NMSU is a comprehensive and accredited land-grant institution of higher learning. Exceeding $140 million in research and public service expenditures. NMSU is classified as a Hispanic-serving institution by the federal government with a total minority enrollment over 48%. Faculty at NMSU participate in NIH funded student training programs and several NIH funded statewide and regional networks which provide opportunities for pilot funding for new faculty. NMSU is located in Las Cruces, which features desert mesas, the farmlands of the Rio Grande Valley, and the Organ Mountains, an extension of the Rocky Mountain chain. The University is committed to building a culturally diverse educational environment.