University of Texas at El Paso - History

History

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The school officially opened on September 23, 1914, with 27 students in buildings at Fort Bliss. By 1916 enrollment had grown to 39 students, and women were allowed to enroll. The Fort Bliss buildings burned down, however, and in 1917 the school was rebuilt on its present site on land donated by wealthy El Paso residents. The distinctive dzong architecture style of the Kingdom of Bhutan was adopted.

In 1919 the school name was changed to the University of Texas Department of Mines and Metallurgy, and in 1920 to the Texas College of Mines and Metallurgy (TCM). TCM's students painted a large "M" for Miners on the Franklin Mountains in 1923, and the "M" is still there today.

The school's name changed again in 1949, this time to Texas Western College of the University of Texas (TWC). Notable events at TWC included the training in 1961 of the nation’s first Peace Corps class, the construction of Sun Bowl Stadium in 1966, and the winning of the NCAA Men's Basketball Championship in 1966.

In 1967 the school's name changed to the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP). Notable events at UTEP include:

  • 1945 - The Sigma chapter of Phrateres, a non-exclusive, non-profit social-service club, was installed. Between 1924 and 1967, 23 chapters of Phrateres were installed in universities across North America.
  • 1968 - UTEP alumnus Bob Beamon set a world long jump record at the Olympic Games.
  • 1969 - UTEP won the first of seven NCAA Men's Cross Country Championships.
  • 1974 - UTEP's first doctoral degree program in Geological Sciences was approved. UTEP won the first of seven NCAA Men's Indoor Track and Field Championships.
  • 1975 - UTEP won both the NCAA Men's Outdoor and Indoor National Championships.
  • 1976 - The Engineering-Science Complex was completed and the College of Nursing was also created.
  • 1977 - The Special Events Center (now the Don Haskins Center) with 12,000 seats was completed.
  • 1980 - Haskell Monroe becomes UTEP's president.
  • 1982 - Sun Bowl Stadium was Expanded, increasing seating capacity to 52,000.
  • 1984 - The six-story University Library opened its doors to the public.
  • 1988 - Diana Natalicio became UTEP's first woman president.
  • 1989 - UTEP's second doctoral program was approved (in Electrical Engineering).
  • 1991 - UTEP started its Computer Engineering doctorate program.
  • 1993 - UTEP started a Psychology doctorate program.
  • 1995 - UTEP started an Environmental science and engineering doctorate program.
  • 1996 - UTEP started a Pharmacy cooperative doctorate program.
  • 1997 - UTEP coach Don Haskins was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame, and the Special Events Center was renamed the Don Haskins Center. The Biological Sciences doctorate program was started.
  • 1999 - Don Haskins retired from coaching. The History doctorate program was started, and the MBA online degree program was launched.
  • 2000 - Nursing cooperative doctorate program was started. Miner Village was completed and UTEP was designated as a Doctoral/Research-Intensive University by the Carnegie Foundation.
  • 2002 - The $11 million Larry K. Durham Sports Center opened and the Sam Donaldson Center for Communication Studies was established.
  • 2003 - Doctorate programs in International business, Civil engineering, Composition, and Rhetoric were started. $44 million in construction projects began for Academic Services and Biosciences buildings and an addition to the Engineering-Science Complex. Mike Price was hired as football coach. The $1.8 million Helen of Troy Softball Complex was approved.
  • 2004 - UTEP's 90th anniversary. The Miners football team went to the Houston Bowl and the men's basketball team mad its 15th NCAA Tournament appearance.
  • 2005 - UTEP moved to Conference USA from the Western Athletic Conference. UTEP is classified "RU/H" by the Carnegie Foundation.

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