Other NM universities announcements

New Mexico State University invites all Aggies and community members to come together to celebrate Black history and culture as part of upcoming Juneteenth festivities. 

Juneteenth, a federal holiday observed June 19, commemorates the emancipation of enslaved people in the United States. This year, NMSU's Office of Land-Grant Excellence, Access and Partnership, Black Programs, and Fraternity and Sorority Life will host several events to commemorate the holiday on the Las Cruces campus.

"At Black Programs, we believe events like Juneteenth and Black Business Month are more than celebrations – they are opportunities to learn, connect and grow together," said Cecil Rose, director of Black Programs. "Through conversations, shared experiences and community engagement, we help create spaces where the NMSU community can better understand history, support one another and learn from different perspectives."

New Mexico State University 2000 graduate Nancy Stephens, state director for Imagination Library of New Mexico and executive director of Dolly Parton's Imagination Library – Grant County, has always believed books are powerful connectors, offering comfort, consistency and possibility. That belief was reinforced when she heard about a preschooler whose home life suddenly changed. In the midst of the transition, the child's biggest worry was simple: Would she still receive her Dolly books?

Founded in Tennessee in 1995 by country music legend Dolly Parton, the international nonprofit Dolly Parton's Imagination Library gifts free, high-quality books to children from birth to age 5, regardless of family income. 

In 2010, Loren and Barbara Nelson, now directors emeriti, started the first Imagination Library affiliate in New Mexico in Grant County, initially providing books to eight children in Bayard. Three years later, they were delivering books to 80% of children in the county younger than 5. 

A new game, "Portal to Possibilities: Biotech Edition," from the New Mexico State University Cooperative Extension Service and University of Connecticut Extension, offers young players an opportunity to explore science careers. 

The media production team from NMSU's Innovative Media Research and Extension and Learning Games Lab in the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences and its UConn partners developed a game that allows players to step through a magical career portal into the many worlds of biotechnology. 

From research labs to environmental fieldwork, classrooms to regulatory agencies, players perform authentic tasks that highlight what professionals in each role really do. "Portal of Possibilities" offers a glimpse into 10 biotech careers and gives players a chance to see themselves in a science field.

NMSU Global Campus is proud to announce a strategic partnership with Central New Mexico Society for Human Resource Management to expand access to professional development, workforce education and leadership training for human resource professionals, employers, working professionals and students across New Mexico and beyond.

As part of the partnership, Central New Mexico SHRM will leverage NMSU Global Campus' innovative microlearning platform to deliver virtual events and educational programming, making professional development more accessible, flexible and impactful for learners at every stage of their careers. The collaboration reflects a shared commitment to workforce readiness, talent development and lifelong learning.

New Mexico State University's Robert M. Torres is serving as president of the Association for Career and Technical Education, one of the nation's leading organizations dedicated to advancing career and technical education. 

As part of his role, Torres, associate dean and director of academic programs in NMSU's College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences, leads national conversations on workforce preparation, student success and the future of career-focused education. 

"Workforce development is fundamental to the economic vitality and competitiveness of our nation," Torres said. "Career and technical education serves as a critical bridge between education and employment, equipping learners with the technical expertise, leadership abilities and adaptability needed to thrive in a rapidly changing workforce." 

WHAT: The New Mexico State University Art Museum (UAM) is hosting an opening reception for two new exhibitions that will be on display over the summer: "Homage to Then/Small Worlds" by Louis Ocepek and "Mapping Spaces: Selections from the Lannan Art Collection at NMSU." The public is invited to the free opening reception for both exhibitions on June 11.

WHO: "Homage to Then/Small Worlds" by Louis Ocepek is a two-part exhibition of digital prints, paintings and gravure prints, which are made by engraving a design onto a metal cylinder, submerging it in ink and rolling it across the final canvas to transfer the design. Ocepek is a local artist who works in a variety of media. His paintings, prints and hybrid works are part of the public art collections of Oregon, Washington, New Mexico and Texas. He is also a former art department head and professor emeritus at NMSU.

New Mexico State University Global Campus has partnered with the National Alliance to End Homelessness to offer a suite of online courses designed to strengthen the skills and leadership capacity of professionals working to prevent and end homelessness.

Through the partnership, learners will have access to evidence-based, practitioner-informed coursework developed by the Alliance, a national leader in homelessness policy, systems and practice. The courses are designed for professionals across the homeless response system, including frontline staff, service providers, program managers and system leaders.

New Mexico State University is conducting a final evaluation of the newly reconstructed Alumni Pond to ensure the pond operates as intended before reopening to the campus community and public.

The project team, design engineers and NMSU personnel have been closely monitoring water levels and assessing the pond's performance at its optimal operating level, including its ability to support fully submerged aquatic vegetation and long-term sustainability goals.

According to Jose Loera, executive director of Project Development and Engineering, recent observations led the university and its partners to conduct an additional review before moving forward with reopening plans.