UTEP receives US$20 million to reactivate mining engineering program
EL PASO, TX – University of Texas System (UT System) Board of Regents Chairman Kevin P. Eltife has announced a US$20 million investment in the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) to revive its Mining Engineering Program.
UTEP was founded in 1913 as the State School of Mines and Metallurgy. The program, scheduled 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 progress with President Wilson at the helm. Thanks to her leadership and the tremendous confidence we have in her, this strategic investment was an easy decision,” said Eltife.
Last year, U.S. universities graduated only 312 mining engineers. It is estimated that over the next ten years there will be an average of 500 vacancies per year. The resumption 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 it is fully established. No Texas university currently offers this program.
James B. Milliken, chancellor of the University of Texas System, underscored the strategic importance 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.
UTEP has a deep history of industry collaboration, world-class engineering education and the ability to recruit bilingual talent for the global mining industry.
Wilson, who has served as president of UTEP since 2019, expressed his gratitude for the Regents’ investment and emphasized the importance of the program.
“Restoring a Mining Engineering program at UTEP is a homecoming of sorts: it’s where we started and it’s where we’re headed, with a renewed focus on the future,” Wilson said.
The university president explained that the program will equip students with skills and knowledge they need to succeed in a rapidly changing industry.
