| Western New Mexico University | |
|---|---|
| Motto | A University Worth Discovering |
| Established | 1893 |
| Type | Public |
| President | Dr. Joseph Shepard |
| Students | Approx 3,200 |
| Location | Silver City, New Mexico, USA |
| Colors | Royal Purple and Vegas Gold |
| Nickname | Mustangs |
| Website | www.wnmu.edu |
Western New Mexico University, a public university located in Silver City, New Mexico, has served the people of the state of New Mexico and its surrounding areas as a comprehensive, regional, rural, public coeducational university since 1893 and caters to a student body diverse in age, culture, language and ethnic background.
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Founded in the Territory of New Mexico on February 11, 1893 as the New Mexico Normal School, the school began to offer classes on September 3, 1894 in a rented Presbyterian church. On June 2, 1893, the nascent board of regents accepted 20 acres (81,000 m2) of Town of Silver City land situated on a hillside overlooking the town donated by Regent, and Mayor Town of Silver City, Colonel John W. Fleming. In November 1896, the school's first permanent building, Old Main, was dedicated and within twenty years enrollment had reached nearly 500 students.
WNMU offers more than 70 areas of study. Ten master degrees, 41 baccalauereate degrees, and 18 associate degrees and certificate programs are available. Fields of study include accounting, criminal justice, education, nursing, occupational therapy, and zoology.
In fall of 2009, enrollment was 3,269. The student to faculty ratio is 13:1.
In addition to its Silver City location, WNMU's Gallup Graduate Studies Center serves the diverse needs of northwestern New Mexico and northeastern Arizona. Located in Gallup, NM, the center offers Master of Arts programs in Counseling and Educational Leadership, as well as Master of Arts in Teaching programs in Elementary, Secondary and Special Education. Courses leading to teaching endorsements in Bilingual Education and TESOL, as well as New Mexico Alternative Teaching Licensure in Elementary, Secondary and Special education are also available. - Gallup Graduate Studies Center
Well known for its School of Education, other areas of interest include Criminal Justice, Occupational Therapy, Business Management, Nursing, and Social Work. WNMU has the only Bachelor of Chicano/Chicana Hemispheric Studies degree in New Mexico.
WNMU also supports learning centers in Deming, Truth or Consequences, and Lordsburg, New Mexico.
More than one hundred courses are offered online. Two bachelor degrees, in Criminal Justice and Occupational Therapy, and a Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies degree, can be obtained exclusively through online classes. A newly designed E-Commerce Degree is available.
The University has received numerous awards for excellence. In 2003 WNMU was the first 4-year university in the state to be recognized by Quality New Mexico with its highest honor, the Zia Award. The Best Practice Award was received by WNMU's School of Education in 2005. In 2006 the Silver City Chamber of Commerce awarded WNMU its Large Business of the Year Award. Two years later, WNMU received the 2008 Pinon Recognition, and the 2008 Companero Award. In 2009, the Department of Institutional Advancement received the Pinon Recognition from Quality New Mexico.
Western New Mexico University is fully accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.
Athletics teams are nicknamed the Mustangs and compete in several sports such as college football, volleyball, tennis, softball, basketball, cross country, and golf. After several years as an NCAA Division II Independent, the Mustangs returned to the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference in the fall of 2006.
The WNMU Ladies Golf Team led the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) in the 2007-2008 season. Senior Tina Bickford was named RMAC Player of the Year and the team finished the year as the regular season and tournament champions.
In the 2009-10 season and 2010-11 season, the Men's Tennis Team became the RMAC Champions after defeating every RMAC opponent in its conference.
The WNMU Mustang website is http://www.wnmumustangs.com
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