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The status of professor emeritus is bestowed on retiring faculty who have demonstrated exceptional and meritorious service to the institution. Gail Ackall, associate professor, clinical laboratory sciences Tommy Boley, associate professot, English
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The first female in her family to earn a college degree, Olsa Alikaj (3.67 GPA) will graduate in May with a bachelor's degree in political science and linguistics. The Librazhd, Albania, native is an honors student and former president of the Alikaj International Student Organization. She received the International Student Leader of the Year awar~, the Outstanding International Undergraduate Student of t_he Year accolade and a Houston Endowment fl:onors Award.
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Roberto Araiza (3.9 GPA) received his bachelor's degree in computer science in December. At UTEP, he was a teaching assistant, Webmaster, research assistant and math tutor. The Ciudad Juarez native was one of only 10 students Araiza nationwide to receive the Microsoft National Minority Technical Scholarship. He also received the Houston Endowment Honors Award, the Security Capital Group Scholarship and the Arteniio de Ia Vega Award.
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Overcoming the culture shock of a new country, language and life style, German native Sara Kuhn (3.79 GPA) excelled at UTEP and is graduating with honors in May. The marketing major is featured in
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Who!s Who Among Students in American Universities and
Colleges and is a U.S. Achievement Academy All-American Scholar. She is a member of the Mortar Board Honor Society, the Honors Council and the Golden Key National Honor Society.
Patricia Castiglia, professor, nursing Kenneth Clark, professor, geological sciences David Hall, professor, philosophy (posthumous) Joan Manley, professor, languages and linguistics Gail Mortimer, professor, English
Eugene Schuster, professor, mathematical sciences 1 6 • UTEP NOVA
The challenges just weren't coming fast enough for Charlie Potter, a laid-back teenager who graduated with a 3.6 GPA from Riverside High School last year. So to challenge himself, he decided to graduate from high school a year early, making him the first member of the Class of 2001 to enroll at UTEP. His early high-school exit also makes him the first of thousands of first graders, with whom UTEP officials met during its 75th Diamond Jubilee anniversary, to enter the university. During the 1987-89 celebration, the university began to prepare for the Class of 2001 by visiting more than 80 elementary schools throughout El Paso County. "I remember when UTEP students
and faculty came to my school and sang 'High Hopes' when I was a first grader," says Potter, who still has the little T-shirt university representatives gave him more than 10 years ago. Today, the UTEP freshman health sciences major who plans on becoming a physical therapist balances a full-time academic schedule with a 30-hour-per-week job. The fi rst in his family to attend college, he serves as a role model for his younger brother Chris, a sixth grader who loves watching his baritone-playing big brother perform with the Marching Miners at UTEP football games. "From the band to my classes, I am having a great time at UTEP," Potter says. "I really got the challenge I was looking for."
From Firs t Grader to College Freshman: Charlie Potter, a UTEP health sciences freshman, still has the little T-shirt he received when he w as in t he f irst grade as part of a university campaign to encourage schoo l ch ild ren to make college a priority.