Remembering Coach
Don Haskins
More than 5,000 fans, friends and family of the legendary Coach Don Haskins, who passed away Sept. 7, packed the UTEP arena named in his honor during a memorial service on Sept. 11. Fallowing are remarks presented by UTEP President Diana Natalicio during the memorial.
There are few tasks on this Earth more difficult than saying goodbye to an old friend. l imagine that if Don Haskins were here now he'd be shouting encouragement at me from the sidelines, just as he encouraged his beloved Miners, season after season for 38 years, to go out and do their best. On second thought, probably not! Instead , he ' d be ordering me to stop all this fuss about him.
Coach Haskins never liked to be the center of attention. He preferred that the spotlight shine on his players, on his university and on his adopted hometown of El Paso. Throughout his life, Coach remained genuinely modest about his professional accomplishments, even though he was among the most successfu l coaches in the history of college basketbal I.
He was also extraordinarily protective of his personal privacy His many acts of generosity and kindness were often known only to those who were directly involved , and sometimes not even to them, and that 's exactly the way he wanted it.
I feel so privileged to be among those who spent time with this very special member of the UTEP family, one who had already achieved national prominence by the time I arrived on this campus as a faculty member in 1971. And I'm deeply honored to be among those who remember him tonight.
First , I'd like to share a couple of personal reminiscences. Coach Haskins had a remarkable way of ensuring that each of us would have our own treasured set of unforgettable memories of him, and l certainly have mine.
I remember a morning ride to the Organ Mountains in Coach H askins' truck. It was in the early 1990 s. I had invited him to meet with me in my office to discuss some basketball problem or other, and he said he'd prefer to meet with me in his pickup. We drank a six-pack of Coke, and our conversation rambled over nearly every imaginable topicworld peace, endangered species, cold fusion -e xcept the basketball issue that I wanted to talk about.
When we reached the Organs, Coach hid his truck behind a hill, and began calling coyotes , a skill he claimed to have learned grow in g up in Oklahoma. When the coyotes actua ll y showed up , l was so impressed that I forgot all about basketball or any other problem l may have intended to discuss with him! What a wily coyote he was'
My second memory was the evening that President George W. Bush invited the 1966 Miner team to the White House for dinner and a movie. There were at least two invitees who didn't attend that splendid tribute to the team: Coach Haskins and J. It turned out that both of us were patients at Sierra Medical Center that night. So, I went to his room in my wheelchair, and we had our very special equivalent of the White House dinner. It was a considerably less elegant menu , and Coach was definitely not wearing his tuxedo , but it was a very sweet celebration nonetheless. And the next day, I had a visitor to my room: Mary Haskins came to see me to give me a full report on the beautiful evening at the White House. Thank you for that visit, Mary, and for all you mean to the UTEP family.
ow, putting on my official UTEP President's hat. I ' d like to hare my thoughts on Coach Haskins' profound impact on this university and how we will always remember this very specia l man.
Like many of us on this campus , Coach Haskins was first and foremost a teacher. He taught his players about basketball, and about life. Some of the very tough lessons he taught the 1966 team were presented in the film "Glory Road ." Those same lessons were taught in many other ways to many other generations of UTEP players and teams whose lives were profoundly c h anged as a result of their association with Coach Haskins during his lon g and highly successfu l career.
Coach Haskins taught this entire university a couple of very powerful and enduring lessons , too.
First, he taught us that if we prepare well, work harder than we think possible , and face our cha llen ges with confidence, we can achieve at th e very highest leve l ; that no goal is beyond our reach
With the I 966 championship he proved that being an underdog only means that you're in a great position to over-achieve. After all, if our Texas Western team could win the CAA championship, there's no justification for failing to set equally ambitious goals for ourselves as individuals and for aJI our UTEP endeavors.
We weren't fast learners. It took us a while to aJlow Coach's important lesson to sink in , but we certainly understand it now. UTEP has become well known for its capacity to surprise doubters and competitors who fail to understand how well prepared and determined we are to succeed. We repeatedly defy odds: a student who successfully completes a degree with honors while working two jobs and supporting a family, or a faculty member who secures a major research grant in competition with the academic equivalent of the Kentucky Wildcats. Thank you, Coach Haskins , for setting the bar so high!
And we all know that Coach Haskins' 1966 Miners won more than a championship in defeating the all-white Kentucky team. During a time when America was sharply divided over the issue of race , they demonstrated that success was color blind. And their victory helped open the door of oppo1tunity for talented African-American and other minority students acros the nation.
More than 40 years later, as the only major research university in these nited States serving a predominantly Mexican-American student population, UTEP is changing the face of higher education , demonstrating that minorities, both individually and collectively, can successfully compete with anyone , anywhere, if they are given an opportunity.
In his book about the 1966 game, And the Walls Came Tumbling Down , Frank Fitzpatrick chose as his epigraph an observation by the artist Paul Klee: "A single day is enough to make us a little larger." In breaking the color bar in college athletics , Don Haskins made our entire nation a little larger A little better. A great deal more just, and a lot more hopeful.
This is Coach Haskins' legacy to all of us. And we thank him for that. So, Godspeed, Coach. You'll never be forgotten. M
4-7 HO CRING BEAR
Basketball Hall of Fame Coach Don Haskins leaves behind a historic legacy, infinite stories and countless memories as thousands flock to bid him farewell.
0-1 E c, OC -nO COMI C 008
There ' s no better way to sum it up: We rock! This year's Homecoming continues our tradition of celebrating excellence - past and present.
FEATURES
2 e u e
Construction on campus is louder than ever - making room for growth and positively impacting the region's economy.
6 e n
illomentum
The recently established Campaign Leadership Council will lead the university into the next century by spearheading an ambitious fundraising effort.
DEPARTMENTS
h.
Promotions, appointments and new degree programs are helping shape the new academic year
P of1les in V ng
There's no greater gift than opportunity, and the Greater Texas Foundation has it all wrapped up in three scholarship programs that are putting a higher education within financial reach.
8 t tics
Miners come home with Olympic medal ; UTEP leave its mark against the Longhorns; plus much more
UTEP has pumped up the volume on the sounds of con truction in its univer ity life soundtrack.
The sounds of bulldozers and jackhammers will be heard louder and louder in the coming months, adding to the buzz of students chatting, profes ors lecturing and laboratory equipment whirring across the university.
The burgeoning institution has kicked off an unprecedented four-year construction boom that will significantly change the campus landscape. By 2011, the university will have added more than 550,000-square-feet of cla sroom, research and general-use spaceincreasing facilities for a growing enrollment and re earch portfolio while infusing millions into the local economy.
"The amount and scope of work is huge," says Greg McNicol , associate vice president for busine s affairs / facilities services, whose department oversees all construction projects.
The current projects list won't be finished for more than three years, but evidence of the vast change is already apparent.
This summer , passersby have watched as a huge hole in the ground
BY KIMBERL'{ ~\LLER
at the corner of Mesa Street and Glory Road has been transformed into the foundation for a new basketball practice facility. A small tract of land next to the university's parking garage is taking shape as a new bookstore.
The vibrations of change will become more pronounced this fall when work begins on two anticipated projects- new buildings to house chemistry and computer science, and health sciences and nursing.
Students say they're eager to croon along with the construction, which will benefit them in numerous ways.
'This new building will have more equipment that will help students gain better experience in our field ," says Claudia Arredondo, who represents the College of Health Science on the Student Government Association. '"It will really help to have u all together on campus , too."
The current health sciences and nursing building i located off campus. The new facility will be built on the main campus.
Planning is also underway for the ex pan ion of the Swimming and Fitness Center and IO smaller project around campus
" We ' re always looking for the next project that will help take the university to the next level, "says McNicol of the rapid succession of new projects.
The echoes of this wave of construction will be felt beyond campus.
A study conducted by the UTEP Institute for Policy and Economic Development concluded that the work will infuse nearly$ 165 million in business volume into the local economy.
Economic implications and physical appearance aside, campus leaders say the biggest impact will be on UTEP's future.
The new construction will allow the university to take essential steps as it develops into a national research university.
" Completion of these projects will have a highly positive impact on our efforts to recruit and retain outstanding faculty ," says UTEP President Diana atalicio , " and on our efforts to become even more c ompetitive in securing external grant fund s " N
CONSTRUCTION BOOM
A four-year construction bo o m is changing the UTEP landscape. Among the projects:
Chemistry and Computer Science Building
• Cost: $70.2 million
• Construction: November 2008 to November 2010
• Location : South of enginee ring addition on Hawthorne Street
College of Health Sciences/ School of Nursing building
• Cost: $60 million
• Construction: November 2008 to November 20 10
• Location: Wiggins Road at si te of ten nis cou rts
Swimming and Fitness Center Expansion
• Cost: $32 million
• Construction: May 2009 to Nove mber 2010
Lo cation : Adjacent to existing ce nter
lid Care Development Center Relocation
· $990 ,000
struction Completion: fall 2008
· Schuster Avenue eas t of Academ ic Services Bu ilding
University Bookstore
• Cost: $5.9 million Com letion: December 2008
• Under construction. p d University Avenue
• Location : Corner of Sun Bowl Onve an Foster Stevens Basketball Complex
• Cost: $14.3 million
letion: March 2009
• Under construction. Comp Glory Road and Mesa Street
• Location :
In Memoriam
Contributions in memory of Coach Don Haskins may be made co the following funds at UTEP:
• Coach Don Haskins Endowment, established by the Haskins family
• The Mark Haskins Memorial Endowed Fund, established by Nolan Richardson in memory of Mark Haskins, son of Don and Mary Haskins, who passed away in 1994
• Mail gifts co: The Universiry of Texas at El Paso, Office of Institutional Advancement, Kelly Hall, Sixth Floor, 500 W Universiry Ave., El Paso, TX 79968-0524. Please make checks payable co The Universiry of Texas at El Paso and indicate the appropriate fund.
2007 1966 Texas Western champions inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame • 2008 Passes away Sept. 7
Border security and immigration center inaugurated
UTEP and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced the opening of the National Center for Border Security and Immigration during the university's 5th annual Border Security Conference in August.
"The center is vital to homeland security. If we want to make our nation safe, we must find better ways to secure our borders," says Jay M. Cohen, Under Secretary for Science and Technology for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
The center will receive $6 million through 2014 to bring together expertise and research capabilities from colleges and universities throughout the United States to focus on long-term solutions to border security and immigration challenges.
UTEP will work with the University of Arilona at Tucson to conduct research and develop technologies, tools and advanced methods to balance immigration and commerce with effective border security. Their focus will be to assess threats and vulnerabilities, improve surveillance and screening, analyze immigration trends, and help enhance policy and law enforcement efforts.
"Border Security: A Binational Strategy for Border Protection and Effective Commerce" featured panel discussions about effective trade, security strategies and technologies and the education of future national security professionals.
The Border Security Conference, which is co-hosted annually by the university and U.S. Rep. Si Ivestre Reyes, D-EI Paso , showcases UTEP's expertise and brings numerous high-level officials to campus. This year's keynotes included FBI Director Robert S. Mueller III, U.S. orthern Command Deputy Commander Lt. Gen. William G. Webster, Jr., and Customs and Border Protection Commissioner W. Ralph Basham. N
Research office announces new vice president
Ann Gates , professor and chair of the computer science department, has been promoted to Associate Vice President for Research as part of a series of administrative changes to help UTEP meet its goal of becoming a national research university .
Gates, who earned both her undergraduate and master 's degrees from UTEP, has long been a leading researcher at the university.
Gates directs both the ational Science Foundation-funded Cyber- hARE Center of Excellence and the Computing Alliance for Hispanic-Serving Institutions , an NSF-funded consortium focused on the recruitment, retention, and advancement of Hispanics in computing.
In her new role, Gates will help faculty develop their research programs and assist the university in the promotion and
New dean for Graduate School
Patricia Witherspoon , Ph.D. , has been named dean of UTEP's Graduate School. Witherspoon is professor and chair of UTEP's Department of Communication and founding director of the Sam Donaldson Center for Communication Studies. Witherspoon came to UTEP in 2000 from the University of Texas at Austin where she served as associate dean for academic affairs in the College of Communication from 1985-1996 and chair of the Department of Communication Studies from 1996-2000. She previously served as assistant to the vice chancellor and executive vice chancellor for academic affairs in The University of Texas System.
UTEP's Graduate chool enrolls more than 3,000 students and offers more than 60 master's degrees and 16 doctoral programs in business , education, engineering, health sciences, liberal arts, science and nursing. N
coordination of multidisciplinary and mu ltiinvestigator proposals
Gates will work with Roberto Osegueda, vice president for research, to "take the university to the next level," Osegueda says.
Other promotions include Manuela Dokie to associate director / research compliance officer; Michelle Kistenmacher to research administration manager: and Susan Avena, to research integrity officer. N
Doctoral degree growth
The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board recently approved new doctoral degrees in computational science. and teaching, learning and culture. increasing the number of doctorates UTEP offers to 16.
The Ph D. in Computational Science began this fall with three students enrolled in the program. UTEP is the only university in the region that offers this program, which merges the fields of applied mathematics. computer science, and science and engineering to solve complex scientific problems.
The Ph.D. in Teaching, Learning and Culture is designed to take advantage of UTEP's status on the U.S.-Mexico border by providing students opportunities to conduct research and study the linguistic, cultural. and social diversity of the border region. The first group of 25 students is planned to start in spring 2009. N
MBA program among top in the nation Engineering also ranked high
The MBA program at UTEP's College of Business Administration has been ranked sixth in the nation among the Top JO business graduate programs for Hispanics by Hispanic Business magazine. This is the first time the MBA program has been recognized by the magazine's rankings.
"We are honored by this ranking. It recognizes the efforts of the UTEP College of Business to offer a competitive MBA cuniculum, expand our outreach and recruitment efforts, support the success of our students, and
diversify our faculty," says Robert Nachtmann, Ph.D., dean of the College of Business Administration.
The MBA program has tracked a 60 percent growth in enrollment during the last two years.
The College of Engineering is ranked fourth in the nation for Hispanic graduate students after three years of ranking number one.
"We are delighted to be ranked in the top ten for a fourth year", says Richard Schoephoerster, dean of the
College of Engineering. "It is our mission to provide our students with top-notch educational programs and research opportunities. Diversity drives innovation and we are committed to preparing our graduates to be the leaders and innovators of tomorrow."
Hispanic Business features the colleges in its September edition, which includes the 2008 Diversity Report listing Top JO Graduate Schools for Hispanics in four fields. The report determines a school's rank using several factors, including Nachtmann percentage of Hispanic students and faculty, recruiting programs, mentorship programs, Hispanic student organizations, and retention and graduation rates of Hispanic students. N
Budget supports research, technology
UTEP students will benefit from additional faculty, increased research opportunities and improved technology as the university's budget of $295 million for the 2009 fiscal year has been approved by The University of Texas System Board of Regents.
The budget increase of 5 percent over last year will allow the university to hire more faculty, increase on-campus employment opportunities for students, offer additional student support services and upgrade computer lab and classroom
technology.
The 2009 budget also reflects a significant investment in the university's growing research portfolio.
The additional funds are primarily the result of increases in student enrollment and federally sponsored research.
Last fall UTEP enrolled a record 20,154 students and totaled nearly $47 million in research expenditures.
UTEP's budget was approved as part of a vote on the $11.5 billion budget for The U.T. System's 15 institutions. N
Inmany ways, the sun never sets on UTEP Its graduates and the work they do impact the world on a daily basis .
It's not too much to ask o take a few moments to reflect on our accomplishments while at the same time enjoy the present and dream about our unborn tomorrow
That 's what homecomings are about. Ours will be no different. The annual celebration is a chance for Miners everywhere to reflect, enjoy, dream-and rock!
Yes, rock. Because there's no better way to sum up our 94 years of achievement and the momentum we ' ve gained along the way.
Themed "Miners Rock ," this homecoming celebrates the common thread the students of today share with their peers from the past: They knew when to work hard and when to play hard.
Women's Soccer vs. UAB Noon University Field
Homecoming Pageant
6-8 p.m. Magoffin Auditorium
Spirit Cheer 11 :45 a m. Union Building Plaza
Rockin' With the Stars 12:30 p.m. Union Building Plaza
Graceland Music Trivia 11 a.m. Union Building Plaza
Rock Wall Climb Noon Geology Building parking area
Guitar Hero Contest 1:45 p.m. Location TBA
UTEP Heritage House Open House 1Oa mnoon Kerbey Avenue at Randolph Drive
Annual Ron Harvey Golf Tournament 11 :30 a m
Lunch and registrat ion
12 :30 p m. Shotgun with dinner to follow . Fort Bliss Underwood Golf Complex
$400/t eam or $110/person
Lip Sync Contest Noon Union Bu ilding Plaza
College of Liberal Arts/ English Department Reception 2-4 p m Hudspeth Hall Foy er
3-on-3 Basketball
Tournament 3-7 p m Union Building Plaza $5 per player
Golden Grads Coffee and Registration
9 a.m Peter and Margaret de Wetter Center
Golden Grads Campus
Van and Walking Tour
10 a m Peter and Margaret de Wetter Center
Rockin' Relay
Best Mullet Fashion Show
11 a m. Union Building Plaza
UTEP Heritage House
Open House 10 a.m.noon Kerbey Avenue at Randolph Drive
Golden Grads Welcome Luncheon Noon Larry
K Durham Sports Center, Hall of Champions
College of Science Gold Nugget Breakfast
8 a m Geology Building , Geology Reading Room
College of Liberal Arts/ Communication
Homecoming Brunch
1Oa m -noon. Geology
Bu il ding lawn
College of Science/Math Sciences Homecoming
Alumni Coffee 10 a m.noon Bell Hall , Room 125
Department of Political Science Cookout 11 a m -2 p m Benedict Hall lawn
College of Health Sciences Golden Grad Luncheon
Gold Nugget Reception Noon-2 p m Un ion
10- 11 :30 a m 1101 N Building East , Tomas Rivera Campb ell St. , Fountain Room Conference Center, Third Floor
UTEP Heritage House College of Science/Graduate Open House 10 a m - School Cookout
noon Kerbey Avenue 2 p m. Bell Hall lawn at Randolph Drive
Float Judging 10 a.m. P-9 Park ing Lot
3-on-3 Basketball
Tournament 3-7 p.m Union
Building Plaza $5 per play er
College of Liberal Arts/ Deans Office Gold Nugget Ceremony and Reception
4 p m Stanlee and Gerald Rubin Center for the Visual Arts
College of Business
Administration Gold Nugget Reception
4:30 -6 p.m. College of Business Administration , Location TBA
Float Making Party
6 p m.-1 a m P-9 Parking Lot
University College Welcome Home Alumni
6- 8 p m Kelly Hall Patio
Golden Grads Dinner and Dance 6:30 p m. Ardovino 's De sert Crossing , 1 Ardovino
Dr. , Sunland Park , N.M .
UTEP Heritage House
Open House 10 a mnoon Kerbey Avenue at Randolph Drive
College of Education
Gold Nugget Breakfast
College of Engineering Luncheon 11 :30 a m
College of Engineering lawn
Parade Noon Glory Road to Oregon Street to University Avenue
Pep Rally 1:15 p m
Undergraduate Learning Center Patio
College of Liberal Arts/ History Department
Wine and Cheese Reception
4:30-6:30 p.m Liberal Arts Building , Room 321
Miner Varsity Club Happy Hour 5-7 p m Hilton Garden Inn Pav ilion Lounge 111 W. University Ave
Distinguished Alumni Dinner 6:30 p m. Don Haskins Center
Women's Soccer vs. UCF 7 p.m. University Field
UTEP Heritage House Open House 1oa m. -4 p m Kerbey Avenue at Randolph Drive
College of Engineering Gold Nugget Breakfast
8 a.m -noon El Paso Natural Gas Conference Center
Marching Band Rehearsal 3- 4 p.m Sun Bowl Stadium
Alumni Band Refreshments
4-5 p m. Fox Fine Arts , Room 101 , First Floor Former musicians , guard members and Golddiggers welcome
Miner Varsity Club Tailgate 4-7 p.m. Glory Field
UTEP Alumni Association Homecoming Tailgate Party 4-6:30 p.m Glory Field
Alumni Band - March in with the Marching Miners 6 p.m. Depart from Fox Fine Arts , Perform at Halftime
1Oa.m Swimming and Fitness Center Lawn
8 a m -noon. Union Building East , Templeton Suite
Homecoming Game vs Tulane University 7:05 p.m. Sun Bowl Stadium For More Information: 1-86 6-GO- MINERS, 915- 747-8600 or www.homecoming.utep.edu
UTEP, Sun City Help Rohack Shine
By Laura L. Acosta
As J. James Rohack , M.D. , flipped through the pages of the College Education Booklet his senior year at Lewi s C. Oboum East Rochester High School in East Rochester, .Y., the description of The University of Texas at El Paso caught his eye
Rohack , who had spent too many cold winters growing up in upstate ew York, remembers UTEP described as a place in the Southwest where the s un only failed to shine JO days out of the year.
"This is great , I'll be able to go to a new cu ltu re, go to a place I don ' t have to worry about snow," he recalls thinking.
A first-generation college student who had to pay for his own e ducation , Rohack says he was offered the best value in tuition at UTEP. In 1972 , in-state tuition in ew York was $40 a semester hour, the same amount as out-of-state tuition in Texas. So Rohack packed his bags and headed for warmer weather.
Soon after arriving on campus to pursue his bachelor's in psychology, Rohack received the Stevens Scholarship, which qualified him for in - state tuition in Texas and dropped the cost of a semester hour to $4.
"I was able to work in the dorms and on camp us and with the Stevens Scholarship basically was ab le to finish co ll ege without any significant debt," he says.
Intent on becoming a psychologist , Rohack's career plans changed after then-UTEP President Arleigh Templeton introduced him to thenUTMB President William Levin , who encouraged him to enroll at th e University of Texas Medical Branch-Galveston.
It was the direct interaction with UTEP faculty and staff like Templeton and Rohack 's mentors a nd professors, Judith P. Goggin , Ph .D., and James V. Devine , Ph.D., who reassured him that anything can be accomplished with hard work a nd dedication.
"UTE P allows (you) as an undergrad uate to interact with faculty," he says. " In most other universities you never get a chance to interact with senior faculty members, you 're always just interacting with teaching assistants and graduates."
Goggin. a psychology profes so r emeritus, remembers Rohack fondly as a student whose intellect, energy and academic interests clearly set him apart from the rest of his classmates.
" As an undergraduate , his great potential was obvious ; his accomplishments over the intervening 25 or so years have certainly fulfilled this potential, " she says.
R ohack graduated with honors from UTEP in 1976 and received his doctor of medicine degree from UTMB in 1980. The New York native has remained in Texas ever since
What started out as a way to get out of the cold has led Ro hack to a stellar career: He's become a renowned staff card iologist at Scott & White Clinic in Temple, Texas; a respected professor in both the Departments of Medicine and Hum an iti es at the Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine; and most recently, president-elect of the American Medical Association.
He wi ll assume the presidency of the AMA on June 16 , 2009.
He is also being honored this fall as one of three recipients of the 2008 Distinguished Alumni Award by the UTEP Alumni Association.
Rohack, who liv ed in the dorms for four years on a diet of mostly peanut butter and crackers, says his role with the AMA speaks to current and future UTEP students that the doors are open to countless possibilities.
"Coming from (UTEP) gives you opportunities you don ' t have going to other institutions. You have the ability to do whatever you want to by your hard work and dedication," he says.
Rohack ' s parent's never attended co lle ge. Hi s father dropped out of high schoo l to work and eventually got hi s GED. Understanding the added pressure on students supporting themselves through college, Rohack says he believes that UTEP's small class sizes and professors who are willing to help s tudents succeed create an ideal setting for first-generation co llege stude nts
"If you have someone at a professor level that can lend a hand and an encouraging word that's hu ge ly important. "
A Gold Nugget Award recipient from UTEP's College of Liberal Arts in 2002, Rohack says he believes alumni have a respon sibi lity to their alma mater
" I think the bottom line is be proud of your universi ty UTEP gives you something that you could never take away and that is your education and that 's something that you can't put a price on but it 's going to make you a better human being. " M
By Laura L. Acosta
In an age of civil unrest among a growing Hispanic population in the 1960s , journalist Ruben Salazar broke barriers to give them a voice, a face in mainstream America.
"Today, there are city and county parks , libraries , schools, programs and more named after him, all because way back in the l 960s he s in glehandedly tried to give a voice to the triumphs and challenges to an ethnic minority that had been ignored by mainstream media," Louis Sahagun, a staff writer at the LA Times, says about Salazar.
The renowned journalist was killed on the job while covering the ational Chicano Moratorium March in East Los Angeles in 1970 at the age of 42. Hi s contributions to journalism and soc iety were recognized in sp ring 2008 as he was commemorated on a U.S. Postal Service stamp as part of th e American Journalists Series.
This fall, Salazar will be honored posthumously as one of three recipients of the 2008 Distin guis hed Alumni Award presented by the UTEP Alumni Association.
What's s ure to be a somber yet proud moment, the presentation of the award will be made during Homecoming to the oldest of Salazar 's three children, Lisa Salazar Johnson.
Only 9 years old when her father was killed , Johnson says she recalls his dedication to his work. But much of what she experienced at her father's s ide revolved around family outings, vacations and parties.
" We had him for so little time He worked long hours at the Times and traveled a lot ," Johnson says. "l've learned a lot more about Ruben Salazar after his death than when he was alive."
Planning to attend Homecoming with her husband and two children, Johnson says she's eager to meet and talk with other alumni who knew her father.
"El Paso is where he was raised, attended elementary school, high school and college," Johnson says. "I'm looking forward to visiting the college he attended and hopefully finding the home he grew up in."
Born in Ciudad Juarez in the state of Chihuahua, Mexico, Salazar was raised in El Paso and graduated from El Paso High School. He enrolled in the College of Mines and Metallurgy (now UTEP) in 1946,
Salazar breaks barriers
but stopped to serve two years in the U.S. Army.
He returned in 195 2 and earn ed hi s bachelor's degree in journalism from Texas Western College (now UTEP) in 1954 while working as a reporter for the El Paso Hera ld -Post.
It was at the Post where he began many of his legendary fir ts. He was the first Mexican-American to work at the El Paso newspaper. ln 1959, he became the first Mexican-American reporter for the LA Times.
In 1965 , Salazar became the first Mexican-American foreign co1Tespondent while covering the U.S. intervention of the Dominican Rep ublic . He went on to serve as a war correspondent in South Vietnam from 1965 to 1966. He then worked as a correspondent for Mexico. Central America, Cuba and the Caribbean.
In 1969, Salazar became a columnist for the LA Times. He was the first Mexican-American columnist in a major American English-language newspaper.
In hon or of the trailblazing newsman , the Department of Communication at UTEP in 2003 created the Ruben Salazar SpanishLanguage Media Program under a center named for another renowned newsman and University of Texas at El Paso grad uate: The am Donald so n Center for Communication Studies.
The Salazar program aims to prepare bilingual, bicultural journalists by providing students bilingual courses in print and electronic media. Guest lectures , workshops, internships in Spanish-language media and seminars for media professionals are also offered through the program
The program , as everything that bears his name, continues to empower generations of Americans-no matter their background - to succeed and to be heard
Johnson says her father would have been humbled by the countless awards and honors he's received since his death.
''I'm extremely proud of my father, and I'm extremely proud to share this honor with my sons," she says. "Once he graduated, his career took off. He was very motivated and knew what he wanted. He really was a trailblazer." IC
Yetter's Achievements Begin at UTEP
By Daniel Perez
He made his daily run up the winding western path of Scenic Drive as the sun lazily crept over the horizon. The UTEP business major met each new day with optimism.
At the top of the road, the Kappa Sigma fraternity member could see a world of opportunities and possibilities. To his right, Paul Yetter saw the Bhutanese rooftops of the university that he loved and respected.
He knew that the university would be his vehicle to a brighter future .
Yetter graduated from The University of Texas at El Paso in 1980 and is now one of the finest lawyers in the country. His road to legal prominence has taken him around the country, but a piece of his hea1t never left.
"There is no question that I would not have the success I have enjoyed without my education at UTEP," he says. "It can't be said enough - UTEP is the jewel of El Paso."
Yetter is one of three recipients of the 2008 Distinguished Alumni Award presented by the UTEP Alumni Association. He is being recognized for his achievements and for his continuous effo 1ts to help his a lma mater and its students.
The 50-year-old says that he was ·'surprised and flattered" to learn of the honor.
Few know that Yetter won one of his first cases in 1980 while at UTEP. He was vice president of the Student Association and a vocal proponent of adding blue to the university's co lor s - orange and white.
The trial lawyer let out a laugh as he reminisced about his involvement. He says the addition was suggested to better distinguish UTEP from UT Austin, whose colors are burnt orange and white.
" I liked the combina tion of colors," he says. "They have matured beautifully like the university ."
He earned his law degree from Columbia University in 1983 and was hired as a judicial clerk for the Honorable John R. Brown of the .S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. He left after one year to join Houston-based Baker Botts, LLP. and became a partner in 1990.
Yetter helped found 28-lawyer Yetter, Warden & Coleman, L.L.P., of Houston and Austin, in 1997. The firm specializes in complex
commercial cases. His specia lt y is business and technology litigation and arbitration.
Through the years the former Burges Hi gh School wrestler has been honored as one of the country's Top IO tri a l lawyers by National Law Journal and a Texas '·Super Lawyer" by Texas Monthly magazine. His firm was named one of the nation's top liti gation boutiques.
His family and friends speak of him as if the 2005 Gold Nugget Award recipient was born on Krypton in stead of Milwaukee, Wis.
They called him "focused," "goal-oriented ," "ca lm ," "dig nified " and "fun." All agree he would rather be at home with his wife and their seven sons than at some country club event. They also agree that he remained as humble today as when he was a busboy in the mid- I970s at the Mesa Inn
" He sees the best in everyone a nd can communicate with anyone," adds s ister- in-law Linda Daw Hud so n.
Yetter, son of Richard and Lollie Yetter, was the third of five children and grew up with discipline, compassion and a sense of grat itud e.
"Whatever success I've had is because God blessed me with great parents, a great wife and a grea t education."
To that end, he and his wife, UTEP grad Patricia Daw Yetter, staited at UTEP an endowed professorship for the College of Education and four scho lars hip s for low-income , high achieving stude nt s.
Denise Olivas is among the 40 students to have earned a Yetter sc holars hip. The electronic media major was the first in her family to graduate from college this past spring.
The scholarship allowed her to focus more on her studies and less on accumulating work hours. The 22-year-old East Side resident graduated cum laude with a 3.4 GPA.
She sent Yetter thank you notes and an invitation to her graduation. She says he wrote back notes of encouragement.
"I didn't expect them, but they meant a lot to me," she says.
Ivan Rangel, president of UTEP's Kappa Sigma chapter, says that he is excited at Yetter's recognition because it reflects well on the fraternity, which promotes fellowship , leadership, scholarship and service.
"Not many people get this kind of honor and he 's one of our brothers," he says. M
Nuggets of Success
Each year, UTEP and the Alumni Association recognize exceptional graduates from each college and school who have distinguished themselves in their profession and life, given back to their communities and alma mater, and serve as inspiration for future generations of Miners.
These alumni are leaving their mark across the nation and around the world as CEOs, doctors, teachers, professors, nurses, engineers, researchers, judges and more.
Honored as recipients of the Gold Nugget Award for their achievements, these graduates are testament that no matter your passion or profession, success is within your reach.
College of Business Administration
Betty M. acgu1re
Kenneth T. Murphy
BBA , 1960
S e ni o r C hairm a n of th e B oard
F ir s t F in an c ial B a nk s hares, In c.
Abil e ne , Te xas
Notables: Out s ta ndin g C iti ze n of th e Year,
Abil e ne C ha mb e r of C o mm e rce, 20 0 3; form e r
C lass A Direc to r, Fede ral Rese rve B a nk of
D a ll as; fo rm e r c ha ir, treas ure r a nd direc to r , Texas
B a nk e rs A ssoc ia ti o n
College of Education
Marilyn Moore Cromeans
BA, 1958
Re ti red teac her
E l Paso, Texas
Notables: Pres ide nt , UTE P Woman ' s
A ux ili ary; c hai r, UTE P G o ld e n Gra ds; me mb e r,
E l P aso a nd Texas Ret ire d Teac hers Assoc iat io n ; me m be r, Di scove r E l Paso Assoc ia ti o n , In c ; fo rm e r Texas Wes te rn C o ll ege c hee rl ea der
Be Stoney
B S, 1985 , M. Ed , 1987
A ssoc ia te Pro fesso r, Seco nd ary E du ca ti o n
K a nsas S ta te U ni ve rsi ty
M a nh at ta n , K a n
Notables: S ec re tary a nd c hair-e lec t , R esearc h
Assoc ia t ion for M in o rit y P rofesso rs; board
me m be r, G irl Sco ut s of N o rth eas t K a nsas a n d
No rth west Mi sso ur i ; fo m1 er UTEP wo me n 's baske tba ll team me m be r a nd ass i s ta nt baske tba ll coac h ; fo rm e r head wo me n 's bas ke tb a ll coac h , Texas A&M U ni ve rs ity- K i ngsv ill e
College of Engineering
Harsha E. Joesoef
BSCE, 1980, MSCE, 1982
Chief Executive Officer, RPX Group Companies Jakarta , Indonesia
Notables: Satyalancana Pembangunan (Medal of Recognition) Presented by the President of the Republic of Indonesia, 2006; Entrepreneur of the Year, Ernst & Young , 2002; Best CEO, SWNDunamis/As ia Market Intelligence, 2002; South East Asia Best Executive Golden Class, Indonesia Lestari Foundation, 2002
Juan Eduardo argas Ortega
BSEE , 1973
Senior Program Manager University Relations, Google Columbia, S.C
Notables: Academic Relations Manager of the Year, Microsoft, 2005; NSF North American Fellow Award, 1995; Academic Research Fellow, South Carolina Research Authority; Best Dissertation Award , Vanderbilt University, 1988
College of Health Sciences
Hector L. ranco
BS, 1971
Dermatologist
El Paso Phototherapy Center El Paso, Texas
Notables: Member, Diplomat American Board of Dermatology; Fellow American Board of Dermatology, Texas Medical Society and Texas Dermatological Society; past president, El Paso Medical Society
College of Science
Cori Gorman
BS, 1974
Co-founder/President, DNA Bridges Inc. San Francisco, Calif.
Notables: Outstanding Alumna, I00 Years of Celebrating Science, Washington State University; Outstanding Alumna, Zoology Department, Washington State University; member, Scientific Advisory Board , Takeda San Francisco; inventor, 25 issued patents
Eileen G. orman
BS, 1973
Co-founder/CEO, DNA Bridges Inc
Santa Fe , N.M.
No
bles. Mentor of the Year, Science Center, Port of Technology, Pa., 2003; Elizabeth Bingham Award (for significantly advancing innuencing advancement of women in science), Association for Women in Science, Philadelphia Chapter, 2000
College of Liberal Arts
John W. Rolph l
BA, 1978
Administrative Law Judge
U.S. Social Security Administration Charleston, W. Va.
Notables: Outstanding Career Judge Advocate, 1997; Legion of Merit; Meritorious Service Medal; avy Commendation Medal; Navy Achievement Medal
School of Nursing
Sandy Endlich Arias
BSN, 1981
Registered nurse /sc hool nurse Irving, Texas
Notables: Board of Directors , Dallas Catholic Ministries; Board of Directors , Family Place; CoPresident, Cistereian Booster Club; Member, Order of Malta
Louann Hoover Feuille
BSN, 1974
Registered nurse / retired school nurse El Paso Independent School District , El Paso, Texas
Notables: Co-chair, College of Health Sciences Advisory Board, UTEP, 2008; past president, Junior League of El Paso, Women of the Church of St. Clement and YWCA of El Paso; member, El Paso Symphony Guild, Pan American Round Table of El Paso
Celebrating 01ilestones, gaining 01001entu01
Campaign Council to lead University into next century
·om our roots as the Texas State School of Mines of Metallurgy to the preeminent example of a successful urban research university we've become today, The University of Texas at El Paso continues to serve as a national model for access and excellence .
As the University approaches its lOO 'h anniver ary in 2014, our momentum has never been greater.
We 're at the forefront of higher education, raising the aspirations and educational attainment of the residents of our region and making great strides toward becoming a top-tier research university. All the while, we continue to play a key role in the region's eco nomi c development and serve as a notable example of civic engagement.
We 've not done it alone.
We've relied on strong administrative leadership, dedicated and knowledgeable faculty and staff, supportive alumni, and students filled with the dreams, drive and talent needed to s ucce ed. We've relied fu1ther on private suppo11; our generous donors who have helped us reach new heights.
To remain at the forefront, TEP has embarked on an ambitious fundrai ing effo 1t that will culminate in 2014. The Centennial Campaign will focus on securing support in three broad areas:
..,. ........... g our endowment
• Expanding programmatic support
• ' ha
To assist in these efforts, UTEP has brought together a group of talented civic and community leaders to form the Centennial Campaign Leader hip Council.
The council wi ll be led by Campaign Chair Russ Vandenburg, a 1970 UTEP graduate and lon gtime supporter of his alma mater. Vice chairs will be appointed to preside over committees to include Gift Acceptance; Principal Gifts; Communication and Marketing and others that may be established during the course of the campaign.
The success of our Cente nni al Campaign relies heavily on these extraordinary suppo11er , whom we sincere ly thank for serving as the driving force behind our momentum. N
Building
Schola
by Daniel Perez
Education has been called the great leveler in that it can help guide anyone with a capacity to learn along the road to success. The less fortunate reality is that higher education comes at a price that not everyone can achieve.
Enter The Greater Texas Foundation, a non-profit organization that has provided loans and grants for more than 25 years to help underrepresented and/ or needy Lone Star students to reach their academic goals.
To date, the foundation has
provided 166.000 in scholarship support to UTEP through its three primary programs: ··Generation Proud," for first generation college students; "Rising to the Challenge," for students who will transfer to a university from a community college; and "Removing Educational Ba1Tiers," for students in financial need.
More than 40 students at The University of Texas at El Paso have benefitted from the foundation's different scholarship plans since 2003. Among them is Yanawi B. Quinones, a junior history major, who plans to be a high school history teacher.
"Not only did this grant help to make my dream come true (of going to college), but my parents dream come true," says Quinones, the first person in her family to attend college. "I was very proud to get it."
The foundation awarded $2,500 through its "Generation Proud" program to Quinones, a 19-year-old Montana Vista resident with a 3.95 GPA. She used the money to help pay for tuition.
Her story is the kind that reminds foundation staffers why they do what they do, says Wynn Rosser, a long-time Texas A&M educator and administrator who became the organization's executive director in January 2007.
Greater Giving
tp~ hetp unaerrepresen
udents
"At the end of the day, when you realize that 90 percent of the student we help are successful, it makes you feel good," he says. "And that's an understatement."
The financial help is a boon to UTEP because the different scholarship programs are aimed at a izeable percentage of the university's student population.
A first recipient of a "Removing Educational Barriers" endowed scholarship will be presented in mid-August.
UTEP has three endowed scholarships
"At the end of the day ... it makes you feel good. And that's an understatement."
- Wynn Rosser, executive director. The Greater Texas Foundation
where local donors matched foundation gifts. These will enable up to five more students to earn scholarships of $1,000 or more next fall.
The foundation is run out of its headquarters in Bryan, Texas, a small community about five miles northwest of College Station. It supports education through its grants and programs to improve educational quality through publicprivate partnerships.
The organization has evolved through the years into an organization that has provided around $4 million in grants to Texas students.
Rosser says the foundation board is in the process of reinventing the organization to narrow its focus but widen its footprint throughout the state.
For example, he wants the foundation to develop more strategic and pro-active initiatives that reach deep into the Texas school districts to develop interest in science, technology. engineering and math. He also wants to see more programs that stress teacher involvement.
"Good things will happen if you put great teachers who are prepared and have the right technology in a classroom with bright students," he says. "We want to make good teachers better."
The foundation also has provided funds for the Northwest Early College High School in the Canutillo Independent School District. Students from this school can earn an associate's degree at the same time as their diploma. Those who graduate in 2012 will get a scholarship to any four-year Texas university. Rosser says.
Lt' an example of the foundation's long-term efforts to reach historically under-represented students from El Paso to the Rio Grande Valley. N
UTEP student Yana"i B. Quinones
W)l111 Rosser
Stories by Danie l E. Perez
Record crowd experiences Miners-Longhorns
A loud Sun Bowl Stadiumrecord crowd of 53,415 saw the UT Austin Longhorns beat the UTEP Miners , 42-13, Sept. 6. The game was competitive after three quarters when the score was 28-13 and the Miners had had some success moving the ball. There was hope.
This was the third game between the two schools. The last one was in 1933. This was the first time they played in El Paso. Most fans were uncharacteristically early and drove themselves into a furious frenzy before kickoff. And then the fourth quarter started and hope quickly faded into the team's
second loss of the young season.
But this was a different kind of loss than the one the week before. It came to the I 0th ranked Longhorns , not the Buffalo Bulls.
The Miners showed great effort before tiring at the end in front of a national televi ion audience.
"We can build on this ," UTEP head coach Mike Price says.
The team will have five more home games to show UTEP fans how much better they can get. The first chance will be Sept. 20 against New Mexico State.
Bringing home the bronze
Three female athletes with UTEP ties earned bronze medals for Nigeria at the Beijing Olympic this summer.
All-American Blessing Okagbare earned her medal in the long jump while former Miners Halimat I maila and Osayomi Oludamola got theirs for running the last two legs of the 4x I 00 relay.
Both journeys to the medal platform had twists and turns that made their achievements sweeter.
The Miner junior finished the preliminaries in I 3th place and out of the finals. I lowever, she was admitted after Ukrainian track star Lyudmila Blonskc, who finished third in the prelims, was disqualified for using a banned substance.
Okagbare made the most of her second chance. She jumped her personal best 22 feet, 8 inchesand broke a UTEP record.
"It is the biggest miracle ofmy life," she told a Vanguard reporter after the event. "Going out in the qualifying, coming back after and getting a medal is just the work of God." Her finish earned Nigeria its first medal of the Beijing Games.
lsmaila and Oludamola were part of the relay team that earned a medal in part due to dropped batons by the favored .S. team in a qualifying heat and the Jamaicans in the finals. The team finished with a time of 43.04.
" It's a tremendous honor to be represented by these young people," track and field head coach Bob Kitchens says.
Not so lucky at the Games was Churandy Martina, a Fonner Miner who represented the etherlands-Antilles. I le won a silver medal in the 200-mctcr sprint, but was disqualified about 30 minutes after the race for a lane violation.
The three medals are the second most received by a group of UTEP athletes in a single Olympics. Five medals were won by former UTEP athletes during the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. In all, IO Olympians who represented eight countries at these Games had UTEP ties. Two other forn1er Miners were part of their national teams , but did not participate. N
Soccer tastes victory
The university will honor its 1988 team during the Sept. 27 Conference USA matchup against the University of Central Florida. This team is the only one in school history to win IO games in the same season. It was coached by Bob Stull, who is now UTEP's athletic director. That year's team played in the Independence Bowl and lost to Southern Miss, whose quarterback was Brett Favre. N
For more news and information about UTEP athletics , visit www .utepathletics
The taste of the big time has left UTEP soccer coach Kevin Cross and his team hungry for more wins in 2008. The rest a Conference USA championship and a berth in the CAA Tournament - will take care of itself.
The key to ultimate victory is to maintain focus because there is not a lot that separate the best team in the league , Cross says.
'To win a Conference USA championship, you can not have more than one slip up," Cross says. " We have to be playing our best soccer and have no let downs."
The team started its year with a 5-0 mark thanks to a staunch defense. It beat Baylor, Texas State and Louisiana-Lafayellc, South Dakota and I louston Baptist Universit y Four of those wins
were by shutout.
Cross also hoped "the best home schedule in UTEP soccer history" would bring out the fans and help the team, which ha a 50-6-2 record at home ince 2002. The Miners home schedule include two games in late eptember and six conference contests in October.
The team started its 20-game regular season Aug. 22 with a home win over Baylor in front of a record crowd of 1,426 at University Field. It was the first of 13 home games, another program record.
"It is an awesome experience at our games, and if someone comes to one (of them)," Cross says, "I can guarantee they will come back." N
In the Spotlight
BY LAURAL. ACOSTA Student and Faculty Achievements
End of Year Great Time to Give
With the season of giving fast approaching, we invite you to make UTEP part of your gift-giving plans. Your tax-deductible gift to the University is a wonderful way to honor or memorialize a loved one while also supporting the talented students UTEP serves. To claim a deduction toward the 2008 tax year, please note the following deadlines for year-end gifts made to UTEP.
Cash or check: Cash or checks, made payable to UTEP, may be delivered to the Office of Advancement Services , 6 th floor of Kelly Hall, no later than 5 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 30. UTEP will not be open Wednesday, Dec. 3 I • You may also send your check by mail to: UTEP Office of Advancement Services, 500 W. University Ave., El Paso, Texas , 79968. Please designate the appropriate fund or purpose for your gift on the check ' s memo line. Per IRS regulations, the postmark date will serve as the official gift date. Gifts must be postmarked no later than Dec. 31 to be applied toward the 2008 tax year.
Credit card: Credit card gifts made by phone must be received by 5 p.m. Tuesday, Dec 30. To phone in your credit card gift, call (915) 7476676, or make your gift on line at
Online gifts must be submitted by midnight Dec. 30.
Stocks, secur ities, mutual funds: Begin the transfer process by Dec. 1. For instructions , log on to our Web site at d Information: 915-747-8533
PLEASE NOTE: UTEP's Development and Advancement Services offices have moved from the Stanton Professional Building to Kelly Hall on campus. Our new mailing address: UTEP, Kelly Hall, 6th Floor , 500 W. Univer ity Ave. , El Paso, TX 79968-0524.
Alumni Association Launches Membership Campaign
Dear Alumni.
When I began my tenure as the Assistant Vice President for Alumni and Constituent Relations last year, I outlined initial areas of emphasis needed to achieve our goal of engaging alumni in the life of the university. I am pleased to announce that the Office of Alumni Relations and the UTEP Alumni Association have been exceptionally successful in each area.
To begin, we are proud to have a very active Student Alumni Association which has become a recognized student organization on campus, helping us establish strong relationships with students. In addition , we have strengthened our membership program adding a new alumni card program with increased national, local and campus benefits. Our volunteer base con-
With the foundation of the new era of the UTEP Alumni Association developed , we look to increase our membership base. I wish to take this opportunity to announce the launch of our membership campai g n, 5000 members by 2010. Thi s campaign is key to en s urin g the future success of our Alumni Association. I am calling upon each one of you to expand your commitment to the Alumni As s ociation. We are your lifelong connection to the University and ask you to support the University through your UTEP Alumni Association membership.
With homecomin g celebration s upon us, the UTEP Alumni Association is proud to brin g students alumni, faculty and staff together to support this timeless tradition. Please take this opportunity to join us at our homecoming festivities and continue your connection to UTEP.
Thank you and GO MINERS!
tinues to increase locally and with Richard Daniel, Ph.D. a new National Board of Directors, A ss i stant V ice Pres id ent fo r Alumn i and we look forward to expanding our Co nstitu ent Rel at ion s reach throughout the nation.
Letter from the President
Dear alumni,
What a remarkable time to be associated with UTEP.
Student enrollment is growing, our campus is expanding and now more than ever our Alumni are making their mark around the world. This is an ideal time to be involved with our UTEP Alumni Association.
For the first time ever , our Association will have a National Board of Directors. This year we will also launch our '·5 ,000 by 2010" membership campaign. To
Alumni Association Board of Directors
2008-09
that end , we will foster and boost communication with our various Alumni Chapters located throughout the country to assist in attracting new members.
I personally invite all alumni to become members and help our Association support UTEP 's vision. mission and traditions. Show your UTEP Miner pride and be a part of this exciting era for the University of Texa s at El Paso and our Alumni Association. As always - GO MINERS!
Sincerely ,
Enrique "Henry" Quintana Jr. BA , ' 74, MA, ' 94 Pr
President: Enrique "Henry"' Quintana Jr., BA. Broadcasting. '75: MA, Communication '94
President Elect: Richard Martinez. BS, Mechanical Engineering, '79
Treasurer: Hector Almeida, BBA. Finance. ·73
Vice President/Membership: Mary Helen Padilla, BA, Political Science, '97
Vice President/Public Relations: Keri Moe. BA. Organizational Communication/ Public Relations, '99: MA, Communication, ·03
Vice President/Ways & Means: Gerardo Licon, BS, Civil Engineering, ' 86: MS, Civil Engineering, '99
Secretary: Sandra Braham. MEd, Education. '02: EdD. Educational Leadership, '05
Immediate Past President: Clare E. Duncan-Adams. BS. Secondary Education. '77
Amanda Bernal-Ransom, BA. Political Science. '03
Joe Cardenas, BS , Civil Engineering. '74
Samantha Chagra. MS, Biological Science, '07
Christopher Charron. BBA, Finance, '95
Diane De Hoyos. MS , Manufacturing Engineering. ·94
Gilbert De La Rosa. BS. Criminal Justice, ·74
Raul "Gabby" Garibay. BA. Mathematics, '52; MAIS, Interdisciplinary Studies, '86
Ruth Martinez, BA. Spanish, '71: MEd. Curriculum and Instruction. ·73
Leticia Missirian, BA, Political Science, '90
Irma Rascon. BBA. Marketing. ·93
Joe Villanueva. BBA, Management. '92
Carlos Gutierrez, BS. Biology. ·71
Michael H. Acosta (B.S.E.E. '71 ), associate director for UTEP's Institute for Policy and Economic Development, was elected in May to a second term as national president of the Society of Mexican American Engineers and Scientists Inc.
Nancy E. Bowlin (B.S.Ed. '72), was named by Texas Gov. Rick Perry to the OneStar National Service Commission to administer the AmeriCorps Texas program and promote volunteerism and community service. Bowlin is the marketing director for The Bosworth Co., a plumbing, heating and air conditioning contractor in Midland, Texas.
Michael H. Bray (B.B.A. '77) was nan1ed by Texas Gov. Rick Perry in April as presiding officer of the Manufactured Housing Board, which regulates Texas' manufactured housing industry. Bray is a realtor with Prudential BKB Realtors in El Paso.
Mary Jo Moeri Burton (B.A. '76) is the communications director for the North Kansas City [Mo.] School District. She was named Professional of the Year by the Missouri School Public Relations Association.
Ricardo E. Estrada (B.S.Ed. '75; M.Ed. '77), superintendent of the Clint Independent School District in Texas, was named Region 19 Superintendent of the Year for his commitinent to the school district and its students.
Carlos A. Parra (B.S. '76) joined Alexza Pharmaceuticals Inc. as vice president, quality, in May. He resides in Montara, Calif.
Lt. Col. Michael Apodaca (B.B.A. '86) recently returned from 15 months of combat operations in northern Iraq where he commanded the 97th Military Police Battalion comprised of more than 2,000 soldiers. He was awarded the Bronze Star Medal for his achievements.
Jorge Cervantes (B.S.C.E. '85; M.B.A. '95) is the director of public works for the city of Las Vegas.
•ALUMNOTES•
Jose "Carlos" Hernandez (B.B.A. '88; M.Ed. '05) is the associate vice president of business affairs and comptroller at UTEP. He received the National Association of College and University Business Officers' Rising Star Award.
Guadalupe "Lupe" Ruiz (B.S.Ed. '83), who teaches Englishas-a-second-language at Valley View Elementary School in Austin, Texas, was named the school's 2008 Teacher of the Year.
Susanne M. Smith (B.B.A. '82) is an escrow officer with Lone Star Title in El Paso.
Roberto Yanez Jr. (B.A. '88) was named vice president of news for Univision's KMEX-TV Channel 34 in Los Angeles in May.
Thelma Franco (B.B.A. '94) earned an M.B.A. in August 2007 from the University of Dallas. She is employed by Lehigh Hanson as a member of the Financial Planning and Analysis Group, North American Operations, in Irving, Texas.
Manuel J. "Manny" Garcia (B .A. '97) retired as a senior manager at broadcast satellite provider DIRECTV. He resides in Denver.
Bernadette Herrera (B.S.N. '98) is the director of the Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit and Heart Failure Center at Del Sol Medical Center in El Paso.
Cynthia M. Thompson (B.A. '90) is a licensed independent substance abuse counselor and employed as a primary therapist at The Meadows, an addiction treatment facility in Wickenburg, Ariz.
Elias "Eli"Aguilera (B.A. '02) earned an M.B.A. in May from the McDonough School of Business at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. He also received the Daniel Walker McNeal Service Award, which annually recognizes a graduating M.B.A. student who "exemplifies the finest characteristics of a successful Georgetown graduate."
Darlene A. Dodson (B.S.N. '05) was named in June as
manager of the surgery department at Johns Community Hospital in Taylor, Texas.
Francesca Lopez (M.A. '02) earned a Ph.D. in educational psychology from the University of Arizona in May. She is an assistant professor in the Educational Policy and Leadership Department at Marquette University in Milwaukee.
Kimberly M. "Kimber" McCarden (B.A. '01) is an account executive in the Client Services Department at El Paso advertising agency MithoffBurton Partners.
Jami F. Tullius (B.S.M.E. '05), a former UTEP soccer player who was recognized as the 2007 Conference USA Offensive Player of the Year, was awarded a Conference USA Postgraduate Scholarship. She resides in Houston where she is a student in Rice University's Ph.D. program in mechanical engineering.
In
Robert Louis Arroyo Jr. (B.A. '67; M.S. '75) Vallejo, Calif.; Dec. 28, 2007.
Irvin "Red" Thacker (M.A. '57) El Paso; May 7, 2008.
Kenneth Paul Thompson (B.A. '68) El Paso; May 7, 2008.
Maria A. Chandler (B.S.Ed. '82) El Paso; May 8, 2008.
Lloyd V. Stevens Jr. (B.B.A. '49) El Paso; May 15, 1927.
Montez Buttry Chappelle (M.A. '50) Corpus Christi, Texas; May 16, 2008.
Beverly Wayne Stubbs (B .S. '68) El Paso; May 22, 2008.
Georgie E. Leiper Cramer (B.S.Ed. '66) El Paso; May 24, 2008.
Wanda L. Howard (B.A. '36; M.A. '51) El Paso; May 24, 2008.
Alan Dee Long (B .S. '64; M .Ed. '72; M.S.N. '95) El Paso; May 26, 2008.
Derek Kent McKiddie Jr. (B.S.Ed. '91) Kerrville, Texas; June 7, 2008.
Peggy Lee Batson (B.S.Ed. '89) Fabens, Texas; June 10, 2008.
Maria Isela Chiu (B.A. '73; M.A. '76) El Paso; June 12, 2008.
Diana Crawford Keith (B.M. '82) Farmington, N.M.; June 14, 2008.
Annie Pan Leong (B.F.A. '86) El Paso; June 14, 2008.
Rosario Madera (B.S.Ed. '74) El Paso; June 14, 2008.
John Howard "Coach" Gooden (B.A. '51; M.A. '65) El Paso; June 15, 2008.
Robert Edgar Nesom Jr. (B.B.A. '64) El Paso; June 17, 2008.
Joe Robert Rincon (B.S. '76; M.Ed. '85) El Paso; June 19, 2008.
Neil Morriss Jones (B.S.Ed. '68) El Paso; June 20, 2008.
Yvonne Raye Shackelford (M.A. '53) El Paso; June 20, 2008.
Robert James "Jim" Sellers (B.B.A. '75) El Paso; June 24, 2008.
Charlotte Dettman (B .S .W. '84) El Paso; June 25, 2008.
Michie Esquenazi (B.S.Ed. '70) El Paso; June 29, 2008.
Compiled By Shannon Kanorr
