Jay Lopez Selected as the NMSU-A Arts & Sciences Exceptional Student Achievement Award Recipient

Jay Lopez was selected from a pool of high achieving students for this award. They are majoring in Engineering Technology and have served in the Student Government as Secretary for 2022-23 and as President for 2023-24. They also served as Vice President for the STEM Club from 2022-23. They played an integral role in restoring the student government of NMSU-A and have taken the initiative to organize various campus-wide events that promote a welcoming atmosphere for students. These events include mental health awareness workshops, campus resource fairs, student mixers, community gardens, and initiatives related to food and water security on campus. Lopez also volunteers to set up and demonstrate STEM activities for high school students in the local school district when they visit the campus. Additionally, they work as peer mentors for students under the RC3 program, providing students with one-on-one assistance with applications, enrollment, registration, resources, financial aid, and more. Apart from their efforts on campus. Lopez is a passionate advocate for community outreach. Since January of 2023, they have been working with Many Hands - Alamogordo Public Land for Food to establish community gardens and other food security resources in all districts of Alamogordo.