Michael Ray is of Laguna Pueblo and Red Lake Chippewa Heritage. Living on the Laguna Indian Reservation for most of his childhood, he attended all the educational programs the reservation offers, from Paraje Head Start to Laguna - Acoma High School. Michael attended various higher education institutions, including New Mexico State University – Grants, Devry Institute of Technology,  Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute, University of Pennsylvania, and New Mexico State University. As the director of the American Indian Program (AIP), Mr. Ray has been able to help students find their path in higher education, be it at the undergraduate, master, or doctoral levels while helping students feel accepted and that they have a community away from home at NMSU. Michael Ray has been the director of AIP since 2015.

Fun Fact: Michael is an avid hiker. In 2021 he was able to do 52 hikes in one year. Michael is a huge fan of “Dad” jokes, so if you ever need to hear a good one, come visit the American Indian Student Center!!

Michael Ray

Director of American Indian Program