2023

 Ken Fagan

Ken Fagan (B.S. Petroleum Engineering, 1961) was New Mexico Tech’s 2023 recipient of the President’s Medal.

His contributions to New Mexico Tech have been great. He was named Philanthropist of the Year in 2019 for being such a generous supporter of the school’s Petroleum Engineering program. Ken and his wife Marge established the Fagan Scholarship to enhance a student’s financial award package. Ken also established The Marge Fagan Women’s Fund in honor and memory of Marge, who passed away in October 2021. When asked why he and Marge chose to establish these scholarships and give back to Tech in such a profound way, he said, “Nobody in the world treated us better than the people at Tech when we first arrived. There were a great number of people who had come out of Tech before me that we could lean on for advice and information. We didn’t have much when we arrived in Socorro, and my education got me where I wanted to go.”

Ken and Marge really enjoyed their time at Tech. They got along well with the professors and other classmates. He received a great education and had some wonderful experiences. During his time at Tech, Ken worked for John M. Kelly over the summers in Hobbs, New Mexico as a relief pumper in the oil fields. During his semesters Ken worked part-time shifts at the perlite mine south of Socorro.

After graduating, Ken took a job with Kerr-McGee Oil Company drilling offshore in the Gulf of Mexico. He, Marge, and their infant daughter stayed in Louisiana for a year before moving to Kansas where Ken worked as a reservoir engineer for Sinclair Oil.

Ken and his family eventually found their way back to New Mexico where he worked for the state as a gas engineer. After several mid-management positions, Ken worked as Senior Vice President for several companies. Ken retired about 10 years ago, and he spent much of his time traveling with Marge to places like Ireland, Scotland, Venezuela, Peru, Curacao, the Virgin Islands, Maine, and Canada. He currently lives in Houston and enjoys walking, traveling, fishing, and being outdoors.

Ken is a proud Techie and is committed to helping keep New Mexico Tech a great STEM school for all. We are honored to call him one of our alumni.

2022

 John Crum

John Crum (B.S. 1975, Petroleum Engineering) was New Mexico Tech’s 2022 recipient of the President’s Medal. 

Since graduating from NMT, John has been involved with worldwide oil and gas development for more than 40 years. He is the managing partner of JAC Energy Partners, LLC. John began his career with Conoco in 1975, then held positions of responsibility with several independent exploration and production companies. From 1995 to 2011, John served in a variety of executive roles for Apache Corporation, in Australia, Canada, UK, and in the US. From 2011 to 2014, he served as chairman, president, and chief executive officer of Midstates Petroleum Company, Inc. 

In addition to being a leader in the oil and gas industry, John wokred closely with the NMT Advancement Department as a Co-Chair for New Mexico Tech’s Launching Tech to New Heights Comprehensive Campaign. He and his wife Vicki have hosted alumni receptions at their Houston home for nearly a decade.  As a campaign Co-Chair, John has worked tirelessly to create networks and open doors for NMT with the oil and gas industry.

In addition to the time and effort that John has dedicated to NMT through his volunteer work as a Co-Chair, John and Vicki have demonstrated their commitment to and passion for NMT through their generous support.

2021

Dr. Raul Deju

Dr. Raul Deju’s life story and journey to New Mexico Tech is an incredible one. Raul was born to a middle class family in Havana, Cuba. He came to the US at the age of 13 on a one-way student visa as a part of Eisenhower’s Peter Pan program, a resettlement program for Cuban children which became the largest recorded unaccompanied child refugee exodus in the Western Hemisphere.

After finishing his primary schooling under the instruction of Catholic nuns at Barry University in Miami, at the age of 16, Raul headed to Socorro to study math.

In just 4 years and at the age of 20, Raul graduated from New Mexico Tech with a B.S. in Math in 1966 and later with his Ph.D. in Hydrology in 1968 at the age of 21.

After NMT, Dr. Deju went on to have a successful career serving in leadership positions with companies like International Technology Corporation, URS, Inc., and Waste Management. He has a passion for entrepreneurship and building businesses and currently serves as Partner of Brightstar Capital Partners, a private equity firm.

Dr. Deju has served as an advisor to the US Secretary of Commerce and the US EPA Administrator. He was named one of the top 25 Latinos in the San Francisco area. His philanthropy supports major hospitals, high school programs, targeted research, internet education, entrepreneurship, and programs for veterans.

Dr. Deju and his wife Shari are long-term supporters of New Mexico Tech. Raul has served on the New Mexico Tech Foundation Board for seven years, currently serving as a Trustee and member of the Executive Committee. Raul and Shari have also contributed significantly to New Mexico Tech initiatives including, but not limited to: being a substantial funding partner in the construction of the Raul and Shari Deju University House, a center that will be used for events and conferences; initiating and funding the Bright Stars Program, supporting undergraduate positions at the Bureau of Geology; and developing the Hantush-Deju Center for Hydrologic Innovation, a research center that will further solidify NMT in the world of hydrology and that was inspired by Raul’s experience working under hydrology legends Dr. Mahdi Hantush and C.E. Jacob during his time at NMT.

2020

Kelly Family

The Kelly family has been associated with the university since the 1940s, and their collective impact has been immense.

The patriarch of the family, John Martin Kelly, first came to Socorro in 1932 as an undergraduate at what was then known as the New Mexico School of Mines. He earned two degrees, first in Mining (1936) and then in Petroleum Engineering (1939). Those years in Socorro proved to be pivotal in his life – and in the future of New Mexico Tech.

He and his wife, Esther, married in 1938. They had four children -- Joseph James, Patricia Elizabeth, Mary Ann, and John "Mike" Michael.

Throughout his career John Kelly took an interest in New Mexico Tech, which honored him with an honorary Doctor of Science degree in 1963 and appointed him to its Board of Regents in 1975, a post he held only for two years before he passed away in 1977.

During his brief tenure on the Board, he played an important part in the founding of the Petroleum Recovery Research Center (PRRC). The PRRC’s building was dedicated in October 1978 and named the John M. Kelly Petroleum Building. Today, we commonly refer to the PRRC facility as the Kelly Building, keeping the Kelly family legacy alive.

Mike Kelly carried on the family tradition of service to New Mexico Tech. Mike earned his degrees from NMT – a B.S. in 1972, a M.S. in 1996, and a Ph.D. In 2000, all in Petroleum Engineering. He later joined the Board of Regents, serving from 1992 to 1997. He has been an adjunct faculty member as well as an independent oil consultant.

In 1995 Esther and the four children established the John and Esther Kelly Scholarship at New Mexico Tech.

The 2020 President’s Medal is truly a lifetime achievement award for the entire family. Mr. John Martin Kelly started a legacy of giving, public service, and civic duty when he first stepped foot on campus more than 80 years ago. Since then, the Kelly family has maintained that sense of loyalty, generosity and a deep connection to the institution.

2019

Holm O. Bursum, III

(posthumous)

Holm O. Bursum, III, loved Socorro, and felt strongly that he needed to whatever he could to keep it together and strong. Throughout the years he advocated for the community and was very vocal. He was one of those guys that believed that Socorro is the best place to live. It was his love for his community that influenced his decisions. He undertook a massive effort to revitalize the core of the business district.

Generations of the Bursum family of Socorro have shared a vision of a vibrant rural community with New Mexico Tech as the centerpiece. Mr. Holm Bursum III helped shape Socorro, and was always a steadfast supporter of our university. The Bursum family history and New Mexico Tech’s history are inseparable.

2018

Dr. Corale Brierley

President Stephen Wells presented the second-ever President's Medal to Dr. Corale Brierley (B.S. Biology, 1968, and M.S. Chemistry, 1971) on August 25, 2018.

Brierley is internationally known for her pioneering research and contribution to applications in bioleaching and metal remediation. She has won numerous industry awards, served as editorial board members for journals, and has been elected as an officer of national committees and organizations.

2017

Dr. Frank Etscorn

Dr. Etscorn was recognized for inventing the nicotine patch right here at NMT.  His innovation and its subsequent success provided a foundation of support at Tech that is unprecedented.

If you’ve ever met Frank, you know that he’s not an ivory tower sort of academic. He’s outgoing, gregarious, funny, and witty. Frank is quick with a story and even quicker with a laugh.

He joined the faculty at New Mexico Tech in 1977 in the Psychology Department, becoming a full professor and dean of students in 1985.  

After several years of experimentation and testing, Frank and New Mexico Tech were ready to file for a patent. After more than two years of legal battles, we were collectively awarded the patent in 1986.  

The nicotine patch patent turned out to be quite lucrative for both Frank and the university. Since 1995, the revenues from the Habitrol patent have allowed the NMT Foundation to contribute more than $14 million in student scholarships. Since 2000, 3,572 students have received merit scholarships thanks to the endowment and thanks to Frank Etscorn’s invention.