UNM: Working for Economic Development in New Mexico

UNM Activities That Support Economic Development

I. Educating Students to Become Productive Citizens
The most obvious contribution that UNM makes to the growth of the state's economy is the education we provide to students at the baccalaureate, graduate and professional levels. These UNM graduates are not only prepared to fill important career positions that now exist in New Mexico, but their availability makes New Mexico more attractive to out-of-state businesses that are considering relocation. Additionally, because of their educational backgrounds, UNM graduates regularly fill key leadership and policy-making roles in the state, they often lead or create new businesses themselves, and they are often responsible for creating new products and services that enhance and diversify our economy.

Currently almost 50% of the students who attend four year colleges or universities in the state are enrolled at UNM, and each year UNM graduates approximately 4,000 students. In FY 00-01 approximately 64% of these graduates received bachelors degrees, 26% were awarded masters degrees, and the remaining 10% earned doctoral or professional degrees, associate's degrees or certificates. In addition to these main campus graduates, UNM's branch campuses and its Taos Education Center awarded approximately 310 associate's degrees and 110 educational certificates. Of the nearly 100,000 UNM alumni who live in the United States today, well over half still reside in New Mexico.

A. Quality and Preparedness of UNM Graduates
In 1999, the Council of University Presidents in our state conducted a state-wide survey of New Mexico employers regarding their interest in hiring New Mexico university graduates and their satisfaction with those graduates once they are hired. This survey revealed that 65% of the employers who responded had hired at least one UNM graduate in the past few years. Furthermore, employers gave New Mexico university graduates overall a grade of "A/B" in terms of their preparation and their suitability for the jobs they were doing.

In another recent survey of UNM's 1995-96 graduating class, we found that 95.9% of the respondents were employed or were continuing their education (another 3.3% were caring for family members), and that 63% of those employed were living in New Mexico. More than 87% of those employed reported being either satisfied or very satisfied with the personal and intellectual challenge of their jobs, and nearly 75% were similarly satisfied with their advancement potential. Of the respondents 91% expressed satisfaction with the overall quality of their educational experience at UNM. This level of satisfaction is no doubt linked to the fact that UNM now has more than 25 separate academic programs ranked among the nation's best.

As to the ability of our very best graduates to compete successfully against other top students across the country, UNM has seen a dramatic change in the past few years. One measure of this competitiveness is the success our students have had in competing for Rhodes, Marshall, Truman, and Goldwater Scholarships-the most prestigious national awards given to undergraduate students for academic excellence and leadership potential. Since 1998, we have had one Rhodes scholar, two Marshall scholars, two Truman scholars, and four recipients of Goldwater scholar awards. Never in its history has UNM had so many national award winners, and this record of achievement is matched by only a handful of public universities in the United States.

B. Impact of UNM graduates on the New Mexico Workplace
UNM not only graduates more than 4,000 highly qualified students each year, but an increasing number of these graduates hold degrees in areas that are critical for New Mexico's economic growth. For example, the 2000-2001 graduating class contained 240 graduates in engineering, 120 graduates in mathematics or the physical sciences, 68 M.D.'s, 94 J.D.'s, 87 Pharm D.'s, 560 graduates in business, and 724 educators.

Currently one-third of the state's physicians and one-third of the state's attorneys received their professional degrees at UNM. UNM graduates also account for 25% of New Mexico's public school teachers, 60% of its pharmacists, and approximately 2,000 of the state's nurses. A sizeable proportion of the state's architects, psychologists, business leaders, state government officials and engineers also hold UNM degrees, as do a growing number of the state's scientists.

Importantly UNM graduates not only fill a variety of important positions within the New Mexico workplace, they also have established many new businesses or currently lead New Mexico businesses, making them directly responsible for creating jobs and expanding employment throughout the state. While no comprehensive list exists, what follows are a few examples of New Mexico businesses, professional corporations and other private entities formed by or currently headed by UNM graduates.