UT System Board of Regents commits $20 million to reestablish Mining Engineering program at The University of Texas at El Paso

EL PASO, Texas - The University of Texas System (UT System) Board of Regents Chairman Kevin P. Eltife today announced a $20 million investment in The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) to reestablish its Mining Engineering Program.

UTEP was founded in 1913 as the State School of Mines and Metallurgy. The program, slated to launch in Fall 2027, will address the growing demand for mining engineers in Texas and across the U.S., while positioning El Paso and the Paso del Norte Region as a national leader in this critical industry.

"UTEP continues to make significant advancements with President Wilson at the helm. Thanks to her leadership and the tremendous trust and confidence we have in her, this strategic investment was an easy decision," said Eltife. "As always, President Wilson made an excellent case for this high-demand program for UTEP students and for our state's workforce needs."

Last year, U.S. universities graduated only 312 mining engineers. There will be an estimated average of 500 job openings annually over the next 10 years. The restart of the Mining Engineering Program at UTEP will help close this gap, with the program projected to produce up to 100 mining engineers each year once fully established. No universities in Texas currently offer this program.

James B. Milliken, chancellor of the UT System, underscored the strategic significance of this initiative.

"Under Dr. Wilson's vision and execution, UTEP can increase the number of mining engineers for America by 30 percent," Milliken said. "That will have a significant impact on our nation's ability to mine minerals for energy, electronics, national security and many technologies essential to our future. There is no place better positioned to lead in this area than UTEP, home of the Miners."

UTEP has a deep track record of industry collaboration, top-tier engineering education, and the ability to recruit bilingual talent for the mining industry that is global in scope.

Wilson, who has served as UTEP's president since 2019, expressed gratitude for the Regents' investment and emphasized the program's significance.

"Reestablishing a Mining Engineering program at UTEP is a homecoming of sorts - it's where we began, and it's where we are headed, with a renewed focus on the future," Wilson said. "This program will equip our students with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in a rapidly evolving industry. We are grateful for the UT System's confidence in UTEP and its commitment to our mission of providing exceptional educational opportunities."

About the University of Texas at El Paso
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, 84% of our 24,000 students are Hispanic, and more than half are the first in their families to go to college. UTEP offers 170 bachelor's, master's and doctoral degree programs at the only open-access, top-tier research university in America.

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