ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – With state-of-the-art technology, the new nursing building replaces a handful of older facilities, and it's expected to give UNM the capacity to train hundreds more nurses every year.  A major celebration with the opening of a new UNM facility aimed at training New Mexico's next generation of nurses. It marks the inauguration of a new College of Nursing and Public Health Excellence building, something the university hopes will help fill the gap in the state's nursing shortage.  "This ribbon cutting, marks another step forward or maybe I should say marks a huge step forward in our building to help meet these needs for New Mexico as we train the next generation of health professionals," said Dr. Mike Richards, Interim Executive Vice President for the College of Nursing.  Story continues below News: Two New Mexico inmates accused of trying to smuggle drugs into prison, court documents state Events: What’s happening around New Mexico November 1-7 Community: New Mexico Strange: Prominent Ghost Stories in Albuquerque's Old Town The University says New Mexico is about 6,000 nurses short with hopes of shrinking that number. The new, 93,000-square-foot facility should be able to house and graduate more students. UNM said it includes larger classrooms, offices, natural lighting, and research space, compared to the old building.  "It was built 50 years ago. It met the needs 50 years ago, but as we move into the future this building speaks a little bit differently to even the way the sun comes in and makes people feel to the artwork that we have inside the building," stated Rosario Medina, Dean for College of Nursing at UNM.        UNM's Nursing and Public Health program currently graduates around 500 students a year. The new building is expected to increase graduating class sizes to about 800 students over the next 10 years.  "It's just a building, but it's a welcoming place to our community that, lets them know that we're concentrating our time here to help build the next workforce of nurses to help the actual community," explained Medina.  The facility cost more than $43-million to build and was funded with state, donor, and bond money. UNM is opening the facility in phases with staff and faculty coming in first. Classes begin for students in January.