A Year of Achievements:
UNM Foundation's Fiscal Year 2023-24

In fiscal year 2023-2024, the UNM Foundation achieved many milestones and set new records. We are delighted to share with you that we raised more than $135 million. This is much more than a fundraising record; it’s a testament to our donors’ passion and commitment. Together, we share an ambitious vision of maximizing human potential, becoming a beacon of higher education for people from diverse backgrounds, and addressing critical challenges both in our community and beyond. We are deeply thankful to all of you who contributed to our success.

Major Gifts

  • A $5 million bequest to establish the Robert Holt Mallory Endowed Professorship in Integrative Human-Environment Dynamics in the Department of Geography and Environmental Studies. This gift will advance research in this critical field, help faculty progress in their fields, and inspire students.

  • A generous $3.7 million bequest has endowed the Robbie and Lyman Jones Memorial Scholarship Fund. The planned gift will provide significant financial aid to students in need and help empower UNM to transform their lives.

  • Blue Cross and Blue Shield of New Mexico has given a remarkable gift of $1.6 million to fund scholarships for students in the Accelerated Second Degree Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) and Doctor of Nursing Practice programs. The gift also establishes an endowed faculty professorship, ensuring continued academic leadership in the College of Nursing.

  • In the summer of 2023, Dorothy Wooldridge Gram made a generous gift to launch the Dorothy Gram Counselor Education Fund. The fund benefits the Counselor Education Program within the College of Education and Human Services and supports the pro-bono Manzanita Counseling Center. At Manzanita, advanced graduate students provide free, confidential counseling to individuals, couples, and families under the guidance of licensed UNM faculty. Graduate students receive expert training, and New Mexicans receive counseling services free of charge.

  • The College of University Libraries and Learning Sciences received a $1 million cash gift. This gift has been allocated to a Technological Advancement Fund and a Mentorship Endowment, which will substantially improve resources for both students and faculty.

  • Gary Hines, a former UNM wrestler and successful business entrepreneur, gave UNM Athletics a $1 million unrestricted gift, which is believed to be the largest unrestricted gift in department history.

  • Thanks to a remarkable $940,000 bequest, the Department of Chemistry will be able to ensure continued excellence in research and education.

  • A $635,000 gift to the College of Fine Arts will strengthen arts education, enriching programs and opportunities for the College’s faculty and students.

  • Western Sky Community Care contributed $450,256 in spring 2024 to fund scholarships for Doctor of Nursing Practice nurse practitioners and nurse-midwifery students. These funds will cover educational expenses for ten students in the 2024-2025 academic year, including tuition, housing, textbooks, and more, and allow them to focus on their studies without excessive worry about student debt upon graduation.

  • The Center for Collaborative Arts & Technology and the UNM Foundation’s Center for Philanthropy have received a $400,000 cash gift. This generous donation will support UNM’s creative and philanthropic endeavors.

  • In spring 2024, Fred Harris and Margaret Elliston made generous gifts to establish the Endowed UNM Fred Harris Congressional Internship Program Fund. Annual income from this endowment will support existing funding for the UNM Fred Harris Congressional Internship Program. This nonpartisan program provides students with life-changing, hands-on experience in Washington, D.C.

  • The newly established Fred and Dorothy Armijo Scholarship Fund provides scholarships to UNM engineering students. Their goal is to fully meet each recipient’s unmet financial need and foster diversity within the School of Engineering.

  • The Tim and Barbara Thompson Graduate Scholarship Fund in Mechanical Engineering will support high-achieving graduate students in the Department of Mechanical Engineering. Starting in the 2024-2025 fiscal year, up to four first-year graduate students will receive $10,000 each. This generous fund will help the department recruit and retain New Mexico’s brightest engineering minds.

UNM Big Give

UNM Big Give is a day dedicated to philanthropy across the University and the country. February 21, 2024 marked our second UNM Big Give. During the 24-hour event, we witnessed an unprecedented show of support, with 2,527 alumni and supporters from around the world contributing. This number surpassed our goal of 2,500 unique contributors and set a new record for individual donations in a single fundraising event at the University. UNM Big Give raised over $770,000, which was allocated to various sectors, including academics, healthcare, sports, culture, and wellness. The event also joined forces with UNM Athletics on their annual Lobos Give Day, which supports student-athletes. Lobos Give Day exceeded its target of $300,000, raising over $356,000 for student-athlete scholarships.

UNM Children's Hospital (UNMCH) Radiothon

On March 1, 2024, the Children’s Miracle Network at UNM Children’s Hospital hosted its 20th Radiothon from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. The Radiothon is the hospital’s single largest fundraising event. 100.3 The Peak’s morning hosts, Jackie, Tony, and Ryan, broadcasted live from the sixth floor of UNMCH and raised more than $155,000 in unrestricted funds for the hospital. UNMCH, the only children’s hospital in New Mexico, serves 85,000 children annually from across the state, as well as Arizona, Colorado, and Texas.

Cherry and Silver Scholarship Gala

This year’s Cherry and Silver Scholarship Gala, hosted by the Lobo Club on August 19 at The Clyde Hotel in downtown Albuquerque, achieved an exceptional milestone by raising over $1.1 million, surpassing the fundraising achievements of all past Cherry and Silver Scholarship Gala events. The Foundation was well represented and generously supported by trustees Doug Campbell, Pat Vincent-Collawn, Paul Cassidy, Dee Dennis, Jerry Roehl, and former Trustee and Chair Randy Velarde.

Lobo Cancer Challenge

On September 28, 2024, the UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center hosted its annual Lobo Cancer Challenge. Over 1,7000 people participated, which is a new attendance record for the event and a new fundraising record of $652,000. The event’s success was amplified even more by the support of over a dozen corporate and media sponsors, who underwrote the costs. Their support ensured 100% of participant fundraising was designated for cancer research and patient-support programs.

The 2023-2024 fiscal year was a memorable year for the UNM Foundation. Our achievements, driven by the support of our generous donors and the dedication of our team, have made a lasting impact on the lives of New Mexicans. We remain committed to enhancing education, research, and healthcare at The University of New Mexico as we move forward. Together, we will continue building a brighter future for our community and the generations.