Dear colleagues, 

As a follow-up to President Ferme’s message on graduate enrollments, subsequent discussions have identified a few immediate steps we can take in the coming weeks to increase awareness of our graduate programs among current students. The President and I are asking for your help in identifying strong undergraduate candidates, top-of-the-class students, honor society inductees, those engaged in undergraduate research or experiential learning, dean’s list students, and others who demonstrate exceptional promise, and encouraging them to consider graduate study at NMSU. Dean Koodali is also developing incentives for students interested in accelerated master’s programs and will be reaching out to individual departments and programs in the days and weeks ahead.

During my visit to the Association of Public Land-Grant Universities (APLU) National Meeting in Philadelphia last week, I had the opportunity to engage with colleagues from across the country and exchange perspectives on shared challenges and emerging practices. Several themes resonated deeply: “Automatic Admissions from High School” (University of California, Merced); “Broadest Access to the Highest Levels of Student Success” (University of Illinois Chicago); “Onboarding, Not Student Orientations, We Are Not Recruiting Freshmen, We Are Recruiting Alumni” (University of Tennessee, Knoxville); “Curriculum of Care – Essential Needs Hub” (Temple University); and “The Faculty Wellness Hub” (Georgia State University).

At a session on “Public Purpose Renewed” at the APLU, we discussed how higher education remains one of the most powerful engines of public good in American life, not only a path to individual advancement, but a partner in building a more prosperous and resilient society. Homecoming week reaffirmed for me just how true this is at NMSU. Time spent with our extended family of donors and alumni clearly demonstrated how NMSU contributes to the public good and how our graduates continue to embody it. From the generosity shown at scholarship breakfasts to the entrepreneurial spirit reflected in collaborations with the state legislature on new campus facilities such as Thomas and Brown, our alumni exemplify the best of what higher education can produce

Faculty Feature: Dr. Mary Ballyk

For more than a quarter of a century, Dr. Mary Ballyk has been a dedicated member of the NMSU Mathematics Department, helping transform the way first-year mathematics is taught and experienced. When she arrived at NMSU, through a path that is, as she described it, “a bit of a complicated story,” the first-year math courses functioned largely in isolation, with little coordination across the curriculum. Today, thanks to sustained collaboration among faculty and graduate assistants, these courses are far better aligned and more supportive of student success. What inspires Dr. Ballyk to stay at NMSU are the “ah-ha” moments in students’ eyes, especially from those who once believed they were “bad at math.” Each semester, Dr. Ballyk and her colleagues focus on improving the student experience and take pride in the progress made, always looking ahead to what can be accomplished next. To Dr. Ballyk, “We Are NMSU” reflects the collective effort of instructors and graduate assistants who work together toward a shared goal: helping students succeed and see themselves as capable learners of mathematics.

Happy Thanksgiving! 

Sincerely, 

Lakshmi N. Reddi
Interim Provost
New Mexico State University