Electrical engineering courses were first offered at NMSU in 1897, as part of the mechanical engineering program when NMSU was still New Mexico A&M. In 1907 electrical engineering achieved the status of a separate program, but still within the Department of Mechanical Engineering, with the classes being taught by ME professors. In 1914 Ralph W. Goddard (a distant cousin of rocketry pioneer Robert H. Goddard) was hired to head the newly formed Department of Electrical Engineering, beginning a tradition of strong leadership which has continued, unbroken to this day. Four EE department heads became deans of the College of Engineering, three of whom held both positions simultaneously!

The department heads have guided the department through years of change, from wholesale signal corps training during the first world war to "smart" weapons research during the cold war. Among the milestones along the way:

• 1914 The Department of Electrical Engineering is created.
• 1932 Melvin A. Thomas finds himself alone, as the only EE professor.
• 1934 EE moves into the newly built Goddard Hall.
• 1938 The department is nationally accredited.
• 1947 C. Donald "Doc" Crosno is hired, the first PhD faculty member.
• 1952 The Master of Science in Engineering degree is offered.
• 1960 New Mexico A&M becomes NMSU.
• 1961 The Doctor of Science in Engineering degree is offered.
• 1972 Thomas & Brown Hall becomes the new EE home.
• 1973 EE becomes Electrical and Computer Engineering.
• 1990 The Chair for Telemetering and Telecommunications is established. The Chair is later renamed the Frank Carden Chair for Telemetering and Telecommunications.
• 1995 In recognition of it's size, scope, and prestige, the department is renamed the Klipsch School of ECE in honor of Paul Klipsch, a long time supporter of the department, founder of Klipsch and Associates, and a 1926 graduate of the department.
• 1998 Harold A. "Prof" Brown dies, endowing numerous scholarships.
• 2001 A remodeled Goddard Hall houses the communications, telemetry, optics, and signal processing programs.

| ECE Home | What's New | General Information | Academics | Faculty | Staff | Alumni | Research | Student Organizations | Seminar Series |
| Paul W. Klipsch | Related Links |

This page is maintained by ECE Webmaster | Last update 11-09-99