Passing the Gavel: A Message from UTEP Alumni Association Past-President Manny Castruita
I will be stepping into the role of the Immediate Past-President effective September 1, 2024 and so this is my last note, as Alumni Association President. It has been an honor serving alongside a group of dedicated professionals who collaboratively oversaw an association that brings so many benefits and blessings to our beloved Alma Mater for students now and in the future.
Reflecting on my own UTEP journey, I remain grateful to Mr. Beto Lopez, retired Associate Vice President for University Relations, for personally recruiting me from Denver City, Texas in 1984. That was the beginning of lifelong affinity to UTEP and what it represents, especially for First-Generation students like myself.
Our Executive Committee officers have demonstrated exceptional commitment by engaging in committee work, meetings, and challenging themselves to offer the best of their skills and talents. I would like to offer my sincere note of gratitude to following Board Members of the Executive Committee: Mr. Victor Rueda, Secretary; Mrs. Brandy P. Maddox, Vice President Philanthropic Outreach; Dr. James Jones, Vice President Campus and Community Engagement; Mr. Bernardino Olague, Immediate Past President; Dr. Rick Acevedo, Treasurer; and Mr. Fred Lopez, President Elect.
The hard work and dedication of the Executive Committee has been critical to the achievements of the Association as well as overcoming unforeseen challenges and setbacks. The EC has been my rock and their counsel over the last two years has been crucial. Through many late nights and early mornings, we forged ahead on revising the presidential line of succession to allow the Association President to serve for two years, we streamlined our committee structure from four separate committees to two, and we made hard fiscal decisions such as the sunsetting of the Alumni Dinner Theater. Additionally, we began updating internal processes from our budget to golf tournament fundraiser reconciliation and other fundraising protocols, and we revised and updated our guiding documents. I remain thankful for the countless hours of the Ad Hoc MOU Committee for their hard work and insights as we have continued to define our ever-evolving relationship with the University.
Moreover, I particularly want to acknowledge the following Board Members who will be ending their terms on August 31, 2024. I want to express my sincere gratitude for their many years of service, guidance, and commitment that have imparted with fellow Board Members and our community: Mr. Anthony Martinez, Chick-fil-A Franchisee Owner; Mr. Bernardino Olague, LOI Engineers Owner; Dr. James Jones, CHEP USA Operations Representative; and Mr. Johnathan Cereceres, Graduate Student.
The last two years showcased our collective work in support of the UTEP Alumni Association’s signature events as well as supporting several University sponsored events. I was honored to represent the Association at several established alumni celebrations: four Ring Ceremonies, sixteen Pinning Ceremonies, seventeen Commencement Ceremonies and rehearsals, two Top Ten Seniors Ceremonies, and two Golden Graduates Receptions, along with two awe inspiring Distinguished Alumni Dinner events and a successful Golf Tournament that added over $80K to the Alumni Association Endowed Scholarship. Moreover, we launched exciting new projects: Raise Your Pick Giving Day and the Postcard Project, where alumni wrote personalized notes to future Miners. I am particularly proud of the Top Ten Senior Committee working alongside us to revamp the nomination and selection process allowing for diversity of voices and talent. I remain excited as the Top Ten Senior event will be celebrating its 75h anniversary in 2025. A couple of board members engaged in professional board development through the United Way Realize Board Training Program and accompanying book study. Another opportunity offered to our group was participation in the Paso del Norte Community Foundations Reimagines Nonprofits conferences, enabling us to learn and share ideas with hundreds of non-profit organizations in the Borderland. One personal highlight for me was writing individualized birthday greetings to our over 2,000 Alumni (last semester- transitioned to an electronic greeting card as well). Lastly, we worked tightly with Institutional Advancement with the UTEP Night at the Chihuahuas for the last two years.
In addition to these events, our core group supported other campus-wide initiatives such as the Student Food Pantry to address issues of food insecurity among our students, Athletics Orange Fever Fiesta for athletic scholarships, Recruitment’s Operation College-Bound with local high schools and Project Move—who can forget painting the home of an elderly homeowner, cleaning one of our arroyos, and helping at the Salvation Army distribution warehouse? The Association continued its support of the UTEP Woman’s Auxiliary especially during the Centennial Celebration. Likewise, I was again honored to represent the Association at two fall Convocations and hear the State of the Association Address and two spring Honors Convocations where the achievements of students and faculty are applauded.
My involvement with the Association began with a strong desire to enhance student life and support. Upon my joining the Board, I was asked to head the Student Engagement Committee and work directly with the Student Alumni Association (SAA). Our work together over three years humbled me as SAA members shared their aspirations and challenges with me. Those mentorship relationships yielded much growth for them and the SAA. We worked together during Blue and Orange Day helping future parents and students, Haunted Campus fundraiser, Thanksgiving Dinners for members, and Holidays exchanges for local hospitals, and their Student Network Learn and Grow Series. Their hard work was rewarded by eventually being named the Student Organization of the Year by the UTEP Engagement Leadership Center. I was privileged to see Janice, Sophia, Stacy, Tracy, Bruce, Jose, and many others blossom into inspiring leaders in their own right.
One of the most rewarding experiences with these students was to accompany them to Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE). During our CASE conference in Baltimore on August 2019, I and one other sponsor had the difficult task of comforting our UTEP students as the gruesome details of the Walmart Shooting became known. They, like the rest of us, wanted to know if our loved ones were safe. To this day, Jose and I meet regularly as our mentor-mentee relationship has continued to grow over the last four years. We regularly discuss his course, readings, philosophies, current and past geopolitical events. Our families have become integrated. We continue to push each other to grow. He has become like a son to me.
Through the sunny and rainy days, our work would not have been possible without the support of many individuals throughout the campus. In particular, I am forever indebted for the leadership, support, and guidance from Institutional Advancement and other campus departments. Throughout the many transitional phases, they were ever present, and through dialogue we moved forward. In addition, I am most appreciative to all the faculty and staff with whom I was blessed to connect and forge partnerships to advance student life.
I would like to offer my personal “gracias” to Dr. Heather Wilson for being supportive, encouraging and above all inclusive. Over the last several years, our conversations and connections always revolved on how to remove the barriers for our students so that they could attain their college degrees. I am humbled by her level of care for them. I will cherish our conversations and trust on and off campus, including the Hoover House.
I would like to offer my congratulations to the new President, Fred Lopez. We joined the Alumni Association together. I also wish to congratulate, Dr. William Acevedo, our new President-Elect. I wish both of them success in the years to come.
I would be remiss if I did not take a moment to offer a note of appreciation and gratitude to those former Board Members, who welcomed me to the UTEP Alumni Association and served as mentors, professional colleagues and friends, and all faculty and staff with whom I was blessed to connect and enhance the student experience:
Former Board of Directors Members 2015-2024
Mr. Jake Logan, Vice President Institutional Advancement
Ms. Liliana Barrios, Assistant Vice President for Alumni and Donor Engagement
Mrs. Lori Cook, Associate Vice President for Development
Mrs. Maribel Villalva, Former Assistant Vice President Alumni Relation
Dr. Gary Edens, Faculty and former Vice President Student Affairs
Dr. Clifton Tanabe, Dean College of Education
Dr. Anadeli Bencomo, Dean College of Liberal Arts
Dr. John Weibe, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs
Dr. Amanda Vasquez, Vice President for Enrollment and Management
Dr. Leslie Robbins, Dean – College of Nursing
Dr. Kenith Meissner, Dean – College of Engineering
Dr. Richard Pineda, Director – Sam Donaldson Center for Communication Studies
Miner Forever, Stronger Together.
President 2022-24
UTEP Alumni Association