UTEP 2023 DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI AWARD RECIPIENTS

Hilda Galvan, J.D.

B.S. in Electrical Engineering, 1985

Hilda Galvan is a Dallas attorney with expertise in intellectual property and the intersections between law and technology. After receiving her electrical engineering degree from UTEP, Galvan worked in the telecommunications industry before attending law school at The University of Texas at Austin. Throughout her 35-year legal career, she has provided strategic counsel to businesses about safeguarding their proprietary technology and advised her clients on the impact of emerging technologies on their operations. She is currently the partner-in-charge at the Dallas office of the law firm Jones Day, where she is responsible for strategic planning, operational oversight and profit and loss management.

Beyond her professional endeavors, Galvan strives to make a meaningful impact on her community. She frequently mentors students in UTEP’s Law School Preparation Institute and founded the Galvan-Contreras Engineering Endowed Scholarship for UTEP students along with her husband, Mike Galvan. Her contributions as a business leader and her commitment to the community have garnered significant recognition. In 2023, she was inducted into the Junior Achievement Dallas Business Hall of Fame.

“The education I received at UTEP profoundly altered the course of my life,” she said. “As a result, being chosen as a Distinguished Alumna holds immense significance and fills me with a deep sense of gratitude.”



Edward Escudero

BBA in Accounting, 1992

Edward Escudero is a successful business leader who currently serves as president and CEO of High Desert Capital, LLC, an El Paso finance company specializing in capital alternatives for small and midsize companies, and Vice Chairman of WestStar Bank Holding Company, Inc. and WestStar Bank. Prior to his current role, Escudero held executive positions at C&R Distributing and Petro Stopping Centers, LP, where he contributed to substantial revenue growth and workforce expansion.

In addition to his professional achievements, Escudero is actively involved in community service. He serves on the boards of several organizations, including El Paso Electric, the Medical Center of the Americas Foundation and the Hospitals of Providence Memorial/Sierra Campus. Escudero is a recipient of the El Paso Community Spirit Award, the Hispanos Triunfadores Award and the UTEP Gold Nugget Award in recognition of his generosity and community service. Escudero is a longtime supporter of UTEP and was a co-chair of the 2014 Centennial Commission formed to celebrate the University’s 100th anniversary.

“To be selected as a Distinguished Alumnus feels like coming full circle,” Escudero said. “The experience that got me to this moment was built upon the knowledge and skills I gained as a UTEP student. It is incredible to be recognized with this prestigious honor from where it all began.”