Tim Clifford, ’71, and Rod Ross,’72, are true ambassadors for Aggie athletics. They have been loyal football fans through thick and thin. They attend every game and have held season tickets since graduating from New Mexico State University in the early 1970s. They are also long-time Aggie Athletics Fund members, faithful sponsors of corporate tables at Aggie fund raisers, and sponsor a football locker. Additionally, they volunteer to keep stats at the basketball games, and attend other diverse athletic events such as volleyball.

They do all of this while still running their CPA firms in Las Cruces and El Paso.  In the name of their firms, they also have created two endowment funds – Clifford, Ross and Cooper CPAs Aggie Athletics Fund scholarship and Clifford, Ross and Cooper CPAs Aggie Football Coach’s Excellence fund.

The Aggie Athletic Fund scholarship will be awarded to two students annually, one male and one female, who must be student-athletes in good standing according to NMSU Athletics guidelines. The Aggie football coach’s excellence award will be used at the discretion of NMSU’s director of athletics and the NMSU football coach.

In recognition of their loyalty and support, the football Hall of Legends was named for them in 2008.

“As an alumnus and a dedicated Aggie sports fan, I am honored that the Hall of Legends is named after us,” said Tim Clifford, partner at Clifford, Ross & Cooper, CPAs. “I attribute my success to the education, discipline, and values that were instilled in me while attending NMSU. We are proud to be part of the Aggie family and proud to be able to give back to the university that has given so much to us.”
 
His partner and friend Rod Ross agrees.  “Athletics are a critical part of the overall university experience for student-athletes as well as the entire campus community. It is important to provide NMSU’s student-athletes with every possible opportunity to succeed. What they learn as student-athletes will last a lifetime.  I have been an avid Aggie fan since the 1960s and my entire family is Aggie fans. This is truly an honor for all of us.”

“My two children currently attend NMSU and I received two undergraduate degrees and  my MBA  there as well,” said Denise Cooper, ’79 and ’88, partner in the firm and Tim Clifford’s sister. “As avid Aggie fans and supporters, we are so proud of the fact that the Hall of Legends is named after us and our firm.”

This team is looking forward to a new football season and  to becoming even more involved with New Mexico State University.