08/29/2026
Honoring Dr. Karen Trujillo’s Enduring Impact ✨ Dr. Karen M. Trujillo ’92, ’93, ’98 believed education could transform lives, and she dedicated her career to making that belief a reality.
A proud three-time graduate, educator, researcher and superintendent of Las Cruces Public Schools, Trujillo inspired generations of students and championed the teachers who shape the future. She also served as New Mexico’s secretary of education.
After her passing in 2021, her husband, Ben Trujillo, established the Dr. Karen M. Trujillo Memorial Foundation and created the Dr. Karen M. Trujillo Memorial Endowed Scholarship to support future educators in the NMSU College of Health, Education, and Social Transformation. Since then, seven aspiring teachers have received scholarship support through the fund. “This scholarship allows me to graduate without being in debt. To say ‘thank you’ is not enough,” one recipient shared. 💫
Over the past five years, the Trujillo Foundation has provided nearly $800,000 in endowed scholarships at NMSU and the six other universities that offer teacher education programs, extending Dr. Trujillo’s impact across the state. Every scholarship recipient reflects Dr. Trujillo’s enduring belief that education creates opportunity, strengthens communities and changes lives.
This Philanthropy Friday, honor Dr. Trujillo’s remarkable legacy by investing in the next generation of educators. Make a gift to the Dr. Karen M. Trujillo Memorial Endowed Scholarship today.
