UTEP Momentum: President Wilson Outlines University Successes In Annual State Of The University Address

Press release from the University of Texas at El Paso:

UC Staff

September 21, 2021

UTEP Communications

EL PASO, Texas (Sept. 21, 2021) - The University of Texas at El Paso President Heather Wilson detailed strong fundraising, a record number of sponsored research projects and healthy student engagement during her annual state of the university address at the 2021 Fall Convocation ceremony today.

Wilson described several examples of UTEP’s growing research portfolio.

“UTEP is a public research university. We don’t just transmit knowledge; we create new knowledge,” Wilson said. “That’s why our strategic goal is to advance research, scholarship and artistic expression with emphasis on areas of current and emerging strength.”

The University broke several research records in FY21:

“This was an important year for advancement, even in a pandemic. We have restructured development and strengthened it to support our mission,” Wilson said. “It’s already starting to show results … Last year was one of the top three fundraising years in the history of UTEP – and possibly the top fundraising year ever.”

During her speech, Wilson announced major fundraising milestones:

In the address, Wilson described new student-centric university initiatives targeting student success, including holistic advising and enhanced campus activities, designed to improve student persistence to graduation.

“Every student who persists to graduation at UTEP changes the course of a life, and the life of a family,” Wilson said.

The enhanced holistic advising program is paid for in part with Federal aid. As part of the program:

“You may have noticed that there seems to be a lot more going on at UTEP this fall,” Wilson said. “You’re right; there is. We have significantly increased activity on campus – everything from health fairs and student club sign-ups to pancake breakfasts, welcome receptions for graduate and international students, and dodgeball and archery games on the plaza.”

So far this academic year, student engagement has been the most active ever:

The University of Texas at El Paso is America’s leading Hispanic-serving university. Located at the westernmost tip of Texas, where three states and two countries converge along the Rio Grande, 94% of our nearly 25,000 students are minorities, and half are the first in their families to go to college. UTEP offers 168 bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degree programs at the only open-access, top tier research university in America.

This press release was produced by the University of Texas at El Paso. The views expressed here are the author’s own.