Phame Camarena, dean of the NMSU Conroy Honors College
After starting my college education at a prestigious private university and discovering that my intended major did not really match my passions, losing scholarships in my field meant I needed to transfer to a state university that I had not considered as a high school senior. A semester there exploring majors and meeting with professors in the classes that interested me the most led me both to a field of study I didn’t know existed, and the NMSU University Honors Program.
Both of these discoveries transformed my life and launched me onto a life path that I have treasured ever since. In the years to follow, it has been my privilege to study and work at half a dozen colleges and universities across the country – including big name research universities and a top 20 national liberal arts college. Now, as I meet with our top New Mexico high school seniors on their college exploration tours, the lessons from all these experiences are brought into focus as I offer encouragement for these students to make more of their education than they imagined possible by starting higher education in their own backyard at their state university.
If NMSU is your local state university, it is easy to misperceive just how exceptional the university really is or how many new opportunities await you right here. Regardless, landing at a school where you fit, feel valued and can stand out is much more important than the one line on your resume listing where you went to college. Fit matters more than prestige, but be assured that NMSU does have national recognition and a strong reputation for exceptional undergraduate education.
Which is what makes Honors education within our state university so special. We can offer every opportunity available at a private elite school, but here you can afford to take advantage of those opportunities. So yes, I will encourage you to do research with a professor, to become a campus leader, to engage with the professional organizations in your field, and to be actively involved in the life of the university and community, all while building a resume of experience that will help you achieve well beyond graduation. In the end, what you do wherever you go matters more than where you go.
For our top students, we hope that some of that “doing” includes experiences away from campus in an internship across the country, a domestic exchange program at a partner university in another state, or a study abroad program in another country. Every academic program at NMSU supports these kinds of activities knowing that they build confidence and intercultural competence, while preparing our students to achieve in whatever field they choose. For local students eager to spread your wings, remember that NMSU is more than a vibrant campus in Las Cruces; we are also a home-base for your global explorations.
Consistent with our Land Grant mission, I love that most of our NMSU Honors students describe their professional goals and life values in terms of doing “something more” with their lives. Giving back to the communities that nurtured them or working to solve the problems of our world is so much more motivating than simply earning a degree, to get a job, to make more money. These aspirations also inspire all of us in Honors to do what we can to elevate these students’ success knowing that when we transform our students’ lives for good, they are better prepared to change the world for good.
Which brings me back to the overall lesson that I hope all of our graduating seniors are taking to heart this season of college choice. Our state’s tuition investment makes college more affordable if you could not imagine going to college otherwise. And for our top academic high school performers weighing scholarship offers from schools across the region and country, it provides you with some extra incentive to make one of New Mexico’s exceptional universities your first-choice school.
So before you make plans to launch off to an out of state “dream school,” please take an extra look to see if you can imagine your college experience in-state differently: being bold with your education, seeking high impact learning experiences in and out of the classroom, traveling the country and world as part of your training, and aiming even higher with your aspirations, knowing that you are the best of New Mexico and you have the ability to make an even better New Mexico for the generation to follow.
Best wishes on your college selection – I am here to both challenge and support you!