New Mexico State University New Mexico State University at Las Cruces ( officially New Mexico State University , although also commonly referred to as NMSU - Las Cruces , NMSU , or NM State ) , is a major land - grant university in Las Cruces , New Mexico , United States . It is the second largest four year university in the state of New Mexico , in terms of total enrollment across all campuses as of 2011 , with campuses in Alamogordo , Carlsbad , Doña Ana County , and Grants , with extension and research centers across New Mexico . It was founded to teach agriculture in 1888 as the Las Cruces College , and the following year became New Mexico College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts . It received its present name in 1960 . NMSU has 18 , 497 students enrolled as of Fall 2009 , and has a faculty - to - student ratio of about 1 to 19 . NMSU offers a wide range of programs and awards associate , bachelor ' s , master ' s , and doctoral degrees through its main campus and four community colleges . NMSU is the only research - extensive , land - grant , USA - Mexico border institution classified as Hispanic serving by the federal government . History . In 1888 , Hiram Hadly , a respected educator from Indiana , set up the small Las Cruces College . One year later , the Territorial Assembly of New Mexico provided for the establishment of an Agricultural College and Agricultural Experiment Station with Bill No . 28 , 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 a tract of land of not less than one hundred ( 100 ) acres , contiguous to the main Las Cruces irrigating ditch , south of said town . " 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 then merged with the New Mexico College of Agriculture and Mechanical Arts , and opened on January 21 , 1890 . It began with 35 students in the tertiary level and preparatory classes and a total of six faculty members . Classes met in the two - room adobe building of Las Cruces College until new buildings were erected on the campus three miles ( 5 km ) south of Las Cruces . In February 1891 , McFie Hall , popularly known as Old Main , opened its doors . McFie Hall burned down in 1910 , but its remains can be seen in the center of Pride Field on the University Horseshoe . In 1960 , in move to better represent its operations , New Mexico A & M was renamed New Mexico State University by a state constitutional amendment . New Mexico State University now has a campus and enrolls more than 18 , 000 students from the United States and 71 foreign countries . Full - time faculty members number 694 , with a staff of 3 , 113 . The university has an extensive international student population from in Central America , the Caribbean , South America , Europe , Asia and the Middle East . Academics . New Mexico State University is the land grant university of the state of New Mexico . As a thriving center of higher education , deeply rooted in the southwestern tradition , its role as a comprehensive university is recognized throughout the state . New Mexico State University offers a wide variety of programs through the Graduate School and the colleges : Agricultural , Consumer and Environmental Sciences , Arts and Sciences , Business , Education , Engineering , Extended Learning and Health and Social Services . The 21 doctoral programs are limited primarily to agriculture , education , engineering , and the sciences ; the specialist in education degree is offered in 4 study areas ; the education doctorate degree is offered in 3 study areas ; there are 51 master ’ s degree programs and 87 baccalaureate degree programs . At its four branch community colleges , Alamogordo , Carlsbad , Doña Ana and Grants , New Mexico State University offers academic , vocational / technical , and continuing education programs . In accord with its land - grant mission , New Mexico State University provides informal , off - campus educational programs through the Cooperative Extension Service . Through a statewide network of 9 research facilities , 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 graduate school and several smaller colleges . These include : Rankings . Celebrating Diversity . The University of Southern California ' s Center for Urban Education names NMSU as one of the top 25 institutions with " effective practices for increasing the number of Latino recipients " of bachelor ' s degrees in the STEM — science , technology , engineering and math — fields . National Recognition . NMSU was ranked tier 1 nationally , at 189 , and ranked 108 among public schools according to U . S . News & World Report 2013 , National University Ranking . It is the only New Mexico higher institution aside from UNM that was included in the ranking . Washington Monthly 2012 also ranked NMSU 102 among 281 institutions , as a top national university , based on schools ' contribution to the public in three categories : social mobility , research , and service . The College of Education ' s graduate program is ranked 106 by " U . S . News & World Report " ' s America ' s Best Graduate Schools 2013 Edition while the College of Engineering ' s graduate program was ranked 120 . In addition , Chemistry , Computer Science , English , Math , Physics , Social Work and Speech - Language Pathology were all ranked within Top 150 Best Graduate Programs by USNWR . Institutes and research programs . Research Programs . Since its founding as New Mexico ’ s land - grant college in 1888 , New Mexico State University has encouraged and supported creative scholarly activity of its faculty and students . New Mexico State University is ranked 105th by the National Science Foundation among United States colleges and universities in research and development , and is ranked 29th among institutions without a medical school in terms of R & D expenditures . Most early research followed mandates of the founding legislation of land - grant colleges by generating knowledge useful in agriculture and engineering . Over time , however , research has expanded from this focus on applied natural sciences to include all disciplines of the university . Today , creative scholarly activity leads to basic scientific discoveries as well as practical applications emanating from the natural and social sciences , arts , humanities , business , education and health sciences in addition to engineering and agriculture . This creative activity enriches academic program for students , provides training and employment opportunities , and attracts externally funded support to enhance university research , academic programs and facilities . The university is home to New Mexico ' s NASA Space Grant Program . In 2010 , the NMSU Physical Sciences Laboratory has 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 . 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 the expertise of corporate and university researchers available to small businesses . Student life . Traditions . 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 prior to kick - off . The Bell was then taken to Aggie Memorial Stadium where it salutes Aggie touchdowns with its distinctive – and loud – chimes . More recently , the bell has been permanently mounted at field level just behind the south goal post of the stadium . " A " Tradition 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 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 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 . Student Organizations . NMSU has multiple student organizations , as well as a Greek system . There are several religious organizations , including The Christian Challenge - BSU . The Associated Students of New Mexico State University is the student government , it has a departmental organization . Greek Life . The Greek System at New Mexico State University includes : Athletics . NMSU ' s teams are called the Aggie s , a nickname derived from the university ' s agricultural beginnings . New Mexico State is in its sixth season as a member of the Western Athletic Conference ( WAC ) . The Western Athletic Conference is the fifth conference NMSU has been affiliated with in its football history . New Mexico State spent the past six seasons as a member of the Sun Belt Conference . Prior to that , NMSU was a member of the Big West Conference ( called the Pacific Coast Athletic Association until 1988 ) , Missouri Valley Conference and the Border Conference . Rivalries . NMSU maintains strong athletic rivalries with the University of New Mexico . The UNM - NMSU rivalry is represented by the Rio Grande Rivalry , a series based on points awarded to the winners of head to head competitions between the two universities in every sport . A rotating trophy is granting to the winning university for a period of one year , until the award presentation the following year . Different traditions take place at each schools the night before game day . NMSU also has had a strong football rivalry with the University of Texas at El Paso known as The Battle of I - 10 . Related External Links