A Legacy Rooted in Love: HEST alums lasting gift to education

For Anne Gallegos, education was never just a career – it was a calling shaped by personal experiences, a deep sense of purpose and a heartfelt commitment to others. A proud alumna and former faculty member, Gallegos’ legacy is one of service, scholarship and lasting impact.

Gallegos first came to NMSU as a senior transfer student from the University of Maryland, completing her degree in Secondary Education. But it was the adoption of her son – a child with disabilities – that forever altered her path. Motivated to understand and support his needs, she pursued master’s and doctoral degrees in special education, followed by a postdoctoral fellowship in bilingual special education.

“I was able to return to NMSU to teach bilingual special education full-time for 22 years,” Gallegos recalls. “And I continued to teach part-time and work with doctoral students for another three.”

Her time at NMSU was marked by a dedication to preparing the next generation of special education teachers. She secured numerous grants to support students and prioritized inclusion, diversity and equity in her research and teaching. “As I focused on the learners in the schools and members of the community, diversity and equity became an integral and critical part of my instruction, service and research.”

But it was a personal tragedy that would ultimately define her philanthropic journey. The death of her 17-year-old son Michael, who had spent much of his academic life in special education, prompted Gallegos and her family to give back in his memory.

“My family and I were inspired to start giving back by the loss of my son,” Gallegos says. “We wanted to honor Michael’s memory and support students who desired to become secondary special education teachers.”

From that first act of giving, a legacy grew. With her husband, Roberto Gallegos, who also left a lasting impact as a professor in the former College of Education’s Department of Curriculum and Instruction for 36 years, Gallegos established six endowed scholarships, including the Dr. Roberto Gallegos Rural Northern New Mexico Scholarship, recently endowed in his honor. “Robert’s commitment to the students and community in New Mexico were something I knew I could take from my heart and make it real.”

“Anne Gallegos reflects the grit, passion, and unwavering spirit shared by so many Aggies. Her dedication to preparing future special education teachers is deeply inspiring, and the scholarship she established in memory of her son is a heartfelt tribute grounded in love, purpose, and service,” says Sylvia Acosta, CEO of the NMSU Foundation and College of Education (now known as the College of HEST) alumna. “We are grateful for the impact both Anne and Roberto have had on NMSU, and for the enduring legacy Anne is creating for generations to come.”

For Gallegos, endowments are more than financial support. “An endowment will not only support a student with his or her educational expenses,” Gallegos says. “But perhaps be the reason a person remains in school, a gift that will live into perpetuity.”

Gallegos’ story is a testament to the power of education, love, and loss to inspire lasting change.

“I hope the next generation of students and alumni consider gifting,” she says. “Because it is a way to permanently affect the future of education, to support the state of New Mexico and make sure that those we love are honored forever.”