As UTEP grows, its bold vision grows with it. The University experienced one of its most successful years in 2009. Officials are determined to keep the momentum going.

Fall enrollment grew, once again, to a record high of more than 21,000 students, an increase of 2.7 percent over 2008. With a major demographic shift currently under way in the country, UTEP has become a model that others seek to emulate. In the latest annual graduate program rankings for Hispanics, Hispanic Business magazine ranked the UTEP graduate business program second and the graduate engineering program third among all U.S. colleges and universities. UTEP received more than $57 million in new grant awards during fiscal year 2009, many of which involved interdisciplinary teams, comprising departments across the campus as well as external partners. Among the awards was a five-year, $5 million grant from NASA to establish the Center for Space Exploration Technology Research. The Medical Professions Institute, which has been highly successful in supporting UTEP pre-med students, has helped UTEP climb to second (after UCLA) among all U.S. universities in the number of Mexican-American students who submit medical school applications. Construction cranes—for many, symbols of progress—seem to be everywhere. Approximately $250 million in construction and renovation projects have been under way at UTEP during the past year. The Bioscience Research Building, the new state-of-theart biomedical research facility, was completed this summer. UTEP doctoral programs are growing in both number and size. The University awarded a record 59 doctoral degrees this past year, a nearly 70 percentincrease over the previous year, and enrollment in doctoral programs totaled 473 students during the fall semester, another record and an increase of 12 percent over last year. UTEP launched two new Ph.D. programs—in Computational Science and Teaching, Learning and Culture—which brings to 16 the total number of doctoral programs at UTEP. The Center for Civic Engagement celebrated its 10th anniversary of student service learning in this region, involving more than 13,400 students, 125 faculty and a total of 318,613 hours of community service. UTEP graduates continue to shine in their chosen fields. James Rohack, M.D., and Willarda Edwards, M.D., became presidents of the American Medical Association and the National Medical Association, respectively. And Danny Olivas, a NASA astronaut, recently completed his second trip to the International Space Station, where he played the lead role in all three of the highly successful space walks. Olivas carried not only UTEP pride into space, but also, at the request of the University, a Bhutanese flag and other artifacts, which he planned to deliver personally to Bhutan once he wrapped up his post-flight duties. As UTEP strives to become a Tier One University, an already quality institution will enhance its stature. Conducting more externally funded research, developing more doctoral programs and awarding more doctoral degrees, it will gain the national stature associated with that level of activity. On the playing field, the UTEP Miners compete in Division 1 sports as members of the Conference USA West Division. The University is home to the 11,767-seat Don Haskins Center, named after the legendary coach who guided the Miners to the NCCA Men’s Basketball Championship in 1966. They became the first team to win the title with five African-American starters. In 1966, the University changed the face of intercollegiate athletics; today, UTEP is changing the face of higher education, and tomorrow it will change the face of Tier One universities.