“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.”

Dr. Heather Wilson became the 11th president of UTEP in 2019 after serving as Secretary of the U.S. Air Force. She is the former president of the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology, and she represented New Mexico in the U.S. Congress for 10 years.

Wilson said the investment is serendipitous. “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.”

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.