Momentum is building at UNM’s College of Education & Human Sciences (COEHS). Across urban and rural communities, on tribal lands and in border towns, more students are choosing teaching as a career—and more experienced educators are stepping into leadership roles—thanks to coordinated recruitment efforts, culturally grounded programs, and statewide partnerships transforming New Mexico’s educator workforce.

The results include national recognition for producing Hispanic education graduates, record cohorts of Indigenous school leaders, a renewed high school-to-teaching pipeline, and innovative residency models that keep new educators rooted in the communities they serve.

“It’s incredibly meaningful that our future teachers reflect the strengths, histories and needs of the communities they come from,” said COEHS Dean Kristopher Goodrich. “We are preparing leaders who can support New Mexican students in every corner of the state—and we are seeing the impact play out in real time.”

In a recent report by Excelencia in Education, UNM ranked 18th nationally among institutions graduating Hispanic students with bachelor’s degrees in education. As one of the largest Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSI) and Minority Serving Institutions (MSI) in the country, UNM’s commitment to linguistic and cultural diversity continues to shape its teacher preparation programs.

“Our state has a huge need for teachers whose backgrounds reflect their students,” Goodrich said. “This ranking is a testament to the hard work happening at every level—from faculty curriculum design to our recruitment partnerships to the donors supporting scholarships for future teachers.”