Could you be the next Top Ten Senior?

We’re looking for students who have:

  • Demonstrated growth emotionally, academically, socially, and professionally in their time at UTEP.
  • Achieved academic excellence.
  • Contributed to the community.
  • Demonstrated leadership.
  • The potential to be an engaged alumni.

If this is you, learn more about what to prepare for your application: 

 

1. Record a Video

  • 1-2 minutes long
  • Prompt: Three reasons why you should be a Top Ten Senior (avoid generalities, e.g., "because I am passionate...").
  • Must be a self-recorded video that displays you speaking for the entire video.
  • Your application will not be considered/disqualified if your video is longer than 2 minutes and edited to include videos or pictures with you speaking through a voiceover. You must talk to the camera for the entirety of the video.  

2. One Essay Question

  • Prompt: What is something you learned during your time as a student at UTEP that changed who you are as a person? With this in mind, how do you envision impacting the world as a UTEP alum with what you’ve learned?
  • 600-word max.
  • Your application will not be considered/disqualified if your essay is longer than 600 words.

3. Two Short Answer Responses

  • Prompt 1: How have you positively impacted your community during your time at UTEP?
  • Prompt 2: How have you become a leader during your time at UTEP?
  • 300-word max. for each response
  • Your application will not be considered/disqualified if your short answer responses are longer than 300 words each.

4. Involvement Overview

In place of a resume, you will complete an Excel template to list your top 5 involvement experiences that you want the committee to consider. This can include items like: 

  • Employment (Titles, Dates, Role)
  • Leadership Roles (Titles, Dates, Role)
  • UTEP Related Activities – Community Engagement, Service, Student Organizations (Titles, Dates)
  • Non-UTEP Related Activities – Community Engagement (Titles, Dates)
  • Research or other Scholarly Opportunities (Titles, Dates) 

For all items you list, you’ll give a time frame for completing each and share the average number of hours. Please describe what you did and the biggest outcome in 1-2 sentences. 

 

Your application will not be considered/disqualified if your involvement overview lists more than 5 experiences. 

 

5. A Professional Reference

In place of getting letters of recommendation, you will need to have 2 professional references complete a reference form. It is a brief form that allows them to share more about your character, accomplishments, and overall impact during your time at UTEP.  

Instructions for Student:  

  • Select 2 people to complete a reference form on your behalf.
  • The person who is submitting on your behalf cannot be a family member – must be a professional or academic reference. 
  • On the application, you’ll include their contact information. 
  • Once you know who will be submitting a form on your behalf, send them the link.
  • You can have them fill out the form before you are done applying. Don’t wait until you’ve applied to send them the form.
  • Link for Reference Form: https://minetracker.utep.edu/submitter/form/start/693048 

Instructions for Reference

You will complete a MineTracker Form requesting the following information: 

  • Your relationship to the student.
  • How long you’ve known them and in what capacity.
  • Sharing what distinguishes this student among their peers.
  • Describing the student’s leadership qualities and contributions to the campus and/or community.
  • Sharing any additional comments for the committee to consider.
  • Selecting a recommendation rating: Highly recommend for the award; Recommend for the award; Indifferent (Due to lack of relationship, lack of display of achievement, etc.); Do not recommend for the award.

Ready to apply?

For more information, please contact us at alumniawards@utep.edu