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November 21, 2025

OPINION 1

AI-Generated everything: Where is the line drawn?

NEWS 4

Longest US Government shutdown ends after 43 days

ARTS & CULTURE 5

Master Chief is ending the console wars

THE DIGITAL ISSUE

Exploring cultural identity in ‘I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter’

The University of Texas at El Paso’s Department of Theatre and Dance has brought Erika Sánchez’s best-selling novel “I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter” to the Wise Family Theatre.

The play follows Julia Reyes, a Mexican American teenager living in Chicago who is

struggling to navigate her family’s expectations and her own dreams of becoming a writer after the sudden death of her sister, Olga.

Adapted for the stage by Isaac Gómez, the production focuses on cultural identity, generational pressure and mental health all while navigating grief. Director

Adriana Dominguez, who is also an associate professor of theatre, says these themes and their relevance to the community drew her to the play.

“We [The selection committee of the Department of Theater and Dance] thought that a play about a young person’s experience was really pertinent to our community, and especially because she is the daughter of immigrants, and she’s navigating a lot, we thought, what better place to do a play like this than UTEP,” Dominguez said. Dominguez said she hopes the audience will leave inspired if they see themselves reflected onstage.

“I want people to leave empowered; we see this strength of this young person who is determined to make her dreams come true,” Dominguez said. “Even if our dreams can seem far-fetched, having those is important, and we have to keep reaching for them.”

Castro, who plays Julia, is on stage throughout the entire performance. One of the biggest challenges for Dominguez was exploring the heavy themes while still handling them with care and sensitivity.

“If people have read the book, they know it has a very extreme struggle with mental health, and there are some very sensitive moments in the play,” Dominguez said. “My goal is never to retraumatize anyone, so we stylized some of these moments. The audience knows what happened, but I’m not actually having those things happen in front of people.”

For senior Maximo Chong, who plays Mr. Ingman, it has been both a creative and personal milestone.

“It made me so happy that I could come into this space and not feel judged and not feel overworked and feel good about the work that I’m doing because of everyone around me,” Madrid said.

Chong said that to develop his performance he had to do more than just practice and memorize lines; he had to learn to trust himself on stage.

“At the beginning it was a lot of me just trying to memorize my lines, and it didn’t come off natural,” Chong said. “It became more of ‘Okay, let my body do the work.’ It’s a lot of just being aware and being there in the moment.”

Taking on the role of Olga helps Madrid set boundaries between school, performance and her personal life.

There were technical challenges Dominguez, the cast and crew had to overcome. The play changes locations over 30 times, actors had to move set pieces and do quick changes while on stage and Vasco

“The entire cast has all been super cool, and I appreciate all their help, especially navigating something new… It hasn’t felt like a job,” Chong said. “I’ve never come in and felt like I needed to be here just because I needed to be here. It’s always been, ‘I’m looking forward to this.”

For sophomore Zena Madrid who portrays Olga, this is her first time acting in a major role.

“I work in this building, and I go to class in this building, and I eat in this building, and then I go to rehearsals in this building. It’s very difficult to get home and decompress, but it’s forced me to take time to relax for tomorrow.”

Julia (played by Vasco Castro) visited her Mama Jacinta (played by Maya Godina) as her parents thought it would do her good to visit. There Julia learns a new perspective on her parents. Photos by Damaris Flores/The Prospector

Opinion

Evelyn Palma, editor-in-chief

Why do the holidays seem to start earlier every year?

Mariah Carey is thawing faster every year. It’s November, but the aisles are already glowing red and green. Halloween candy sits halfoff on one shelf, while Christmas ornaments hang on the next. The rush to move from one holiday to another seems faster every year, and somewhere between profit margins and Pinterest boards, our calendar has turned into a countdown to the next shopping season.

Stores push decorations out earlier each year hoping to stretch sales windows and catch early spenders. Social media doesn’t help either, fueling new “holiday aesthetics” and color trends that make last year’s decorations feel outdated. From maximalist LEDs and minimalist neutrals to Ralph Lauren’s traditional red-and-green Christmas revival, there’s always a new way to buy into the holiday spirit — literally.

But how early is too early?

For some, the early cheer is comforting. University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) sophomore, Janezka Sandoval said she doesn’t mind when holidays start early.

“I personally do like getting in the spirit. After Halloween, Nov. 1, I was like, okay, it’s Christmas time, because I really do look forward to

it,” Sandoval said.

For others, though, the quick transition feels disorienting. UTEP sophomore Angel Mejia said seeing Christmas decor before Halloween had even begun was jarring. “It’s way too soon. I was at Walmart and already saw Christmas stuff up. Thanksgiving hasn’t even

passed,” Mejia said. “It does not give people a chance, like, last minute shoppers, to get what they need.”

For Mejia, it’s more surprising than exciting.

Even for those who enjoy it, like Sandoval and I, there’s an awareness that this acceleration in holiday spirit isn’t exactly organic.

“I feel like they’re trying to get rid of old stuff, or they’re moving on really fast. I know a lot of people really look forward to it, but at the same time, I feel like it’s kind of misleading,” Sandoval said. “They are probably trying to get more customers. A lot of people really look forward to the holidays, so

they probably want more people coming in. It’s a way to grab their [customers] attention.”

There’s no clearer example of this “holiday creep” than Christmas arriving in stores before Thanksgiving even has its moment. Halloween decorations come down, and suddenly the stores are filled with Santa hats and snowmen. I’ve seen Bath & Body Works’ holiday collection promoted since midOctober, and TikTok trends have already crowned Ralph Lauren’s nostalgic “Americana Christmas” as 2025’s newest look.

Between influencer hauls, aesthetic content and limitededition product drops, we’re encouraged to perform the season earlier every year. The result is that holiday joy starts to feel like another checklist item. You can’t just enjoy the moment; you have to keep up with it.

That sense of pressure extends beyond the decor, it’s about time and how quickly it feels like the world expects us to move on. One week, we’re carving pumpkins; the next we’re buying garland and wrapping paper.

It’s easy to blame retailers and influencers, but the truth is more complicated. Stores wouldn’t start the season early if people weren’t... read MORE at theprospectordaily.com

AI-Generated everything: Where is the line drawn?

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a tool. How you use this tool is up to you. AI being used in media and other aspects in our lives has become a larger conversation; it seems that people don’t realize how much it has been a part of our lives so far.

The level of AI has become almost unnoticed in everyday life, from Word Doc AI suggestions to AI denoising images in Adobe Lightroom. The main point of debate for many seems to be the ethical usage of it.

University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) junior civil engineering

major Caleb Munoz has an optimistic outlook on AI.

“It’s helped me through a lot of my classes,” Munoz said. “I’m not the type of person to learn automatically in a lecture. It takes time for me to process it.”

The use of AI in the classroom is an ever-changing landscape with teachers and students throughout the academic world. Music artist Timbaland announced his recent project being an AI music artist known as Tata Taktumi. Timbaland debuted his first song with Tata called Glitch x Pulse in collaboration with the JABBAWOCKEEZ dance group in early October. Music artist SZA commented on Timbaland’s

Instagram post that announced the release of the song, with a disappointed outlook. “WHY NOT ELEVATE AND POUR YOUR GENIUS EXPERIENCE AND EXPERTISE INTO A REAL HUMAN BEING !??,” SZA said. As of Nov. 20, the music video on YouTube has 2.3K likes and 9.5K dislikes. Although the music is generated by AI, a lot of human input can still be seen in the music video and its end credits. While Tata still needs the use of humans to create music, it seems like movie producers are looking to use AI to create ideas and productions.

The 2025 film “Tron: Ares,”...

Dinosaur fossils discovered by UTEP geologist

While mapping geological formations at the Indio Mountains Research Station, a natural laboratory owned by the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP), structural geologist and associate professor of earth, environmental and resource sciences Jason Ricketts, Ph.D., noticed something strange peeking out of the soil.

There were fragments that weren’t part of the landscape which were later identified as belonging to a Tenontosaurus, a dinosaur usually found in parts of Arizona, Colorado and Central Texas. The fossils had been buried for more than 115 million years and expanded the species’ known range. It also marked one of the first fossilized dinosaur bones ever uncovered in the El Paso region.

Both Madrid and Chong said the long hours of rehearsing and the emotional work they had to put in for their roles has given the cast a better appreciation for what it takes to bring a story to life.

As many of the students working on the production juggle classes, jobs and rehearsals, Dominguez hopes the audience can appreciate the student’s dedication.

“Everyone who’s working on this production is doing so much of the work after hours,” Dominguez said.

“Many of them work, some of them work full time, and then they’re going to school...then they’re coming into rehearsal after that. It is an incredible commitment that people are taking on in order to tell this story.”

The Region 6 Kennedy Center

Ricketts said he was not even looking for fossils that day; in fact, paleontology wasn’t on his mind.

“I was out there as part of a separate project. We weren’t thinking about fossils at all. I was mapping [geological formations] with a graduate student and as I walked, I saw something that didn’t look like anything else. I stopped and looked at it, and recognized it as a fossil,” Ricketts said. Ricketts, who specializes in structural geology (the study of how rocks break, deform and the record of tectonic history) was in the area as part of a U.S. Geological Survey project to map the region.

After collecting a few fragments and noting their location, curiosity drew Ricketts back a few weeks later, bringing his family along.

“I went out there with my kids, my wife [her] mother. We spent a

American College Theater Festival (KCACTF) recognized the commitment from the cast and crew through seven recognitions.

Marina Estrada, Selena Garcia and Valerie Guzman were awarded for Excellence in Stage Management. Bass Alarcon for Excellence in Sound Design. The artistic and production team for Excellence in Collaboration, Adaptiveness and Support. Samantha Michelle Nava and the Audience Development team for Excellence in Lobby Display, Audience Development and Outreach. Aleyana Flores for Excellence in Under Studying. Maya Godina and Castro were both recognized as an Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship Nominees.

“I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter” invites the community to reflect on their own relationships

weekend out there digging around and playing in the desert, finding more dino fossils,” Ricketts said. Unsure of exactly what he’d found, Ricketts reached out to Spencer Lucas, Ph.D., a paleontology curator at the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science. After analyzing the bones’ shapes and measurements, Lucas confirmed they belonged to Tenontosaurus, a four-legged herbivore. The largest piece recovered was a femur, along with several intact vertebrae.

Fossilized bones are rare in West Texas, where dry desert conditions make preservation difficult.

Ricketts said this discovery was as much about timing and luck as it was about science.

“For it [an animal] to be preserved it has to die and get buried quickly. If it’s on the surface, something eats

with identity and belonging, especially in the Mexican American community. The biggest takeaway Dominguez wants the audience to get is that it is okay to ask for help when one is struggling.

graphic displays the

it or it decays. It takes very special circumstances to preserve them in the first place, and then even those rare ones that get preserved. It takes somebody just happening to find them as they erode out of the ground,” Ricketts said.

Ricketts explained that the bones were likely scattered after the dinosaur’s death and carried by river currents before being buried in thick mud.

Today, the fossils are housed in UTEP’s Biodiversity Collections, where students and researchers can study them. One UTEP undergraduate has already helped curate and label the fossils. Ricketts hopes future fieldwork may lead to more discoveries in the Indio Mountains region.

“There’s probably more out there,” Ricketts said. “If we find more,

maybe we can add to the collection [of fossils] and learn even more about the area.”

For Ricketts, the unexpected discovery served as a reminder of what makes fieldwork rewarding, and how often science advances through simple luck.

“If you’re open to new discoveries and just making observations about the world around you, it’s amazing what things you’ll learn about the world,” Ricketts said.

The discovery of the Tenontosaurus fossils in West Texas identifies how much of the region’s prehistoric history remains undiscovered just beneath the earth’s surface.

Jewel Ocampo is a staff reporter and may be reached at Jnocampo@miners.utep.edu.

Dr. Jason W. Ricketts points to the area on his map where he discovered Tenontosaurus fossils while conducting fieldwork in the Indio Mountains in Hudspeth County, Texas. Photo by Tori Adler/The Prospector

Unidentified bone fragments from the Indio Mountains discovery await further analysis to determine their placement within the Tenontosaurus skeleton. Photos by Tori Adler/The Prospector

Ximena Cordero is the web and copy editor for The Prospector and may be reached at xcordero@miners. utep.edu.

title of the show on the set of the stage for “I am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter.”

Photo by Damaris Flores/ The Prospector

Longest US Government shutdown ends after 43 days

SEBASTIAN PEREZ-NAVARRO B Y

MULTIMEDIA EDITOR THE PROSPECTOR

After 43 days, the longest federal government shutdown in U.S. history is over. On Nov. 10, eight senate Democrats broke with their party and agreed to vote on a Republican-backed spending bill that would end the shutdown.

The bill passed the senate with a two-thirds majority and three days later, congress lower chamber affirmed the measure, with votes from six house Democrats. Later that evening, President Donald Trump provided the signature needed to end the shutdown.

Spending measures within the bill assure funding for the federal government from now, until Jan. 30, 2026. There are three measures in the bill that secure funding for a full fiscal year, meaning that if the government were to shut down again in January, funding would be secure until September 2026.

Those measures are directed to

the Department of Veterans Affairs, legislative branch operations, and capital for the Department of Agriculture, who is in charge of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

The end of the shutdown renews subsidies for the approximately 42 million Americans who lost access to SNAP benefits on Nov. 1.

During the first week of November, Rhode Island district judge, John J. McConnell Jr., ordered the Trump administration to fully fund SNAP for the month using contingency funds from other programs.

That order was temporarily blocked by the Supreme Court on Nov. 7, the deadline that McConnell Jr. had set for funds to be distributed. Instead of fully funding SNAP with $9 billion dollars, the administration only needed to provide partial funding, which was set at $5 billion dollars.

The provision didn’t include concessions from the GOP on healthcare, the Democrats’ justification for negating

Republican legislation.

Diego Garcia, a sophomore at The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP), believes that Democrats received the short end of the stick.

“I think that Democrats shouldn’t have caved in as quickly as they did,” Garcia said. “They had demands that weren’t met, and then they caved anyway.”

Democrats have been met with a fierce fallout from media outlets and party members. Host of The Daily Show Jon Stewart called the action “a world-class collapse,” on his show the night after the Senate passed the bill.

Representative of New York’s 15th congressional district, Ritchie Torres, called the move “a complete capitulation to Donald Trump,” in an interview with MSNBC (MSNOW).

The bill agreed on by Democrats includes a measure to hold a vote on the Affordable Care Act (ACA) tax subsidies by mid-December. However, there have been no guarantees from Republican legislatures to affirm the measure.

Federal workers will go back to work under the bill, allowing backpay for those who were furloughed during the shutdown and those who worked with no pay.

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem stated that Transportation Security Agents (TSA) will be receiving a $10,000

bonus for “exemplary service” during the shutdown.

Federal workers getting backpay is an important decision to UTEP sophomore Sergil Martinez. “At the end of the day, they [politicians] still get their paychecks… but it’s the workers and the people that get affected negatively,” Martinez said.

While federal employees continue going back to work in time for the holidays, this season will also see the expiration of ACA tax credits. Insurers have already started raising premiums by an average of 26%. There’s over 45 million people who cover their health under the ACA, and those credits will expire on Dec. 31.

The U.S. and Texas state flags at half-staff on the UTEP campus, Friday, Nov. 7, 2025, 38 days into the U.S. government shutdown.

Photo by Alan Acosta/The Prospector

Arts & Culture

Abby Pedroza, editor

Master Chief is ending the console wars

JAZMINE I. GRACIA

First released in November 2001 with Halo: Combat Evolved, the sci-fi shooter game didn’t just introduce players to Master Chief’s battle against the Covenant; it helped define what Xbox was.

For many fans, Halo wasn’t just a game; it was the console’s identity, its Spartan armor. But now, the Chief is reporting for duty on new territory: PlayStation.

On Oct. 24, PlayStation announced its partnership with Microsoft to bring Halo: Campaign Evolved—a complete remake of the original Halo: Combat Evolved— to the PlayStation 5 in 2026. The announcement sent shockwaves through the gaming community as what was once the emblem of Xbox exclusivity crossed the console divide.

Rebuilt in Unreal Engine 5 and featuring enhanced visuals, reimagined missions and crossplatform co-op, the remake marks not just a technical evolution, but a symbolic one.

For the first time in its history, Halo will no longer be bound to a single platform. Microsoft confirmed that the series is “on PlayStation going forward,” suggesting future titles will also appear on Sony’s console.

For newcomers, it’s a longoverdue invitation into the Halo

franchise; for longtime fans, a nostalgic opportunity to experience it anew. For Moin Monami, president of Bandit Game Studio at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP), Halo serves as a kind of living archive. One built not just of digital missions and multiplayer maps, but of family living rooms, split-screen battles with cousins and late-night multiplayer sessions.

“I think that Halo’s probably the best thing to bring over to Xbox.

Just because Master Chief is their mascot character that hasn’t been replaced or lost to himself in the flow of time,” Nonami said. “But I think Halo also, gameplay-wise, is something that PlayStation doesn’t have yet.”

Xbox and PlayStation are two of the most notorious console brands that have established themselves as standard commodities of some households, often being pitted against each other.

When Microsoft entered the console market in 2001 with the

What ensued was a decadeslong tug-of-war for living room supremacy: exclusives versus exclusives, online services and loyal fanbases that defined entire generations of players.

The mythology of the console wars remains a creed, but many no longer heed the rumors. For David Durr, the audio director at Bandit Game Studios, the console war is an incredulous sentiment, one that holds no relevance among consoles where competition between Xbox and PlayStation has long been deemed stagnant.

“I don’t really think there is a console war, because in order for there to be a war, you need to have competitors on equal footing, and Xbox was never on equal footing,” Duru said.

The rise of PC gaming and digital platforms like Steam has provided a neutral foundation, a shared space where games from both ecosystems coexist, bridging what was once a fiercely guarded divide. Titles such

“I think closer to the early 2000s, exclusives mattered a lot. However, we’re now seeing Sony take their exclusives, and they’re essentially creating a window where a game will be available exclusively on a Sony console for around 1 or 2 years, after which it will likely be ported to PC.” Nomani said.

consoles interact with each other,” Duru said. “For a long time, it was either you were a Sony household or not, or you’re an Xbox household, and you can never play with your friends.”

As the industry moves further away from exclusivity, crossplatform play has evolved from a novelty into a necessity. Players now expect seamless connectivity across systems, a shift that reflects the changing priorities of modern gaming.

“I think it’s what we need right now in the industry, I feel like if a game comes out that’s multiplayer without cross-play, it’s kind of shooting itself in the foot,” Nomani said.

Many players hope that the gaming industry will further revel in and take advantage of nostalgic momentum, continuing the trend of porting older games, revitalized by both nostalgia and newness, just as Halo is paving the way to do so.

The Master Chief and Cortana journey to PlayStation, marking a new era for sharing exclusive video game franchises. Photo by Alan Acosta/The Prospector

Jazmine Gracia is a writing contributor for The Prospector and can be reached @jigracia@miners. utep.edu

The ‘Console War’ between PlayStation and Xbox appears to end, with Halo: CE marking a change for exclusive video game titles. Photo by Alan Acosta/The Prospector

Artists at UTEP: Priscila Ortiz, keeping life fun and art serious

Editor’s Note: This is the first part of a three-part series that covers graduating art majors from UTEP and their accomplishments throughout their careers.

The journey of an artist is filled with challenges as varied as the colors on a palette. For 21-year-old Priscila Ortiz, a junior studying studio art at the University of Texas El Paso (UTEP), her passion

professors who have pushed her to perfect her technique while staying true to her essence.

“My main professor pushing for my career is David Angel Cabrales. He’s the one who’s in charge of all the sculpture majors, and he has really inspired me to take advantage of my culture,” Ortiz said. “Another professor is Romero, my painting professor at the moment, and he has inspired me to work faster and to have really good time management.”

Their mentorship has helped her

inspiration in her Mexican roots, and uses elements from her cultural history in her art. Her art is rooted in the importance of staying true to herself, and to honor the ones who came before her.

“I have had bad experiences with artists who have told me ‘Don’t use your culture, don’t use your parent’s culture, do something different.’

But I am my culture,” Ortiz said. Even though she doesn’t like labeling her art as political, Ortiz believes that with the political state of the country, there is no

inspiration from it so we can create consciousness about it?”

Her sculpture “Volvere” is the work that will be displayed at the La Virgen de Guadalupe Exhibition at the Dallas Latino Cultural Center. The sculpture blends Mexican elements like roses, angels and La Virgen with recognizable American elements to make her message clear.

“The creative process was ‘How I will make this more powerful?’ and I chose to do like a redo of the Statue of Liberty,” Ortiz said. “That’s why the pose of the Virgencita is like that; we can see that [it has] one hand up and with some roses, because what the statue represents is the freedom of the country. Like, ‘Hey, this country is for me to be free,’ it’s for everyone to be around.”

are the things that I like to talk about. I know what’s happening; I see what’s happening. Why not talk about it? Why not take

Ortiz said she chose La Virgen de Guadalupe as it is a representative figure for the Latinx community and for her the flowers represents families who have been separated through the immigration process. Art is a career that can be mentally demanding due to the challenge of coming up with new concepts. There is also a physical demand because of all the work that goes into welding and designing. Nonetheless, for Ortiz there is nothing as rewarding as seeing other people interested in her craft.

“I feel really proud of myself. It helps me out to have more confidence in my art, so that people are interested in knowing what’s happening,” Ortiz said. “I’m telling you; my art goes a bit for the

political, and it makes me proud of how people are still interested. They try to learn and they try to take advantage of the tools that we give as an artist.”

Ortiz has the dream of one day being the person who inspires others to pursue a career in the artistic world as well.

“With AI, people say the arts are no longer profitable, like everything involves all arts. When I graduate, I plan to become a professor of art either here at UTEP or another university, to inspire other people to follow the arts.” Ortiz said.

To become an artist, Ortiz believes one must learn beyond brushing techniques or how to use different metals. For her what is needed most is the bravery to believe that it is possible for oneself.

“At the end of the day just be you. Take the courage and what it takes to be in the arts because it’s not easy, we’ve been looked down from the shoulder, no one takes us seriously,” Ortiz said. “My family and friends have asked me why I am studying that? What are you going to do after? Because they think that the arts are only for a short time, and then you go study a real career, and that’s not true, art is a real career. If no one takes us seriously, we should.”

Ortiz’s sculpture was showcased in New Mexico from November 14–15, 2025, alongside works by other artists, inviting audiences to find inspiration in these proud expressions of culture.

El Paso Symphony Orchestra brings Jurassic Park to life in Plaza Theater

The Plaza Theater trembled with the sound of dinosaurs, or rather, the El Paso Symphony Orchestra (EPSO), as the first notes of John Williams’ score thundered to life beneath the opening credits.

On Nov. 8, the EPSO performed Jurassic Park in Concert, syncing every cue of the 1993 blockbuster film to live music. Led by associate conductor James Welsch, the performance was part of the orchestra’s growing lineup of films performed in concert, which included Coco, Harry Potter and Star Wars.

For Welsch, who said he wore out cassette tapes of the soundtrack as a kid, the concert was both a nostalgic thrill and a technical challenge, one that pushed the musicians to match the movie’s intensity frame by frame.

Before the movie began, Welsch stepped onto the stage to the crowd’s cheers, playfully asking the audience who was ready to see a monster movie. Quoting Samuel L. Jackson, he raised his baton with a grin and said, “Hold onto your butts.”

The lighthearted start gave way to one of the orchestra’s

most technically demanding performances. Welsch said the musicians spent weeks practicing individually before coming together for only two full rehearsals before showtime.

“The biggest difference with these concerts is that things have to happen at a certain time,” Welsch said. “In a normal concert there are breaks between big pieces or movements, and we can go at our own pace. The most difficult part about playing live to a film is that things have to happen when they have to happen.”

To keep the score in sync with the movie, the orchestra used click tracks and visual markers projected near the conductor’s stand, tools that guided them through more than two hours of complex, nonstop music.

Welsch praised William’s active dynamic writing, particularly during the raptor chase scene near the end.

“It’s about eight minutes worth of fast, hard, difficult music that the orchestra has to align, and there’s no stopping. That’s probably the most difficult part, because it’s the longest cue in the entire movie.” Welsch said.

Welsch added that, despite the challenges, the score’s emotional

moments still move him.

“I still tear up in two spots, when they come across the Triceratops, and the first moment they see the dinosaurs. The beauty of that tune and the fact that it’s so perfectly timed really speaks to the genius of a film composer.” Welsch said.

From the moment the first scene began, the crowd was hooked.

Laughter echoed as Dr. Grant described a particularly vivid velociraptor attack on one young skeptic at his dig site, and silence fell as the T-rex’s roar shook the theater during its rampage.

Applause broke out during intermission, and when fans stepped into the lobby, many were even dressed up for the occasion.

Ailev Hernandez and her friend Deon Jauregui were no strangers to the symphony orchestra’s movie nights, having attended EPSO’s live film concerts before. Hernandez said part of the fun was watching the orchestra and seeing other fans dressed up as different characters.

“We’ve been to Star Wars night here, it was just as crazy cool as this one,” Jauregui said. “I come more for the EPSO, because I think they’re awesome, and that’s my favorite part.”

Among the enthusiastic crowd was Joey, who was dressed as a

Park

Jurassic Park ranger, complete with two dinosaur puppets named Goober and Dalores, which were a hit with concertgoers snapping photos.

As the credits rolled and the final notes swelled through the theater, the audience rose in a standing ovation, a fitting end to a night that fused nostalgia, skill and cinematic magic.

“Some people come for the movie alone, some come for the music.

But I think there’s a wonderful moment in situations like this, where somebody experiences

something familiar in a new way. And that’s the magic of live music, and especially live music to film.” Welsch said.

Outside the Plaza, the buzz of conversation lingered as fans stopped to take photos with Joey and two friends dressed in inflatable T-rex costumes beneath the marquee. For one night, the El Paso Symphony Orchestra brought Jurassic Park to life.

Jewel Ocampo is a staff reporter and may be reached at jnocampo@miners.utep.edu

VIVIEN NOE C. B Y

Priscila Ortiz poses with her Alebrije sculpture. Completing the piece in just one week, Ortiz blended traditional Mexican folk art with her own creative style. Photo by Aylin Montanez/The Prospector

Jurassic

fans swarm the Plaza Theater to witness the film with a live orchestra. Photo by Dustin Perez/The Prospector

Vivien Noe C, is a staff reporter, at The Prospector and can be reached at vgnoe@miners.utep.edu

November Shots

Iziah Moreno, photo editor

Photos by Sadie Briones, Nate Flores, Aylin Montanez / The Prospector

Photos by Alan Acosta, Tori Adler, Lesly Chavez, Damaris Flores / The Prospector

Photos by Kristian Hernandez, Cameron Mason, Iziah Moreno, Erick Olguin / The Prospector

Sports

Kristian Hernandez, editor

Dear me, a message to my freshman self

Currently enrolled in The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP), there are 377 student athletes. Numerous of these athletes have taken this last year to reflect on their trajectories in their sport, their past, and give a message to their younger selves after years of lessons, discipline and hundreds of memories made down the line.

Born and raised in El Paso, senior track athlete, Evan Avitia is set to graduate with a bachelor of science in biomedical sciences.

After running track during his high school years, Avitia continued his journey in Hutchinson, Kansas in the Hutchinson Community College for the first two years of his education before moving back to El Paso and joining the athletic program at UTEP. While away from his hometown, he began struggling with his self-confidence and adapting to a new location.

“Looking back to my freshman year, I struggled with low confidence. I moved from El Paso to Kansas, so it was a tough transition for me to be away from family and have a new environment around me,” Avitia said.

Nevertheless, Avitia did not have to face his struggle alone. He was surrounded by a supportive group of teammates and coaches that helped him get out of his shell and grow more confidence throughout the track seasons.

“The support from my coaches and teammates made a big impact by making me more comfortable in my time in Kansas. When I came back to El Paso, that support stayed present, as I viewed my new teammates like having a bunch of brothers coming together, working hard and supporting each other, enforcing the sense of community UTEP has,” Avitia said.

Apart from mental struggles an athlete may experience throughout college, external factors such as time and organization are common elements among students, especially those transitioning from a high school environment to a university.

Kenna Carranza is a graduate softball player with a bachelor of science in kinesiology and exercise

science, she is currently in graduate school to obtain her master’s degree in leadership studies. Originally from Arlington, Texas, she was introduced to the sport at three years old. Later, she became a

catcher and played throughout high school, attending Grayson College to continue her journey as an athlete before becoming a Miner. Carranza reflects on how she struggled with time management

between balancing softball, schoolwork and personal life.

“Coming from high school, I was new to the idea that I could do ‘whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted’ so I was not organized

with my time. For example, there was a movie theater at the time, and I remember going two or three times per week with my boyfriend, now husband, to just hangout and that made it difficult for me to balance schoolwork and my sport,” Carranza said.

Like Carranza, many ideate strategies and plan to be able to fulfill their responsibilities as athletes and full-time students in their first semester at least.

“I had to change my outlook on what I needed by having to learn how to set my priorities straight and make college possible in my life,” Carranza said.

The lives of athletes tend to be glamorized from a young age, revolving around medals, traveling, success and multiple events. Nonetheless, the expectations of a competitive environment make these students prone to compare themselves and their surroundings.

“Back then I always compared my journey and how things were going compared to other people. Now, having gone through multiple injuries, surgeries and other experiences, I had to learn that my journey is my own and that it’s all going to work out on God’s perfect timing, and you need to trust that,” Carranza said.

Continuing with the idea of holding expectations, many freshman athletes are afraid of showing struggle in a new environment with the need of being perceived as “the best.”

“An advice that I would give to my freshman self would be that embarrassment is an unexplored emotion, don’t be afraid to make a fool of yourself at the beginning by trying new things, have trust in you and just keep pushing to finish strong,” Carranza said.

These athletes are close to lifting their picks one last time in the sports that have given them many opportunities. Now, having overcome the obstacles that have shaped them to enter a new phase in their lives with growth and resilience, they take a moment to look back with pride.

Having competed in track and field and cross country from a young age, Evan Avitia had the opportunity to keep running outside the state in Kansas, before coming back to his hometown under the UTEP athletic program. Photo by Lesly Chavez/The Prospector

Kenna Carranza wants to keep softball in her life by continuing her work as a coach in an 8U city league team called the “Lady Miners” and a 12U team called the “Firecrackers”, the organization she played for in her beginning. Photo by Lesly Chavez/The Prospector

UTEP falls to Jax State in hall of fame game thriller

Editor’s Note: This is not the most recent UTEP football game.

The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) hosted their 2025 Hall of Fame game on Saturday Nov. 8. They celebrated the 2005 UTEP football team and inducted five new members into the UTEP Athletics Hall of Fame: Emmitt Berry, Randy Culpepper, Ja’Net Esparza, Jordan Palmer and Thomas Howard.

Despite a hard-fought contest, the Miners (2-7, 1-4, Conference USA) fell 30-27 to Jacksonville State University (Jax State) (6-3, 5-0, C-USA) in front of 9,536 fans at the Sun Bowl Stadium.

Jax State jumped out to an early lead on a 77-yard touchdown pass from redshirt sophomore quarterback Caden Creel to redshirt sophomore wide receiver Deondre Johnson.

UTEP answered quickly as redshirt freshman wide receiver Wondame Davis Jr. hauled in a 75-yard touchdown reception from redshirt junior quarterback Skyler Locklear to tie the game at 7-7. Jax

State’s redshirt sophomore kicker Garrison Rippa added a 30-yard field goal for Jax State to close the first quarter up 10-7.

The Gamecocks extended their lead in the second quarter when redshirt senior safety Caleb Nix intercepted Locklear’s pass and returned it 93 yards for a touchdown, giving the reigning C-USA champs a 17-7 advantage.

UTEP answered quickly, as Locklear scrambled for a one-yard touchdown run to cut the deficit to 17-13. However, Jacksonville State regained momentum with a 36yard field goal by Rippa just before halftime, stretching the Gamecocks lead to 20-13.

UTEP tied the game in the third quarter at 20 when quarterback Skyler Locklear, who accounted for four total touchdowns, scrambled for a 10-yard score. Jacksonville State quickly answered its next possession, marching 64 yards on eight plays. Junior running back Cam Cook, who leads the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) in rushing yards, capped the drive with a one-yard touchdown to put the Gamecocks back in front.

The Miners evened the score

again in the fourth quarter when senior wide receiver Eric Willis III caught a 19-yard touchdown pass from Locklear, marking his first career touchdown at UTEP. The five-play, 74-yard drive highlighted Locklear’s poise and command of the offense late in the game.

With 53 seconds remaining, Jacksonville State sealed the win as Rippa drilled a 45-yard field goal giving the Gamecocks a 30-27 lead. Jax State finished with 275 rushing yards, led by Cook’s 127 yards and a touchdown. Creel added 134 yards on the ground and threw for 181 yards and a touchdown.

After Rippa’s go-ahead kick, UTEP had one final chance to tie the game. The Miners began their drive at their own 25-yard line but struggled to move the ball against the Gamecocks’ defense. Facing a fourth-and-10 from the UTEP’s 30 yard-line, Locklear launched a deep pass intended for Willis III, but the throw fell incomplete with 27 seconds left, ending UTEP’s comeback bid and sealing the 30-27 win for Jax State.

Locklear posted a career-high 244 passing yards and 82 rushing yards for UTEP. Davis Jr. recorded

XC Miners run at C-USA Championship

The University of Texas El Paso’s (UTEP’s) men and women’s cross-country team participated in the Conference USA (C-USA) XC Championship on Nov. 1. The Championship was held in Huntsville, Alabama, at John Hunt Park, where they competed against The University of Delaware, Florida International University, Jacksonville State, Kennesaw State, Liberty University, Louisiana Tech, Missouri State, Middle Tennessee State University, New Mexico State, Sam Houston and Western Kentucky University.

The UTEP women’s team included freshmen Isabella Campa, Praise Djoma, Peace Ewa and juniors Brenda Jerop, Vallary Kiplagat and Salma Licon. The

men’s lineup included freshman Paul Rotich, sophomores Juan Leal and Israel Quintana, juniors Carmelo Corral, Matthew Guerra and seniors Andrés Gurrola, Aron Tanui, Nethaneel Taylor.

The men’s team placed sixth place out of 10 and women’s placed 11th out of 11. One of the highlights of the event was UTEP men’s senior Andres Gurrola who earned allconference honors. He placed 12th out of 82 competitors, making him UTEP’s top finisher, achieving a personal goal.

“I had [a] second time in mind. I wanted to put up some points too, and really just compete and put myself out there.” Gurrola said. “I think I met them.”

Cross country can be a very demanding sport, pushing its athletes to the limit. For UTEP

student-athletes who mostly travel for their competitions, they face different challenges in every race.

“It was a bit of a hilly course, but pushing through it, you know, I haven’t had ideal races the past two races, I was coming off an injury for the last 8K, and then the one before that I actually lost a shoe in the beginning of the race, Gurrola said. “So, I felt like I was really at my best right now, and that I was really ready to attack the course.”

Kipoglat was the top finisher for the women’s team, scoring a seasonbest time of 21:44.51, and getting 41st place out of 105 runners.

Lincoln also improved her time and set a new personal record time of 22:10.33.

“My goal was to run my best and...

a career-best 166 receiving yards on five catches, including a 75-yard touchdown reception from the first quarter.

UTEP’s defense, led by senior linebacker Micah Davey, recorded a game-high 13 tackles, including one tackle for loss. Reflecting on the team’s performance, Davey emphasized that the group has to improve communication throughout the game.

“We could have done better with our communication as well,” Davey said. “That was one of our biggest emphases during halftime, overcommunicate. Everybody has a lot of heart. Everybody has a lot of want to [win], the commitment to this program, to this team and to everybody and each other’s love for one another. It’s really unmatched,”

Head coach Scotty Walden acknowledged the heartbreak but praised the effort.

“I’m disappointed with the outcome, but I’m extremely proud of our players and their effort,” Walden said. “Hats off to those guys [Jax State], they have a really good football team. They’re coached well and have good players. In year two of building this

program, we are going to continue to build and keep swinging, and we’re going to find a way to win these close games.”

Locklear’s leadership was a focal point for Walden.

“His leadership on the sideline was elite. His preparation through the week was elite. He’s doing a great job sparking his team, giving us a chance to win,” Walden said. Davis Jr. also highlighted his personal growth. “I would probably say just playing without the ball,” Davis Jr. said. “I feel like I did a pretty good job of that tonight. Not only running around and catching but blocking on the perimeter for my teammates and getting them touchdowns as well.”

UTEP will look to finish strong and continue building momentum under Walden as they aim to close out the 2025 season on a high note.

After a blown cover in the first half, UTEP’s defense adjusted to tighter man coverage, holding them to one touchdown in the second half. Photos by Erick Olguin/The Prospector

STAFF REPORTER THE PROSPECTOR

VIVIEN NOE C. B Y

A highly motivated cross country team looks to reach new heights in competition Photo by Cameron Mason/The Prospector

Multimedia

Sebastian Perez-Navarro, editor

Research blasts off at UTEP campus

SEBASTIAN PEREZ-NAVARRO

MULTIMEDIA EDITOR THE PROSPECTOR

B Y As The Prospector enters the tail end of the semester, The Digest returns for the final time this season. Join the show’s insightful conversations on NASA exploration, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and cancer research. Staff reporter Jewel Ocampo shares her anecdotes with Dr. Jose Hurtado, a professor at The University of Texas at El Paso, who has been recruited by NASA to get astronauts to the moon’s south pole. Sports editor Kristian Hernandez then discusses his opinion over AI’s impact on journalism and media. Finally, Hawkins Scholar, and researcher Brianna Ortega joins The Digest to discuss her cancer research conducted at UTEP. Subscribe to The Prospector YouTube Channel. Follow us on Instagram @utep_prospector

Rewinding back to spooky season

SEBASTIAN PEREZ-NAVARRO

MULTIMEDIA EDITOR THE PROSPECTOR

As pumpkins lit up the night sky, and monsters mashed away on the dance floor, The Prospector faced their biggest fear, socialization. On the Halloween epsiode of The Prospector Podcast ghost enthusiasts reminisced on trips to haunted places in El Paso. Movie fans discussed the best horror movies, while trying not to scare those with light hearts. Finally, the podcast went on the road, to ask students questions for free candy.

Scrolling through social media

Success starts in the classroom and carries onto the field of play. UTEP athletes share how they balance workouts, classes and recovery to perform their best on and off the field, proving there are truly no days off.

Audience and engagement editor Kahri Reyes, showcases “Keeping athletes in the game” a three-part series written by reporter Cameron Mason featuring photographs by Nate Flores on all of The Prospector’s social media platforms. Interact with the story’s carousel on Instagram and Facebook @utep_prospector and go read the entirety of the series on The Prospector’s website: theprospectordaily.com

Kahri Reyes is the audience and engagement editor and may be reached at krreyes2@miners.utep.edu

Iziah’s season snapshots

Goldrush Fireworks

I wanted to give my own spin on the standard photographer coverage of Minerpalooza. I’ve never covered the event before and I was pretty nervous, so I thought it’d be fun and make me more comfortable to look at the event with the mindset of “pretend like this is a really aesthetic A24 film and get the best shots I can.”

Cemetery Fashion

This was a one-of-a-kind fashion show in Concordia cemetery called “Death by Denim,” and I thought it was a unique concept which inclined me to shoot it. If you couldn’t tell already, I like to go crazy editing my photos. I love the way that everything just makes the model stand out here. This event goes down in my book of most intresting events.

Lucha Libre

I tend to steer away from shooting sports, but I just had to jump on this event, as it was different from my usual style of photography and seemed so fun to shoot. This was a Lucha Libre event that took place at Ascarate Park, which featured El Hijo del Santo, who’s known as a world-renowned lucha libre fighter. Even though I almost got hit multiple times, it was so worth it.

Football Glory

This picture was the front cover of our first issue of the fall 2025 semester, and I’m proud of this shot because of how fast-paced football can get. I remember being so zoned out on the side of the field and seeing Ashten Emory charging towards me, I have never picked up my camera so fast before. While I know nothing about football, it’s still my favorite sport to shoot.

Miner Dash

Back then when I used to see photographers get such good candids of celebrations, I thought “there’s no way.” After a lot of practice, I think I was able to get a pretty good candid here. This was the Miner Dash event, which I had to wake up at 6 a.m. for and honestly, I’m pretty surprised I even made it on time.

view MORE at theprospectordaily.com

A reflection on making layouts

I have conquered new feats in the summer and fall by creating the layout for our multimedia section in The Prospector’s new digital issues. To celebrate completing my last layout of the semester, watch an exclusive video where I reflect on my experience designing the multimedia section.

PHOTO EDITOR THE PROSPECTOR

IZIAH MORENO B Y

Photos by Nate Flores, Carousel by Kahri Reyes/ The Prospector