This is a list of notable people affiliated with New Mexico State University.
Faculty and staff Reta Beebe - professor emeritus in the Astronomy Department, best known for participation in the Voyager mission David Boje - author; current NMSU endowed Bank of America professor of management Garrey Carruthers - former NMSU president and dean of College of Business; former governor of New Mexico James Cuffey - former professor in astronomy, known for photoelectric photometry Frank Harary - mathematician, specialized in graph theory Lou Henson - former NMSU basketball head coach Brandon Hobson - author; National Book Award finalist Jagdish Khubchandani - social epidemiologist; NMSU public health professor Delano Lewis - founding director of New Mexico State University's International Relations Institute Mark Medoff - playwright, screenwriter, film and theatre director, actor, and professor Antonya Nelson - English professor at NMSU; author Cyrus Nowrasteh - screenwriter and director Gerald W. Thomas - NMSU president emeritus, 1970–1984 Edward O. Thorp - mathematician best known for writing the book Beat the Dealer and co-inventing the first wearable computer; associate professor of Mathematics 1961–65 Clyde Tombaugh - astronomer best known for his discovery of Pluto; former professor of astronomy Frank Alan Ward - Distinguished Professor in the College of Agriculture, Consumer, and Environmental Science; 2022 DARE Hall of Fame Award; Colorado State University: Lifetime Achievement Award, 2022
Alumni
Science, medicine, and technology Arlan Andrews - mechanical engineer and science fiction author Joy Lim Arthur - first woman engineer at White Sands Missile Range John A. D. Cooper - physician and educator Alan Hale - astronomer famous for discovering the Hale-Bopp Comet Bill Inmon - computer scientist, recognized as the father of the data warehouse Paul W. Klipsch - audio pioneer; founder of Klipsch and Associates; namesake of the Klipsch School of Electrical and Computer Engineering at NMSU Jaron Lanier - writer, computer scientist, composer, and virtual reality pioneer Kathy Lueders - engineer, NASA associate administrator of Human Exploration and Operations (HEO) Rose Marie Pangborn - scientist, pioneer in the sensory analysis of food Stuart Pimm - theoretical ecologist and conservation biologist Harold Reitsema - astronomer, part of the teams that discovered Larissa and Telesto Mark W. Spong - roboticist; dean of Erik Jonsson School of Engineering & Computer Science at the University of Texas at Dallas Paul Carpenter Standley - botanist Sarah Stewart - research scientist, pioneer in the field of viral oncology, co-discovered the first polyomavirus
Law, politics, military and government Norma Bixby - member of the Montana House of Representatives Donald Bratton - politician William Burt - Republican member of the New Mexico Senate Brian Colón - former New Mexico State Auditor and former chairman of the Democratic Party of New Mexico, current attorney Michael L. Connor - United States deputy secretary of the Interior David Coss - US politician and former mayor of Santa Fe, New Mexico Lee Cotter - Republican member of the New Mexico Senate Candy Ezzell - Republican member of the New Mexico House of Representatives Edgar Franklin Foreman, Jr. - motivational speaker in Dallas who served one term in the United States House of Representatives Gregory J. Fouratt - former United States attorney for the District of New Mexico Chuck Franco - game warden, police officer, undersheriff, current First Gentleman of New Mexico Mary Helen Garcia - Democratic member of the New Mexico House of Representatives Mary Jane Garcia - former member of the New Mexico Senate Ron Griggs - politician David Campos Guaderrama - United States district judge for the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas Gary King - attorney general of New Mexico Greg Lopez - U.S. representative from Colorado Lester Lyles - former Air Force general, chairman of the board for USAA Patrick H. Lyons - politician from New Mexico John McEneny - politician Ken Miyagishima - mayor of Las Cruces, New Mexico Howie Morales - Democratic member of the New Mexico Senate Steven Neville - Republican member of the New Mexico Senate Steve Pearce - US representative for New Mexico Renee Schulte - Iowa state representative William Sharer - Republican member of the New Mexico Senate Roosevelt Skerrit - prime minister of Dominica; attended but graduated from Mississippi William Soules - Democratic member of the New Mexico Senate James Edward Wharton - United States Army brigadier general, killed in action during World War II Pat Woods - Republican member of the New Mexico Senate Bob Wooley - Republican member of the New Mexico House of Representatives Aneva J. Yazzie - CEO of Navajo Housing Authority
Business Kevin Johnson - CEO of Starbucks Corporation Dave Lopez - telecommunications executive
Academia, arts, and literature Lee K. Abbott - writer; professor emeritus of English at Ohio State University Subhankar Banerjee - photographer, author and activist Denise Chavez - author, playwright and stage director Upile Chisala - poet Leroy Quintana - poet, Vietnam veteran Larry Torres - linguist and lecturer on Southwestern culture Martin Guevara Urbina - writer, professor, and researcher; as a sociologist and criminologist, works on Latina and Latino issues in the United States
Athletics Willie Adams - former NFL defensive end Andre Anderson - former CFL defensive tackle for the BC Lions Pervis Atkins - NFL running back, played for the Los Angeles Rams, Washington Redskins and Oakland Raiders Leo Barker - NFL linebacker, played for the Cincinnati Bengals Greg Bearman - CFL defensive back Rich Beem - professional golfer with a three PGA Tour wins including 2002 PGA Championship Jim Bostic - NBA forward Randy Brown - NBA guard Bart Bryant - professional golfer with three PGA Tour wins Tom Byrum - professional golfer with one PGA Tour win Joe Campbell - NFL defensive end, played for the New Orleans Saints, Oakland Raiders and Tampa Bay Buccaneers Steve Colter - NBA guard Charlie Criss - NBA guard Andy Dorris - NFL defensive end, played for the St. Louis Cardinals, New Orleans Saints, Seattle Seahawks and Houston Oilers Andre Francis - former FL defensive back Bob Gaiters - NFL running back, played for the NY Giants, San Francisco 49ers and Denver Broncos Roy Gerela - NFL placekicker, played for the Houston Oilers, Pittsburgh Steelers and San Diego Chargers Jim Germany - CFL running back, played for the Edmonton Eskimos, was an All-Star and part of 5 Grey Cup championship teams Jonte Green - NFL cornerback for the Detroit Lions Duriel Harris - NFL wide receiver, played for the Miami Dolphins Steve Haskins - professional golfer with two Web.com Tour wins Lou Henson - former coach of New Mexico State and University of Illinois men's basketball Davon House - NFL defensive back for the Green Bay Packers Bobby Humphrey - NFL wide receiver, played for the NY Jets and Denver Broncos Martin Iti - basketball player Bob Jackson - former NFL running back Charley Johnson - NFL quarterback, played for the St. Louis Cardinals, Houston Oilers and Denver Broncos; full professor of Chemical Engineering at NMSU; member of the Denver Broncos Ring of Honor Walter Johnson - NFL defensive lineman, played for the Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals; three-time Pro Bowl (1967, 1968, 1969); member of the College Football Hall of Fame LaTraia Jones - football coach; former player at University of Wyoming Reggie Jordan - NBA guard Sam Lacey - NBA center Billy Ray Locklin - former CFL defensive lineman Kerry Locklin - college football coach Denvis Manns - football running back, famous for rushing for 1,000 yards in four consecutive seasons in college Samy Natera Jr. - Mexican baseball player in the Los Angeles Angels organization Kyle Nelson - NFL long snapper Michael New - former basketball player and coach of the Milton Keynes Lions Jerry Nuzum - NFL running back, played for the Pittsburgh Steelers Cliff Olander - gridiron football quarterback J. R. Patton - stock car racing driver Buck Pierce - CFL quarterback, played for the BC Lions and Winnipeg Blue Bombers Joe Pisarcik - NFL quarterback, played for the New York Giants and Philadelphia Eagles; best remembered for his role in a 1978 play that has since been referred to as "The Fumble" by NY Giants fans and "The Miracle at the Meadowlands" by Philadelphia Eagles fans Ron Porterfield - Major League Baseball athletic trainer Tony Sanchez - head football coach at UNLV Joe Schmiesing - former NFL defensive lineman, played for the St. Louis Cardinals Siddeeq Shabazz - Canadian Football League linebacker Alena Sharp - professional golfer on the LPGA Tour Pascal Siakam - NBA forward, NBA championship in 2019 with Toronto Raptors Jannah Sonnenschein (born 1996) - Dutch-Mozambican swimmer Danny Villanueva - NFL placekicker, played for the Los Angeles Rams and Dallas Cowboys; media entertainment entrepreneur Gary Ward - former baseball coach for Oklahoma State University and New Mexico State University Walt Williams - NFL cornerback, played for the Detroit Lions, Minnesota Vikings and Chicago Bears John Williamson - NBA guard Tony Wragge - former NFL offensive lineman for various teams Fredd Young - NFL linebacker; played for the Seattle Seahawks and Indianapolis Colts; four-time Pro Bowler (1984, 1985, 1986, 1987); two-time All-Pro (1984, 1987); member of the Seattle Seahawks 35th anniversary team Jahmar Young (born 1986) - basketball player in the Israeli National League
Entertainment, film, news and television Scott Bailey - actor Baxter Black - cowboy poet; radio and television commentator Kira Davis - film producer William Frankfather - actor Barbara Funkhouser - journalist, first woman to serve as editor of the El Paso Times (1980–1986) Franc Luz - movie and television actor Alvy Ray Smith - co-founder of Pixar Brittany Toll - Miss New Mexico 2011
Other Jorge A. Rojas - general authority of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) Clara Belle Williams (1885–1994) - first African-American graduate of the university (English, 1937)
References
External links New Mexico State University official website NMSU Alumni Association official website