Originally published December 23, 2015
By Esmeralda Treviño
UTEP Communications
In 2015, The University of Texas at El Paso celebrated the opening of Centennial Plaza and the Miner Canyon student housing complex; the initial approval for a new School of Pharmacy, and a Top 10 ranking by Washington Monthly magazine. As the year comes to an end, UTEP looks back on these and other memorable moments from 2015.
Newest Department Educates Engineers for the 21st Century
UTEP’s College of Engineering launched the Department of Engineering Education and Leadership (EEL) in January. The new department focuses on developing engineers for the 21st century, which involves broadening students’ skillsets to create highly sought after, multidisciplinary graduates. Get the full story here.
Productivity Pod Wins $10,000 at Paso Del Norte Venture Competition
Two UTEP students – Mauricio Mercado and Leonardo Orea – beat 13 other teams to win the Paso Del Norte Venture Competition in March. Their winning concept is called a Productivity Pod, a device that enables power napping. Get the full story here.
Centennial Plaza, Lhakhang Celebrate Grand Opening
The UTEP community inaugurated Centennial Plaza and the Lhakhang cultural exhibit in April after two years of construction. Located in the center of the UTEP campus, these projects were the crown jewels of the campus transformation and a legacy of the Centennial celebration. Get the full story here.
Incoming Terry Scholars Show Talent, Drive
A group of outstanding high school seniors were awarded full scholarships to UTEP in April that cover tuition, fees, books and living expenses, thanks to a generous contribution from the Terry Foundation. Get the full story here.
UTEP Reconnects with Past Students
Nontraditional students who want a quality education but cannot fit school into their hectic schedules can now earn their bachelor’s or master’s degree completely online through UTEP Connect, which launched in May. Get the full story here.
UTEP Named First Satellite Center for America Makes
America Makes, the National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Institute, announced in May its plans to open the first America Makes Satellite Center on the UTEP campus, in conjunction with the University’s renowned W.M. Keck Center for 3-D Innovation. Get the full story here.
National Science Foundation Awards Millions to Clean Water Project
UTEP Chemistry Chair Jorge Gardea-Torresdey, Ph.D., is part of a team awarded a prestigious Engineering Research Center grant from the National Science Foundation to address the world’s urgent demand for clean water. Get the full story here.
UTEP Ready to Open State-of-the-Art Student Housing Complex
The University of Texas at El Paso opened the most ambitious student housing community in its history in August. Miner Canyon houses more than 350 students in apartment-style accommodations. Get the full story here.
UTEP Launches Eatery
UTEP’s new all-you-care-to-eat food establishment, the Pick ‘N’ Shovel, opened in August. It is located in Union Building East and offers a variety of food options. Get the full story here.
UTEP Lives Its Mission of Access and Excellence
Washington Monthly magazine ranked The University of Texas at El Paso among the Top 10 universities in the nation for a third consecutive year and #1 in social mobility for the fourth year in a row in August. Get the full story here.
UTEP Research Finds High Rate of Texas Bugs Carrying Chagas Disease
Findings by UTEP researchers suggest that the risk of Texans contracting Chagas disease through “assassin bugs” or “kissing bugs” may be higher than previously thought. Get the full story here.
Carnegie Corporation of New York Honors UTEP President
In September, UTEP President Diana Natalicio was named one of four recipients of the Carnegie Corporation of New York’s 2015 Academic Leadership Award. Get the full story here.
Two Faculty Members Remembered for their Lasting Contributions to UTEP
Director of African-American Studies and Associate Professor of History Maceo C. Dailey, Ph.D., died Oct. 11 in his hometown of Baltimore Maryland. He was 72. More information can be found here.
David Wittenburg, Ph.D., chair of the Department of Kinesiology in UTEP’s College of Health Sciences, whose distinguished leadership helped increase enrollment in the graduate and undergraduate programs, died Oct. 26. He was 53. The full story can be found here.
Rubin Center Explores Space and Art for 10th Anniversary
The Stanlee and Gerald Rubin Center for the Visual Arts celebrated its 10th anniversary in November with a weekend of exhibitions, performances and conversations that explored art and space at the border. Get the full story here.
Pharmacy School Approved by UT System Regents
The University of Texas at El Paso School of Pharmacy and a new doctoral program in pharmacy were approved by The University of Texas System Board of Regents in November. Get the full story here.