University of Texas at El Paso

The University of Texas at El Paso, popularly known as UTEP is a public, coeducational university, and it is a member of the University of Texas System. The school is located on the eastern bank of the Rio Grande, in El Paso, Texas. Founded in 1914 as The Texas State School of Mines and Metallurgy, a mineshaft still exists on the mountainous, desert campus. It is composed of buildings of Bhutanese architecture, with massive sloping walls and overhanging roofs. Although the population of the campus was 99% white, in 1966, basketball coach Don Haskins thrilled portions of the nation by winning the NCAA Men's Basketball Championship with mostly African-American players, including three guards, thus breaking an unspoken barrier. By 1967, the Board of Regents authorized that the name of the college be changed from Texas Western College to its present name. Currently, there are more than 18,900 students enrolled at UTEP. More than 70 percent of UTEP's student population is Mexican-American.

Related Topics:
Public - Coeducational - University - University of Texas System - Rio Grande - El Paso, Texas - 1914 - Desert - Bhutanese architecture - 1966 - Basketball - Don Haskins - NCAA Men's Basketball Championship - African-American - 1967 - Students - Mexican-American

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In 2004 it was announced that the now-famous 1966 NCAA win is to become a major motion picture titled Glory Road, set to release in 2006.

Related Topics:
NCAA - Glory Road - 2006

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Today, the institution is devoted to educating the diverse population which inhabits this isolated part of the nation.

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