Western New Mexico University has a long tradition of preparing quality educators in New Mexico. Due to this strong teaching tradition, the Education Hall of Fame was initiated in May 1985 by Tom Holland in recognition of his mother, Cora Miller Holland, who graduated from the New Mexico Normal School, class of 1899.

The purpose of the Education Hall of Fame is to recognize and honor exemplary classroom teachers and to serve as a depository of record for the accomplishments of those selected. To qualify for the Hall of Fame, a candidate must meet the following criteria.
· Candidates must be a graduate of Western New Mexico University or its predecessor institutions
· Candidates must have a dominant interest in classroom teaching
· Candidates must have dedicated a major portion of their professional career to classroom teaching at the primary, secondary, or higher education levels

Selectees are noted for their talent to impart knowledge in the classroom, inspire a willingness to learn, instill confidence in students, and demonstrate respect for learning and students.

Those who work daily under the vigil of the inductees recognize the collection as a motivating force for "igniting and nurturing a spirit of learning for both educator and student." Currently the Education Hall of Fame with its portraits and plaques adorn the hallways at the School of Education in the Felix Martinez/Allen Bacon Fall Building