SW New Mexico News

Four students from the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at New Mexico State University (NMSU) have been recognized as recipients of the Tim Thompson Graduate Scholarship Fund in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. The honorees, Nicholas Hall, James Flesner, Roman Chavez, and Nathan Troutman, were celebrated at a ceremony on May 3.

The Tim Thompson Scholarship was established in 2023 to support students pursuing a master’s degree in mechanical or aerospace engineering through the Master’s Accelerated Program. The scholarship gives preference to students who graduated from a New Mexico high school and obtained their undergraduate degree in mechanical and aerospace engineering from NMSU.

Jay Frankel, Head of the Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department at NMSU, expressed gratitude towards Tim Thompson for his generous scholarship awards and continuous support of the department. "Advanced education provides additional in-depth knowledge of the subject matter, permits job versatility, and supports professional mobility," Frankel said.

Hall, a graduate research assistant, stated that this scholarship will aid his research and education while also allowing him more time to mentor younger researchers in the department. Chavez highlighted that this scholarship will enable him to focus on academics and club participation. Troutman emphasized how this scholarship has brought financial security to his continued education. Flesner shared that this scholarship will allow him to concentrate more on his studies which include performing research on an underwater robot.

Tim Thompson is a native of Belen, New Mexico, an NMSU graduate with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, and a member of NMSU’s Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Academy. The academy traditionally supports the department by providing awards, industrial insight, encouragement, and suggestions for continuous improvement. Thompson established the scholarship to encourage top talent in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering to complete their graduate work at NMSU.