CHARACTER MAKES NMSU STUDENTS THE BEST

by J. Michael Orenduff, President, New Mexico State University

This article appeared in the Summer 1996 issue of New Mexico Resources.

Land-grant colleges were established in the middle of the 19th century with the "leading object" of providing a practical education to the children of the "industrial classes." As we approach the 21st century, what sort of children are the "industrial classes" sending to us?

During my first year as president, I made a special attempt to answer that question. I held open office hours for students. I took advantage of student interactions sponsored by other parts of NMSU, attending, for example, the informal Wednesday morning coffee and doughnut session in the College of Agriculture and Home Economics. I also set up a lemonade stand on the International Mall and talked to students as they stopped for lemonade between classes, attended meetings of the Student Senate and a host of other student organizations, and met twice monthly with our student leadership. And, I was probably the only land-grant president in the nation to actually teach a course, an undergraduate history of philosophy class that met on Tuesdays and Thursdays during the spring semester.

What I learned is that our students are bright, dedicated, and of good character. Let me give you just a little of the evidence for each of those claims.

With regard to their ability, our students stack up against the best anywhere in the world. As just one example, a student in my own class, Jason Ackleson, was selected in the annual national competition to receive a Truman Scholarship, one of the most prestigious academic awards available. Of course not all of our students win national recognition, but the average ACT score of NMSU students is 20 percent above the national norm!

With regard to dedication, NMSU students choose class loads well above the national average. Our library usage per student is higher than our peer institutions and higher than any other institution in New Mexico. Of course, many of our students also maintain part-time jobs to help pay for their education.

Finally, there's the matter of character. While it's not as old-fashioned as "industrial classes," "character" is a word we don't hear as often as we used to. Our students have it. During the spring semester, I had a "get acquainted" meeting with the Ag and Home Ec Council, the student group for our College of Agriculture and Home Economics. Among the many issues discussed were the tough academic requirements for a degree in agriculture. In particular, the council members informed me that some students struggle with chemistry (I expressed sympathy; it wasn't my strongest subject either). Indeed, at least two people on the council had been required to repeat their chemistry course. Now it may sound strange for a university president to be chronicling a story of student failure, but let me tell you why their statements reassured me.

First, it told me that we are upholding high standards. These were not poor students; if they had to repeat chemistry, I knew we weren't giving away credits. Second, their story and the way they told it spoke volumes about their character. They didn't blame the teacher or the university. They didn't claim that the system was unfair or that they were victims. They didn't write it off as bad luck or poor timing. In short, they didn't make excuses. They accepted responsibility, and they worked even harder the second time around. Most New Mexicans these days don't live on farms or ranches or work directly in agriculture, but our state's agricultural heritage and our University's land-grant tradition still influence our values, and our current students maintain those values.

Bright, dedicated, and of good character. During our May commencement, NMSU's student leaders started a new tradition by asking all the graduates to stand and sing the Aggie Fight Song at the conclusion of the ceremony. The highlight of my first year was when they invited me back to the stage to join them. When you combine both scholarship and character, I believe we are blessed with the best students in the world.