Pushing to make bold differences in students' lives at NMSU for nearly 21 years, Winnie Lee is being recognized for her accomplishments beyond the classroom by being named one of the Top 50 Women Leaders of New Mexico for 2024. 

Lee holds many roles in the College of Business, which includes professor of economics; chair of the Department of Economics, Applied Statistics and International Business; director of the Doctor of Economic Development Program, and senior fellow of the Daniels Fund Ethics Initiative (DFEI) by Bill Daniels Foundation. 

"Personally, I feel that since I've been here for 20 years, I've enjoyed and done my best with what I can; it's time to give back." Lee said. "With this recognition or not, I'm still going to do my best job while enjoying my ride." 

The journey throughout Lee's career at NMSU has evolved since fall 2004, where she worked her way up starting as an assistant professor to earning administrative and leadership positions by 2015. Her goal to grow within the college remained strong, but her commitment to being student-centered was even stronger. 

"I love working with students and teaching my classes. We have very close and good records, essentially bonding the student-instructor relationship," Lee said. "Through these 20 years, I have instructed approximately 3,600 students in my classes. I've enjoyed my entire time working and mentoring my students, advising their career plans and academic degrees." 

Lee has played a major role in encouraging and mentoring students to study abroad, since she began the Faculty-Led International Program (FLIP) in France in 2011. The program was developed to help guide students participating in a study-abroad business program to be enriched with overseas academic and cultural experiences, with which she directed each program with logistical planning and support, while teaching the business class herself. 

"I enjoy doing the FLIP program a lot. I usually tell my students, when we go abroad, I'm like the mother duck with a group of ducklings behind me," Lee explained. "We're out there to learn and to have fun. I usually let them know that they are much appreciated because when they go abroad, they are well behaved and well-representing of NMSU. They're a class of A-plus American students who represent NMSU and U.S.A." 

Her FLIP programs have taken dozens of students across the globe to places such as France, China, Thailand, Taiwan and Ireland. Lee shared that she's had many students share the impact she made on them as their adviser, including gaining confidence, stepping outside their comfort zones for foreign study, planning and receiving support for international travels, and earning new opportunities and perspectives to further their studies and careers. 

"There are all these positive changes that I've found inspiring because it's a fine and beautiful touch to our students with the abroad experience and I feel that's something not just beneficial to them, but to me as well," she said. "Because of our students, they give me the opportunity to see what I can do for them. I got the chance to receive and feel that benefit which is a self-enrichment. When I look back, I think that it's all worthwhile and I see how beautifully they transform." 

Lee expressed her pride in receiving the recognition from Women We Admire and is grateful to be able to represent and create more visibility to the College of Business and NMSU. This accomplishment pushes Lee to continue doing her best in her career, but also inspires her to be a role model to women of all kinds. 

"One goal I'm hoping to do is setting a positive model for women because I'm a minority, originally from Asia, and I'm a woman," Lee said. "I consider myself very lucky and grateful as an immigrant coming to the U.S. Through generations, it is emphasized to empower women. Now, with this recognition, I hope to encourage women, young and old and of different origins, who learn to value and love themselves so they can do their best to contribute to their family, society, and the places they study and work."

A version of this story first published in the latest issue of the College of Business Annual Report. Read the issue here.

The full article can be seen at https://newsroom.nmsu.edu/news/winnie-lee-receives-recognition-as-top-women-leader-in-new-mexico/s/5a071d82-435b-46e8-a9fb-5ffeb57e84c6