Happy Valentine's Day, Miner Nation!
Celebrate the day with a whole lotta love and friendship! We have a few items to share with you to set the mood:
• Listen to the playlist we’ve put together of Billboard’s top 50 love songs of all time. Play it with your one true love or with your best friends! You love them too, right? There's no need to wait for Valentine's Day to play these tunes!
• Wishing you could say "I love you" with UTEP-inspired Valentine's Day cards? We might have what you're looking for. Download printable cards here.
• UTEP's V-Day special stickers (GIFs) and don't forget to include them in your text messages or social media stories. Cupid Pete sure deserves a share!
Valentine's Day 2024 Stories
Thank you for sharing your Miner love stories!
Lucy Galvan Carrera '59 and Jose Luis Carrera '59
In a few words, how did you meet them?
Lucy is sharing their story:
I first saw him on the stair landing of the library. I asked librarian Frank Scott if he knew that tall handsome older student. Frank only knew his nickname.
Although I had a ride, I stood at the bus stop area and asked the nameless guy for a ride as he drove by. He dropped me at Al’s Shop for Men. This scene occurred several times in the fall of 1957.
When did you know they would be in your life forever?
He gave an invitation to a wedding. Now I knew his name! He was an usher in the wedding and his name was listed.
I attended the dance for that November 1957 wedding, we danced. The following Monday our first date was at the library.
Any other special details involving your time on campus or as a UTEP student?
Attended graduation prom in May 1959. Danced to the music of Harry James.
Married June 6, 1959
Jose Luis Mena '12, '14 and Barbara Aguilera '13
In a few words, how did you meet them?
Jose Luis is sharing their story:
We met on campus as part of the ASCE (American Society of Civil Engineers) concrete canoe project. During our time in the organization, we would spend a lot of time together building the canoe, practicing for the rowing events, and just getting to know each other. In between working on the canoe, we discovered we both loved to play guitar, and write songs, and would later start a band with other fellow UTEP students.
When did you know they would be in your life forever?
We knew we were meant to be from day one. We just aligned on so many levels, including a love for food, beer, music, video games, and the same wicked sense of humor.
Brianna Dagostino '20 and Dominic Veliz '20
In a few words, how did you meet them?
Brianna is sharing their story:
We met at Franklin High School, but we never really talked. We started talking when we ran into each other at Centennial Plaza!
When did you know they would be in your life forever?
Dominic has always been there for me. One semester, I was taking 21 hours and working part-time. It was a really tough time. Some days, I was at school from 7 am to 6:50 pm. Dominic never failed to be there for me, he’d walk me to class, bring me food, and stay with me in the library for long hours. When we both graduated in 2020, we moved to the east coast. We did long-distance for two years while Dominic was getting his Doctor of Physical Therapy. This month will mark 7 years of us dating, and we just got engaged this past December! We both now live in Washington DC where I am an engineer and Dominic is a physical therapist!
Any other special details involving your time on campus or as a UTEP student?
Dominic was an equipment manager for the UTEP football team.
Brianna was an engineering ambassador and an engineering researcher for CASSMAR. Dominic and Brianna were both Miner Ambassadors.
Diana Gloria-Guardado '13, '22 and Erick Guardado '10, '22
In a few words, how did you meet them?
Diana is sharing their story:
Back in 2010, Erick and I first met while we were both working as student assistants at the Vice President of Student Affairs office. Our friendship blossomed naturally over the course of a year, filled with shared smiles and inside jokes that made each day at work a little brighter. When I finally gathered the courage to ask Erick to be my date to the SGA awards banquet, it felt like the most natural thing in the world. From that moment on, our love story began to unfold, leading us to where we are today happily married with two adorable boys, cherishing every moment together for the past nine years.
When did you know they would be in your life forever?
I knew Erick was a keeper when our friendship deepened into love. He's not just the best husband and dad, but also my rock through thick and thin. Also, we dated for four years before tying the knot, and we've been happily married for nearly ten years come September.
Any other special details involving your time on campus or as a UTEP student?
Erick was an art student I had to drag him out Fox Fine Arts building. My home building was the union building where I met Erick, and I was also involved in Student Government. 🙂
Maria Placencia '14 and Antonio Romero '02, '14
In a few words, how did you meet them?
Maria is sharing their story:
Tony and I met at the College of Education while working as student assistants in the Teacher Education Department in the fall of 2000. We were literally from opposite sides of the county. I'm from Anthony, TX and he's from Fabens, TX. We started with a mutual dislike for each other but thanks to other students who worked with us, we quickly became friends and started going out as a group.
When did you know they would be in your life forever?
In the spring of 2002, his last "spring break" we took a trip to San Antonio and Austin with another friend. On our first night there, while walking through the River Walk, it started to pour, and started running for cover. At one point he turned around and saw that I was completely drenched! At that moment he didn't hesitate to take off his shirt and give it to me so that I would be covered up. He grabbed my hand, and we kept running until we made it back to the parking garage. We had been friends for a while before that and I knew without a doubt he would be a friend for life after that incident. Twenty-two years later, here we are!
Any other special details involving your time on campus or as a UTEP student?
We both work at UTEP and have served the University for 20 years. Our kids attended the University daycare until they were old enough to go to school.
When we got married, it was super important for us to take our wedding pictures on campus because we wanted to honor the place where we met.