Photo: Mexican students participating in the Proyecta 100,000 program.

Silver City, NM – The often-quiet main campus of Western New Mexico University is buzzing with energy with the arrival of 150 Mexican students who are living and learning on campus for four weeks.

The students are members of the first class of Proyecta 100,000, a Mexican government funded scholarship program supporting 7,500 Mexican students and professors in American-based English language programs.

"This is a historic effort and partnership between the American and Mexican governments," said Dr. Alexandra Neves, Director of International Studies. "Their arrival on campus is beneficial not only to them but to WNMU as we continue to expand our international studies efforts."

Most of the students and professors are from the Mexican state of Sinaloa representing 12 Mexican universities. They are tasked with studying English, at different levels oflearning, 45 hours weekly, through December 19. For its part, WNMU is full hands on deck, organizing cultural events in partnership with student groups and local organizations.

"Many of these students are in the United States for the first time and traditions like Thanksgiving are foreign to them," said Neves. "We want them to learn just as much outside the classroom as they are learning in the classroom." The students are living in residence halls with traditional students, and eating in the dining hallwith the rest of the campus community.

WNMU's Language Institute is facilitating the classroom experience providing instructors for the month and the curriculum.

"We have been preparing for their arrival and will continue to prepare for future groups of students who want to learn in English at WNMU," said Manuel Rodriguez, Language Institute Director. "The Silver City community has been very welcoming, helping their experience in our intensive program be an easier one for all of us."

While many large universities received a small handful of students, Proyecta 100,000 selected WNMU as one of the top schools in the country for students to attend. For WNMU, partnership with the initiative is one of many efforts to expand the relationships with universities and governments in the Americas.

In the last year, WNMU has signed memorandum of agreements with the Universidad Autonoma de Ciudad Juarez (UACJ) and the City of Columbus, establishing specific ties with these two Hispanic serving entities. In addition, a new Department of International Studies was created on campus to facilitate efforts such as Proyecta 100,000 and future programs of exchange.

Western New Mexico University 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 serves a student body diverse in age, culture, language and ethnic background.