History, Affiliations and Rankings
New Mexico State University is a comprehensive research university that is one of the first Honors granting colleges in New Mexico. Started as Las Cruces College in 1888 and rebranded as New Mexico College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts the very next year, it was accorded University status in 1960 and became New Mexico State University by a state constitutional amendment. From a 2-room building to a 990-acre University campus, NMSU has witnessed tremendous growth, becoming a top-tier university in America. The University is a land-grant and a NASA space-grant university in the United States, and a Hispanic Serving Institution. NMSU ranks as a top-tier university in the United States according to US News and World Report Best National Universities, while it ranks at #821 in the Best Global Universities category for the year 2022.
Infrastructure, Campuses and Courses
The New Mexico State University (NMSU) now sits on a 900-acre campus and offers over 90 Undergraduate and 50 Postgraduate degree programs in various disciplines. NMSU has 5 campuses, 12 research centres, and 1 satellite centre in Albuquerque. NMSU also has 2 major libraries on the main campus, Branson Hall Library and Zuhl Library. Both the libraries contains a collection of more than 1 million volumes.
Along with offering traditional Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees, it also awards certificates, license programs and Associate degrees across its 5 campuses. NMSU offers 28 doctoral programs across multiple disciplines including agriculture, education, engineering, and the sciences. A specialized education degree is also offered in 4 study areas. Academically structured into 5 Schools of specialization, in addition to an Honors College, the University offers programs in a breadth of disciplines. These include - Business, Nursing, Liberal Arts and Humanities, and Criminal Justice.
Accomplishments and Alumni
New Mexico State University ranks first in the country for federal obligations for Science and Engineering activities for minority-serving institutions according to a report from the National Science Foundation’s National Centre for Science and Engineering Statistics in 2017. The university is not only a NASA space grant university but is also amongst the first institutions to start an Honours program in New Mexico. NMSU is known for its research work in the fields of Agriculture, Life Sciences, Energy and Biofuels, Computer, and Space Science. It emphasises on the overall development of the students via recreational, extracurricular and sports-based activities and is also a member of NCAA-1A Athletic Association. Sarah Stewart (Polyomavirus Discoverer), Roosevelt Skerrit (Prime Minister of Dominica) and Scott Bailey (Actor) are some of the notable alumni of NMSU.
Student Diversity and Visiting Companies
NMSU is home to over 11,000, with a gender distribution of 43% male students and 57% female students. NMSU has enrolled more than 700 international students from over 80 countries. The largest international student populations are from India, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and China. Around 16% of the students live on-campus or -affiliated housing and 84% of students live off campus. NMSU is also a part of the NCAA I. Students are referred to as the “Aggies,” who participate and engage in the various sports, social, cultural and the academic clubs on the campus. NMSU has a graduation rate of 46% and graduates from NMSU are employed at top companies such as Microsoft, Amazon, Intel Corporation and Google..
