New Mexico Tech Confers 373 Academic Degrees, 8 Graduate Certificates
May 13, 2023
SOCORRO, N.M. – The New Mexico Tech Class of 2023, and hundreds of faculty, staff, fellow students, family members, and friends participated in this year’s Commencement Ceremony, held May 13, 2023, at the Socorro Sports Complex and Rodeo Grounds. The NMT Board of Regents conferred three associate’s degrees, 253 bachelor’s degrees, 103 master’s degrees, 14 doctorates, eight graduate certificates, and two honorary degrees at the ceremony.
Xochitl Torres Small, Under Secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture for Rural Development and former Member of Congress, delivered the keynote address. Timothy Bonzon of Rio Rancho was the student speaker.
Data points about the Class of 2023 shared by Interim President Daniel H. López in his remarks:
- The average GPA of bachelor’s recipients is 3.21.
- Just over 72% have GPAs of 3.0 or greater.
- 99 of (or 40%) have received at least one F in a course at NMT.
Newly minted doctoral graduate Dr. Stewart Youngblood, right, poses with his advisor Dr. Jamie Kimberley, associate professor of mechanical engineering. Dr. Youngblood received his Ph.D. in mechanical engineering with dissertation in intelligent energetic systems at the New Mexico Tech Commencement ceremony May 13, 2023, at the Socorro Sports Complex and Rodeo Grounds. - Four students graduated with a perfect 4.0 GPA.
- The youngest bachelor’s recipient is 19 years old.
- The “most senior” recipient is 53 years old.
- With the 2023 Commencement, NMT will have awarded 7,201 bachelor’s degrees in its history, along with 3,098 master’s degrees and 442 Ph.D.s.
- The most well-represented department conferring degrees at the undergraduate level
this year is Mechanical Engineering, with 61 bachelor’s degrees being awarded. The
most well-represented department at the master’s degree level is also Mechanical Engineering,
with 23 degrees being awarded.
Nathan M. Maass, center, poses with his father, Scott, left, and mother, Kristen. The family, from Rio Rancho, celebrated the graduate's bachelor of science in civil engineering degree. Nathan Maass received his degree May 13, 2023, at the New Mexico Tech Commencement ceremony at the Socorro Sports Complex and Rodeo Grounds. - At the Ph.D. level, two departments (Mechanical Engineering and Chemistry) both awarded three degrees.
- Just over 80% of the undergraduates who received degrees hail from New Mexico, including students from Farmington to Carlsbad, from Shiprock to Silver City, from San Juan Pueblo to Anthony.
- From out-of-state, the Class of 2023 includes students from Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia, Idaho, Massachusetts, Maryland, Montana, New Hampshire, North Carolina, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, and Washington.
- This year, NMT international students earning degrees hail from Bangladesh, Cameroon, China, Ghana, Iran, Italy, Kenya, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, and Zambia.
- Additionally there are three alumni of Socorro High School among the 2023 NMT graduates.
Elijah Naranjo, left, poses with former New Mexico Tech Miners Rugby Coach Gearoid Dunbar. Dunbar traveled from Virginia to support the graduate, who received a bachelor of science degree in materials engineering with metallurgical engineering option at the New Mexico Tech Commencement ceremony May 13, 2023, at the Socorro Sports Complex and Rodeo Grounds.