Through the Student Experience initiative, we envision enabling every student to participate in student organizations and clubs, local and national competitions, peer-mentoring programs, research experiences, conferences, and industry events that sharpen business skills and develop professional competencies. 

By scaling our existing activities, such as class projects, student clubs and organizations, competitions and challenges, and offering students additional workshops, seminars, and training sessions, we will make these experiences a ubiquitous part of the ASM experience. 

$10 million of philanthropic funding will help us to continue and expand our current student opportunities. 

Our proposed Career Readiness and Job Connections initiative and Career Development Center will enhance and expand the career preparation services already available at ASM by offering targeted programming, functional area guidance, peer mentoring, and increased internship opportunities. This initiative will leverage and strengthen our existing resources to give every ASM student access to the tools, guidance, and opportunities they need to succeed.  

We aim to add another staff member to our career coaching team, expand our internship program, offer stipends for upperclassmen to serve as student peer mentors, provide interactive job-application and interview training software, and create more opportunities for students to engage with industry leaders and alumni. 

This plan is designed to be sustainable and scalable, creating a lasting impact on student success during their time at UNM and as after graduation. 

$10 million of philanthropic funding will fund the Career Readiness and Jobs Initiative and the Career Development Center. 

ASM’s Research Leadership initiative focuses on enhancing faculty-led research in critical areas that align with regional and global challenges through “research hub” grants. By investing in research hubs centered on economic development, we will produce thought leadership in areas such as investment; innovation; and the creation, stabilization, and scaling of business ventures, which are essential to New Mexico’s growth.  

Our initiative also can help fund other locally relevant business research hubs in healthcare, tribally owned businesses, energy, quantum, technologies of the future, and more. Faculty research funded through “community impact” grants will produce reports, case studies, and other academic and practitioner outputs that will benefit New Mexico communities through meaningful solutions, enhance educational curriculum, and strengthen ASM’s reputation.  

In addition, the Research Leadership initiative can support faculty to engage more students in research projects through faculty stipends and offer stipends to students for project participation. And by establishing more endowed chairs and named professorships and fellowships, ASM can attract top-tier scholars, enhance faculty retention, and provide the resources for researchers to pursue groundbreaking projects. 

$11.5 million – preferably $10 million in endowed funds and $1.5 million in spendable funds – of philanthropic support will fund faculty, staff, and student support for the Research Leadership Initiative.

The Educational Innovation initiative is a strategic response to the growing need for higher education to evolve to meet the demands of today’s rapidly changing job market. It seeks to enhance ASM’s educational offerings by equipping students with such skills. 

In the area of degree programs, ASM intends to purchase and develop state-of-the-art content in high-demand areas such as analytics, project management, and artificial intelligence, and offer curricular innovation grants to faculty to incorporate this content into existing and new courses. This content will be targeted to different types of student needs and embed real-world applications into coursework, ensuring that ASM’s academic offerings remain distinctive, relevant, and forward-thinking. In the area of professional education, this initiative will provide funding for faculty to create and deliver state-of-the-art training programs relevant to New Mexico.  

The Educational Innovation initiative ensures that Anderson remains at the forefront of academic excellence, benefiting both students and the wider New Mexico community. 

$7 million of philanthropic support will help create endowed funds for student content and faculty support.

At UNM, a diverse student body, including non-traditional, part-time, and underrepresented groups, faces significant barriers to completing their undergraduate degrees or pursuing graduate studies. By providing graduate scholarships of $10,000 per student, we aim to ease the burden of tuition and fees for these students. We will give special attention to those who contribute to New Mexico’s diverse workforce, particularly students from Hispanic and tribal communities. 

Funding in this area will support a student emergency fund to provide crucial financial support during times of crisis – via grants ranging from $200 to $2,000 – and allow students to stay enrolled and complete their programs without interruption.  

Furthermore, by offering travel stipends of $3,000 to $5,000 per student, we aim to make both national and international study experiences more accessible. For example, Anderson’ s long-standing participation in the Washington Campus program provides MBA students with unique insights into U.S. public policy. In addition, Virtual International experiences enable students to engage with global business practices remotely, broadening their international perspectives. By making these invaluable opportunities more financially accessible, we can increase diversity in study-abroad programs and ensure all students benefit from a truly global education. 

Over the next ten years, Bridging the Gap will help build a more accessible and sustainable educational environment for all students, regardless of their financial background.  

$21.5 million – preferably $20 million in endowed funds and $1.5 million in spendable funds – will provide essential student financial support.