Breathing life back into UTEP football ERA OF WALDEN
termination of UTEP’s previous football Head Coach, Dana Dimel, athletics looked for a new suitor to revive the Miners’ tragic record. In late Dec. 2023, UTEP announced Scotty Walden was 27th football head coach.
chosen to be the university’s for football,
The much anticipated “Walden Era” was on full display for the El Paso community Aug. 31, against Power Five school University of Nebraska-Lincoln at Memorial Stadium.
Across social media, Walden has graced the El Paso community with his high charisma. However, Walden said the team is reliant on the uplifting energy and the team’s substance, which will both lead the Miners’ to success.
“I hope anybody looking at not just me but our program, (acknowledge that) our energy is great, I am a firm believer that nothing great is done in life without enthusiasm,” Walden said. “But the thing I want (the audience) to see more, as the season goes on, is the team’s substance. I want them to see that we are a program of substance, these guys are not
only preparing but they are also preparing for life.”
This season, the Sun Bowl will see the reintroduction of previous Head Coach Mike Price’s “Mine Shaft ”, an entrance to allow the Miners to have an iconic arrival onto the field. In 2022, the Sun Bowl did away with the Mine Shaft because of an injury Dimel received while going down the steps.
The Mine Shaft is not the only new element to the team; dozens of new faces will have their debut with the Miners this season, such as junior cornerback Jaylon Shelton.
“The transition (of schools and coaching) went really good, as soon as I visited El Paso, I felt like this was home,” Shelton said.
WALDEN on page 17
RAIN SHOULD GO DOWN THE
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Coach Scotty Walden nods, watching the Miners take an early first-quarter lead during the first home game of the season on Sept. 7, 2024. Photo by SalmaPaola Baca/The Prospector
Opinion
Emmanuel Rivas Valenzuela, editor-in-chief
Rising to lead El Paso’s largest newsroom
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
I started this journey two years ago in 2022. Back then, I was just a scared and timid kid who did not have a background in journalism.
Now, after what felt like an eternity, I am leading one of El Paso’s largest newsrooms helping others who were like me find their voice and find their footing.
I have worn several hats since I changed my major after my first semester as a music education major. First, as a sports editor at The Prospector and then a staff member at Minero Magazine.
I remained in those positions until January 2023. During the winter months, I started a new role at El Paso Matters. I was lucky enough to interview and intern with the nonprofit news site at the time.
It was there that I found my passion for independent and investigative journalism. Thanks to the help from Bob Moore and my editors Ramon Bracamontes and Cindy Ramirez, I was able to hone in my writing and investigative abilities, which helped lead me into my next news internship.
I was unsure if I would find an internship for this summer and was prepared to remain in El Paso. It was not for lack of trying, though, as I applied to many opportunities. It was in a moment of panic that
I decided to apply to KERA in North Texas.
KERA is Dallas and Fort Worth’s NPR and PBS affiliate. The station functioned as a public broadcasting station with news on T.V., radio and on the web.
Here, I learned how to report news for radio. I learned audio recording and editing techniques while still developing my skills as a multimedia journalist. Now, heading into my final semester at UTEP and at Student Media and Publications, I hope to apply the skills and tricks I have picked up since becoming a journalist to help teach my staff and colleagues how to succeed early on in their
journalism careers.
As editor in chief, I intend to expand our mediums and develop our relationship with students, faculty, staff, alumni and by extension, the greater El Paso region.
Prior to writing this, we recently reached 3,000 followers on Instagram and our website engagement is slowly, but surely growing.
Although we have rolled back our physical issues, we are as visible and engaged as we ever have been on our website.
We have journeyed into utilizing more multimedia content to tell the stories we know our community will engage with. With emphasis on video and now audio mediums we hope that our readers will be as informed as they can be about everything UTEP and El Paso.
Everything I have done and will continue to do as editor is not for myself or my personal gain, but it’s for my staff and our community. It is what I was taught, and it is what I will continue to teach my staff. Moving into my next chapter in life, I am not too sure what to expect. I am not dead set on a certain medium or market. I would, however, want to come back to El Paso and report as a border correspondant to larger outlets like NPR or the Texas Tribune.
Emmanuel Rivas Valenzuela Armendariz is the editorin-chief and may be reached at erivas7@utep.edu: @ rivasemmanuel2 on Instagram.
Letter to the Editor: UTEP Student Government regarding Union Referendum vote
engagement and fosters a sense of belonging among all Miners.
This is your Student Government Association President and Senate Majority Leader, Edgar Loya and James-Paul Duran, reaching out to let you know about the future of our university.
Our Union has been standing since 1949. As UTEP expands in academic excellence, it must also expand the student experience. We want to inform you of the student effort that can help accomplish this: A new Student Union West! The Student Union West is envisioned as a vibrant epicenter on our campus. This new Student Union West will be more than just a building; it will be a community center, a place for students to meet, collaborate, and relax. It will feature modern facilities, including improved dining areas, versatile study spaces, lounges, a game room, and spaces designed for student organizations and activities. The new Student Union West aims to transform how we experience campus life. With your needs in mind, it has been conceptually designed to provide a welcoming and inclusive space that encourages
An initiative of this scale requires student support, not just in spirit but also in approval of an increase in a student fee. This fee increment is crucial for funding the construction and ensuring that both Union buildings meets modern standards and student expectations. Voting in favor of this project means investing in the future of our University and in enhancing the value of our campus for current and future students.
I urge you to participate in the upcoming Student Government Association Elections to vote regarding this project. Elections will take place Sept. 16 through Sept. 19 through MineTracker. We will be sure to inform you about the elections closer to the date! For more information on the project, feel free to check out our website at utep.edu/union-referendum. There you will be able to find more information and conceptual renderings of a new building.
Thank you for taking the time to consider this transformative project. Together, we can make UTEP an even greater place to learn, live, and lead.
What it’s like in the middle of my journalism metamorphosis
People ask me, “What does it mean for you to be a journalist?”
Well, it is something that I am still figuring out.
Being young and having little experience, the concept of what a journalist really is still new to me. Although one thing I know for certain is that I enjoy telling other people’s stories.
Walking into The Prospector office for the first time last year was intimidating. Seeing older, more experienced journalists whittled my confidence. But it wasn’t until I felt welcomed by not only the students, but the advisors who were also part
of The Prospector, that I found my sense of place. There are several people that have
VOL. 110, NO. 1 SEPTEMBER 10,
helped shape me into the person I am today.
Firstly, without the support of my family, I wouldn’t have even thought of journalism as a possible career path I could pursue. Secondly, without the help of Crystal and Erik, I would have remained inside the shell that prevented me from being able to blossom.
Lastly, without the support from my friends, both those who are a part of The Prospector and those who are outside of the journalism world, my fickle ideas wouldn’t have seen the light of day.
Storytelling is one of the aspects I enjoy most about this job. The way a writer can poetically tell a reader what is going on is an element of
journalism that I adore. But balancing both storytelling and relaying the facts is what makes the art of journalism so intriguing to me.
This summer, I finished my first internship with El Paso Matters, which was a priceless experience. Working with well-respected journalists here in the city helped me grow. It also helped me realize that the city enjoys the “nerdy”, investigative stories.
Becoming sports editor for this fall semester, I want to thank Emmanuel for entrusting me with this position. My goal for this semester is to produce stories that not only appeal to sports fans but make people outside of the sports realm care about them as well.
As I continue walking down the journalism path, I realize there is still much for me to learn. There is a long and winding road ahead of me, and all the trials and tribulations will hopefully shape me into a wellrespected journalist.
At the end of the semester, I hope to look back with great pride of not only the great stories I was able to produce, but as well as the fellow writers I was able to help.
I am still trying to figure out what it means to be a journalist, but, with help from my mentors and friends, I hope to soon realize what it means to me.
Sofia Sierra is the sports editor and may be reached at sdsierra2@miners.utep.edu.
Why El Paso’s ‘Segundo Barrio’ is one of the poorest communities in the country
El Paso, Texas has created a reputation for representing its people through small or large capacities.
Now, those in power are called to aid in developing one of the most poverty-stricken areas in the nation, zip code 79901, or as we know it, El Segundo Barrio.
Although it’s one of our city’s oldest neighborhoods, El Segundo Barrio is home to 8,747 citizens, 58% of which are living below the poverty line.
El Segundo Barrio has greeted immigrants from across the border. But the time is now for that greeting to be extended into a stay. Today, citizens residing in the Barrio are only earning about $17,000
annually. A reason why it’s so hard for the area to earn a more livable salary is because of the lack of
education received by its residents. Only 21% of the area has completed a full high school education, and out of those, only 13% held the opportunity to do some college, even then, less than 10% earned either two- or four-year degrees.
“Alot of those areas have been underdeveloped historically, so this isn’t a recent turn of events,” said Richard Pineda Ph.D., director of the Sam Donaldson Center for Communication Studies.
It’s easy to pose the question of whether the neighborhood simply doesn’t value education as highly as other areas in El Paso, Frankly, their circumstances
largely relate to where in town they’re located.
“You also have to remember that the 79901 incorporates a lot of office buildings, it is some part of downtown,” said Dr. Pineda. “Not a lot of that infrastructure for education was there before. I think once you start building that core out it’s much harder to go back in afterwards.”
Whilst El Paso has built a special culture surrounding high schools, districts in the city are still struggling with budgets. For El Segundo Barrio, the largest impact regarding their education is the closure of schools by the El Paso Independent
School District (EPISD).
“It’s a problem that EPISD largely, because they control the centerpieces, what they’re trying to do is they’re balancing the overall population for those areas, and they’re balancing their cost,” said Pineda.
After declines, EPISD recently approved a $18.5 million dollar budget deficit, along with the plan to close or consolidate schools.
“The problem with that is, when you start to move people further away to go to a different middle school and especially to a high school, then it’s hard to keep that development moving,” said Pineda.
The issues within 79901 is a problem that the city is aware of and is avidly trying to spread advocacy.
“I think what the city has actually done a great job of the last several years is really empowering the community organizations and neighborhood associations,” said Pineda.
“They do some training, they help organize, so that those associations have power.”
The area is still significantly struggling, and it takes city wide advocacy to make a change.
If there’s something that El Pasoans aren’t strangers to, it’d be giving people a taste of their mind.
SEPTEMBER 16 -19
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Sebastian Perez-Navarro is a staff reporter for The Prospector and can be reached at spereznavarro@miners. utep.edu
“Segundo Barrio” is one of the poorest areas in the country, per census. Photo by Luis Padilla/The Prospector
58% of residents in 79901 live under the poverty line. Photo by Luis Padilla/The Prospector
Minerpalooza returns to inner campus
The second week of the UTEP fall semester ended with a bang after celebrating its 35th annual Minerpalooza, Sept. 6.
As the biggest event of Miner Welcome Week, Minerpalooza attracts the attention of thousands of students and community members each year. For the first time in many years, the event was held inside campus stretching from Leech Grove to the Fox Fine Arts Center with the main attraction being in the center of Centennial Plaza which featured music from local bands and artists.
This year also featured an artisan market along with the Battle of the Bands which was postponed after inclement weather interfered with band’s performances at Texas Western Gold Rush.
The market offered a variety of handmade art and products created by several UTEP alumni who received invitations from Student Affairs; marketing staff.
Tamara Marquez, wife to muralist and UTEP graduate Gabriel Marquez, says the new addition of the artisan market allows alumni to showcase their work after graduating school.
“Because he’s an alumni from UTEP we wanted to showcase here,” said Marquez. “It just shows
how much talent comes from El Paso.”
For other vendors like Jennifer Schaefer and Alexis Ruiz, the chance to vend at a UTEP event as large as Minerpalooza allows them the opportunity to illustrate how artists can continue their success outside of the professional norm.
“It’s a great way to showcase how we evolved from the day that we graduate and what we become,” said
Schaefer. “We (graphic designers) are not traditional professionals; this is what we do outside of farmers markets and big events.”
Students explored local art and food vendors until the main event began at 7:30 p.m. with performances by Saving Bandit, Vampira and Beach Cowboys. Adrenaline was high amongst the crowd with each band anxious to win a chance at two weeks worth of studio
Aside from live entertainment and vendors, Minerpalooza offered something for everyone from magic shows and rock climbing at Pete’s Playground along with a plethora of carnival games created by student organizations on campus.
As the night ended, freshmen Melody Nuñez expressed her appreciation for student engagement opportunities like these.
“It was really amazing, I really love it,” said Nuñez.
Other students like Victor Mendez believe the university should have more events like Minerpalooza throughout the semester.
“It’s the best event of the year. We need more music and more people; we need people at this event for sure,” said Mendez.
Kerry Martinez, a 2004 UTEP alumni encourages students to take advantage of events like these while they’re still in college.
recording time.
“It was awesome (the crowd) were so lively, we had to rile them up a little bit, (we) just always have to do that, but they loved us I feel, and we had a really great time,” said Gael Moreno of Beach Cowboys.
Students and attendees gathered at Centennial Plaza and cheered as Beach Cowboys were announced the winners of the Fall 2024 Battle of the Bands.
“To bring things like this into the community it just makes for a better way of living,” said Martinez. “It brings a sense of community and better morale. I definitely feel like I missed out not coming all those years back and many years before.”
Whether you’re a student of the past, present, or future, UTEP will continue to cultivate Miner pride throughout the 915.
Alyda Muela is the web and copy editor and may be reached at armuela2@miners.utep.edu; @alyrose.photos on Instagram.
see MINERPALOOZA on page 5
WEB AND COPY EDITOR THE PROSPECTOR ALYDA MUELA B Y
Guitarist from Vampira band opens Minerpalooza’s Battle of the Bands which was postponed from Texas Western Gold Rush following inclement weather. Photo by SalmaPaola Baca/The Prospector
The unlikely symbols of the 2024 campaigns
With more members of Gen Z reaching voting age, the face of engagement in politics continues to undergo a transformation. One where coconut emojis have turned into critical symbols of political engagement, trending hashtags have informed the public on key political issues, and Charli XCX’s “BRAT” has become the younger generation’s anthem for the Democratic movement.
The emergence of Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic presidential nominee has sparked a wave of online activity, with memes and phrases like “Kamala is Brat” and “Project Coconut” quickly becoming popular, particularly among Gen Z. Harris’s campaign team has been quick to capitalize off these trends. For example, when Charli XCX publicly endorsed Harris by tweeting “Kamala Is Brat” in reference to her latest album, the post received significant attention. Harris’s campaign has since embraced this momentum, flooding social media with references that resonate strongly with younger audiences. Similarly, a recent clip of Harris went viral on TikTok. In a speech given at a White House event last year, Harris shared an important message her mother used to tell her when she was growing up. “You think you just fell out of a coconut tree?” Harris said quoting her mother. “You exist in the context of all in which you live and what came before you.”
The phrase, in its apparent nonsensical nature, sparked a wave of “coconut” references on TikTok, with thousands of users creating videos using Harris’s remarks. Recognizing the potential, Harris’s campaign team updated their bios across their social media platforms in an apparent nod to the
quote, with the simple statement “Providing Context”.
On the other side of the political spectrum, Project 2025, a Republican-backed platform for overhauling the federal government, has gained significant traction online.
The hashtag #Project2025 has accumulated over 30,000 videos on TikTok, sparking debates about its implications. Some view it as a guide to reducing government oversight, while others fear it could lead to authoritarianism.
This shift in how political information is consumed and discussed is reflected in a Pew Research Center analysis, which found that nearly 19% of U.S. adults primarily get their political news from social media outlets.
The fast-paced and condensed style of information typical of social media videos make complex topics more accessible and engaging for everyday Americans.
Jesus Reynaga, a 23-year-old political science major and senior at UTEP, spoke about the impact social media has on shaping opinions,
particularly with younger voters.
“This 2024 election is something where both sides are trying to tap into the youth through social media,” said Reynaga. “You have Trump engaging with streamers, and Kamala with social media creators, musicians, artists, primarily because they know that voter turnout is mainly older demographics.”
Reynaga believes that there is huge political potential with younger voters, as they do make up more of the eligible voting demographic, despite their historically lower turnout rates.
Dr. Melissa Baker, a professor of political science at UTEP, furthered this sentiment.
“There’s some data that suggests that voter registration of young voters has risen a lot more than older voters in the last month,” said Baker. “If meme culture can spur that kind of political engagement where people are at least registering to vote, you’d think downstream that we’d probably see more young voter turnout than we would’ve otherwise.”
This potential shift in young voter engagement represents a broader cultural change driven by how younger generations interact with U.S. politics.
“Politics has been so serious in the last eight years,” Baker said. “Meme culture has changed that dynamic, bringing joy back into politics. People have something to look forward to and laugh about.”
As the 2024 election approaches, the influence of social media on politics continues to grow. For younger voters, these platforms offer both opportunities for engagement and challenges in navigating the complex and often polarized world of online political discourse— one emoji, one hashtag and one viral moment at a time.
UTEP food pantry combats food insecurity and hunger for students, faculty and staff
ables in green donation bins across campus and the university dorms.
The Food Pantry at UTEP advocates for students and faculty that are facing food scarcity by providing nonperishable food items, toiletries or even a snack throughout the day.
Assistant Dean of Students Jaime Mendez Ph.D. and Assistant Vice President for Student Support Charlie Gibbons Ph.D., oversee the UTEP Food Pantry.
“A lot of our basic needs are for students, faculty, or staff,” Gibbons said. “We try to have a mindset that we don’t turn anybody away, so if somebody comes over here to this food pantry, they will not be turned away.”
UTEP students can select from two different plans at the pantry.
One plan being a daily take where a student can walk in and select eight items while the weekly take allows them to take 20.
“People don’t have to sign up, just show up,” said Gibbons. “We recognize that students are very busy, and so if a student is having difficulty getting here when the hours are posted, then we’ll meet somebody (where ever) when they’re available.”
The food pantry has a partnership with the Kelly Center for Opportunity and El Pasoans Fighting Hunger. This is a resource Mendez and Gibbons pass on to students, faculty and staff as those pantries have more variety and wider hours of availability.
“We have resources that we can refer students to,” said Mendez. “They are open over the weekends, or they have the ability to give more of a wider variety than what we can offer here because we only offer nonperishables.”
The pantry is donation based and has been taking in donations from students who drop off nonperish-
The pantry also received a monetary donation in 2023 of $20,000 and recently one made by a faculty member who had a grant that was expiring soon.
“Recently we were the benefactors of a faculty member who had a grant that was expiring and he called us and said, listen, I’ve got $15,000 for you but you got to spend it by Friday,” Gibbons said. After receiving the donation, they headed to Costco and were able to stock up the pantry. The food pantry is also privately funded by recruiting people to make donations so that no students tuition goes into the pantry.
The pantry also provides hygiene products which are essential to students’ everyday needs. These items have also been donated to UTEP’s Foster Homeless Adopted Resources (FHAR) by Mendez.
“It’s not just food, we also have toothpaste, mouthwash, shampoo, different things that students may also need,” Mendez said.
Gibbons and Mendez recognize the rising cost of living and are willing to go the extra mile to help any student in need.
“If providing some food can keep them in school, we’re absolutely willing to do that,” Gibbons said.
“If providing a little bit of funding to basic needs, to change a car battery, fix a flat tire, anything like that, we’re absolutely willing to do that because it means that they’ll stay in school and get that degree, and that’s what’s most important.”
Students can continue to donate to the UTEP Food Pantry at donation boxes throughout campus.
More information about the food pantry and hours of operation may be found at the pantry’s website.
Avery Escamilla-Wendell is a contributor and may be reached at amescamilla@miners.utep.edu or on Instagram @by_avery_escamilla.
Beach Cowboys take the win during Minerpalooza’s 2024 Battle of the Bands competition. Photo by SalmaPaola Baca/The Prospector
Political Science student Jesus Reynaga scrolls through social media content and memes relating to politics. Photo by Dominique Macias/The Prospector
CONTRIBUTOR THE PROSPECTOR AVERY ESCAMILLA-WENDELL B Y
Crowd at Minerpalooza enjoying the live music from local acts. Photo by Dominique Macias/The Prospector
UTEP Dance Team performs for Minerpalooza Pep Rally on the Centennial Plaza lawn. Photo by SalmaPaola Baca/The Prospector
Band covering Selena in their set brings the crowd to smiles, dancing and love. Photo by SalmaPaola Baca/The Prospector
MINERPALOOZA
New city manager starts job following the controversial exit of ex-manager
Previous El Paso Deputy City Manager Dionne Mack, took her seat as the new city manager.
The hiring process for the new city manager came after the termination of Tommy Gonzalez, who was fired in February 2023. Gonzalez served as the city manager for nine years and had a controversial duration in office including having a lucrative contract with the city in his first year on the job back in 2015.
Following interviews with candidates, city council voted to hire Mack 6-2 last month.
As a deputy city manager for quality of life, Mack oversaw several of El Paso’s departments including zoos, public libraries, military affairs and police departments.
In her new position, Mack’s responsibilities include managing the city’s budget, directing and supervising administration of city departments and reviewing and executing programs and policies selected by the mayor and city council and other officials.
Mack also saw a salary increase with her promotion. City council unanimously approved her $350,000 contract Aug. 27.
Mack received a base pay as the deputy city manager of quality of life of about $237,000.
One big mission Mack has as city manager is creating a good relationship between the city’s citizens council to allow them to know that their concerns are heard.
“As I went out to the community and had our various community meetings, it just became a theme that I heard about people talking about the quality of the service that we are delivering,” said Mack. “We know that people were talking about it being very frustrating to even try to navigate for the bureaucracy for the simplest things, and then those things taking a really long time for our team to be able to address.”
Regarding the “Sun Bowl Uplift,” that failed when it was proposed
to county, Mack said that there has been no talk about the project from UTEP President Heather Wilson.
Mack said she will soon meet with Wilson, to discuss how they will work together to strengthen the bond between the city and UTEP.
“I have a meeting with (Wilson), next week so it’ll be our first meet and greet, and it will be an opportunity for us to talk about collaborative processes, and things we are working on,” said Mack. “I did meet with (Wilson) and her team several months ago, so I am familiar with the strategic plan for the organization in some of those key areas.”
To change the tide of graduate students leaving the city soon after they receive their degree, Mack said she is looking to create more job opportunities that tailor to different industries.
“As we talk about economic development, most of what we focus on is the type of jobs that come with those types of industries, I think we are bringing in some diversity in the types of industries that we are trying to move forward with,” said Mack. “I hope those are the types of things that will help people be able to stay here.”
Mack’s term will last until March 2, 2028, and will automatically renew to extend until March 2029.
Sofia Sierra is the sports editor and may be reached at sdsierra2@miners.utep.edu.
Meet your candidates for Texas’ 23rd Congressional District
Santos Limon claimed victory in the Democratic primary election, and incumbent Tony Gonzales emerged as the winner in the Republican primary runoff.
Limon and Gonzales will face off in the General election on Nov. 5, vying to represent the 23rd Congressional District of Texas. The election will decide who will represent El Paso residents in the Socorro, San Elizario, Clint, and Fabens areas according to a district map provided by congress.gov.
Santos Limon
Limon states that he decided to run for office over a year ago. After analyzing the district, the candidates and past elected officials and their campaigns, he felt that it was the right time and that he was going to be the winner.
What prepared Limon for this new journey was his background as a civil engineer working in the railroad industry. This experience allowed him to work throughout the 23rd Congressional District meeting the people, witnessing their experiences, and seeing what needed to change.
One of the main platforms Limon is running on is the building of the nation’s first high speed train; a 220 mile-an-hour train that would take travelers from San Antonio to El Paso and back.
“Our nation’s future depends on it, we cannot afford to keep adding lanes to our freeways and byways, that is a big mistake,” Limon said. “Looking into our future, we must
invest in railed infrastructure.”
Limon believes that bringing this train to the district would create jobs and boost economic and infrastructural development for both the region and the country.
He states that it would bring ecotourism by connecting seven protected parks and bring in more revenue for local businesses.
Limon has created several coalitions including a water coalition which aims to help the district conserve and preserve water resources.
He also started a farming coalition which is pushing to make Texas the pomegranate capital of the U.S. In additio,n he created a ranching coalition aiming to help ranchers struggling to sell and raise their cattle and a union coalition aiming to teach youth the importance of working in unionized labor.
He stresses the importance of having visionary politicians who can address future challenges effectively.
Limon expressed his commitment to being such a leader, highlighting one of his proposed bills aimed at improving the education system and reducing the number of publicschool closures.
“The bill is aiming to force the governors of all the states that are going through this issue, to allocate 85% of the public educational budget, federal budget, to go to public schools; mandate it,” Santos said. “Cause right now, governors are grabbing 30% to 40% of that federal educational budget and they give that to charter schools.”
Limon also noted that during his travels through all 29 counties in the 23rd district, he discovered that
Research team receive award for counter-bioterrorism work
Researchers at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) have achieved a significant milestone in agricultural biotechnology, focusing on improving rice crop resilience and addressing potential bioterrorism threats.
Dr. Sharifin, a prominent researcher at UTEP, along with his dedicated team, has been recognized for their groundbreaking work aimed at combating rice pathogens and enhancing global food security.
Dr. Sharifin’s research team includes Daisy Wilson, a Ph.D. student in environmental science and engineering, and Valeria Gonzalez, a senior undergraduate student in forensic science. Together, they have been at the forefront of developing advanced methods to detect and mitigate the impact of pathogens on rice, a critical staple in global food systems.
The research team’s journey began with a unique opportunity provided by the Department of Homeland Security, which allowed them to work closely under Dr. Sharifin’s guidance and mentorship, setting the stage for their innovative research. Wilson shared how this collaboration came about.
“We got an internship with the Department of Homeland Security as a team, so it was led by Dr. Sharifin, and then he mentored myself and Valeria for the summer.”
residents are not interested in free benefits but prefer having the tools they need to work.
“We want the tools to work. Everybody’s asking the federal government, just give us the tools and we’ll get to work,” said Santos. “This is true. This is all over the district and this is all constituents—Democrats, Republicans, Independents, and people from all walks of life. Nobody wants anything for free.”
This understanding further motivated Limon to advocate for election reform and to finance his own campaign, rather than seeking donations from supporters, even though this positioned him as the underdog in the race.
Tony Gonzales Gonzales is running for reelection, his campaign website, tonygonzalesforcongress.com, shares the issues he has worked on as the current representative and will continue to pursue if elected.
A critical issue in Gonzales’ campaign is border security and immigration reform by pushing for harsher penalties on drug dealers and human smugglers. He also shares his plans to support law enforcement, better veteran’s benefits, expand mental health services in Texas, and support diverse forms of education. Gonzales was not available for comment.
The last day to register to vote is Oct. 7. For more information on the general election, voter registration, and important dates, voters can visit epcountyvotes.com.
Ximena Cordero is a staff reporter and may be reached at xcordero@miners.utep.edu
tassium, calcium, and magnesium. These minerals support the plant’s immune system,” said Wilson. “Additionally, the bran layer of brown rice contains phenolic compounds and other microbial agents that play a significant role in inhibiting bacterial growth.”
Dr. Sharifin’s research emphasizes the importance of integrating technology into food safety practices.
“This research supports the development of stricter food safety standards that incorporate advanced technology to protect against microbial contamination and bioterrorism threats,” said Sharifan. “Regulatory bodies could consider nanofortification as part of agricultural practices, which could enhance resilience against such threats.”
The team’s research has faced its share of challenges like optimizing the sterilization process for the rice grains to ensure quality control and assurance.
“One of the main challenges was developing the best practices for sterilizing our bacterial rice grains,” said Dr. Sharifin. “We also needed to find a way to uniformly apply different types of nanoparticles and their ionic forms to the rice grains while inoculating them with bacteria to test their growth and resiliency. We conducted several replications to validate our results.”
Their collaborative efforts led to the development of pioneering techniques in biofortification, particularly focusing on nano fortification methods to address microbial contamination. Gonzalez explained their findings regarding the use of nanoparticles in the field.
“Our study found that nano fortification using zinc oxide and magnesium oxide nanoparticles was the most effective,” said Gonzalez “These nanoparticles significantly inhibited E. coli growth by disrupting the cell membranes and metabolic processes. We compared these with ionic forms like magnesium sulfate and zinc sulfate and found that the nanoparticles outperformed the ionic forms in preventing bacterial growth.”
This research not only provides a new approach to combating E. coli contamination but also highlights the potential for nanoparticles to revolutionize food safety standards.
The team’s work promises to enhance food safety technologies and offer advanced solutions to address bioterrorism threats.
In addition to their work on nanoparticles, Wilson and Gonzalez have also explored the resilience of Mexican brown rice, which has shown exceptional robustness.
Wilson explained that this resilience is linked to the rice’s high content of essential minerals and bioactive compounds.
“The Mexican brown rice was found to be the most resilient, likely due to its higher content of essential minerals like selenium, po -
Despite these challenges, the team’s dedication and perseverance have led to substantial progress. Dr. Sharifin highlighted how the integration of various scientific disciplines contributed to the success of the project.
“Working with Valeria, who specializes in forensic science, and Daisy, who is in environmental science and engineering, allowed us to integrate different concepts such as food security, forensic science, and environmental chemistry,” he said. “This project gave us the opportunity to explore these intersections and apply them to our research.”
The research team is now looking forward to sharing their findings to the broader scientific community.
While the publication process can be lengthy, Wilson and Gonzalez are optimistic about the impact their work will have on food safety standards. Dr. Sharifin is hopeful that their research will be published by the end of October, marking an important milestone for the team and for UTEP.
By incorporating advanced technologies such as nanoparticles, the team’s work has the potential to reshape food safety protocols and provide new strategies for protecting against microbial contamination and bioterrorism threats.
Dr. Sharifin also noted that this project marked UTEP’s first representation in the Department of Homeland Security and how pioneering this research could reshape how we approach food safety and pathogen management, potentially setting new standards in the industry.
Adam Regalado is the multimedia editor and may be contacted at anregalado@miners.utep.edu.
Dionne Mack, El Paso’s City Manager, at her desk at City Hall ready to start business. Photo by Dominique Macias/The Prospector
MULTIMEDIA EDITOR THE PROSPECTOR ADAM REGALADO B Y
Greek life can serve as a pathway to friendship
There is no better way to kick off a new semester than stepping out of your comfort zone and getting engaged with the UTEP community.
Some of the best moments in college come from socializing and making new memories and friendships that will last a lifetime.
Sept. 3, all UTEP fraternities and sororities were at Centennial Plaza for “Meet the Greeks.” The event was held to recruit new members and to spread the word about Greek life at UTEP.
Grand Treasure of the Kappa Sigma Fraternity Aaron Kammeraad says that being involved in a fraternity allows you to grow academically while having social life with friends also in Greek life.
“Fraternities are not only useful for social aspects but also staying active in your classes, having people to push you to that next level,” said Kammeraad.
While Greek life promotes brotherhood and sisterhood, it gives students entering a new stage in life a place to call home. Formulating new connections can grow into a second form of family that will guide you through college.
Kammeraad shares how being part of Kappa Sigma allowed him to balance his responsibilities all while maintaining a healthy social life.
“It’s something I really struggled with in my freshman year, dealing
with classes, work and the fraternity,” said Kammeraad. “What the fraternity teaches is to manage these things, instead of getting stressed out and only focusing on one thing. You know really plotting out your time and making time for everything that you need to do.”
Communications Vice President of the Alpha Xi Delta Sorority Julez Saucedo shares that being in Greek life makes up the true college experience. While all sororities and fraternities have different philanthropies, Greek life is about supporting one another and accumulating one big family.
While Alpha Xi Delta recruits more members for their sorority, Saucedo shared what characteristics students need to join their group.
“We look for someone that’s very ambitious and overall excited for
the whole process of being involved with our sorority,” said Saucedo. “Must be willing to make a connection with us and be ready to dive right into Greek life.”
While some students may not want to pursue Greek life due to old stereotypes or stigmas, what students fail to recognize is the opportunity to meet new people, get out of their comfort zones and serve the community.
Trying new things can always be intimidating but the best thing to do is to dip into new experiences. Getting involved with fraternities and or sororitities can open up a new world of opportunities for any student who is looking to make more meaning to their academic career and social lives.
Marco Hinojosa is
the audience and engagement editor and may be reached at mhinojosa4@miners.utep.edu
Sex changes to IDs in Texas banned
As of Aug. 20, the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) effectively barred Transgender Texas residents from changing their gender on state issued driver’s licenses and state-issued IDs.
Made without legislative oversight, the policy shift was prompted by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton who questioned “the validity” of court orders used to amend gender markers.
The policy reflects a growing trend of anti-LGBTQIA+ policies made across the state. Texas lawmakers have introduced more than a dozen anti-LGBTQIA+ measures during the 2023 legislative session, including Governor Greg Abbott’s directive to investigate gender-affirming care as child abuse.
This DPS change could affect nearly 3,000 individuals residing in the El Paso area.
Amber Perez, executive director of the Borderland Rainbow Center in El Paso Texas, spoke on the broader implications of this shift, emphasizing concerns on the mental toll of individuals affected.
“I can’t imagine having the state tell me, ‘You know what, you can’t be who you are,’” said Perez. “The pressure must be insurmountable.”
States where lawmakers have aggressively pursued anti-trans legislation, including Texas and Arkansas, have experienced extraor-
dinarily high levels of suicide risk, according to The Trevor Project, a non-profit organization dedicated to LGTBQIA+ suicide prevention.
For those affected, it’s a daily struggle to navigate a state system that appears to increasingly marginalize them further.
Other avenues for identity documentation still exist, but the options are narrowing. This policy change has also brought forth serious privacy concerns among LGBTQIA+ individuals.
DPS employees are now sending the names and ID numbers of individuals requesting changes to an email address with the subject line “Sex Change Court Order.”
Perez voiced the uncertainty surrounding this new data collection.
“What happens is if you go in there and you try to change your gender marker, they’re going to say nope, you can’t do it,” said Perez. “‘So let me take down your information. We’re going to put you on a list. But we don’t know what’s happening with that list.’”
For many advocates, the policy shift signals not just an attack on transgender rights, but a broader erosion of civil liberties.
Despite the unsettling news, Perez and other advocates urge Texans to remain vigilant and proactive. The Borderland Rainbow Center’s social media channels continue to outpour information as it comes.
Rumi Sevilla is a Staff Reporter for The Prospector and may be reached at rmsevillahe@miners.utep.edu
STAFF REPORTER THE PROSPECTOR RUMI SEVILLA B Y
Sigma Gamma Rho sorority at the ‘Meet the Greeks’ event Sept. 3. at Centennial Plaza. Photo by SalmaPaola Baca/The Prospector
Career
Handshake makes job searching easier for students
RIVAS VALENZUELA
UTEP and the university career center have been using the student job searching platform Handshake for nearly a year with measurable success.
The switch to Handshake replaced Job Mine which was used by the university for about 10 years.
Handshake functions similarly to LinkedIn or Indeed helping prospective employees and employers connect through their websites and apps.
However, the site allows employers to connect with students even if they cannot meet on campus at events like the job fair.
Currently, the site hosts over 1,000 job opportunities available to UTEP students across all schools and majors.
Students are encouraged to fill out the site’s biography section with previous internships and jobs, relevant skills, graduation date and resume to help employers identify suitable candidates.
The career center vets prospective employers before allowing them onto the site.
University Career Center Associate Director Craig Thompson has been with the department since 1988. Thompson has seen students find jobs through various
methods starting with the use of fax machines and binders full of job descriptions.
Thompson acknowledges that Handshake does not differ all that much from sites like LinkedIn, but he does not see it as a downfall.
“It gives (students) another option,” said Thompson. “It’s like when you order the same burger over and over because you don’t know there’s anything else out there. We’ve got something else out there for you.”
Handshake, unlike other sites, also allows for universities like UTEP to reach employers asking for opportunities. As Thompson explains, if a student comes to the career center asking for a job at a specific company, the career center can ask the employer to connect via Handshake.
“One of the responsibilities of the Career Center is to reach out to (a company) and say ‘Hey, we’re on this platform called Handshake. We’ve got some students that are really interested. Would you consider connecting with us?’” said Thompson. “Then there’s some (companies) that say, ‘We want to come to your career fair, how we do that?’ We tell them ‘Go ahead and create your handshake account and let us connect with you.’”
The career center also works closely with departments across
UTEP to connect students with opportunities based on a student’s major and interests, including jobs on campus.
“I think there’s over 100 and maybe 200 different departments on campus,” said Thompson. “So, we reached out and invited them to participate in the ‘Work at UTEP’ job fair. Anyone who is a currently enrolled student can go in and they
can find their job if they meet the criteria that the employer’s looking for.”
Thompson urges students to use the platform to complete their bios as soon as they can.
“Complete as much information as (students) can, because what that does is that gives the employer the opportunity to search,” said Thompson. “The employer can just
do a blind query of people that are graduating this semester that may have this kind of background in terms of academics.”
The career center will host its Career Expo Sept. 19 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Sept. 20 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Don Haskins Center. Emmanuel Rivas Valenzuela is the editor-in-chief and can be reached at erivas7@utep.edu; @rivasemmanuel2 on Instagram.
Where do UTEP Alumni go after graduation?
Every kid has had to think about what to do post-graduation, and the lifelong thought crammed into students heads has now become a pressing decision.
While everyone’s tale is different, they mostly start the same, at college, but it’s when wrapping up their degrees that everyone’s journey begins to diverge.
Professor Aaron Campbell, lecturer with the entering student experience, has had the opportunity to see entry-level freshmen turn into graduation-bound adults.
Throughout his time teaching as a University 1301 professor and as a helpline for students continuing their collegiate careers, Campbell has surveyed the field of the wants and actions of UTEP’ alumni.
“I have a lot of students whose goal is out of El Paso,” said Campbell. “Their goals when we talk openly about them, they like the idea of leaving.”
Whilst El Paso is expanding, it still holds that classic small city feel, and for many students, the environment is one they’d like to alter.
“I see that dynamic a lot, they tend to typically leave for grad school or first career option,” said
Campbell.
Depending on who you ask on campus, there’s a good chunk that’ll tell you that UTEP is short-term for them and that their goal is out of town. For 50% of UTEP’s past graduating classes, that desire has come to fruition.
“I found, that they tend to leave and come back later,” commented Campbell when discussing how many students he’s seen leave El Paso. “There’s kind of an assumption that the grass is greener on other areas of the country, and then the realization is it actually isn’t, El Paso’s a pretty good place to raise a family, and they end up coming
back afterwards”.
In no way are Campbell’s words said with a want to make graduates stay, after all, UTEP did serve as the foundation for remarkable national figures like five-time NBA All-Star Tim Hardaway, American Actress Alana de la Garza, who was featured in the first four seasons of NBCs Law and order, and four-time Emmy award winner F. Murray Abraham.
What Campbell wants to advocate to Miner graduates is that they shouldn’t leave.
The field for assessing what majors typically stay, and who goes, is almost invisibly split, yet Campbell
provides insight into which careers UTEP alumni stay for.
“Nursing, criminal justice, tend to be careers that I see staying put and not leaving the region as much,” claimed Campbell.
Everyone’s path is different, and the only similarity between the various journeys Miner alumni take in life is unpredictability.
So to put it frankly, asking one’s self whether to leave or not to leave, can turn out to rarely impact the future, and as alumni have come to learn, the only place where they really go is where they’re happy.
Sebastian Perez-Navarro is a staff reporter for the Prospector and can be reached at spereznavarro@miners. utep.edu
Student browses Handshake to get familiar with the platform. Photo by SalmaPaola Baca/The Prospector
Work
UTEP’s Career Center held its Work at UTEP Job Fair Sept. 3 to Sept. 4, a two-day event inviting students attending UTEP to stop by and explore on-campus employment opportunities.
The event encouraged students to network with the organizations in attendance, allowing them to become familiar with what the university has to offer, while letting recruiters offer jobs to students.
Different departments across campus ranging from the University Writing Center to the Office of Student Financial Aid were available for students to talk.
“There are departments here from all over campus that have come together here at the at Work At UTEP Fair,” said Xitlali Aguirre, an employer relations student assistant. “Whether it’s to offer positions for students and to give more information about what they do as well.”
Some of the resources offered at the fair included resume reviews, which allowed students to apply for jobs on the spot.
“Our (Career Center) table here at Work at UTEP is offering a mini version of the same resources that
we offer in office,” said Aguirre. “We’re showing students that they have the opportunity to go do a resume review come back and then and show their resume to some of the departments here.”
Students like senior Dominik Perkins found the fair to be a crucial resource for finding a job while being in college, as many outside jobs do not work around college schedules.
“I would recommend going to any job fair, but probably specifically this one especially because they work with student schedules,” said Perkins. “I think that’s a big thing with students as we struggle to find a job that accommodates to our school schedules so the job fair is exactly that.”
According to the National Center for Education Statistics, roughly 40% of full-time college students
are employed.
With this fair, students are able to come closer to finding a middle ground between a college education and a job.
“I’m just excited to get an opportunity to work on campus,” said Perkins. “We’re on campus so much and going to our classes all the time, it almost feels like home in a way, so working on campus seems like a good opportunity.”
As the fair wraps up, students are able to walk out with new insights of what the campus has to offer, and potentially a new job too.
The Work at UTEP Job Fair is just one of many employment opportunities given by the Career Center, as next will be the Career Expo, happening Sept. 19 and Sept. 20 at the Don Haskins Center.
Iziah Moreno is a staff photographer and may be reached at iamorenogavald@miners.utep.edu
Interview Do’s and Don’ts, according to UTEP Career Center
Some say landing a job in today’s job market is less likely than it has ever been. However, it is not impossible. A dream job is only fingertips away from students who are mentored by the UTEP Career Center located inside Union West.
The Career Center offers mentorship to students who want to learn how to build or enhance their resume, prepare for an interview and even supply professional clothing to students who are attending an interview.
Associate Director of the UTEP Career Center Craig Thompson, has been preparing students for the work force since 1988.
“All the jobs and everything that you see here were in a physical binder.” said Thompson. “All our on-campus jobs were on little three by five cards; they were posted in the hallway.”
With the advancement of technology, finding a job can take a matter of a seconds, however, preparing for the interview still takes some old-fashioned routes.
“Know what the interview
is about because you got a job description, research the company, and know what matches up with your skills and what matches up with their skills,” said Thompson.
Walking into an interview can be nerve-racking for students or new graduates. Thompson advises everyone to be confident, even if you are nervous.
“Being confident and making sure you look that person or persons in the eye, you don’t have to stare them down, but just make eye contact with them,” said Thompson.
Thompson also advises students to dress professionally even if it is not something they usually do and to be prepared to answer any questions.
The UTEP Career Center is here to help students achieve the career they want.
The Career Center is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. More information can be found at utep.edu/student-affairs/ careers.
Avery Escamilla-Wendell is a contributor and may be reached at amescamilla@miners.utep.edu or on Instagram @by_avery_escamilla.
B Y
CONTRIBUTOR THE PROSPECTOR
AVERY ESCAMILLA-WENDELL B Y
Work at UTEP Job Fair volunteer holds a ‘Follow us on social media’ sign to encourage student engagement at the Thomas Rivera Center, Tuesday Sept. 3, 2024. Photo by Eduardo Ibarra/The Prospector
‘Follow it and defend’: Career choices for Hispanic students
From arts to STEM, there are many decisions when choosing a major. However, Hispanic students say they experience the pressure from their families to pursue a major with money.
84% of UTEP’s population is Hispanic according to the university. Pursuing a major for the end goal of a successful career that earns high income can become complicated in retrospect.
Andrea Castañeda, a 2019 graduate from UTEP, studied biological sciences. Castañeda has always been passionate about science, but also about art, particularly fiber art. Fiber art is creating art with yarn or synthetic fiber materials.
“From a young age, I’ve been really into science, mainly biology, mostly concentrated in zoology,” said Castañeda.
Castañeda’s parents supported her artistry but felt it should be pursued on the side while she focused on her studies.
“My parents were semi-supportive but also very leading into the STEM portion of the two passions that I had,” said Castañeda. “I used to want to be an animation major, but after looking at prospects and job prospects as well as different paths I could go through, I decided to stick with STEM.”
Castenda continues to pursue her while working as a laboratory sales consultant for a health company.
Although the pressure to set one’s passion aside is common, UTEP senior Charleigh Tallman pursues his passion for the arts by majoring in digital media production and theater arts.
“For me, it’s a perfect combination of what I love, because I want to become an actor,” said Tallman.
“Theater arts is fueling my passion there and digital media production is helping put that into something that I can work with.”
Tallman’s parents supported him studying digital media production but wanted him to do something different with his profession.
“They were not opposing the
idea of me studying arts, they just wanted me to do something else and I felt digital media production was the perfect thing that I could add to it.” said Tallman
The liberal arts cover a diverse range of professions and can lead students to success.
Karen Baca, a 2021 accounting and finance graduate, first started with a major in liberal arts.
“I chose liberal arts first because I wasn’t sure what I wanted to study,” Baca said. “My mom suggested that I pick something easy and do the basics for now, and later on when I knew for sure what I wanted to study, I can change my major.
Before her student orientation, Baca changed her major to accounting because she enjoyed learning math and the idea of working at an office. Baca’s parents supported her decision.
“I didn’t feel pressured by my parents, they were supportive of my decision to be an accountant,” said Baca. “They pressured me more into finishing school.”
Each student had advice to share with Hispanic students who want to pursue what they are passionate about. Here is what art enthusiast Castañeda said.
“Stick with what you want to pursue, and if you stick with it and you are consistently working at it, and of course with the right connections as well, you’ll be able to successful in that particular niche that you want to be in,” said Castañeda.
Tellman, a short film creator and actor, shared advice to those who are passionate about film and acting.
“If they really, truly want to do something in the arts and acting, the best advice I would give them is to make it look like they are interested in it and to be brave, be
bold, and be big,” said Tellman. “If that’s your passion, follow it and defend it.”
For Hispanic students who want to focus on liberal arts, Baca adds on to the advice.
“I would make sure I knew what to do with the diploma and know how to earn money with it, but if liberal arts are something you want to do, do it.” Baca said. It’s your major, it’s your diploma, not your parents, it’s your life.”
Avery Escamilla-Wendell is a contributor and may be reached at amescamilla@miners.utep.edu or on Instagram @by_avery_escamilla.
Karen Baca believes that students should study what they want and not what their parents want. Photo by SalmaPaola Baca/The Prospector
Charleigh Tallman is a short film creator and actor. Tallman enjoys theater arts and how it brings out his passion for acting. Photo by Avery Escamilla-Wendell/The Prospector
Andrea Castaneda expresses how she still pursues her passion in fiber art. Photo by Avery Escamilla-Wendell/The Prospector
Arts & Culture
County commissioners plan for future arts and culture projects
Commissioners David Stout from Precint 2 and Sergio Coronado from Precint 4 have their eyes on the same prize.
From forming an arts master plan with a committee on one hand and a Zen garden and Chicano murals in another for various parts of El Paso County.
The county plans to add flare bykeeping the feel of El Paso but creating space for new aspects, which both older and younger generations can appreciate.
With $50,000 worth of arts and culture money in the El Paso County commissioner’s hands, what will they build and create next?
Each commissioner with each portion of the funds, will plan strategically and creatively to enhance the arts and culture community for each of their precincts.
Commissioner David Stout talks about the exciting beautification projects for his area. Precinct 2 covers all iconic El Paso statement locations like El Segundo Barrio, South Central, Chamizal area, Lincoln Park, UTEP, Texas Tech Health Sciences Center, University Medical Center and the military base. The art community has driven different areas of the borderland.
Stout explains how he will try to continue being as expressive with his upcoming arts and culture projects in this area like his constituents have been doing. More so, his objective is to help these local artists and creatives through American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding.
“Part of the impetus to try to change that and to work with the county to invest more in our creative economy,” said Stout.
A priority of his is to help foment these projects economically.
“We also are in the process of creating an Arts Advisory Commission that would help, hopefully to do an arts master plan,” said Stout.
Precinct 2 has set aside, $150,000 from part of their arts funding of the grand total for this arts master plan to make room for creative space making in the community. Stout says the specifics have not been planned out yet, but he knows what he wants to invest his time on.
“I want to talk to the folks that would be part of that commission, to try to understand where they see gaps. Where they see needs and where they feel it could be utilized,” Stout said.
In regards to homegrown artists and creatives and how this funding will help their quality of life, Stout becomes passionate about this.
“These are the people that have
been living and working in El Paso and trying to make the city a better place through their work, “ Stout said.
“It’s(funding) supports them, and that’s a sector that really hasn’t been supported a lot, and we need to do more to do that,” Stout said.
For example, Lincoln Park exhibits the epitome of arts and culture on the freeway pillars which mirror the Chicano reflected representation of El Paso.
“We try to focus on something like this aspect but again try to send out a helping hand,” Stout said.
This is not only a resource where the county cares with consideration of minorities like artists and creatives. It is a conversation in which all people can sit at the table and feel through artwork and creative outlets especially in a multicultural and artistic world like El Paso.
Commissioner Coronado speaks with great integrity about his upcoming projects for precinct four. His region is split off by the mountain range, which starts from the West Side at Sunland Park Drive from Hondo Pass and then goes all the way to the New Mexico State Line. And on the east side, it’s bordered by railroad drive.
Coronado is preparing a community meeting to hear what his constituents must say since the money plans belong to the arts and culture community.
“Our intention is to provide them with a list of recommendations that we have that our team is coming up with. One of those is going to be something like a Zen artistic garden. The other one could be like a sculpture of like a tree of life. Also, like a historic aspect of the Northwest area, or partly also the north area,” Coronado said.
The most important thing about these art projects is how the perception will change within the El Paso community.
“The arts have a way of engendering peace in people and pride, and it kind of brings people together,” Coronado said.
Both Commissioner Coronado and Stout are on the same page; this is a future endeavor in which the younger generations will be thankful for these arts and culture projects, not only from a creative standpoint but from a scholar of life.
There is a lot to consider within each commissioner’s budget. However, the most consistent of all is the preservation and ownership of these projects. The County commissioners cherish El Paso’s artists.
Frida Acuna, editor
STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER THE PROSPECTOR
DOMINIQUE MACIAS B Y
Local, homegrown, El Paso artists arts and culture projects in central El Paso at Lincoln Park. Photo by Dominique Macias/The Prospector
Women in Media: UTEP’s new student organization aims to bring unity to the digital media and journalism landscape
ACUNA
Women in Media (WIM) is a new student organization focused on expanding skills and fortifying the journalism and digital media community at UTEP. WIM also wishes to help aspiring women in media fields gain experience and prepare them for success for when they enter the real world.
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The organization is co-founded by Fatima Alvarado, Itzel Giron, Annabella Mireles and Meagan Garcia. With guidance from Women’s and Gender Studies Professor Erin Coulehan, WIM provides a space for members to expand their knowledge, skills and professional portfolio for future jobs.
WIM hosted its first meeting on Sept. 3, welcoming members with icebreaker activities, hand-made friendship bracelets and a presentation. The organization looks to help female students succeed in a male dominated field and give confidence to those improving their professional skills.
WIM Advisor Erin Coulehan shares the importance of organizations like this at UTEP.
“It’s incredibly important to develop a strong network of colleagues and peers in media, while also gaining practical experience that includes developing entrepreneurial skills, teamwork, and opportunities to learn from and teach others,” said Coulehan.
Co-founder Annabella Mireles talks about the inspiration for staring WIM, “the four of us have been friends for quite some time,” said Mireles “We [co-founders] were saying how we missed being part of media, and so we had the idea of creating an organization geared towards empowering women and helping women expand their portfolios.”
“We want to tell women that you can do it, you can make it in a male
dominated field, you are going to excel and break down stigma,” said Mireles.
Coulehan believes that organizations like WIM help create a sense of community and prepare students for the workforce through skill development while encouraging creative freedom.
“Although members come from different backgrounds, majors, and experiences, they each share an appetite for adventure and expression,” said Coulehan.
As an advisor, Coulehan shares her experiences and advice to aspiring members and women in the journalism and media fields, talking about the importance of networking and using available resources for professional growth.
“We prioritize organization, meeting deadlines, event schedules, and maintaining high operational standards,” said Coulehan.
Coulehan shares her goals and admiration for the organization, alluding to the dedication of its members and founders, commenting on how rewarding her role as an advisor is “Seeing such advanced and enthusiastic story ideas, organization, and passion from members is very special to me.”
WIM hosts meetings every Tuesday from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. at the Student Union Building. For more infomation, look for Women In Media on MineTracker.
Frida Acuna is the arts & culture editor and may be reached at faacuna@miners.utep.edu
Texas Western Hall will not raise tuition, funds will be obtained through UT System
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF THE PROSPECTOR EMMANUEL RIVAS VALENZUELA B Y
The $110 million construction of Texas Western Hall (TWH) might scare some UTEP students. With a large price tag like this one, comes concern over tuition increases for the upcoming semesters.
That is not the case for this project as at the start of the previous school year, UTEP President Heather Wilson promised students that tuition will remain the same through the end of the 2024-2025 academic school year.
“With the cost of living going up for other things, we want to keep UTEP affordable,” Wilson said in a 2023 press release. “That starts with keeping the cost of tuition low for families. We are grateful for the support from the Regents, our donors and the Texas State Legislature for making this possible.”
Since UTEP will not raise tuition for TWH, the university needed other methods to pay for the stateof-the-art building.
Funds came through two legislative funding methods.
The first came after the Texas State Legislature granted $52.4 million for the building back in 2021. The rest of the funds came from the UT System Board of Regents, who allocated $57.1 million to UTEP’s permanent university fund in 2023.
“We are particularly grateful to our legislative delegation for making this project a priority and to the Regents for matching the legislative funding,” Wilson said at the TWH groundbreaking ceremony last October. “We really need this.”
According to Senior Associate Vice President of Business Affairs Guadalupe Valencia, TWH and the Advanced Manufacturing and Aerospace Center are currently within their respective budgets and on schedule.
TWH is expected to open in spring 2026.
Emmanuel Rivas Valenzuela is the editor-in-chief and may be contacted at erivas7@utep.edu; @rivasemmanuel2 on Instagram.
www.OscarPerezMD.com
The new Liberal Arts building under construction is located behind the original Liberal Arts building. Photo by Luis Padilla/The Prospector
Curtain rises for women in Theater
“Lights, Camera, Action!,” doesn‘t mean that the bright lights shining can spot everyone capable of helping put on a production.
The sorrowing metaphor is the upsetting reality in show-biz.
After publishing her novel on tips to leading art organizations, “Run It Like a Business” Aubrey Bergauer dug deeper to understand how art as a business is being held back.
Thanks to research conducted by The University of Melbourne & Deakin, Bergauer was able to present to her platform that from the 11 biggest budget opera companies in the US, in the past 16 years, 95% of their conductors were male, while 82% of their creative roles, such as directors, set & costume designers, were also male.
There’s clearly a problem here, because even the New York Times pounced on this information.
Theresa Rebeck, four-time playwright & Pulitzer Prize finalist in drama, shared her story, calling out the lack of a gender reckoning.
In her opinion article Rebeck writes about a famous– and unsaid– director telling her that “Women don’t write good plays, do they?”
In preparing for the university’s upcoming Fall Play “Plumas Ne-
gras”, Senior Genesis Nicole Tanner, who’s majoring in theater design and technology and works as an undergraduate teaching assistant at the UTEP theater scenic shop, speaks on the inclusive culture that lives among the Miner theater.
“I tell my friends all the time, UTEP is a safe haven to work for in the theater department,” said Tanner. “We’re surrounded by women, queer people, people of color, and just amazing faculty.”
Tanner is part of an illustrious UTEP theater group that has represented the capability of El Paso on a national scale.
Last April, Tanner attended the Kennedy Center American College National Theatre Festival in Washington DC as the Region six National Representative.
There, she accompanied Senior Brittany Conyers and Senior Maya Lavin who participated in the ASPIRE program, a week-long curriculum that takes place during the national festival in which students of minority groups are taught how to lead in the art world.
During the fellowship, Conyers more than excelled, earning The John Cauble Emerging Producer and Leadership award. Conyer’s caliber was noticed and attested by judges Victoria Nolan, and Kelvin Dinkins Jr, both of whom are a part of the Yale School of Drama, and
the leaders of the ASPIRE Arts Leadership Institute.
Tanner herself demonstrated that her work not only compares but stands out on the big stage. As the senior was awarded for her show “Metamorphoses” by Mary Zimmerman in Undergraduate Scenic Design Excellence.
Whilst an impressive feature, Tanner’s achievements should not be surprising to others when learning more about her upbringing.
“My mother graduated with a
food science degree, and she had to work really hard to get into the position she’s in,” said Tanner.
“She’s told me she works in a pecan factory, she has experienced her fair share of judgment based on her gender.”
The resilient and persistent attitude of souls like Tanners are uplifting and motivating for those who wish to break barriers.
An attitude shouldn’t be needed to stop the exclusion of competent candidates from an important role
in a play– or in any business– because of prejudice.
“We need to make more of an effort to give EVERYONE equal opportunity,” said Tanner.
The UTEP Theatre Department continues its advocacy of the importance of women in all aspects of creativity and labor when premiering “Plumas Negras,” Wednesday, Oct 23rd.
Sebastian Perez-Navarro is a staff reporter for the Prospector and can be reached at spereznavarro@miners. utep.edu
Genesis Tanner is a senior who’s majoring in theater design and technology. Photo by Iziah Moreno/The Prospector
A brand new virtual walk through El Paso’s history: Callejo’s ‘Our History’ mural receives AR features
Upon entering the Enrique Moreno County Courthouse, 500 E San Antonio Ave., guests are greeted by several art works that represent the city’s culture. The biggest mural at the courthouse is “Our History” painted by Carlos Callejo, which hugs the walls of the atrium walls.
The 5,000 square-feet mural was finished in 1995 and is on the third floor of the courthouse.
The mural recounts the history of El Paso, with over 50 different historical figures included. From the San Elizario Salt War to the Mexican Revolution, the intricate mural serveing as a reminder to guests about the important history and culture of El Paso.
New life is being breathed into the 20-year-old mural, adopting to the digital age. Last month, Callejo’s mural found a new embodiment on guest’s cell phones. In collaboration with Augment El Paso, Callejo’s mural has found a new layer of depth by allowing guests to scan a QR code, and find his drawings come to life with animation, as well as give more information about the history, in both English and Spanish, knitted within the painting.
Augment El Paso’s founder, David Figueroa has converted several
artworks around the city into the Augmented Reality (AR), including “Our History”. He said he noticed El Paso’s lack of AR several years ago and decided to take his hand at it.
“A lot of times you see augmented reality used for promotion and advertising, but I really did not want to go in that direction, I wanted to (go for) more education and entertainment,” Figueroa said.
“For the ‘Our History’ mural, I wanted to get (Callejo’s) message
across and do his work justice and make it interesting enough for people to really take the time to look at all the details he put into the mural.”
For eight months, Figueroa took pictures with his camera to be able to weave all the details of the mural together. He said there are about 117 characters/figures that are animated on the website.
El Paso County’s Heritage Tourism Coordinator, Cynthia Renteria said the combination of the mural
Cheer On
your
El Paso Rhinos!
and augment reality experience is like “taking a walk-through history.”
“It was really wonderful to for me as someone who worked on this project to hear from (Callejo), it was wonderful to not only celebrate his art, but add a feature that hopefully makes our society that is so obsessed with our phones engage with the mural again,” Renteria
Callejo’s love for art only grew as he continued throughout the different eras of society such as the Civil Rights Movement, and the Chicano Movement.
With a new generation comes the need to adapt older work to tailor to new technologies.
said.
Callejo’s mural is one of many in El Paso that are a tribute to the Mexican Muralist Movement.
Carlos Callejo’s “Our History” mural was originally completed in 1995, it tells the history of El Paso, with over 50 historical figures. Photo by Sofi a Sierra/The Prospector
Sports
Sofia Sierra, editor
Football drops home opener in overtime loss to Southern Utah
For 287 days, the Sun Bowl sat void of UTEP football.
But once the first home game hit for the Miners, it was done in style as one of college football’s most historic stadiums welcomed more than 40,000 fans into the doors.
Thanks to the new Miner Walk, the return of the Mine Shaft, and the overall surge of rejuvenation in UTEP football, supporters soaked it all in.
“It’s been a while since we (have) seen this energy,” said Veronica Garcia, a UTEP 2004 graduate.
“It’s a great crowd out, we’re so excited to see him.”
Fidel Sosa also felt the atmosphere was back.
“Tonight, there’s energy. I’ve never seen the stadium this full unless it’s monster trucks,” said Sosa. “Walden is bringing it, he’s crazy.”
UTEP showed great potential, as they scored two touchdowns in the first quarter alone.
In the fourth, the Miners dug into the playbook of the Super Bowl 52 champions Philadelphia Eagles and executed “The Philly Special” to perfection, which helped force an overtime.
Ultimately, the Miners fell short. Losing to Southern Utah 27-24.
It was a heartbreaking loss, yet it’s an important one to help UTEP football grow into the positions they want to be in.
Even if it feels that Head Coach Scotty Walden has been a vital part of the El Paso community for a long time, the reality is Walden’s effects haven’t even been given a year to put into practice.
The overhaul of UTEP football
was quick. They turned the head coach page in the winter, ran the transfer portal in spring, and remained secretive in late summer practices as to not offer any outside views to a developing game plan.
Many of the pillars of Miner Football like sophomore quarterback Skylar Locklear, and senior wide-Receiver Trey Goodman are still growing adapt to the FBS world after following Walden from Austin Peay.
The Miner Faithful doesn’t dismiss that the UTEP football program is still writing the thesis to their new story, as fans understand what stage Walden is in.
“I think it’s going to take time, it’s not going to happen overnight,” said 2005 UTEP graduate Sergio Perez. “We just have to trust Coach Walden to bring his system in for it to have any success.”
Week two may not have been the shining moment Walden and staff have worked for, but UTEP’s new football story needs more than two weeks to write.
After all, Miner fans are here to support all the way through.
“I’ve been coming here since I was young, I’ve kept on coming, I’m never going to stop coming, even when it’s been hard to come,” said Kevin Dorman, a 2012 UTEP alumni who’s been going to Miner football games since 1995.
The Miners make the nearly 2000mile trip to face the undefeated Liberty F lames next week.
That game can be viewed on ESPN+, or listened to on 95.5 KROD.
“The (coaches) have been heavy on me since my high school days, so I feel like I can trust the (UTEP coaches). Coach Walden is a man of his words, everything he has said, he’s done.”
Sophomore safety Xavier Smith joined Walden in the transfer from Austin Peay to UTEP. Previously, Smith spent the 2023 season with Walden at Austin Peay.
“I put my faith in Coach Walden, I already knew what kind of coach, what kind of man he was, and I
With close to 42,000 people in
know his values,” Smith said. “I know that whichever team he’s at, the teams going to be a reflection of him, and I definitely want to stay a part of that family.”
Senior wide receiver, Trey Goodman, also embarked on the boat transferring from Austin Peay to UTEP, entrusting Walden with his coaching skills. Goodman recently landed on the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award Watchlist, an achievement that recognizes the top offensive player
in Division 1 football. The award is given to a player who exemplifies great character both on the field and in life.
Goodman said he has high hopes about the season due to the team’s “winner” attitude.
“I feel like our biggest strength for us would be our tempo, and our accomplishments,” Goodman said. “(We) continue to be ourselves basically, if we set a goal each week and we beat it, let’s try to do it again next week, why not?”
As the season approaches, excitement builds as the El Paso community watch the Miners set out on a quest for glory. The Miners first home game was Sept. 7, where the Miners fell to Southern Utah in a heartbreaking overtime loss. UTEP does not return to the Sun Bowl until October to face Sam Houston University.
Sofia Sierra is the sports editor and may be reached at sdsierra2@miners.utep.edu.
Sebastian Perez-Navarro is a staff reporter for the Prospector and can be reached at spereznavarro@miners. utep.edu
attendance, UTEP’s football home opener saw a large increase in support and community.
Photo by Jose G. Saldana/The Prospector
Coach Walden directs football players for defense. Photo by SalmaPaola Baca/The Prospector
Junior running back Jevon Jackson carries the ball while being surrounded by Southern Utah defenders.
Photo by Jose G. Saldana/The Prospector
WALDEN from COVER
On Sept. 7, UTEP had it’s first home game against Southern Utah, UTEP’s defense tried to stop Southern Utah offense. It struggled to help the offense in the second half. Photo by Jose G. Saldana/The Prospector
Volleyball dominates home Borderland Invitational Tournament last weekend
ending the first set 25-10.
Continuing its winning legacy under Head Coach Ben Walis is the UTEP volleyball team. This time was the team’s dominant performance in the Borderland Invitational Tournament at Memorial Gym.
In its three games, the Miners came into their opening set with an unforgiving performance ending this first sert 25-10.
Thursday versus Southeastern Louisiana
In its opening matchup, the Miners came in with two wins under its belt after competing in the Utah Invitational Tournament.
There, Miners swept reigning Mountain West Champions Utah State 3-0.
Maintaining that momentum, the Miners came into their opening set with an unforgiving performance
UTEP recorded nine kills in its first set against the Southeastern Louisiana defense.
Senior outside hitter Ema
Uskokovic led UTEP in kills with 10 followed by junior outside hitter Torrance Lovesee with seven.
The Miners ended day one with nine aces, 11 blocks, and a .320 hitting percentage
Friday versus Air Force
In the Miners’ next matchup against Air Force, junior middle blocker Kaya Weaver broke her career-high in kills with 14 and recorded a .765 hitting percentage. This was during UTEP’s second 3-0 win for the tournament.
The Miners kept Air Force under 20 points in all three of the match’s sets. The largest deficit of Friday for Air Force was in the first set with the miners outscoring the Mountain West team 25-16.
Uskokovic once again scored
double digit kills with 12 against Air Force.
Junior setter Mattie Gantt and sophomore setter Kalia Kohler each combined for a whopping 34 assists on the night.
Saturday versus Stephen F. Austin
In its final game of the weekend, the Miners faced Stephen F. Austin. This would be the only match where the Miners dropped a set during the entire tournament.
UTEP started by winning its first two matches 29-15 and 25-19. It was not until the third that Stephen F. Austin found the upper hand, outscoring the Miners 25-20. It would be enough to turn the tides as in the very next set, UTEP sealed its undefeated weekend 25 to 18 in the final set.
Uskokovic leads the team in kills for the second time during the tournament with a weekend high of 16 kills. Lovesee followed with
13 kills.
Following the tournament win, Wallis paid his appreciation to the Southland Conference team.
“It was tough, and Stephen F. Austin gave us everything they had,” said Wallis. “We faltered a bit in the third set—some of the challenges got really long and threw off our rhythm because we were rolling, and it just got us out of sorts. SFA earned that set, but we came back strong. This was a great team victory over another NCAA participant and conference champion.”
The Miners now head to Vermillion, South Dakota from Friday Sept. 13 to Sunday Sept. 15 for the South Dakota Classic Tournament. There the Miners will face off against Montana State, South Dakota and the volleyball powerhouse Iowa State.
Miner spirit marches through campus for much anticipated 2024 football season
After a challenging 2023 season, UTEP football kicks off this year with renewed energy and optimism. The Miner spirit is spreading throughout the campus, fueling hopes for a standout 2024 season.
Music education student and drum major for UTEP’s marching band, the Marching Miners, Karen Carrillo shared her excitement for Walden and the upcoming season.
“The whole city’s freaking out about how our new football coach is literally going to change the team this year,” said Carrillo. “So, I’m
disappointment seemed almost a guarantee, but Walden ignited a new sense of hope.
“UTEP, year in and year out, they just disappoint,” Tellez said.
“I hope that Scotty Walden brings the energy that the players need to be able to make a bowl game this season.”
spirit is the slogan and hand-sign “Picks Up!” According to the UTEP Division of Student Affairs, the pickaxe is the longest running school tradition, dating back to the first unofficial seal in 1919.
For some students like Carrillo, “Picks Up!” has been so integrated into the school spirit, that it
moment or like that is so ‘Picks Up!’ of you,” said Carrillo.
Along with the Miner spirit comes gratitude for the Marching Miners, who are always there to support the football team according to band member Ana Conde.
“I’m really grateful that we’re appreciated in football games,
A lot of buzz surrounds new Head Coach Scotty Walden, whose excitement and passion for the sport and the UTEP Miners have created a new enthusiasm in the student body.
display during Texas Western Gold Rush, where he hyped up the crowd and displayed his commitment to turning the team’s performance around.
excited to win because we’re gonna win.”
UTEP nursing student Joshua Baquera shares this same sentiment, saying that aside from the first loss against the Nebraska Cornhuskers, the Miners will improve.
Sophomore Alondra Royval is a member of the Marching Miners and reflects on how even through the tough prior season, she saw it as an opportunity to grow.
“I’m excited, I understand that we lost our first game, but that’s all right,” said Baquera. “I think that we can always bounce back. I think we’re gonna have a really good year this year.”
For other students like freshman Austin Tellez, at first
UTEP community is ready to rally behind their team for an exciting new chapter.
“We know that if there’s any obstacles that we have, we can overcome them,” said Royval. “I think that definitely helped to motivate all of us, to know where we’re coming from in our past in order to keep going.”
An iconic part of Miner
became a daily phrase.
“I love the hand signs.
I’m always like, oh that’s such a ‘Picks
Up!’ team, the dedication and spirit of the Miner community and Coach Walden’s passionate leadership has set the stage.
at xcordero@miners.utep.edu
The UTEP student section cheering after the the football team scored a touchdown. Photo by Jose G. Saldana/The Prospector
With Walden at the center, the
On Sept. 7, UTEP played against Air Force, and won all three sets, giving the team their second win. Photo courtesy of UTEP Athletics
On Sept. 5, UTEP played against Southeastern Louisiana. Photo courtesy of UTEP Athletics.
Iconic ‘Mine Shaft’ entrance makes its return after 12 years
NIL continues to grow at UTEP
For most of college sports history, amateur athletes could not profit off of their status.
That was until 2021when the Supreme Court ruled that the NCAA was in violation of Antitrust laws because they wouldn’t let athletes receive financial benefits from their own on-field performance.
After the ruling, the NCAA had no choice but to implement an interim NIL Policy in 2021, one that was amended this April, as the governance update now let’s institutions facilitate deals between student-athletes and third parties.
It’s never too late to make the comeback of the century.
After being stored away for over a decade, the Miner faithful got ready to put their picks back up because UTEP’s iconic Mine Shaft entrance is back.
Originating in 2004, the Mine Shaft entrance was brought to life by former UTEP football head coach Mike Price and his assistant coaching crew.
To the sounds of explosions, pyro technics, and adrenaline-pumped athletic beasts, the Miners walked from their locker rooms, down to the stands of the Sun Bowl up until they reached the field of play. Allowing fans to cheer for them up close and provide their support through fist bumps and high fives.
In attempting to rejuvenate Miner pride in El Paso, current football head coach Scotty Walden adopted the tradition and is ready to carry the pick from the high levels of the nearly 52,000 capacity stadium, down to the gridiron in UTEP’s home opener against Southern Utah University.
Part of the brain trust that helped make the Mine Shaft prominent is none other than former UTEP assistant football coach, and Mike Price’s son, Aaron Price.
“We were discussing a way we could stay in the locker room, and stay in the air-conditioning as long as we could,” said Aaron Price. “We were sitting around the dinner table, and we just said, ‘Hey why don’t we come out of that portal before the game and spend that time up in our locker room?’ And we can make it like a mineshaft.”
Upon inception, the Mine Shaft entrance originated to create a method where the Miners could stay in their locker room until they needed to hit the field for game time, to avoid the cruelness of the desert elements.
But the Price’s didn’t just want to make the combatting of heat a basic walk, they desired engagement from the community.
“We discussed it as a group, my brother and I, and my dad, (we wanted) smoke, and (we) act like it’s getting blown up,” Aaron Price said on the origins of the idea. “So, we started asking people, ‘Can we get this done? Is this legal?’”
Fortunately for the Price’s and Miner community, it was legal.
But once Mike Price left in 2012, and former football head c oach Dana Dimel injured his back going down the steps of the Mine Shaft, the entrance was sent to the bench.
Funny enough, the stars aligned for the Mine Shaft’s grand return 12 years later.
Walden wasn’t the only major overhaul the Miners made this offseason, in late July UTEP unveiled state-of-the-art locker rooms.
“With the phenomenal setup that we have, you want your players to be able to be in that environment as long as you can,” Aaron Price said.
The Mine Shaft’s revival has attention stirring from all eyes of the city’s community, ranging from high-profile media attention to stirring student curiosity.
“I’ve never fully experienced a real college tradition, and the fact that they are bringing it back at the time I’m attending, the timing is perfect,” said freshman Felix Castanon.
The original intent of the Mine Shaft was simple, to make the lives of athletes easier, and innovatively grasp the attention of fans.
Walden has succeeded in bringing fan engagement back to the 915.
The UTEP community will see the first re-introduction of the Mine Shaft on Sept. 7, against Southern Utah. Sebastian Perez-Navarro is a staff reporter for The Prospector and can be reached at spereznavarro@miners. utep.edu
The policy change lined up with UTEP’s unveiling of its second NIL collective in school history, the “Goldmine Collective.”
“They brought me on at the same time they developed and launched the Goldmine Collective, which is an all sports encompassing collective for UTEP,” said Aaron Price, Assistant Athletic Director for NIL Strategy & Sports Excellence.
Two years ago, supporters of the university’s men’s basketball program launched the “Miner Collective,” which also serves to help Miner athletes find opportunities.
Now all 17 sports have this ability.
“We love the fact that we have two collectives, because we have more people involved (in) helping us raise money, the money that we are talking about is money that is helping student athletes, we’re not talking about the money you see on ESPN.”
There’s a common misconception that with every NIL deal comes
hundreds of thousands of dollars from advertisements for each individual athlete, the Miners are on a different ride.
For UTEP who is in a Group of Five Conference in C-USA, NIL collectives are important because it aids players in sustaining their athletic careers at the university.
“We’re talking about money that’s going to help a kid, pay for boots in the winter, or a coat,” said Price. It really works like a stipend one would get.
“That money will go to a player and that player will have to do some service in their contract. For example, we are partnered with the El Paso’s Children’s Hospital. Right now, most of the things that we’re doing is helping the hospital with engagement and giving back,” said Price.
When speaking further Price spotlighted the participation of Miner student-athletes in therapeutic art
sessions for patients at the El Paso Children’s hospital.
Despite NIL engaging UTEP athletes to become a larger part of the 915, many within the sports realm still yearn for the expulsion of the policy.
Price accepts that to evolve to accommodate the contemporary athlete, collegiate coaches need to roll with the times.
“There has never been a change, even in my father’s life, and he’s 78 years old, there’s never been a change, or a greater impact, than what we’ve gone through in the last three years and like it or not it’s not going to change.”
Even if El Paso may be at a disadvantage, there’s one characteristic that people who either were born, or moved here carry proudly in all aspects heart to community.
Sebastian Perez-Navarro is a staff reporter for The Prospector and can be reached at spereznavarro@miners. utep.edu
SEBASTIAN PEREZ-NAVARRO
Suporters of the men’s basketball team launched a program called the “Miner Collective” two years ago. Photo from The Prospector Archive
UTEP comes out of the Mine Shaft for a game against Southern Utah in the season opener at the Sun Bowl in El Paso. Photo by Jose G. Saldana/The Prospector
The University of Texas at El Paso welcomed students to the Doctorate of Pharmacy Program at its White Coat Ceremony on Saturday, August 24. These students will be part of the UTEP School of Pharmacy’s graduating class of 2028.
As a first step, these future pharmacists accepted their white coats as a symbol of professionalism and excellence in pharmacy practice. This ceremony also was an opportunity to remind students of the importance of balancing excellence in their field of study with compassionate patient care.
SCHOOL OF PHARMACY
During the ceremony, students recited the Oath of a Pharmacist and promised to maintain the skills, knowledge and responsibilities needed to devote themselves to a lifetime of serving others.
Thank you to the community supporters, faculty, staff, preceptors, students, and their family members and friends who joined us for this special event.
Anna Acosta
Jazmin Chavez
Alejandro Vergara
Richelle Caldera
Lerma
Stacy Ramirez
Natasha Gatlin
Sandra Carrillo
Valentina Basave
Kevin Fierro
Nadia Turner
Jose Piñon
Cybre Islas
Ximena Carreon
Joseph Avila
Luis Peña
Tania Ibarra
Alicia Silva
Daisy Enriquez
Ethan Caro
Johana Astorga
Andre Menchaca
Eduardo Ibarra
Angel Segura
Claire Diaz
Fernanda Cardenas Esparza
Arteaga
Lily Ibañez
Andres Saenz
Marian Lopez
Piper Corona
Kaitlyn Cano
Melissa Alvarez Connolly
Adrian Rivera
Kya Lopez
Silvestre Guillen
Andrea Campero
Kaylee Collier
Yashmin Almaraz
D’Janique Wallace
Jessica Ramos
Fernando Lopez
Andrea Gomez
Alexandria Chavez
Benjamin Becerril
Alejandra Vega
Noe Ramirez
Kassi Lane
Clarissa Garcia