NationMaster - Encyclopedia: New Mexico State University

New Mexico State University, or NMSU, is a land-grant university that has its main campus in Las Cruces, New Mexico. The school was founded in 1888 as Las Cruces College, an agricultural college, and in 1889 the school became New Mexico College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts. It received its present name, New Mexico State University in 1960. NMSU has approximately 26,400 students enrolled as of Fall 2005, and has a faculty-to-student ratio of about 1 to 19. NMSU offers a wide range of programs and awards associate, bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees through its main campus and four community colleges. For 10 consecutive years, NMSU has been rated as one of America's 100 Best College Buys for offering "the very highest quality education at the lowest cost" by Institutional Research & Evaluation Inc., an independent research and consulting organization for higher education. NMSU is one of only two land-grant institutions classified as Hispanic-serving by the federal government. The university is home to New Mexico's NASA Space Grant Program and is one of 52 institutions in the United States to be designated a Space Grant College. During its most recent review by NASA, NMSU was one of only 12 space grant programs in the country to receive an excellent rating. Image File history File linksMetadata No higher resolution available. ... The date of establishment or date of founding of an institution is the date on which that institution chooses to claim as its starting point. ... Land-grant universities (also called land-grant colleges or land grant institutions) are American institutions which have been designated by a Congress to receive the benefits of the Morrill Acts of 1862 and 1890. ... The U.S. Congress established the National Space Grant College and Fellowship Program in 1988. ... quagmire:For alternate meanings see state university (disambiguation). ... University President is the title of the highest ranking officer within a university, within university systems that prefer that appellation over other variations such as Chancellor or rector. ... A faculty is a division within a university. ... In some educational systems, undergraduate education is post-secondary education up to the level of a Bachelors degree. ... Degree ceremony at Cambridge. ... Las Cruces is a city in DoÃ±a Ana County, New Mexico, United States. ... Capital Santa Fe Largest city Albuquerque Area Ranked 5th - Total 121,665 sq mi (315,194 kmÂ²) - Width 342 miles (550 km) - Length 370 miles (595 km) - % water 0. ... School colors are the colors chosen by a school to represent it on uniforms and other items of identification. ... The athletic nickname, or equivalently athletic moniker, of a university or college within the United States of America is the name officially adopted by that institution for at least the members of its athletic teams. ... Aggie may mean: Aggie (software), a news aggregator Aggie (marble), a type of marble made from or resembling agate Aggie, a slang term for a person that works in agriculture Aggie, a student or sports team at certain US universities, typically those with agricultural curricula, and usually qualified with the... Millie, once mascot of the City of Brampton, is now the Brampton Arts Councils representative. ... Image File history File links NMST_new. ... A website (alternatively, Web site) is a collection of Web pages, images, videos and other digital assets that is hosted on a Web server, usually accessible via the Internet or a LAN. A Web page is a document, typically written in HTML, that is almost always accessible via HTTP, a... Land-grant universities (also called land-grant colleges or land grant institutions) are institutions of higher education in the United States which have been designated by Congress to receive the benefits of the Morrill Acts of 1862 and 1890. ... Las Cruces is a city in DoÃ±a Ana County, New Mexico, United States. ... Capital Santa Fe Largest city Albuquerque Area Ranked 5th - Total 121,665 sq mi (315,194 kmÂ²) - Width 342 miles (550 km) - Length 370 miles (595 km) - % water 0. ... Year 1888 (MDCCCLXXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Sunday (click on link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a leap year starting on Tuesday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... An associates degree is the degree awarded by community colleges in Canada and the United States upon completion of a course of study equivalent to the first two years in a four-year college or university. ... A bachelors degree (Artium Baccalaureus, A.B. or B.A.) is usually an undergraduate academic degree awarded for a course or major that generally lasts for three, four, or in some cases and countries, five or six years. ... â€œM.S.â€ redirects here. ... The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is an agency of the United States federal government, responsible for the nations public space program. ... The U.S. Congress established the National Space Grant College and Fellowship Program in 1988. ...

History

In 1888, an institution of higher learning, based in small adobe buildings, known as Las Cruces College was established in the heart of the then small village of the same name. One year later, a foundation for much growth was established when the Territorial Assembly of New Mexico provided for the establishment of an Agricultural College and Agricultural Experiment Station with bill No. 28 or the Rodey Act of 1889. The bill stated that, " Said institution is hereby located at or near the town of Las Cruces in the County of Dona [sic] Ana,upon a tract of land of not less than one hundred (100) acres, contiguous to the main Las Cruces irrigating ditch, south of said town."

In February of 1891, the university's first building McFie Hall, popularly known as Old Main, opened its doors. Unfortunately, the building burned down in 1910, but it's remains can be seen in the center of Pride Field on the University Horsehoe, or old university center.

The school overcame many hardships, including major financial woes and political pressure during the Depression, but restablished itself as a training ground for Army and Naval forces during WWII.

In a move to better represent its operations, the New Mexico College of Agriculture and Mechanical Arts became New Mexico State University.

Academics

College of Engineering

NMSU's College of Engineering includes the departments of Chemical, Civil, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Engineering Technology, Industrial, Mechanical, Surveying, and Engineering Physics. NMSU's College of Engineering consistently ranks high in national ratings. Among its many honors are:

Image File history File links Numex. ... Image File history File links Numex. ... Numex Twilights rainbow Numex twilight is one of the most unusual varieties of chili pepper developed at New Mexico State University (which creates all NuMex breeds of plant). ...

Agriculture

The university was founded initially as an agricultural institution, and still offers agriculture programs. It hosts the Agriculture Experiment Station, which produces the famous NuMex cultivars, including the onion of that name, and dozens of Numex peppers, like the NuMex Twilight. An agricultural experiment station is a research center that conducts scientific investigations to solve problems and suggest improvements in the food and agriculture industry. ... NuMex is the moniker used for products created by the Agriculture Experimentation Station of New Mexico State University. ... Numex Twilights rainbow Numex twilight is one of the most unusual varieties of chili pepper developed at New Mexico State University (which creates all NuMex breeds of plant). ...

Sports

NMSU's teams are called the Aggies, a nickname derived from the university's agricultural beginnings. They compete in the Western Athletic Conference. Their mascot was formerly known as "Pistol Pete", but Pete was redesigned in 2005 as part of the university's plan to remake its image on the national stage; his pistol has been replaced with a lasso. NMSU's colors are crimson and white. In 2006, the mascot got his pistol back and is once again known as "Pistol Pete". Image File history File links NMST_new. ... Image File history File links NMST_new. ... Image File history File links NMSt_2868. ... Image File history File links NMSt_2868. ... Aggie may mean: Aggie (software), a news aggregator Aggie (marble), a type of marble made from or resembling agate Aggie, a slang term for a person that works in agriculture Aggie, a student or sports team at certain US universities, typically those with agricultural curricula, and usually qualified with the... The Western Athletic Conference (commonly referred to as the WAC, pronounced whack) was formed on July 27, 1962, making it the sixth oldest of the 11 college athletic conferences currently participating in the NCAAâ€™s Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS; formerly Division I-A). ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

NMSU has major rivalries with the University of New Mexico (the NMSU-UNM football game is called "The Battle of I-25"), and the University of Texas at El Paso (called "The Battle of I-10", with the winner of the NMSU-UTEP football game getting the Silver Spade). The University of New Mexico (UNM) is a public university in Albuquerque, New Mexico. ... The University of Texas at El Paso, popularly known as UTEP, is a public, coeducational university, and it is a member of the University of Texas System. ...

NMSU Basketball has seen much success throughout the years,even making an NCAA Final Four appearance in 1970. Aggie Basketball has seen 17 NCAA Tournament appearances, 5 NIT Tournament appearances and 14 conference championships. On March 31, 2005, NMSU hired 13-year NBA veteran Reggie Theus as head men's basketball coach after legendary Hall of Fame coach Lou Henson announced his retirement due to health concerns. In just Theus' second year the Aggies won the WAC tournament and earned an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. Reggie Wayne Theus (born October 13, 1957 in Inglewood, California) is a former NBA player who currently works as head coach for the New Mexico State Universitys mens basketball team. ...

In one season, Theus turned the Aggies from a 6-24 squad in 2004-05 to a 16-14 team in the 2005-06 season --matching the fifth best turn-around for a Division-I men's basketball team.

At the dawn of the new century, NMSU volleyball also saw great gains, winning its first conference championship in 2003, and making its first appearance in the NCAA tournament that same year. In 2006, the Aggies continued to make school history by becoming the first squad to become nationally ranked at No. 24 after posting a 14-0 record through that point of the season. Adding to their 2006 success, the Aggies became the first team to snap the University of Hawai'i Rainbow Wahine's eight-year, 114-match Western Athletic Conference winning streak.

Some notable former athletes include Kenton Keith, current Indianapolis Colts running back; Roy Gerela, former NFL kicker; Duriel Harris, former NFL receiver; Fredd Young, former NFL linebacker; Randy Brown; Buck Pierce current CFL quarterback. former NBA guard, John Whisenant, coach of WNBA's Sacramento Monarchs former Coach of the Year; Lou Henson, noted NCAA basketball coach Kenton Keith (born July 14, 1980 in Lincoln, Nebraska) is a running back for the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League . ... Roy Gerela (born April 2, 1948, Sarrail, Alberta) is a former American football placekicker best known for his years with the Pittsburgh Steelers, with whom he won three Super Bowl rings. ... NFL logo For other uses of the abbreviation NFL, see NFL (disambiguation). ... Duriel LaDon Harris, Jr. ... NFL logo For other uses of the abbreviation NFL, see NFL (disambiguation). ... Fredd Young (born November 14, 1961 in Dallas, Texas) is a former professional American football player who played linebacker for seven seasons for the Seattle Seahawks and the Indianapolis Colts. ... NFL logo For other uses of the abbreviation NFL, see NFL (disambiguation). ... Randy Brown (born May 22, 1968, in Chicago, Illinois) is an American former professional basketball player. ... Buck Pierce is a Canadian Football League quarterback and is the backup quarterback to Dave Dickenson for the British Columbia Lions. ... CFL is an acronym for: Canadian Football League Compact fluorescent light bulb Continental Football League Courant, Fredericks and Lewy This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... â€œNBAâ€ redirects here. ... John Whisenant on the Sacramento Monarchs John Whisenant (born June 18, 1945 in Gore, Oklahoma) is currently a professional basketball coach in the WNBA for the Sacramento Monarchs. ... Lou Henson (born January 10, 1932 in Okay, Oklahoma, USA) is a former collegiate basketball coach. ...

Student media

NMSU has two radio stations, as well as a TV station and a student run newspaper. The radio stations are KRUX, a station run by students, and KRWG, a public radio station.

The TV station is also known as KRWG and serves as the region's PBS affiliate. KRWG-TV, named for New Mexico broadcast pioneer Ralph Wilson Goddard, is one of the few journalism schools to student-produce a weekday newscast. It is also the only local newscast for southwest New Mexico viewers. Not to be confused with Public Broadcasting Services in Malta. ... KRWG-TV, channel 22 (analog) and 23 (digital), is a PBS member station serving both southeastern New Mexico and nearby El Paso, Texas. ...

The "Round Up" is the student-run newspaper. The Round Up is "The student voice of New Mexico State University since 1907." It's published every Monday and Thursday.

External links

Categories: Doña Ana County, New Mexico | Western Athletic Conference | Land-grant universities and colleges | Universities and colleges in New Mexico | Space-grant universities and colleges | Oak Ridge Associated Universities | New Mexico State University The Western Athletic Conference (commonly referred to as the WAC, pronounced whack) was formed on July 27, 1962, making it the sixth oldest of the 11 college athletic conferences currently participating in the NCAAâ€™s Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS; formerly Division I-A). ... Boise State University is a state university located near downtown Boise, the capital city of the U.S. state of Idaho. ... The campus on a sunny day California State University, Fresno, commonly referred to as Fresno State, is one of the campuses of California State University, located at the northeast edge of Fresno, California, USA. The campus sits at the foot of the Sierra Nevada mountain range in the San Joaquin... The University of HawaiÊ»i at MÄnoa is a public, co-educational university and is the main campus of the greater University of HawaiÊ»i system. ... The University of Idaho is the states most prominent land-grant and primary research university, located in the city of Moscow in Latah County. ... // Louisiana Tech University, located in Ruston, Louisiana is a coeducational public institution of higher learning with an approximate enrollment of 12,000 students. ... The University of Nevada, Reno (Nevada or UNR) is a university located in Reno, Nevada, USA, and is known for its programs in agricultural research, animal biotechnology, and mining-related engineering and natural sciences. ... San JosÃ© State University, commonly shortened to San JosÃ© State and SJSU, is the founding campus of what became the California State University system. ... Utah State Universitys main campus is located in Logan, Utah. ...

Contents

History GA_googleFillSlot("encyclopedia_square");