Cultivating an Ecosystem of Opportunity

People are the greatest asset of any community. They define its character and flavor, but also are the economic engines that can drive it forward. When the promise and potential of a community’s people are well aligned to the employment and entrepreneurial opportunities in key industry sectors, individual earning power fuels the overall prosperity of a region.

Making and growing these connections is the urgent mission of The Bridge of Southern New Mexico.

The Bridge is an unprecedented collaboration between Doña Ana County’s leaders in business, economic development, education, and government working together to:

  • Increase high school and college completion rates
  • Build a skilled and ready workforce for current and future businesses

Our work is precedent-setting and powerful. Our lessons learned and innovative approaches pave the way to a bright future for us, as well as generating best practices and replicable models for the rest of state.

The Bridge is strategically building the connections for an ecosystem of opportunity that will encourage our people to bloom and grow and prosper right here in Doña Ana County.

Who We Are

A cross-sector collaboration of public and private sector leaders guided by a very clear mission and vision, as well as achievable and measurable goals and strategic objectives. Learn more…

What We Do

Building a culture of completion and high expectations for our students by leading the conversations that are driving educational and economic success. Learn more…

How We Do It

Connecting the dots from high school-to-college-to-careers by investing in our greatest resources – young people and the institutions that prepare them for life. Learn more…

Our Impact Since 2009

12,000+

additional high school graduates

$179 million

increase in annual students’ earnings ($2.3 billion to date)

$163 million

increase in annual students’ spending ($2.1 billion to date)

$56.5 million

increase in annual federal tax revenues ($735 million to date)

$16 million

increase in state tax revenues ($203 million to date)

$867

increased future earnings of students for every $1 invested in The Bridge

$317,000

increase in annual incomes for every 1% increase in the countywide high school graduation rate

It doesn’t take a lot of change to make A LOT of change!

How can we continue to make significant change?

Learn more...