Expanded WNMU Footprint in Deming Means Broader Opportunities for Students

Since the opening of the John Arthur and Janette Smith Educational Center in Deming over ten months ago, students in Luna County have had access to numerous WNMU classes and programs, including general education classes, career and technical education programs, nursing, and additional healthcare workforce programs.

On the east side of town, the Mimbres Learning Center offers general education classes, as well as Electrical Technology and Welding Technology. The university hopes to expand those career and technical education programs soon, with the addition of Construction Technology, said Kathy Sorells, who works in the Department of Community and Workforce Development.

In addition to these programs, the Phlebotomy program is also offered through the Mimbres Learning Center. This program prepares students to become Certified Phlebotomy Technicians, a career field that is much in-demand and growing. This program is offered every other semester, alternating with the program being offered at the Silver City campus.

WNMU also offers a Pharmacy Technician program, which is a completely online program that can be completed in Deming, as can any WNMU online coursework.

At the John Arthur and Janette Smith Educational Center, WNMU offers its pre-licensure Nursing program. The center is fully equipped with labs and simulation clinics, as well as offering study space. There are currently approximately 17 Nursing students taking courses at the center, according to Assistant Professor Brandalyn Hassman, who is the coordinator for the center.

Students have appreciated having the center in Deming for their Nursing studies, said Hassman. "The students regularly utilize the center for open lab, in which they can come in to practice their kinesthetic skills outside of class time, and they also utilize our multi-purpose room for group studying," she said.

Hassman noted that students based in Deming say the center provides them a place to study without the distractions of home life, saves them money that they would otherwise spend on gas to get to Silver City, and allows them more time in their lives because they do not have the long commute.

"This is especially important for our students," said Hassman, "as the nursing program requires a lot of hard work and dedication, and having a site that provides students in Deming with equitable access and opportunities for practice and study without the need for travel helps to set them up for success in the program."

The other program offered through the Smith Educational Center is a Certified Nursing Assistant program, which for many students is the first step toward a career in nursing. Like the Certified Phlebotomy Technician program, the CNA program is offered every other semester.

Having healthcare workforce programs available in Deming is crucial, said Victor Stephen Gonzales, Director of WNMU Healthcare Workforce programs. "Rural areas such as Luna County face a critical need for a robust healthcare workforce due to factors like geographic isolation, limited access to specialized care, and higher rates of poverty and health disparities," he said. "These are just a few factors that impact the overall health and well-being of Luna County."

By offering Nursing and Healthcare Workforce programs in Deming, he said, WNMU is not only preparing students to enter in-demand careers, but it also educating citizens who are dedicated to caring for their community.