Mission & Vision Statements

Mission

The mission of Northern New Mexico College is to ensure student success by providing access to affordable, community-based learning opportunities that meet the educational, cultural, and economic needs of the region.

Vision

Northern New Mexico College is a Hispanic and Native American-serving comprehensive institution that will be recognized nationally for cultural sustainability, quality student learning and developing economically strong communities among diverse populations.

History

Northern New Mexico College has fulfilled the educa­tional needs of the region for over a century. Originating in 1909 as the Spanish American Normal School in El Rito, Northern now offers more than 50 bachelor’s, associate, and certificate programs in a wide variety of fields, including recently introduced programs in technical trades. Popular programs include nursing and health sciences, business, liberal arts, education, and STEM programs. Graduates have gone on to pursue advanced degrees at colleges such as Johns Hopkins University and Purdue University, and employment at NASA and Los Alamos National Labs.

Northern is an open-admissions college offering the most affordable bachelor’s degrees in the Southwestern United States and is competitively priced for all other programs. Northern is fully accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) and has earned prestigious national accreditations for its engineering, nursing, education, and business programs.

Institutional Priorities

1. Increase annual enrollment both in student head count and credit hour totals
2. Increase student success through higher retention/graduation rates, and pathways to employment and graduate education.
3. Improve the quality, timeliness, accuracy, and consistency of communications within the College, as well as with community members and external stakeholders.
4. Foster a cohesive, productive, and effective Northern community where everyone on the team feels valued and takes pride in contributing to the College's educational mission.

Core Values