UTEP breaks fundraising record 4th year in a row

EL PASO, Texas ( KTSM ) — The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) has broken its record for annual fundraising for the fourth year in a row, the university announced on Thursday, Oct. 17.

UTEP reported a total of $50.5 million for the Fiscal Year 2024, breaking records from FY23 with $45.3 million, FY22 with $37 million and FY21 with $25.8 million, according to the university.

“The generosity of our donors is changing the lives of UTEP students and their families,” UTEP President Heather Wilson said. “We’re thankful to those who believe in us and support us.”

The FY24 records were contributed to over 5,500 donors and will support various initiatives including the following programs:

• Scholarships, which currently support 2,790 students.
• Student resources, such as the UTEP Food Pantry and career closet.
• The Centennial Museum and Chihuahuan Desert Gardens.
• KTEP, El Paso’s public radio station.
• Upgrading learning spaces like the Nursing Simulation Lab.
• Equipment and training resources for student-athletes.
• Research on treatments for cancer, diabetes and more.

“People are drawn to UTEP’s great mission and the strong support we are seeing is not surprising,” Jake Logan, vice president for institutional advancement said. “Our alumni have a ‘pay it forward’ mentality, and community leaders here understand that investing in higher education makes an even stronger El Paso.”

Zachary Althoff, a graduate student at UTEP, is the recipient of the Margaret O. Herman Endowed Scholarship, a scholarship that supports over 20 students annually, UTEP said.

“I started college in a time of uncertainty. The past few months had been full of derailed plans and disappointment,” Althoff said. “The day UTEP notified me that I was getting a scholarship was a turning point. It was the first piece of good news I had received in a while and it meant more to me than the much-needed financial support, it meant hope.”

Margaret O. Herman was the heiress of the Hess family, inventor of the steel-toe shoe and her mission was to give back to the El Paso community, according to UTEP.

To donate or learn more about the fundraising, you can visit UTEP’s website here .

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