For more than 50 years, Adams State University has honored community members who exhibit the commitment to Adams State and higher education epitomized by the university’s founder, Billy Adams. The university’s 2026 Billy Adams Award will be presented to LeRoy and Michelle Salazar ‘92, of Manassa, Colorado, who have clearly demonstrated that spirit. They will receive the award at the Homecoming Awards Luncheon, Friday, September 18. Visit Homecoming for reservations or more information.
LeRoy is a former trustee for Adams State, having served on the university board at three different times. Michelle earned degrees in biology and Spanish from Adams State and later was an assistant professor of Spanish at Adams State. She also served on the board of the Adams State University Foundation.
“When Darin and I returned to the Valley with our family, Michelle and LeRoy were among the first to welcome us,” said President David Tandberg, Ph.D. “We value our friendship. The Salazars’ love of their community is evident through their philanthropy and service. Over the last several decades, Adams State has benefitted from their commitment to our mission and the students we serve. It is an honor to present them with the Billy Adams Award, the University’s highest distinction.”
LeRoy said he and Michelle “share the core values that come from our belief in the importance of faith, family, and community. We believe strongly in the value of education. My father always believed that education was the gateway to opportunity. Mom and dad never went to college, but they made sure all eight of their kids did.”
Michelle noted, “Adams State serves an underserved community, so it is critical to all of us for the education of our students. Now we are seeing much more outreach to our 12 valley school districts. We believe in the power of education and Adams State.”
In 2016, LeRoy and his siblings established The Emma and Henry Salazar Memorial Scholarship in honor of their parents and helped create the Salazar Rio Grande del Norte Center at Adams State. The center advances the conservation of land, water, and historic and cultural attributes at the headwaters of the Rio Grande in the San Luis Valley. It developed a minor in Water Studies, an interdisciplinary program for students in a range of degree programs.
Last year, the extended Salazar Family received Adams State University’s Willis Fassett Jr. Award – Individual in recognition of their support. Also last year, LeRoy and Michelle’s son, Gabe, and his family created two scholarships in their honor: the LeRoy Salazar AgriSTEM Endowment and the Michelle Salazar Language, Arts & Education Endowment.
LeRoy said. “For a time, I felt Adams State was not fulfilling its mission. It had lost much of its connection to K-12 schools, to the farming community, the Hispanic community, and other SLV communities. I believe that has changed,” LeRoy said. “Adams State University is on a real positive trajectory now. The enrollment decline has been reversed, and the relations between administration, faculty, staff and with the community have improved. It feels like we are back on track.”
LeRoy and Michelle remain active in farming and their community. The couple met at Colorado State University, where LeRoy earned master’s and bachelor’s degrees in agricultural engineering, and Michelle earned a degree in agronomy.
LeRoy is the fifth generation of his family farming in the San Luis Valley. He co-founded Agro Engineering, Inc., serving as President and CEO from 1982 to 2000. He has been heavily involved in developing strategies for creating a sustainable water supply system in the San Luis Valley. He has served as a member of the Colorado Agricultural Commission and the United Fresh Potato Growers of Colorado and as a director of Citizens for Colorado Water.
For 25 years, LeRoy served on the San Luis Valley Federal Bank Board, retiring as Chairman. He also served on the North Conejos School District Board of Education for 9 years, with several years as its president. In 2018, he received the Statewide Leadership and Service Award from the El Pomar Foundation and directed part of the monetary award to Adams State.
LeRoy also co-founded and continues to work with the Hope for Children Foundation, which supports orphans, abandoned, and severely impoverished children in Mexico.
After her children were all in school, Michelle decided to obtain a teaching certificate and earned degrees in biology and Spanish with a minor in art from Adams State in 1992. She taught science and Spanish in SLV schools, then earned a master’s and Ph.D. in Hispanic linguistics from the University of New Mexico. Her thesis explored language, identity, and academic achievement in the SLV.
In addition to helping on their farm, Michelle volunteers with the Food Bank Network of the San Luis Valley, Hospice del Valle, and the Sisters of Mercy. She has served on the board of the San Luis Valley Immigrant Resource Center for 21 years.
