b'AN ENDURING IMPACT Teena Bhakta 22 balances work, life thanks to Trujillo scholarshipLionel Haight Accounting Chair receives boost from Howard D. HudgeonsMost NMSU graduates can name a transformational professor who changed their lives, putting them on track for success. Back in the 1960s, Lionel D. Haight was one such professor, guiding thousands of accounting students in the College of BusinessTeena Bhakta 20, 22 meets Ben Trujillo 91 as she receives the during his 45-year career.t Dr. Lionel D. Haight was anDr. Karen M. Trujillo Memorial Endowed Scholarship.Accounting Professor at NMSU Professor Haight was afrom 1927 to 1972. Born and raised in Birmingham, England, Teena Bhakta task-master, sometimes22 moved to Las Cruces in 2006 to begin a new life with holding classes at 7:30Through the Lionelher family. Today, as a single mom of two boysages on Saturday mornings,Haight Accountingeight and sixTeena is pursuing a masters degree in Howard Hudgeons 64Chair, the accountingEducational Leadership in NMSUs College of Health, remembers. He rarelyfaculty has significantlyEducation and Social Transformation, after receiving her smiled, and he alwaysincreased their researchbachelors degree in early childhood education in 2020. had a cigar in the cornerproductivity, said Dr.Until this year, Bhakta was a self-paying student, juggling of his mouth. I laterRoy Clemons, head ofa full-time job, parenting her children and going to realized he was preparingthe masters programschool. Financially it was stressful, especially through us for the real world,in accounting at NMSU,the pandemic when she had to balance school and work making sure we were readywho now occupies theschedules due to COVID restrictions and quarantines.to face the future as world- chair. Were more research-class accountants.productive, interactive, andThankfully, in August, she became the first recipient of collegial due to the generousthe Dr. Karen M. Trujillo Memorial Endowed Scholarship, A 1964 graduate of NMSU, he creditsfunding provided by the Haight Chair. established by Trujillos husband, Ben Trujillo, in March Haight for helping him become a2021 after Karens passing. The endowed scholarship is success. Hudgeons went on to work inKnowing a sound investment when henow valued at more than $230,000. a financial capacity in the banking andsees one, Hudgeons began contributingThe support for this worthy cause has truly been inspiring, construction industries, retiring in 2010.to the endowment to honor his belovedsaid Trujillo. The response from this community was professor in 1998. Now his donation willoverwhelming, and in very short order the scholarship was I love this school, and I want to makecontinue to support the chair upon hisfully endowed with contributions from people impacted sure todays students have the samepassing through his estate.by Karen, far and wide. Trujillo hopes to assist many more great experience I had. Earlier this year,students in becoming teachers in the years ahead.he made a planned gift to donate his oilAccounting changed my life, and I and gas interests to further endow anbelieve it will do the same for countlessThis scholarship allows me to graduate without being in accounting chair established in Haightsothers, Hudgeons shared. Thats a gift Idebt. It means so much to me and my boys, Bhakta says. memory.can leave the students of tomorrow. I am grateful beyond words. New Mexico State University Foundation5'