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118-492: Initially established as Las Cruces College, NMSU was designated a land-grant college in 1889 and renamed New Mexico College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts ; it received its present name in 1960. NMSU offers over 180 degree programs, including 28 doctoral, 58 master's, and 96 baccalaureate programs. It had approximately 21,700 enrolled in Fall 2021, with a faculty-to-student ratio of roughly 1 to 16. New Mexico State's athletic teams,

236-560: A "Romantic" interpretation of the origins as a product of a working class democratic demand for access to higher education. Recent scholarship has abandoned this approach, showing there was little such demand. Instead middle class reformers were responsible because they thought that modern capitalism needed a better educated working class. Prior to the enactment of the Morrill Act in 1862, individual states established institutions of higher education with grants of land. The first state to do so

354-530: A 50% reduction in property taxes from Otero County, and $ 940,000 in plant training funds from the State of New Mexico. A Sunbaked Biscuits cookie factory opened in 2006 and received $ 800,000 in job-training incentives from the state. When the company went out of business in 2007, Marietta Baking took over the cookie factory and received interest-free loans, job-training incentives, and partial forgiveness of indebtedness for job creation. A branch office of PreCheck Inc.,

472-578: A Spanish language broadcast that airs Tuesdays and Wednesdays in Las Cruces, Silver City and El Paso, Texas. Kokopelli is an online news publication produced by New Mexico State University journalism students. It provides breaking news, features and weekly sports coverage during the nine-month academic year. Kokopelli is a member of the Associated Collegiate Press . NMSU owns and operates two radio stations: KRUX (91.5 FM) and KRWG-FM . KRUX

590-617: A company performing background checks of health-care workers, opened in 2006. PreCheck received $ 2.4 million in high-wage job creation tax credits, $ 1.5 million in job-training subsidies, $ 1.5 million in capital outlay money for roads and infrastructure, a $ 625,000 allocation from City of Alamogordo for upgrading sewer lines in the area, and 20.8 acres of land from Heritage Group, a developer. The Otero County Film Office, an office of Otero County Economic Development Council, promotes film-making in Otero County by publicizing potential locations in

708-528: A core of 900 acres (360 ha) in the city of Las Cruces, New Mexico . It is located adjacent to Interstate 25 , surrounded by desert landscape and greenhouses. The main campus is also bordered by Interstate 10 , which is the main east–west interstate highway across the southern part of the United States. To the east of Interstate 25, the campus facilities consist of the President's residence, NMSU Golf Course,

826-687: A few of the more than 70 institutions that developed from the Morrill Acts retain "College" in their official names; most are universities. The University of the District of Columbia received land-grant status in 1967 and a $ 7.24 million endowment ( USD ) in lieu of a land grant. In a 1972 Special Education Amendment, American Samoa , Guam , Micronesia , Northern Marianas , and the Virgin Islands each received $ 3 million. In 1994, 29 tribal colleges and universities became land-grant institutions under

944-503: A full-sized back-lit photographic transparency of the Shroud of Turin , a religious relic believed by some to be the burial cloth of Jesus Christ . They also feature a working VP8 Image Analyzer , the only one in the world where one can walk in and interact with this old analog computer. This town was founded the same year (1898) that Secundo Pia took the first photograph of the Shroud which started

1062-559: A gross payroll of $ 266 million. It indirectly creates another 2,047 jobs with a payroll of $ 77 million. The estimated amount spent in the community, including payroll, construction projects, supplies, services, health care, and education, is $ 482 million. An estimated 6,700 military retirees live in the area. Counting both USAF and German Air Force personnel there are 1,383 active military and 1,641 military dependents living on base and 2,765 active military and 2,942 military dependents living off base. After 27 years of training at Holloman,

1180-496: A historically black university, is the only current land-grant university to have lost land-grant status (when desegregation cost it its state funding in 1957) and subsequently regain it, which happened in 2001. The land-grant college system has been seen as a major contributor in the faster growth rate of the U.S. economy that led to its overtaking the United Kingdom as economic superpower , according to research by faculty from

1298-590: A median very close to zero. The most snowfall in one month was 10.0 in (0.25 m) in December 1960. As of the census of 2020, there were 31,384 people. During the 2000 census, there were 13,704 households, and 9,728 families residing in the city. There were 15,920 housing units. The racial makeup of the city was 70.4% White ; 5.6% African American , 1.1% Native American , 1.5% Asian , 0.2% Pacific Islander , 12.1% from some other race , and 4.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 32.0% of

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1416-430: A natural spot. Brave males gathered enough stones to form a big "A" easily visible from campus and the surrounding area. On the following day, April 1, students trudged up the mountain side with their five-gallon cans of whitewash and splashed it on the stones, turning them into a gleaming white "A". For many years, giving the "A" its annual fresh coat of whitewash was an all-school effort. The seniors mixed lime and water at

1534-715: A night of entertainment and festivities. It is considered one of the largest luminaria displays in the state of New Mexico. Each candle set is lit inside a paper bag. With more than 6,000 luminarias, it begins at the Educational Services Building, extends towards the International Mall and then encircles the Corbett Center Student Union. The display is set up by the Las Cruces High School band and accompanies visitors as they walk through

1652-633: A number of annual sports events. The Tommy Padilla Memorial Basketball Tournament is an annual event held in March. It is an adult tournament that raises money for scholarships for Alamogordo High School students. The Gus Macker 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament is a national program that holds a tournament in Alamogordo each year in May. Prior to 2008 it was hosted by the Alamogordo Chamber of Commerce, and since then by

1770-511: A primarily service and retail economy, driven by tourism, a large nearby military installation and a concentration of military retirees. In 2006 the per capita income in Otero County was $ 22,377 versus per capita income in New Mexico of $ 29,346. Alamogordo was founded as a company town to support the building of the El Paso and Northeastern Railroad , a portion of the transcontinental railway that

1888-456: A private medical school, is located on NMSU's main campus. Medical students can utilize the facilities and amenities of NMSU's campus, including on-campus student housing. BCOM began instruction in August 2016 and graduated its first class in May 2020. BCOM and NMSU created a pipeline program whereby qualified NMSU students are guaranteed a seat at the medical school following graduating from NMSU. BCOM

2006-716: A public book burning of books in the Harry Potter series, and several other series, on December 30. As of 2010, Alamogordo had a total area of 19.3 square miles (50.0 km ), all land. The city is located on the western flank of the Sacramento Mountains and on the eastern edge of the Tularosa Basin . It lies within the Rio Grande rift and in the northernmost part of the Chihuahuan Desert . Tectonic activity

2124-424: A result of the investigation, the head coach Greg Heiar was fired and students were found guilty of a Title VI violation by the university and were removed. A criminal case against those students who were on the 2022-23 basketball team, is still ongoing. A second lawsuit was filed against the university, the athletic director and several coaches and students, alleging the presence of guns on campus and hazing, and that

2242-519: A town dog. Smoki "The Wonder Dog" died at the age of 15 in 2005. Since then, the tradition ended until 2012, when a tryout for the next "Wonder Dog" took place. A panel of celebrity judges chose a four-year old border collie , Striking as the next "Wonder Dog". Striking first appeared on August 30, 2012, at the NMSU-Sacramento State home game. Every Friday, some students, faculties, staff, and alumni of NMSU wear crimson colors to show support for

2360-623: A tract of land of not less than one hundred (100) acres." Designated as the land-grant college for New Mexico under the Morrill Act , it was named the New Mexico College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts. Las Cruces College merged with the New Mexico College of Agriculture and Mechanical Arts and opened on January 21, 1890. It began with 35 students and six faculty members. The college was supposed to graduate its first student in 1893, but

2478-574: A university preparatory school, and a business school; it "was not a college in the contemporary meaning of the word." A year later, the Territorial Assembly of New Mexico provided for the establishment of an agricultural college and agricultural experiment station with the Rodey Act of 1889. It stated: "Said institution is hereby located at or near the town of Las Cruces in the County of Doña Ana, upon

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2596-577: A variety of information, videos available for viewing and an exhibit of electronic image analysis of the shroud, among other interesting artifacts. The Alameda Park Zoo, the oldest zoo in the southwestern U.S., is located in the city. Several Union-Apache battles were fought near Oliver Lee Memorial State Park . The Toy Train Depot , New Mexico's first railroad museum and home of America's Park Ride Train Museum. A sculpture called "The World's Largest Pistachio"

2714-580: Is hard : it has very high total dissolved solids concentrations, in excess of 3,000 mg/L. The Brackish Groundwater National Desalination Research Facility, a Bureau of Reclamation laboratory doing research and development on desalination of brackish water , is located in Alamogordo. The gypsum crystals of White Sands National Park are formed in Lake Lucero . Water drains from the mountains carrying dissolved gypsum and collects in Lake Lucero. After

2832-488: Is Walk Out West, a 1.5-mile (2.4 km) walk held each October in Alameda Park Zoo . It incorporates a health fair , live music, and events for children. An offshoot of this is Dance Otero, an informal approach to ballroom dancing as a form of physical exercise that meets throughout the year. Both programs are run through Otero PATH, a local nonprofit that encourages preventive measures for good health. There are

2950-533: Is a literary magazine run by graduate students in the English Department. It has been in print for over fifty years and currently publishes biannually. The magazine also curates a Black Voices series on its website. News22 is a student-run television newscast that airs live on KRWG-TV three days per week during the nine-month academic year. The broadcast is produced by New Mexico State University journalism students. In 2011, News22 added Noticias22 en Español,

3068-466: Is a nonprofit organization founded in 1984. Its focus has generally been on job creation and recruiting and expanding businesses in Otero County , including helping them satisfy business regulations in New Mexico and lining up funding. Its role expanded in 2000, when Alamogordo passed an Economic Development Gross Receipts Tax . OCEDC continues to work to attract businesses, but now it also helps develop

3186-466: Is about 10 miles south on U.S. Route 54 , offers camping, hiking, and picnicking. White Sands National Park is located about 15 miles (24 km) southwest of Alamogordo along U.S. Route 70 . The area is in the mountain-ringed Tularosa Basin valley area and comprises the southern part of a 275-square-mile (710 km ) field of white sand dunes composed of gypsum crystals. The Lincoln National Forest , whose headquarters are in Alamogordo,

3304-607: Is at McGinn's PistachioLand along U.S. 54 . The Lady of the Mountain Run is held in December at the Griggs Sportsplex. The race consists of a half marathon, 10K, 5K, or corporate cup relay, and raises money for the needs-based Lady of the Mountain Scholarship Fund at NMSU-Alamogordo. Fun run/walks are popular in Alamogordo, although most are one-shot affairs put on as part of some larger event. One recurring event

3422-426: Is entirely student–run and non-commercial; it was founded in 1989. KRUX is financed through student fees. KRWG-FM (90.7 FM) is a public, non-commercial, full-service FM radio station. It serves the area within southwestern New Mexico and Far West Texas. It is an affiliated station of National Public Radio and features NPR programming. The nickname was derived from its roots and beginnings as an agricultural school and

3540-596: Is held annually at the County Fairgrounds. It features a rodeo, animal judging, food and game booths, and carnival rides. Nonprofit and government agencies set up information booths in the exhibit hall. The Cottonwood Arts and Crafts Festival is put on each Labor Day Weekend in Alameda Park by the Alamogordo Chamber of Commerce. It is primarily a showplace for vendors of handmade items, and also features music, entertainment, and food. White Sands Balloon Invitational

3658-580: Is held annually. Hot air balloons launch from the Riner-Steinhoff Soccerplex and from White Sands National Park and float over the Tularosa Basin . New Mexico Museum of Space History is a state museum with the International Space Hall of Fame. Flickinger Center for Performing Arts is a 590-seat theater created in 1988 from a re-purposed movie theater. It hosts concerts and live theatrical performances by touring groups, and

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3776-642: Is home to New Mexico's NASA Space Grant Program . In 2010, the NMSU Physical Sciences Laboratory secured a study contract with Reaction Engines Limited , a British aerospace company that is developing technology for an airbreathing single stage to orbit, precooled air turboramjet based spaceplane . The NMSU Department of Astronomy operates the Sunspot Solar Observatory and Apache Point Observatory , in Sunspot, New Mexico, including

3894-463: Is low in the Tularosa Basin. Plants native to the area are typical of the southern New Mexico foothills and include creosote bush , mesquite , saltbush , cottonwood , desert willow , and many species of cactus and yucca . The Tularosa Basin is an endorheic , or closed, basin; that is, no water flows out of it. Because of this and because of the geology of the region, water in the basin

4012-471: Is manufactured by Balfour , which comes with white gold and yellow gold, with an optional stone; diamond or cubic zirconia at the centerpiece of the ring; and is presented with Hatch Chile Ristra . The top of the ring highlights the NMSU three triangles school seal, encircled with the school name. The three triangles represent NMSU's role as a land-grant university – teaching, research, and service. It also represents

4130-484: Is the County seat of Otero County , New Mexico , United States. A city in the Tularosa Basin of the Chihuahuan Desert , it is bordered on the east by the Sacramento Mountains and to the west by Holloman Air Force Base . The population was 31,384 as of the 2020 census . Alamogordo is widely known for its connection with the 1945 Trinity test, which was the first ever explosion of an atomic bomb . Humans have lived in

4248-559: Is the White Sands Pupfish , a baseball team that played at Jim Griggs Field from 2011 to 2019, in the independent Pecos League , but did not play in a 4 team, abridged 2020 season hosted in Houston due to pandemic concerns. Alamogordo has numerous small parks scattered through the city, and a few larger ones. Some notable parks include: Not inside the city but nearby are several national and state parks. Oliver Lee Memorial State Park

4366-504: Is the Leyendecker Plant Science Research Center. The Las Cruces campus is home to a nesting population of Swainson's hawks , a raptor species currently protected by federal law. Pedestrians are advised to be careful when walking on Stewart Street, as the birds can be aggressive during nesting season. The first master plan of the university was to create a "horseshoe", a U-shaped drive, in an open large lawn. At

4484-680: Is the first osteopathic medical school in New Mexico and just one of two medical schools in the state, the other being in Albuquerque at the University of New Mexico. NMSU has two major libraries on the main campus, Branson Hall Library and Zuhl Library. Both libraries have a total collection of more than 1 million volumes. Branson Hall Library was built in 1951 and houses texts and resources related to engineering, business, agriculture, science, special collections, maps, government publications, and archives. The New Mexico State University Library, part of

4602-419: Is the oldest student-run news publication at New Mexico State University. In fall 2017, it reduced its printing frequency and now provides current online news coverage as well as special print editions. KRWG-TV is a full-service television station in Las Cruces, New Mexico, and is operated and owned by New Mexico State University. It is a member station of PBS (Public Broadcasting Service). Puerto del Sol

4720-575: Is the venue for the local amateur group Alamogordo Music Theater. Alamogordo Museum of History collects artifacts related to the history of Alamogordo and the Tularosa Basin. It is a private museum, operated by the Tularosa Basin Historical Society . Among notable items in the collection is a 47-star US Flag ; New Mexico was the 47th state admitted to the Union, and US flags were made with 47 stars only for one month, until Arizona

4838-498: The Agricultural College of the State of Michigan , receiving an appropriation of 14,000 acres (57 km ) of state-owned land. The Farmers' High School of Pennsylvania (later to become The Pennsylvania State University ) followed as a state agricultural land-grant school on February 22 of that year. Michigan State and Penn State were subsequently designated as the federal land-grant colleges for their states in 1863. In 1955,

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4956-704: The Alamogordo Bombing and Gunnery Range was established. The Post Office moved out in 1961, and the building was used by a succession of Federal agencies and was known as the Federal Building. The last Federal agency to occupy it was the United States Forest Service who used it as the headquarters of the Lincoln National Forest until October 2008, when that agency moved to a newly constructed building. In February 2009, ownership of

5074-705: The Clovis culture , the Folsom culture , the peoples of the Archaic period , and the Formative stage . The Mescalero Apache were already living in the Tularosa Basin when the Spanish came in 1534, and Mescalero oral history says they have always lived there. In 1719, the Spanish built a chapel at La Luz (about 5 miles (8.0 km) from the future site of Alamogordo), although La Luz was not settled until about 1860. The city of Alamogordo

5192-748: The Flickinger Center for Performing Arts . The NMSU-A Theatre on the Hill produces an annual spring performance for young audiences at the Rohovec Fine Arts Center on the New Mexico State University at Alamogordo campus, and an annual Fall performance for general audiences. The Earth Day Fair is held annually at Alameda Park Zoo . It features a butterfly release, a science fair, activities for children, and information booths from local health agencies and nonprofits. Otero County Fair

5310-582: The Improving America's Schools Act of 1994 . As of 2008, 32 tribal colleges and universities have land-grant status in the U.S. Most of these colleges grant two-year degrees. Six are four-year institutions, and two offer a master's degree. In the early 21st century, a growing number of land-grant universities have placed land acknowledgment statements on their websites in recognition of the fact that their institutions occupy lands that were once traditional territories of Native American peoples. For example,

5428-669: The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and Tuskegee University . The concept of federal support for agricultural and technical educational institutions in every state first rose to national attention through the efforts of Jonathan Baldwin Turner of Illinois in the late 1840s. However the first land-grant bill was introduced in Congress by Representative Justin Smith Morrill of Vermont in 1857. The bill passed in 1859, but

5546-473: The Pecos River area. When Alamogordo was laid out in 1898, the east–west streets were given numerical designations, while north–south streets were named after states. The present-day White Sands Boulevard was then called Pennsylvania Avenue. With the creation of White Sands National Monument in 1934, tourism began. The Works Progress Administration , a government program created in 1935 in response to

5664-706: The State University of New York . The three-part mission of the land-grant university continues to evolve in the twenty-first century. What originally was described as "teaching, research, and service" was renamed "learning, discovery, and engagement" by the Kellogg Commission on the Future of State and Land-Grant Universities. It was later recast as "talent, innovation, and place" by the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU). Historians once presented

5782-503: The Texas A&;M University System , the land-grant missions for agricultural research and extension have been relegated to a statewide agency of the university system rather than the main campus. Its agricultural missions, including the agricultural college at the system's flagship campus , are now under the umbrella of Texas A&M AgriLife . Alamogordo, New Mexico Alamogordo ( / ˌ æ l ə m ə ˈ ɡ ɔːr d oʊ / )

5900-628: The United States Census Bureau 's Population Estimates Program. Previously Alamogordo had a German community due to the presence of the German Air Force at Holloman Air Force Base ; in 1992 that air force made Holloman its main pilot training center in the United States. Holloman was chosen due to its weather conditions. There was a subdivision called "Little Germany" with houses that had German-style electrical outlets. The Deutsche Schule Alamogordo educated German children, as did

6018-612: The Western Athletic Conference (WAC). Before that, NMSU was a member of the Big West Conference , Sun Belt Conference , Missouri Valley Conference and the Border Conference . In 2023, two basketball players complained of sexual assault during hazing rituals. Deuce Benjamin settled out of court for $ 4.125 million, Shak Odunewu settled out of court for $ 3.875 million, and the case was dropped with no verdict. As

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6136-642: The "A" Mountain west slope, and the New Mexico Farm and Ranch Heritage Museum. South of University Avenue are Pan American Plaza, 48 acres of horse farm, and the Fabian Garcia Science center, which houses the Chile Pepper Institute 's research, teaching and demonstration garden, algal biofuels research equipment, grape vineyards and gazebos, and fields and greenhouses for plant research projects. About six miles south of campus, on 203 acres of land,

6254-611: The "Wonder Dog" to retrieve the kicking tee from the football field. This tradition started in the mid-1990s. The first "Wonder Dog" was Smoki, a border collie-Australian shepherd mix born in Capitan, New Mexico , and trained by Joel Sims, an NMSU alumnus. Smoki "The Wonder Dog" entertained the Aggie crowd for six years and retired in 2002. She also debuted in a Hollywood film which co-starred Kevin Costner and Dennis Quaid , entitled "Wyatt Earp" , as

6372-420: The 1862 Act, 19 under the 1890 Act, and 35 under the 1994 Act. With Southerners absent during the Civil War, Republicans in Congress set up a funding system that would allow states to modernize their weak higher educational systems. The Morrill Act of 1862 provided federal land to states to establish colleges. Ownership went to the schools which, in turn, sold the land to businesses and farmers. The law specified

6490-580: The Aggies, compete at the NCAA Division I level in Conference USA . As of 2023, NMSU is classified as "R2: Doctoral Universities – High research activity". It is particularly noted for its graduate programs in astrophysics, astronomy, education, engineering, business, and nursing. NMSU is the NASA space grant college in New Mexico and leads a state-wide consortia dedicated to space research . Hiram Hadley, an Earlham College -educated teacher from Indiana , founded Las Cruces College. Upon its opening on September 17, 1888, it included an elementary school,

6608-410: The Agricultural Experiment Station conducts basic and applied research supporting agriculture, natural resources management, environmental quality, and improved quality of life. NMSU is divided into six colleges and a graduate school: According to the 2022 college rankings by U.S. News & World Report , NMSU is tied for 263 among National Universities and tied for 132 among public universities in

6726-408: The Alamogordo area for at least 11,000 years. The present settlement, established in 1898 to support the construction of the El Paso and Northeastern Railroad , is an early example of a planned community . The city was incorporated in 1912. Tourism became an important economic factor with the creation of White Sands National Monument in 1933, which is still one of the biggest attractions of

6844-440: The Branson Hall Library, is an official depository for documents produced by United States and State of New Mexico government agencies. The federal government established a system of depositories in 1813 in order to provide government information to the public free of charge. The New Mexico State University Library joined the depository program in 1907. Zuhl Library was built in 1992. The library houses texts and resources related to

6962-460: The City of Alamogordo. The city receives 72% of the entry fees and 5% of the gross proceeds taken in by vendors. The event is held annually at Washington Park in conjunction with Saturday in the Park and Armed Forces Day. In 2009 more than 233 teams participated in the tournament. Several golf tournaments are held each year at Desert Lakes Golf Course, including the Robert W. Hamilton Charity Golf Classic. Alamogordo's sole professional sports team

7080-400: The Federal government has been a strong presence in Alamogordo ever since. Education has also been an important part of the local economy. In addition to the local school system , Alamogordo is home to the New Mexico School for the Blind and Visually Impaired , founded in 1903, and a branch of New Mexico State University founded in 1958. The largest non-government employer in the city is

7198-473: The Gerald Champion Regional Medical Center with 650 employees in 2008. Holloman Air Force Base , located approximately 3 miles (4.8 km) west of the city limits, is the largest employer of Alamogordo residents, and has a major effect on the local economy. According to some estimates, Holloman accounts for half of the Alamogordo economy. According to the 49th Fighter Wing Public Affairs office, as of January 2008 Holloman directly employs 6,111 personnel with

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7316-461: The German Air Force left in 2019. They relocated their pilot training to Sheppard Air Force Base in Texas. Future Combat Systems is a wide-ranging modernization project of the US Army . Much of the work will be done at Fort Bliss , with some at White Sands Missile Range and some at Holloman Air Force Base . Alamogordo is expected to get some economic benefit due to its proximity to these three bases. Otero County Economic Development Council

7434-409: The German Air Force left, Oktoberfest was celebrated annually in late September, hosted by the German Air Force at Holloman Air Force Base . The public was invited, and shuttle buses ran between Alamogordo and the base. Alamogordo is the economic center of Otero County, with nearly half the Otero County population living within the city limits. Alamogordo today has very little manufacturing and has

7552-451: The Great Depression, was responsible for the construction of several government buildings in Alamogordo. These include the Otero County Administration Building at 1101 New York Avenue, a Pueblo style building originally constructed as the main U.S. Post Office in 1938. The building is listed in the National Register of Historic Places . The main entrance portico features frescoes by Peter Hurd , which were completed in 1942. In July 1941,

7670-454: The U.S. USN&WR ranked several programs among the top 200 in the nation, including the College of Engineering's graduate program at 149, the Nursing School for master's degrees (139; tied) and Doctoral degrees (109), and the College of Education's graduate program (125; tied). Forbes listed NMSU as one of "America's Top Colleges in 2021", based on indicators such as alumni salary, debt, return on investment, and graduation rate. In 2022, NMSU

7788-443: The U.S. Postal service issued a commemorative stamp to celebrate the two institutions as "first of the land-grant type institutions to be founded." The mission of the land-grant universities was expanded by the Hatch Act of 1887 , which provided federal funds to states to establish a series of agricultural experiment stations under the direction of each state's land-grant college, as well as pass along new information, especially in

7906-459: The University of Illinois System states, These lands were the traditional birthright of indigenous peoples who were forcibly removed and who have faced two centuries of struggle for survival and identity in the wake of dispossession. We hereby acknowledge the ground on which we stand so that all who come here know that we recognize our responsibilities to the peoples of that land and that we strive to address that history so that it guides our work in

8024-544: The areas of soil minerals and plant growth. The outreach mission was further expanded by the Smith–Lever Act of 1914 to include cooperative extension —the sending of agents into rural areas to help bring the results of agricultural research to the end users. Beyond the original land grants, each land-grant college receives annual federal appropriations for research and extension work on the condition that those funds are matched by state funds. While today's land-grant universities were initially known as land-grant colleges , only

8142-576: The arts, humanities, and sciences. NMSU is home to several museums, collections, and galleries. The NMSU Arthropod Museum, which houses more than 150,000 research and 5,000 teaching specimens, is housed in Skeen Hall. Specimens are used globally for taxonomic research and within the state for community outreach. The University Museum (established in 1959) serves the community as a repository and exhibitor of local and regional culture and history. The Klipsch Museum containts materials representing more than 80 years of audio engineering. The Zuhl Collection combines

8260-406: The average family size was 3.07. In the city the population was spread out, with 28.7% under the age of 18, 9.2% from 18 to 24, 29.7% from 25 to 44, 19.9% from 45 to 64, and 12.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.1 males. In 1999, the median income for a household in

8378-404: The building was transferred to Otero County government and many government offices were moved from the Courthouse to its new Administration Building . In 1983, Atari, Inc. buried more than 700,000 Atari 2600 video game cartridges, most notably E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial , in Alamogordo's landfill. Alamogordo briefly made international news in late 2001 when Christ Community Church held

8496-402: The center was Old Main, the original campus building, originally known as McFie Hall, which was destroyed by fire in 1910 (the remains are now a college landmark). The cornerstone and remains of Mcfie Hall stand near the flagpole in the middle of the horseshoe. Today, the horseshoe is the center of campus and is the location of the main administration building, Hadley Hall, which sits at the top of

8614-413: The city today. During the 1950s–60s, Alamogordo was an unofficial center for research on pilot safety and the developing United States' space program. Alamogordo is a charter city with a council-manager form of government. City government provides a large number of recreational and leisure facilities for its citizens, including a large park in the center of the city, many smaller parks scattered through

8732-448: The city was $ 30,928, and the median income for a family was $ 35,673. Males had a median income of $ 28,163 versus $ 18,860 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 14,662. About 13.2% of families and 16.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.9% of those under age 18 and 11.8% of those age 65 or over. Alamogordo's and Otero County's July 1, 2008, population were estimated at 35,757 and 62,776 respectively by

8850-403: The city, a golf course, Alameda Park Zoo , a network of walking paths, Alamogordo Public Library , and a senior citizens' center. Gerald Champion Regional Medical Center is a nonprofit shared military/civilian facility that is also the hospital for Holloman Air Force Base. Tularosa Basin has been inhabited for at least 11,000 years. There are signs of previous inhabitants in the area such as

8968-667: The coach was aware but failed to act, all in violation of university policy. Land-grant university A land-grant university (also called land-grant college or land-grant institution ) is an institution of higher education in the United States designated by a state to receive the benefits of the Morrill Acts of 1862 and 1890 , or a beneficiary under the Equity in Educational Land-Grant Status Act of 1994. There are 106 institutions in all : 57 which fall under

9086-609: The connection of Spanish, American Indian, and Anglo cultures in New Mexico, and the triangulation of NMSU campus with Interstate 10 linking Interstate 25 in the first principal interchange of the Pan American Highway in North America. The one side of the ring shows the Aggie Memorial Tower, in honor of Aggies who died for the country, and the other side of the ring displays the majestic Organ Mountains. Students wear

9204-543: The county and New Mexico 's film financial incentive programs and by recruiting extras for film productions. It sponsors the Desert Light Film Competition for middle and high school students to encourage learning about the film industry. The 2007 film Transformers spent $ 5.5 million in New Mexico and $ 1 million in Alamogordo. There are two amateur theatrical groups in Alamogordo. Alamogordo Music Theatre produces two musical productions annually at

9322-439: The creation of new state colleges and the expansion of existing institutions to include these new mandates. In every state by 1914, the land-grant colleges gained political support and expanded the definition and scope of university curricula to include advanced research and outreach across the state. The federal Hatch Act of 1887 established an agricultural experiment station at each school to conduct original research related to

9440-506: The driest 1952 with 4.85 in (123.2 mm), while the wettest month on record has been September 1941 when 6.94 in (176.3 mm) fell. September 1941 also saw the largest daily rainfall at Alamogordo with 2.60 in (66.0 mm) falling on the 22nd of that month. Temperatures outside of monsoonal storms are very hot during the summer: 89.1 days exceed 90 °F (32.2 °C) and temperatures as high as 110 °F (43.3 °C) occurred on June 22, 1981, and July 8, 1951. During

9558-415: The effect of facilitating segregated education, although it also provided higher educational opportunities for persons of color who otherwise would not have had them. Among the seventy colleges and universities which eventually evolved from the Morrill Acts are several of today's historically black colleges and universities . Though the 1890 Act granted cash instead of land, it granted colleges under that act

9676-791: The expertise of corporate and university researchers available to small businesses. New Mexico State University enrolls more than 21,000 students from the United States and 71 foreign countries. NMSU student organizations include a Greek system and several religious organizations. The Associated Students of New Mexico State University (ASNMSU) is the student government and is considered a departmental organization. It consists of an elected student body president, vice president, 30 senators, and an appointed student supreme court. Senators are elected to two-semester terms, with two elections each school year, in each, 15 senators are elected. There are 12 different departments within ASNMSU, that manage various events such as

9794-553: The foot of the mountain and the freshmen and sophomores toted the mixture up to the juniors who splashed it on the "A." With the growth of the university through the years, the tradition was taken over by the Greek Council. The marching band of New Mexico State University is known as the Pride of New Mexico. It is composed of approximately 200 musicians, dancers, and auxiliary. At kickoff of every NMSU home football game, Aggie fans await

9912-583: The functions of an art gallery and natural history museum and showcases thousands of specimens of petrified wood, fossils, and minerals. The NMSU faculty senate consists of 66 elected faculty and has shared governance over academic policies across the NMSU system. NMSU offers a wide variety of programs across multiple disciplines, including agriculture, education, engineering, and the sciences. There are 58 master's degree programs, 96 baccalaureate degree programs, and 28 doctoral programs. Over 4,400 courses are available across 54 academic departments. In addition to

10030-436: The homecoming parade, free student concerts, a free cab program for students, and many others. Each department is overseen by a director, who is appointed by the president and confirmed by the senate. ASNMSU manages a budget of over $ 1 million. There are numerous fraternities and sororities at New Mexico State University. Kappa Sigma was suspended after a student was shot during hazing in 2020. Founded in 1907, The Round Up

10148-474: The horseshoe, and other classroom buildings. NMSU is a land-grant institution with a presence in all 33 counties of New Mexico, a satellite learning center in Albuquerque, 13 research and science centers, distance education opportunities, and five campuses in Alamogordo , Carlsbad , Grants , Doña Ana County , and Las Cruces . The Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine at New Mexico State University (BCOM),

10266-453: The incentive packages that will be paid by the new tax, and a portion of the tax receipts go to fund OCEDC's operating expenses. Formal economic development plans have been adopted by Alamogordo and by Otero County. OCEDC has recruited several new employers by using financial incentives. A 1-800-Flowers call center opened in November 2001 and received $ 1.25 million in city rent abatements,

10384-550: The individual land parcels had not been purchased at all; treaties with tribes in California, for example, had been placed under seal by the U.S. Senate and were unratified at the time of the land grant. Upon passage of the federal land-grant law in 1862, Iowa was the first state legislature to accept its provisions, on September 11, 1862. Iowa designated the State Agricultural College (now Iowa State University ) as

10502-528: The land, platted the streets, built the first houses and commercial buildings, donated land for a college, and placed a restrictive covenant on each deed prohibiting the manufacture, distribution, or sale of intoxicating liquor. Tourism became an important part of the local economy from the creation of White Sands National Monument in 1934. Construction began on the Alamogordo Army Air Field (the present-day Holloman Air Force Base ) in 1942, and

10620-519: The land-grant college on March 29, 1864. The first land-grant institution open under the Act was Kansas State University , which was established on February 16, 1863, and opened on September 2, 1863. A second Morrill Act was passed in 1890, aimed at the former Confederate states . This act required each state to show that race was not an admissions criterion, or else to designate a separate land-grant institution for persons of color. This latter clause had

10738-412: The latter types of parcels. For instance, they could identify what portions of their current resources are traceable to Native American lands and reallocate some of those resources to help Native Americans. Land-grant universities are not to be confused with sea grant colleges (a program instituted in 1966), space grant colleges (instituted in 1988), or sun grant colleges (instituted in 2003). In

10856-528: The lighted path by the Las Cruces High School Brass Choir. NMSU's teams are called the Aggies , a nickname derived from the university's agricultural beginnings. New Mexico State is a member of Conference USA (C-USA), as of July 1, 2023. Conference USA is the sixth conference NMSU has been affiliated with in its football history. New Mexico State spent the past eighteen seasons as a member of

10974-512: The local schools. Additionally area supermarkets had German cuisine . By 1999, there were about 1,110 German dependents and 900 German military personnel in Alamogordo. By 2003 there were about 2,000 Germans in Alamogordo. That year there were tensions between Americans and Germans since Germany chose not to join the U.S. in the Iraq War . In 2019, the German military withdrew from the base. Until

11092-476: The main campus in Las Cruces, NMSU has community colleges in Alamogordo , Doña Ana County , and Grants , through which it offers academic, vocational/technical, and continuing education programs. In accord with its land-grant mission, the university provides informal, off-campus educational programs through the Cooperative Extension Service. Through a statewide network of nine research facilities,

11210-403: The mission of these institutions: to focus on the teaching of practical agriculture, science, military science, and engineering—although "without excluding other scientific and classical studies." This mission was in contrast to the historic practice of existing colleges which offered a narrow Classical curriculum based heavily on Latin, Greek and mathematics. The Morrill Act quickly stimulated

11328-526: The modern investigation into the Shroud. This is highlighted in the museum. In 1977 in Albuquerque, they held the conference that resulted in the 1978 study of the Shroud with more scientists from New Mexico than any other state. The displayed photograph was created from the 1978 photographs made by Barrie M. Schwortz as part of the Shroud of Turin Research Project (STURP). The displays include historical background materials, scientific information, kiosks with

11446-575: The needs of improving agriculture, as well as a system to disseminate information to the farmers eager to innovate. By 1917 Congress funded the teaching of agricultural subjects in the new public high schools that were opening. The Second Morrill Act of 1890 further expanded federal funding for the land-grant colleges, and funded the founding of new land-grant colleges for African Americans (now called historically black colleges and universities or HBCU). The 1994 expansion gave land-grant status and benefits to several tribal colleges and universities . Most of

11564-429: The only senior, Sam Steel, was murdered before he was able to receive his diploma. Classes met in the two-room adobe building of Las Cruces College until new buildings were erected on the 220-acre (0.89 km) campus three miles (5 km) south of Las Cruces. In February 1891, McFie Hall, popularly known as Old Main, opened its doors. In 1960, to better represent its expanded programs and operations, New Mexico A&M

11682-409: The population. There were 13,704 households, out of which 36.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.6% were married couples living together, 11.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.0% were non-families. 25.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57 and

11800-805: The present and the future. Another example comes from the University of Connecticut which states, We would like to begin by acknowledging that the land on which we gather is the territory of the Eastern Pequot, Golden Hill Paugussett, Lenape, Mashantucket Pequot, Mohegan, Nipmuc and Schaghticoke Peoples who have stewarded this land throughout the generations. We thank them for their strength and resilience in protecting this land, and aspire to uphold our responsibilities according to their example. In an article in High Country News , Robert Lee and Tristan Ahtone criticized such statements for failing to acknowledge

11918-401: The ring facing the school name. Upon granting of degrees, graduates should turn the ring around facing outward, which symbolizes that they are ready to face the world. A tradition that signals the beginning of the holiday season is the "Noche de Luminarias" or "Night of Lights". A university tradition that started as the President's Holiday Reception in 1984, which starts the holiday season with

12036-667: The same legal standing as the 1862 Act colleges; hence the term "land-grant college" properly applies to both groups. Later on, other colleges such as the University of the District of Columbia and the "1994 land-grant colleges" for Native Americans were also awarded cash by Congress in lieu of land to achieve "land-grant" status. In imitation of the land-grant colleges' focus on agricultural and mechanical research, Congress later established programs of sea grant colleges (aquatic research, in 1966), space grant colleges (space research, in 1988), and sun grant colleges (sustainable energy research, in 2003). West Virginia State University ,

12154-501: The site of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey . NMSU is a research active university, with $ 150 million per year in externally funded research programs. Its estimated annual economic impact in New Mexico is $ 1 billion. Anchoring the southern end of New Mexico's Rio Grande Research Corridor, NMSU is the only university to reach the platinum, or highest, level of service to NASA's Space Alliance Technology Outreach Program. SATOP makes

12272-416: The state schools were coeducational—indeed they led the way in that reform. A new department was added: home economics . However, relatively few women attended and they had second-class status. Ultimately, most land-grant schools became large state universities that today offer a full spectrum of educational and research opportunities. Some land-grant colleges are private, including Cornell University ,

12390-649: The state's only designated land-grant university. In the 1940s, the Victory Bell, a gift of the Class of 1939, was housed in an open-sided structure on the Horseshoe and rung to announce Aggie victories. In 1972, the bell was rededicated as the NMSU Engineer's Bell and mounted on a platform near Goddard Hall. On game days, various school organizations took turns in toting the ringing bell around Las Cruces before kick-off. The bell

12508-442: The true breadth of the benefits derived by European Americans from formerly Native American land. They pointed out that land grants were used not only for campus sites but also included many other parcels that universities rented or sold to generate funds that formed the basis of their endowments. Lee and Ahtone also pointed out that only a few land-grant universities have undertaken significant efforts at reconciliation with respect to

12626-467: The university and the school's sports programs. The official ring of New Mexico State University is given to students with junior and senior standing, and alumni of NMSU, to celebrate and commemorate their achievements and NMSU traditions. The official Ring Ceremony is sponsored by the Alumni Association, which is held every spring and fall Semester at the Aggie Memorial Tower. The official ring

12744-483: The water dries, the winds pick up the gypsum crystals and distribute them over the basin. Alamogordo has a cool arid climate ( Köppen BWk ) with hot summers and mild winters. Rainfall is low and usually confined to the monsoon from July to September, when half a typical year's rainfall of 10.63 in (270.0 mm) will occur – although December 1991 did see 5.45 in (138.4 mm). The wettest calendar year has been 1941 with 21.87 in (555.5 mm) and

12862-434: The winter, days are very mild and sunny, but nights are cold, with 32 °F (0 °C) reached on 55.1 mornings during an average winter, although only ten mornings have ever fallen to or below 0 °F (−17.8 °C), with the coldest temperature recorded at Alamogordo being −13 °F (−25.0 °C) during a major cold wave on February 3, 2011. Snow is very rare, with a mean of no more than 4.1 in (0.10 m) and

12980-525: Was Georgia, which set aside 40,000 acres for higher education in 1784 and incorporated the University of Georgia in 1785. The College Lands were a tract of land in Ohio that the Congress in 1787 donated for the support of a university. The Ohio state legislature assigned the lands in 1804 to the creation of a new school, Ohio University . Michigan State University was chartered under state law as an agricultural land-grant institution on February 12, 1855, as

13098-508: Was admitted. The Museum shop has a large collection of local history books. The Historical Society also publishes its own series of monographs on local history, Pioneer . American Armed Forces Museum is a museum on U.S. Route 82 near Florida Avenue that opened in 2011. It collects and displays all kinds of military memorabilia from all wars and military engagements. The Shroud Exhibit And Museum, located in White Sands Mall, showcases

13216-635: Was among the top 10 universities in awarding bachelor's degrees to Hispanics, including for communications technologies/technicians and support services (seventh); agriculture, agriculture operations and related sciences (eighth); hospitality administration/management (ninth); engineering technologies and engineering-related fields (tenth); and education (tenth). The school also ranked among the top 10 universities in conferring bachelor's degrees to Native Americans. The school also ranked ninth for awarding bachelor's degrees to minorities overall for agriculture, agriculture operations and related sciences. The university

13334-654: Was among the top 35 percent of schools in the SMI rankings. NMSU is recognized as a top institution for minority students. In 2021, it was recognized as one of the Top 100 Colleges and Universities for Hispanics by Hispanic Outlook on Education Magazine . A 2017 report by the National Science Foundation 's National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics ranked NMSU first for federal funding for science and engineering activities for minority-serving institutions. In 2016, NMSU

13452-472: Was being constructed in the late 19th century. Initially its main industry was timbering for railroad ties. The railroad founders were also eager to found a major town that would persist after the railroad was completed; they formed the Alamogordo Improvement Company to develop the area, making Alamogordo an early example of a planned community . The Alamogordo Improvement Company owned all

13570-519: Was founded in June 1898, when the El Paso and Northeastern Railroad , headed by Charles Bishop Eddy, extended the railway to the town. Eddy influenced the design of the community, which included large, wide thoroughfares and tree-lined irrigation canals. Charles Eddy's brother, John Arthur Eddy, named the new city Alamogordo ("large/fat cottonwood" in Spanish) after a grove of fat cottonwoods he remembered from

13688-563: Was renamed New Mexico State University. Regulated by the New Mexico Constitution, the Regents of New Mexico State University are a corporate body that implements legislation over the control and management of NMSU. The board is made of up five persons appointed by the governor of New Mexico with the consent of the senate. Full-time faculty members number 694, with a staff of 3,113. The main campus of New Mexico State University occupies

13806-399: Was then taken to Aggie Memorial Stadium where it rang after Aggie touchdowns. More recently, the bell has been permanently mounted at field level just behind the south goalpost. In 1920, students of then New Mexico College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts scouted for an appropriate place to display their school letter. Tortugas Mountain , located three miles (5 km) east of campus, seemed

13924-575: Was vetoed by President James Buchanan . Morrill resubmitted his bill in 1861, and President Abraham Lincoln signed the Morrill Act into law in 1862. The law gave every state and territory 30,000 acres per member of Congress to be used in establishing a "land grant" university. Over 17 million acres were granted through the federal land-grant law. Recent scholarship has emphasized that many of these federal public lands had been purchased from Indigenous peoples through treaties and land cessions, often after they were defeated in war. Approximately 25% of

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