Manny Ruiz, President's Alumni Award Winner

Manny Ruiz knew he wanted to be a teacher and coach since he was in the sixth grade; he became those and so much more. Following his graduation from NAU (then Arizona State College), he returned to his hometown of Superior, Arizona, where he taught high school and coached basketball for many years. He has been inducted into the Arizona Coaches Hall of Fame, Arizona Hispanic Hall of Fame, and Superior High School Hall of Fame. He was also active in local politics and served multiple terms as mayor of Superior, among other leadership roles. He also runs a small cattle ranch, a continuation of a lifetime of ranching and cowboying. His commitment to student success and access is evident through his support of the College of Education.