F. Chris Garcia: A Successful Career at UNM

UNM Professor Emeritus F. Chris Garcia enjoyed a long and successful career at the

university, one that included not only the chance to teach and mentor numerous

UNM students as Political Science Professor, but also the opportunity to be an

influential professional and leader within the school’s College of Arts and Sciences

and university administration.

F. Chris Garcia

A 41 year professor at the university, F. Chris Garcia earned both his B.A. and M.A.

in Government from UNM in the early to mid-1960s, and returned to the university

to serve as Professor shortly after earning a PhD in Political Science from UC-Davis

in 1970. As UNM Professor, Garcia enjoyed the opportunity to teach at all levels,

including the chance to participate in the development of curriculum, committee

work, numerous research, writing and publishing efforts, and providing both

mentoring and assistance to a variety of colleagues and students. Throughout his

40 year teaching tenure, Garcia was also proud to serve in a variety of

administrative positions, including that of both Associate Dean and Dean of the

College of Arts and Sciences, as Vice President and Interim Provost for Academic

Affairs, and eventually as UNM President.

Chris Garcia is noted for the many contributions he has made to both the UNMand

to the New Mexico community throughout his career, wining multiple awards and

much recognition as a result. He is the proud winner of the 1996 University of New

Mexico Regents Meritorious Service Medal, the American Political Science

Association’s Franklin J. Good now Award for Distinguished Service in 2001, the

UNM Alumni Association’s Bernard S. Rodey Award for Educational Leadership in

2004 and the NCA Higher Learning Commission’s Distinguished Service Award

(Chris Garcia) in 2007.