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New Mexico State University EXCELLENCE IN ACTION A Periodic Newsletter from President William B. Conroy For the past 15 years, it has been my pleasure to serve New Mexico State University as executive vice president and then as president. I have continuously been impressed by the remarkable achievements of our faculty, staff and students on our main campus and at our four branch community colleges. A university president accomplishes nothing by himself or herself. Good things happen because of the efforts of a lot of people, and I am proud of the good things we have accomplished as a team while I have been here. Our instructional and student programs are the envy of every other university in the state, our research and creative activities have brought us national and international recognition, and the quality of our service activities is appreciated throughout New Mexico by the citizens we serve. And NMSU has been recognized nationally for the quality of its undergraduate programs at affordable prices. We tend to think of the big accomplishments, but it strikes me that it's the little things, the day-to-day efforts on the part of everybody associated with the university, that really make a difference. I have watched our students excel, many of them first-generation college students; I have shared the happiness of graduates at 27 Commencements; and in award presentations over the years, I have been privileged to hear about outstanding accomplishments of our faculty, staff and alumni. These experiences have helped me to appreciate the contributions so many have made to NMSU and the citizens we serve. This is an exciting time for NMSU, as we look toward the arrival of our new president, Dr. Jay Gogue, and his wife Susie. Dr. Gogue's achievements, his extensive administrative experience in land-grant universities, and his exceptional leadership ability and personal qualities all testify to the wisdom of the Board of Regents in selecting him to be the 20th president of NMSU.
Emphasizing academics in athletics Normally I use this newsletter to share highlights of individual accomplishments at NMSU, but I would like to take a somewhat broader view this time and touch on some of things we have achieved together during my term as president. In athletics, for instance, we have emphasized student-athletes excelling in the classroom as well as in their sports, and completing their degrees. The academic performance of NMSU's intercollegiate athletes last fall was the best in the university's modern history, and I am proud of their achievements. These young athletes enrich the university experience for everyone at NMSU. When they leave, we want them to take with them an education that will help them live fuller, more productive lives after their playing days are over. Growing support from the private sector Financial support from private sources -- including individual alumni and friends, corporations and foundations -- has increased, and this is essential for the continued development of exceptional programs at NMSU. The Cornerstone capital campaign has been completed, providing an extra measure of support for students and faculty and allowing us to begin renovating the historic YMCA Building on campus to serve as a home for our Honors Program. The New Library has been renamed the Zuhl Library in recognition of Herbert and Joan Zuhl, donors of the largest gift in the university's history. And we are laying the groundwork for the university's first major capital campaign. Improvements in campus facilities The physical campus has changed dramatically in recent years. An impressive new agriculture building will be ready for the fall semester, and so will the newly renovated Garcia Residence Hall and expanded Student Health Center. We have made improvements to the Pan American Center and additions to the Dona Ana Branch Community College and other branch campuses. A statewide bond issue to be on the ballot this fall includes $5 million for a new Health and Social Services Building. Expanding opportunities for minority students Within the past year, NMSU was ranked as one of the nation's Top 25 Colleges and Universities for Hispanics by Hispanic Magazine and as one of the 10 best universities for Hispanics by Super Onda, a national magazine for young adults. The university regularly ranks among the Hispanic Outlook Top 100, published by Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education. These recognitions reflect more than NMSU's location in a state with a large Hispanic population. They reflect a long tradition of outreach and mentorship programs, and the efforts of talented faculty and staff who are dedicated to serving the state's diverse population. Just one example: NMSU has a 25-year track record of bringing minority students into the biomedical sciences through mentorship programs funded by the National Institutes of Health. Recently the university received notice of its largest NIH grants ever -- expected to total about $13 million over four years -- to support faculty research and to involve minority students in research.
NMSU: A special place True to its land-grant roots, NMSU's mission has been, is, and will continue to be to serve all of New Mexico's citizens through programs of excellence in teaching, research and public service. It has been an immense privilege for me to serve as president of this exceptional institution, and to serve with so many truly exceptional people. Warmest best wishes for the future!
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