Still Thankful

Carolyn and Tom Minton have been steadfast UNM donors since 1976

By Michelle G. McRuiz

Tom and Carolyn Minton

In the summer of 1963, Tom Minton (BS ’68) had just graduated from Taos High School and was looking forward to his freshman year at UNM in Albuquerque. But truth be told, he wasn’t quite sure how his family would manage the cost of tuition.

“My parents were far from wealthy,” Tom says, “and there was no such thing as student loans.”

Then his father received an interesting phone call from UNM. The caller told Mr. Minton that Tom needed to call UNM about a possible scholarship.

“I called, told them about myself, and applied,” recalls Tom. “As it turned out, there were two of us who were aware of the scholarship, and I got it.”

An influential connection

The Caroline Thornton Carson Memorial Scholarship was created by two brothers in memory of their mother. Available to eligible engineering students, it covered all of Tom’s tuition, books, fees, and housing. Then, in the fall of 1963, the dean of the School of Engineering told Tom he needed to meet the donor who made his full-ride scholarship possible.

“I put on my only suit and tie and rode the bus to their house,” says Tom. He didn’t know that the donor, Mr. Oxnard, had suffered a stroke and could not speak. But his mind was sharp. A nurse interpreted what he wanted to say.

“For almost an hour we talked about all sorts of things,” Tom says. “That started my association with the Oxnard family, and I met with him every semester.”

After graduation, Tom and his wife Carolyn (BS ’67), who graduated UNM with a degree in elementary education, moved to California. Carolyn pursued her fifth year of education – required for students to complete their teaching degrees – at Long Beach State University.

“I had to have 30 units of something,” she recalls. “That was the California rule. So, I studied reading issues with children.”

Tom began his career as a mechanical career with Shell Oil. And Carolyn, a great letter-writer, began sending Christmas cards to the Oxnards in Albuquerque. Although Mr. Oxnard passed away not long after Tom began working at Shell, Carolyn and Mrs. Oxnard kept the connection alive through letters and cards.

More than attending class

Because Tom only needed to work part-time as an engineering student, he was able to participate fully in college life – such as becoming deeply involved in the fraternities he joined. And his education opened doors for him.

“I got a great education at UNM,” Tom says. “It was widely recognized as a good engineering school, and when I graduated, I received numerous job offers. My education there was a stepping-stone; it gave me a solid foundation to strike out and have a rewarding career. I’m still very thankful and appreciative.”

In 1976, the first year of the Presidential Scholar Program, the Mintons received a letter from UNM that described the program’s purpose.

Tom says, “I had always thought that I was fortunate, so I wanted to give back, and Carolyn agreed. The gift amount was $75. That was the beginning of our philanthropy.”

Seventy-five dollars went far toward college tuition in those days, and Tom’s employer Shell had a foundation that matched funds given to a university. That made it easy, Tom says, for them to leverage their funds and continue giving to the Presidential Scholar program throughout his career.

After Tom and Carolyn moved back to New Mexico in 2003, they established their first endowed Presidential Scholarship – again, with a little help from Shell Foundation. Then Carolyn became involved with the College of Education and Human Sciences.

“UNM was revising the College and expanding its programs,” she recalls, “and I helped write the paperwork for giving to the College. While not a scholarship, the funds help recruit, retain, and graduate people. They support students so they can travel all over New Mexico for their student teaching and not have to work.

“I enjoyed doing that work, and we contributed to the fund,” she continues. “You don’t do it for the accolades; you do it to help them graduate.”

In addition, Tom has supported the College of Engineering with cash gifts that assist students and reduce their financial burdens. He and Carolyn are proud to help New Mexicans graduate from UNM with minimal or no student debt.

“That allows them to participate in the rest of college life,” he says. “College is more than going to class. So, if you can do that, I think it makes you a more well-rounded person who will contribute to society,  perhaps more freely.”

Empowering students through philanthropy

The Mintons are members of the Tom L. Popejoy Society at UNM Foundation, which recognizes outstanding leaders in philanthropy. And, in an echo of their connection to the Oxnard family from decades past, they enjoy reading letters from the Presidential Scholars they have sponsored and meeting them at the annual dinner.

“We’re just awed by these young people,” Carolyn says. “They’re going to go to graduate school or go out into the world and do great things.”

Tom says that someday, UNM Presidential Scholars will wonder who the Mintons were. But for them, the legacy of philanthropy outweighs the legacy of a name.

“You watch these students grow up and become good young adults,” says Tom. “For us, that’s what it’s all about. So, we’ll continue to give every year and make sure the funds last forever.”