Other NM universities announcements

NMSU Global Campus has announced a new partnership with Las Cruces Public Schools to provide expanded access to affordable, flexible higher education opportunities for all district employees. 

Through this collaboration, LCPS staff including teachers, administrators, and support personnel will have access to fully accredited online undergraduate, graduate, and certificate programs designed to support career advancement, professional growth, and workforce development. LCPS employees can pursue high-demand graduate degrees and licensure pathways in areas such as special education, secondary education, and early childhood education. 

In a strategic move that could help New Mexico State University increase graduate enrollment and retention and increase research proposal competitiveness, NMSU announced full-time tuition coverage for its graduate assistant workforce beginning with the fall 2026 semester, following ratification by the Board of Regents of a memorandum of agreement between the university and the union representing graduate assistants.

The board's decision on Wednesday ratifies an MOA modifying the existing collective bargaining agreement between the university and NMSU's Graduate Workers United (United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America local 1498) that increases tuition scholarships available for qualified graduate workers from 6 credit hours per fall and spring semester to 9 credit hours – considered a full-time class load for graduate students at NMSU.

Career exploration and hiring opportunities will take the spotlight at New Mexico State University Wednesday, March 4, as Aggie Career Studio hosts the Employment Extravaganza Career Fair from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the first floor of Corbett Center Student Union.

The annual event transforms the Corbett Center into a hub of professional networking, giving students and alumni direct access to recruiters seeking candidates for internships, co-ops, seasonal roles and full-time careers. Organizations from diverse industries across New Mexico and beyond will be on site to meet with Aggies from every academic discipline.

Saul Hernandez, a New Mexico State University senior studying physics and linguistics with a minor in astronomy, has turned recycled materials into a backyard radio telescope capable of detecting the rotation of the Milky Way.

"This is just something under 200 dollars, using average materials that anyone would find around their homes, and it's taking data from the galaxy," Hernandez said. "It shows that anyone can do it, and that's really exciting."

When Hernandez realized he was interested in pursuing a minor in astronomy, he approached Moire Prescott, NMSU astronomy associate professor, to ask if she had a research project he could join. She introduced him to the idea of a recycled, do-it-yourself radio telescope developed by the Completely Hackable Amateur Radio Telescope (CHART) team at Winona State University and Arizona State University, and together they began mapping out a construction plan.

The Hunt Center for Entrepreneurship, housed at New Mexico State University's Arrowhead Center, is now accepting applications for the 2026 cohort of the Fourth Industrial Revolution Economy Venture Fellows program, a competitive fellowship designed to train university students in venture capital and early-stage investing. 

The FIRE Venture Fellows program offers undergraduate and graduate students from across the Borderplex region the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in venture capital, startup evaluation, and investment decision-making. The 2026 fellowship will run from February 24 through May 19, 2026, with weekly sessions held on Tuesdays. 

A researcher at New Mexico State University known for his saffron research projects in northern New Mexico is exploring how the crop fares in central and southern parts of the state, as well as how well the crop will grow alongside other New Mexico crops such as chile.

Saeid Zehtab Salmasi, research director of the NMSU Sustainable Agriculture Science Center at Alcalde, recently received funding form the New Mexico Department of Agriculture's Specialty Crop Block Grant program for a project titled, "Integrating Saffron into Small Vegetable Production Systems of New Mexico to Enhance Profitability and Sustainability." The project will investigate the intercropping of saffron with chile, and aims to demonstrate the diversification and sustainability benefits of intercropping in New Mexico's agricultural systems.

Miranda van Iersel, an assistant professor in New Mexico State University's Klipsch School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, has been selected as a recipient of the 2025 Gentec-EO Laser Lab Awards, an international recognition that supports hands-on optics and photonics education.

As part of the award, van Iersel received a Pronto SI laser power meter, a portable device that measures the power and intensity of laser beams. The instrument will be integrated into multiple undergraduate and graduate courses, allowing students to directly connect theoretical concepts to real-world optical measurements.

Van Iersel learned about the award opportunity while attending an international conference on optics education in Glasgow, Scotland. Gentec-EO, a global leader in laser measurement technology, invited educators to apply by outlining how the device would enhance classroom and laboratory instruction.

The New Mexico State University Cooperative Extension Service will host the 2026 fruit growers workshop from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Friday, March 6 at Los Luceros, 253 County Road 41, Alcalde, New Mexico. The educational program is intended for fruit growers, county master gardeners and home gardeners. 

The workshop cost is $20 and includes lunch and materials. Preregistration is required. To register, contact Elena Arellano at 505-852-4241 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Two continuing educational units are approved for this workshop.