Southeast New Mexico College (SENMC) is the oldest and newest community college in New Mexico.  SENMC was founded in 1950 as the Carlsbad Instructional Center, the state’s first two-year college. Ten years later, the Center became a branch campus of New Mexico State University.  For the next sixty years much remained the same, until the community, in an amazing display of hometown support, expended the political capital necessary to wrest the campus away from the university.  SENMC was established as an independent college effective July 1, 2021, with the transfer of all functions, personnel, property, contracts, and references in law taking effect on April 10, 2022.  SENMC is in Eddy County, which has been ranked as the first or second highest producing oil and gas county in New Mexico for years.  Recently, due to a boom in the Permian Basin, the county has been one of the top producers in the United States. Other unique industries in the area include the U.S. Department of Energy Waste Isolation Pilot Plant that accepts low-level radioactive waste from across the country, offices for two national laboratories—Los Alamos and Sandia—in Carlsbad, and two National Parks—Carlsbad Caverns and Guadalupe Mountains—within an hour’s drive.  SENMC is the only higher education provider in the area.  The community is deeply invested in the college and the college in the community.