Steve Mitchell: His time to support the department that supported him
His story
Steve Mitchell’s ties to New Mexico are solid. He was born in Taos, New Mexico, and attended middle and high school in Albuquerque. His family had a strong history with UNM. His mother was supervisor of records at UNM, his father was an alumnus, his grandmother earned a master’s degree and his uncle was the head of the UNM marching band in the 1930s.
“I had a lot of connections to UNM, so it was natural that I went there,” he said.
Mitchell was convinced to major in civil engineering, thanks to conversations he had with faculty members Richard Huzarski and Bill Gafford. They, along with Marion Cottrell, provided guidance and mentorship throughout Mitchell’s years at UNM. He earned a bachelor’s in civil engineering, then continued on for a master’s degree. He worked as a research associate in what was then the Eric H. Wang “shock tube” lab starting as an undergraduate, which provided him valuable hands-on engineering experience.
He met his wife, Cynthia, a student in UNM’s elementary education program, while they were students, and they married just days after graduation, then moving off to Chicago in 1968. He later earned an MBA from the University of Chicago before joining Lester B. Knight and Associates Inc., a global professional services firm, in the 1970s. He and his partners eventually bought the company in the 1980s from the original founder. He served as president before retiring a few years ago.
He said the education and foundation he received at UNM’s School of Engineering prepared him well for a successful career.
“UNM had everything,” he said. “Civil engineering is a not a narrow discipline, and the education I received taught me a broad viewpoint set of concepts I could immediately apply to the business world.”
Mitchell said he is impressed with the leadership and research direction of today’s Department of Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering, especially advancements like 3D concrete printing and the new Dana C. Wood Structures and Materials Lab. He said those kinds of facilities and opportunities prepare students to compete in the workplace.
How he is giving back
Through a lot of hard work and discipline, Mitchell became a successful engineer and businessperson who now is truly able to enjoy a comfortable retirement, including spending time at the couple’s farm in Michigan. But he has never forgotten his roots and what it took to get him to where he is today.
“My sister and I worked a lot when we were going through school,” he said. “I didn’t have money, and I remember the department chair, who was able to provide funding to me to get through school. I remember the specific assistance that I got from the School. As I thought about what I wanted to do to give back to UNM, I didn’t want that kind of assistance to disappear.”
That experience was the inspiration behind his gift, the Stephen C. and Cynthia E. Mitchell Endowed Emergency Student Support Fund. The fund will be used at the discretion of the department chair to provide emergency financial support to students in need in the Department of Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering. This support includes a wide variety of items vital to students, including access to high-speed internet, laptops, textbooks, software, tuition and fees and other pressing needs.
“The civil engineering department was a big part of my success,” Mitchell said. “I wanted to give back to something that meant a lot to me, and this is a way to pay some of the support I received back to the department.”
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