Returning Peace Corp Volunteer Educational Program Master of Public Health in Community Health Education, Department of Health Science
(Cameroon: 2002-2004)
The Department of Health Science's Master of Public Health (MPH) in Community Health Education is a member of the national Returning Peace Corp Volunteer Educational Program. For additional or more specific information, regarding the NMSU Fellows Program or to request a NMSU Fellowship application, email Sue Forster-Cox (Colombia, 1977-79), NMSU Fellows Coordinator, or call (575) 646-2183..
Benefits
Selected Fellows will receive consideration for an assistantship in the Department of Health Science, dependent upon their admission status and particular qualifications. This assistantship qualifies the Fellow for in-state tuition.
Description
The Department of Health Science includes several community-based service organizations including the Border Epidemiology and Environmental Health Center, the Border Health Education Training Center, and the Southern Area Health Education Center. New Mexico State University is a Land and Space grant university that has been designated by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching as a Doctoral/Research-Extensive university. The university is designated as a Hispanic Serving Institution by the Hispanic Association for Colleges and Universities. It has more than 15,000 students on its main campus in Las Cruces, New Mexico situated in the beautiful and historic Mesilla Valley with its Organ Mountains. It is just 43 miles north of El Paso, Texas, and Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico. The student population is culturally and ethnically diverse.
Requirements
Applicants must meet the admission requirements of New Mexico State University and the Department of Health Science.
Current and Previous RPCVs
The following RPCVs are either currently enrolled, or have completed the MPH program at New Mexico State University.
PICTURE |
NAME |
COUNTRY OF SERVICE |
DATES OF SERVICE |
PICTURE UNAVAILABLE |
Sasha King |
Paraquay |
2000-2002 |
 |
Rebecca Greco Kone |
Côte d'Ivoire |
2000-2002 |
 |
Heather Vezina |
Niger |
2001-2003 |
 |
Meghann Dallin |
Cameroon |
2002-2004 |
Peace Corps Fellows/USA at New Mexico State University
New Mexico State University is a comprehensive institution dedicated to teaching, research, and service at the undergraduate and graduate level. It is the only land-grant university that is also classified as Hispanic-serving by the federal government and ranked by the Carnegie Foundation in the top research category, Research-Extensive. With extension and research sites in every county, New Mexico State University is developing distance-education capabilities to extend its reach to all the citizens of the state.
The College of Health and Social Services is currently the only college that houses the Peace Corps Fellows Program. Fellows can seek a Master’s degree in the following three areas: Nursing, Social Work, or Public Health. Additional information about these departments is available.
Cost of Education
The Business and Finance Office provides the most current and comprehensive information about the cost of tuition and fees.
Funding Opportunities
Departments will typically offer first year students graduate assistantships as part of the recruitment process. For continuing graduate students, graduate assistantships are offered based on the needs of the program, availability of funds, and the skills of the students.
Returned Peace Corps Volunteers (RPCVs), who wish to be considered for the Fellows Program, will receive consideration for an assistantship in the academic department which they are interested in seeking a Master’s degree. Consideration depends upon their admission status, particular qualifications, available departmental funding, and internal review of the NMSU Fellows Application Form. If the RPCV receives an assistantship, then he/she is considered to be a Fellow and qualifies for in-state tuition.
Health Insurance
As of Fall 2005, health insurance is offered to all graduate assistants including teaching assistants, research assistants, and graduate assistants who are employed by Student Services and other support units on campus. The university will cover 70 percent of the cost of the health insurance plan while graduate assistants will cover the remaining 30 percent through payroll deductions. In addition, graduate assistants can receive health insurance for their spouses as well as their children; the graduate assistant is responsible for this additional cost. In order to do so, they must enroll in a separate plan with Student Resources. Full-time graduate students (who are not graduate assistants) can also receive health insurance; however, they will be responsible for the full cost of the health insurance plan. For more information on the health care insurance plan, please visit www.studentresources.com.
Housing
Fellows have the choice of living on or off-campus. Living on campus—in the residence halls, student apartments, or student family housing—is a convenient option for many students. On-campus housing is ultra-close to classes and all utilities are included in one payment. Charges are assessed on a semester basis and are charged directly onto a student's account. Students can also choose to have a meal plan. The following sites can provide more information about on-campus housing:
The following are the typical rental rates for apartments/houses off-campus, based on average Fall 2005 rates:
- $325.00 and up (One bedroom apartment or house)
- $400.00 and up(Two bedroom apartment or house)
- $550.00 and up(Three bedroom apartment or house)
Most apartments and houses are unfurnished and require that you pay utilities such as electric and gas. An extensive listing of area apartments is available.
Living in Las Cruces
New Mexico State University is located in the southern New Mexico city of Las Cruces, which has a population of about 75,000 people. Las Cruces is a desert town, close to the TX/NM border and the US-Mexico border. It is famous for red and green chilies, hot Mexican food, and its old western traditions. The weather is warm and sunny all year round. The region features desert mesas, the farmlands of the Rio Grande Valley, and the Organ Mountains , an extension of the Rocky Mountain chain. There are many attractions in and around Las Cruces ; however, one would need a car for visiting most of these attractions. If one chooses to live on campus, or near by, it is possible to exist using a bike as one’s primary transportation.
Despite being the southern portion of the state, Las Cruces is a central quadrant for several other cities. The following are the cities in close proximity to Las Cruces as well as their distances:
- Albuquerque, NM--- 192 miles
- Ruidoso, NM---100 miles
- Alamogordo, NM---180 miles
- Cloudcroft, NM---80 miles
- El Paso, TX---38 miles
- Tucson, AZ---242 miles
- Phoenix, AZ---319 miles
- Ciudad Juarez, Mexico--- 45 miles
Additional Information on Las Cruces
The following links may provide useful resources for the city of Las Cruces :
Airlines
El Paso International Airport is the closest airport and the one people use when flying into and out of the area. It is about a 1 hour drive from the Las Cruces area to the airport.
Transportation
Utilities
- El Paso Electric Company (electricity)
- City of Las Cruces (water, sewage, and gas)
- Comcast Cable Communications, Inc. (cable)
- Qwest Communications (voice & DSL)
News Media Resources
- Las Cruces Sun-News
- The Bulletin
- Business Directory (restaurants, stores, movie theaters, etc)
Again, for additional or more specific information, regarding the NMSU Fellows Program or to request a NMSU Fellowship application, email Sue Forster-Cox (Colombia, 1977-79), NMSU Fellows Coordinator, or call (575) 646-2183.
Department of Health Science
New Mexico State University
Room 102, Health & Social Services Building
1335 International Mall
P.O. Box 30001, MSC 3HLS
Las Cruces, NM 88003
Telephone 575-646-4300
Fax 575-646-4343
This webpage was updated on July 2, 2007.