ALPFA is unique because the student chapters are organized with professional chapters. It was founded in 1972 by a group of accounting professionals who wanted to provide mentorship to students making the transition from college into their professional careers. ALPFA was established at NMSU in 2005 under the El Paso Professional Chapter. Its primary mission is to create opportunities, add value and build relationships for its members. While the group has “Latino” in its name, being Hispanic is not required for membership. Telles said ALPFA welcomes the involvement of all who share its core values and commitment to community service and providing opportunities and mentorship for its members.

Its first semester the NMSU Student Chapter had just eight members. Today it has more than 35 active members who participate in numerous community service projects, including raising money for the El Caldito Soup Kitchen; participating in “The Big Event,” an Associated Students of NMSU activity to reach out to the community to provide volunteer work; and organizing the Fall Mid-Term Bash, an event to help students in the NMSU College of Business come together through student organizations.

“I am very excited about the opportunities that ALPFA provides our student members,” said Bill Smith, an assistant professor in accounting and the NMSU ALPFA co-faculty adviser. He and Maria De Boyrie originally helped establish the ALPFA Student Chapter. “Thanks to Luis Avila, our first president, and now Diana Telles, we have really taken our chapter to the next level as a recognized student organization.”

The group regularly brings professional speakers to talk with students at their meetings. These speakers provide guidance and professional development in a variety of topics that include technical presentations, the importance of networking, getting a foot in the door at a company and time management.

Nationally, ALPFA holds an annual convention where professional and student members throughout the U.S. meet. At the convention, the accounting firm KPMG sponsors an intensive case competition where students from selected universities compete on a national level to present their technical findings of actual companies. Only 25 universities are invited to compete. Some of the past invited universities include Arizona State University, the University of Texas at Austin, Rutgers, the University of Massachusetts, University of California at Berkeley and New Mexico State University. Because of its past performance, an NMSU team has been invited the last two years and will be competing again this August at the national convention in Boston.

“The student team members have performed at a professional level that is truly outstanding. Their dedication and commitment to the team has put NMSU in the spotlight. I am very proud of their accomplishments, and I look forward to another outstanding performance this year in Boston,” Smith said. “I have no doubt these students will be very successful in their future professional careers.”

New Mexico State University is the home of the Aggies, but its campus has also become home to other residents: undomesticated cats.

As an initiative to stabilize the number of feral felines on campus, the Feral Cat Management Program (FCaMP) was implemented in 2002 on the NMSU main campus.

FCaMP is a small, non-profit organization that conducts a Trap-Neuter- Release (TNR) program on campus.

According to the FCaMP Web site, TNR is a process where FCaMP volunteers trap unidentified cats, after which the cats are sterilized and checked for fatal diseases. A cat that has undergone the TNR process is identified by having a notch tipped out of its left ear.

The FCaMP Web site states that once the TNR process is completed, the cats are returned back to campus, “where they will live out their lives.”

Michelle Corella, FCaMP program director, said approximately 200 cats have undergone the TNR process and nearly 60 cats have been adopted.

In addition to the TNR process, FCaMP provided the on-campus cat population with feeding stations, which are placed in various places around campus.

Corella said FCaMP volunteers supply fresh food and water for the cat colony seven days a week, 365 days a year.

Due to people who are opposed to having cats on campus, Corella said FCaMP does not advertise where the feeding stations are located.

Corella explained that college campuses provide a “good haven for cats to flock to.”

She added that similar conditions exist on college campuses around the nation. She said foliage and availability of food and water make campuses a prime breeding ground for cats.

Corella said the NMSU community is mostly supportive of FCaMP’s initiative.

“People on college campuses are more accepting,” Corella said.

Corella said prior to the inception of FCaMP, feral cats were maintained by a different approach, known as Trap Remove Kill (TRK).

Corella explained the cats were collected by NMSU groundsmen and taken to the animal humane society, where the cats were euthanized.

Due to the territorial nature of cats, Corella said this approach led to more cats on campus because cats breed as a survival mechanism.

“If cats are sterilized, they are not breeding anymore,” Corella said. “What we are doing now is working.”

With the implementation of the TNR program, Corella said the on-campus cat population has since declined.

“The [cat] population is healthier,” Corella said. “The numbers are not increasing.”

Corella added the number of new kitten litters on campus has dropped from about 12 in 2002, to just two this year.

Corella said some people do not support FCaMP’s cause and that for some people, re-releasing the cats back on campus “does not make sense.”

Corella said the NMSU administration approves FCaMP’s initiative. She said Ben Woods, senior vice president for planning, physical resources and university relations, is a big advocate for FCaMP.

FCaMP is privately funded and gets most of its money from fundraisers.

The University of Texas at Austin also has a feral cat population control program, and volunteers go as far as naming all the strays on campus.

The program at UT-Austin reports that as of January 2008, there have been no new litters of kittens for seven years. They estimate that 268 feral cats call the UT-Austin campus their home.

At Stanford University, the Stanford Cat Network is comprised of a volunteer work-force that also supports a spay/neuter feeding, adoption and return program.

The program there, also sanctioned by administration, claims studies have proven trap-spay/neuter-vaccinate-release is the single most successful method of stabilizing and maintaining healthy feral cat colonies. According to the program, the feral cat management system:

• Stabilizes the population at manageable levels (cats are territorial and don’t welcome newcomers).

• Is more effective and less costly than repeated attempts at extermination.

• Monitors the population for health and vaccinates cats, as well as prevents the spread of infectious diseases.

• Provides a humane alternative to euthanisia and inspires compassion in the community.

For more information visit www.nmsu.edu/~fcamp.

College of Business Alumni: Tim Clifford 1971 BBA Acct; Rod Ross 1972 BBA Acct; Denise Cooper 1980 BACCT and MBA 1988

10/07/2008: The Clifford Ross and Cooper CPAs Hall of Legends (photo by Darren Phillips)

Tim Clifford and Rod Ross are true Aggie athletic ambassadors. They are loyal football fans through thick and thin. They attend every game and have held season tickets since graduating from New Mexico State University in the early 1970’s. They are also long-time Aggie Athletics Fund members, faithfully sponsor corporate tables at Aggie fundraisers, sponsor a football locker, volunteer to keep stats at the basketball games, and attend other diverse athletic events such as volleyball.

They do all of this while still running their CPA firms in Las Cruces and El Paso. To honor their dedication and commitment to Aggie athletics, the university naming committee has approved the naming of the Aggie football team meeting complex hall to The Clifford Ross and Cooper CPAs Hall of Legends. Denise Cooper is Tim’s sister, a partner in the CPA firm and an Aggie alumna. The hall is at the north end of Aggie Memorial Stadium and includes an inspirational mural and walls laden with various lists of academic, conference and NFL champions.

“As an Aggie alumnus and a dedicated sports fan, I am honored to have the Hall of Legends named after us,” said Tim Clifford, partner at Clifford, Ross & Cooper, LLC, Certified Public Accountants. “I attribute my success to the education, discipline, and values that were instilled in me while attending NMSU. We are proud to be part of the Aggie family and proud to be able to give back to the university that has given so much to us.”

Clifford and Ross also have created two endowment funds. The two funds include a Clifford Ross and Cooper CPAs Aggie Athletic Fund scholarship and a Clifford Ross and Cooper CPAs Aggie Football Coach’s Excellence fund.

The Aggie Athletic Fund scholarship will be awarded to two students annually, preferably to one male and one female, who must be student-athletes in good standing according to NMSU Athletics guidelines. The Aggie football coach’s excellence award will be used at the discretion of NMSU’s director of athletics and the NMSU football coach.

“Athletics is a critical part of the overall educational and university experience for student-athletes as well as the entire campus community. It is important to provide NMSU’s student-athletes with every possible opportunity to succeed and the greatest opportunities for participation because what they learn as student-athletes will last a lifetime,” said Rod Ross, partner at Clifford, Ross & Cooper, LLC, Certified Public Accountants. “I have been an avid Aggie fan since the 1960’s and my entire family is Aggie fans. This is truly an honor for all of us.”

The official dedication of The Clifford Ross and Cooper CPAs Hall of Legends will be Nov. 8 in conjunction with the NMSU-Hawaii game. The ceremony will include a viewing of the hall for the Aggie Athletics Fund membership and the public at large. This will be the first event held in the new hall.

“In addition to both my children currently attending NMSU, I received both my undergraduate and graduate degrees as an Aggie,” said Denise Cooper, partner at Clifford, Ross & Cooper, LLC, Certified Public Accountants. “As avid Aggie fans and supporters, we are so proud of the fact that the Hall of Legends is named after us and our firm.”