FLORAFEST - Key Persons
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- Documentarian, Filmmaker, Director ( Doctor Who, Eleventh Hour )
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- Vice President for Research / Administration
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- Chief for the Dallas Morning News
- Dean Howard C. Daudistel
Alfredo Corchado Jimenez attended the University of Texas at El Paso to fulfill his lifelong dream of becoming an investigative journalist and a foreign correspondent. Alfredo graduated in 1987 with a Bachelor of Arts in journalism and quickly dedicated his life to bridging the gap that Americans and Mexicans perceive deeply divide our countries "and keep us from recognizing our similarities."
For more than 15 years, Mr. Corchado has served as the Mexico Bureau Chief for The Dallas Morning News and was the lead reporter during Mexico's 2000 presidential election. He was the first to interview President Vicente Fox following Fox's historic win, and was among a select group of experts who briefed Secretary of State Hillary Clinton prior to her first trip to Mexico.
Mr. Corchado Jimenez' work covering United States-Mexico relations, border violence, immigration and other border issues has earned him numerous accolades and awards including the prestigious 2007 Maria Moors Cabot Prize from Columbia University for outstanding reporting in Latin America. In 2009, he was named a Nieman Fellow at Harvard University.
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- Associate Professor and Department Co - Chair
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- Vice President for Enrollment Management
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- Associate Professor
- Co - Director
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- Chicanx Essayist, Poet, Writer, and American Book Award Recipient
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- Business Center Specialist
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- Vice President and Chief of Staff / Administration Building, 500
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- Professor at the University of Pittsburgh and Novelist of Soledad
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- Cartoonist, Editor, Creator of Maus
Art Spiegelman: Cartoonist, Editor, creator of Maus
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- Theatre Arts Professor and Director of the Prison Creative Arts Project
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- Gold Nugget and Professional Opera Singer
"UTEP provided the foundation for a singing career that took Barbara Divis across the U.S. to perform lead roles in well-known operas such as Giacomo Puccini's "Madama Butterfly" where she performed as the title character Cio-Cio-San in seven productions." Read more...
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- Admissions Counselor III / Graduation Advisor
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- Scholar and English Professor at the University of California, Santa Barbara
Bertha Toscano, B.A., Spanish, '33; UTEP's oldest known living alumna and former human resources director for ASARCO. Toscano's remarkable career spanned nearly 40 years. For much of that time, she was one of the company's only female executives.
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- Dean - Extended University
Beverly Penn, B.F.A., studio art/sculpture, '82; art and design professor at Texas State University in San Marcos for the past 20 years. Some of Penn's pieces are in the permanent collections of the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum in New York and the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington, D.C.
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- Attorney and Former Head of the Texas Bar Association
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- Archaeology Research Intern
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- Award Winning Literary Journalist, Author, and Poet on Mexican Fiction
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- Manager
- Program Coordinator
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- Founder and Executive Director / Fab Lab El Paso
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- Vice President for Student Affairs
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- Liberal Arts Senator, SGA
- Member of Committee
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- Assistant Professor of Instruction
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- Journalist and Vietnam Veteran
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- Dean
- Dean - College of Education / Education Building, 414
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- Professor at Universidad Complutense in Madrid, and Author
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- Multidisciplinary Studies Program Advisor
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- Director of Community Engagement
- Member of Committee
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- C.L.a.S.S. Center Program Advisor
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- Anthropologist, Author, and Graduate Program Director of Anthropology at
As the first Hispanic inspector general of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the Honorable David A. Montoya knows that UTEP was a critical part of his career path. Read more...
L. Michael White: Religious Studies Scholar, Director of the Institute for the Study of Antiquity and Christian Origins at UT Austin
Job Titles:
- Chairman of Committee
- Chairman, Art Department
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- Director of the Center for African American Poetry and Poetics at the University of Pittsburgh
Dawn Lundy Martin: Poet, Director of the Center for African American Poetry and Poetics at the University of Pittsburgh
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- Administrative Services Coordinator
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- Assistant Professor of Instruction
Dr. Alfonso R. Batres' pursuit of his undergraduate degree was temporarily interrupted when he joined the Army and fought in Vietnam from 1968 to 1969. Yet this decision to serve his country would be the impetus and inspiration to earn his bachelor's degree in psychology from UTEP in 1975.
"UTEP provided me with a solid academic foundation at a time when I was personally struggling with my readjustment back to civilian life from Vietnam," he said. "I wanted to help my fellow veterans with their readjustment needs and found that psychology was the right choice."
In 1978, Dr. Batres received his Master's of Social Work from the University of Louisville and earned his Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of Colorado at Boulder in 1984. He became the Chief Officer of the Readjustment Counseling Center, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, in 1994. Under his resolute leadership, the quantity and quality of services provided through community-based Vet Centers nationwide were expanded and improved to meet the unique needs of an ever-growing number of combat veterans and their families. These services include specialized counseling, medical and benefit referrals, and job assistance. "Dr. Batres has led the program to record levels of service provision over many years," said Dr. Robert Petzel, the VA Undersecretary for Health.
"The opportunity to serve veterans and their families as a civil servant through the Vet Center program has been a dream realized and an honor," Batres told the Partnership for Public Service when awarded the 2011 Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medal. The career medal recognizes the significant accomplishments of a federal employee throughout a lifetime of achievements in public service and is the highest award bestowed on a civil servant outside the government.
He other most recent awards include: the Presidential Distinguished Service Rank Award for Senior Executives, the highest award that can be achieved within civil service; the Presidential Meritorious Service Rank Award, a Presidential Citation for saving veterans lives; and, many others.
"I love working with and for veterans," he said, "and have been blessed with a job that I love."
He has also held various academic appointments and is currently an Adjunct Professor of Medical and Clinical Psychology with the F. Edward Herbert School of Medicine, Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences.
Job Titles:
- Dean
- Dean, College of Liberal Arts
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- Executive Director / Education Services Center
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- Associate Professor for the English Department at UTEP and Author of Translating Christ in the Middle Ages Gender, Authorship, and the Visionary Text.
Dr. Barbara Zimbalist Associate professor for the English department at UTEP and Author of Translating Christ in the Middle Ages; Gender, Authorship, and the Visionary Text.
Job Titles:
- Interim Associate
- Interim Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies
As Interim Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies, Dr. Muniz's responsibilities include enhancing research productivity by mentoring faculty in grantsmanship and research, connecting faculty to funding opportunities, and reviewing and approving proposals before submissions. She serves as a liaison between CoLART and the ORSP Research Council and the Rocky Mountain Research Data Center. Dr. Muniz is responsible for coordinating and promoting internal awards such as the Career Enhancement Awards (CEAs) and the Liberal Arts Community Engagement (LACE) initiative. She oversees the Ph.D. fellowship opportunity and faculty research teams and works with the Ph.D. students and faculty to strengthen their research proposals.
Dr. Caitlyn Muniz is the Interim Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies. She holds a doctorate degree in criminology from the University of South Florida. Her research centers around victimology and criminological theory. Her work has been featured in top outlets in her field such as Journal of Criminal Justice, Criminal Justice & Behavior, Social Science Computer Review, and Child Abuse & Neglect. Dr. Muniz joined UTEP in 2019 as an assistant professor in the Department of Criminal Justice and Security Studies.
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- Associate Dean for Faculty
- Kruszewski Family Endowed Professor
As Associate Dean for Faculty, Dr. Boehmer's responsibilities include supporting faculty needs and success by assisting with policies that affect faculty. He manages promotion and tenure cases, post-tenure reviews, third-year reviews, emeritus reviews, faculty development leave, and other faculty matters. He also engages in faculty development by offering various workshops and mentoring programs.
Dr. Boehmer is a Kruszewski Family Endowed Professor in Political Science and a recipient of the 2013 University of Texas Regents' Outstanding Teaching Award. He served as Chair of the Graduate Council and the Graduate Assembly (2012-2014) in the Faculty Senate Executive Council and the UT Faculty Advisory Council. He is the former Chair of the Department of Political Science and Public Administration and the Director of Graduate Studies (2007- 2011 and 2017-2018).
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- English Professor and Director of the English Education Program at UTEP. Author of Educating the Enemy Teaching Nazis and Mexicans in the Cold War Borderlands
Dr. Jonna Perrillo, Associate English professor and Director of the English Education Program at UTEP. Author of Educating the Enemy; Teaching Nazis and Mexicans in the Cold War Borderlands
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- Associate Professor for the English Department at UTEP
Dr. Marion Rohrleitner, Associate Professor for the English department at UTEP and Co-author of Haitian Revolutionary Fictions
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- Associate Dean for Undergraduate Studies
As Associate Dean for Undergraduate Studies, Dr. Selfa Chew-Melendez's responsibilities include overseeing undergraduate enrollment, collaborating with college advisors to monitor non-returning students, and monitoring student withdrawals, incomplete grades, and probationary status. She collaborates with the College of Education to coordinate Secondary Education Programs. She is responsible for enforcing academic honesty policies in undergraduate coursework. She evaluates instructional needs and formats, stays updated on the newest developments in undergraduate studies, advocates for curriculum development, and chairs the College of Liberal Arts Curriculum Committee. Dr. Chew-Melendez also directs the Bachelor of Multidisciplinary Studies (BMS) and Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences (BAAS).
Dr. Chew-Melendez has taught US, Mexican, Asian American, Latin American, and African American history at UTEP for almost 20 years. She holds an MFA in Creative Writing and two doctorate degrees from UTEP: Borderlands History (2010) and Teaching, Learning, and Culture (2023). Her book, Uprooting Community: Japanese Mexicans, World War II, and the U.S. - Mexico Borderlands, was awarded an International Latino Book Award and the Southwest Book Award.
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- Senior Vice President and Chief Growth Officer / National Minority Supplier Development Council
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- Associate Professor of Practice
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- Poet and Award Winning Author of Chelsea Girls
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- Professor of English at Bucknell University
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- College Administrative Officer
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- Assistant Professor of Practice
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- Chicana Feminist Author and Research Social Scientist at the University of Arizona
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- Managing Director / Ecotone Investment Fund
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- Associate Professor
- Associate Dean for Undergraduate Studies and Educator Preparation
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- Technology Implementation Manager
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- Multidisciplinary Studies Academic Advisor
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- Program Coordinator, Alternative Certification Program ( ACP )
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- Assistant Professor of Instruction
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- President / Administration
- University Administration
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- Business Center Specialist
Chavez's determination helped her overcome detours and earn a bachelor's in political science from UTEP.
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- Vice President for Institutional Advancement
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- Business Center Specialist
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- Scholar and Englsih Professor at the University of Texas at Dallas
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- Department Chair and Associate Professor
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- Vice President and Director of Athletics
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- Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies
- Professor
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- Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs / Administration
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- Community Engagement Manager / Microsoft
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- Author, Philosophy Professor at the University of Massachusetts Lowell
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- Assistant Professor of Instruction
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- Assistant Dean
- Assistant Professor of Instruction
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- Associate Professor
- Co - Director
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- Dean - College of Engineering / Engineering
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- Dean - College of Nursing
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- Assistant Professor of Instruction
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- Manager ( Data / Certification )
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- Coordinator, Clinical Experiences / Assessment
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- Director of the East Side Institute for Group and Short Term Psychotherapy
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- Chief of Civil Society Section at United Nations Women
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- Professor of Philosophy at Texas State University
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- Vice President for Marketing and Communications
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- Vice President for Information Resources
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- General Manager
- Vice President
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- Chairman of Committee
- Chairman, English Department
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- Administrative Services Coordinator
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- Assistant Vice President, Alumni Affairs
- Member of Committee
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- Vice President for Business Affairs / Administration
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- President / Chief Executive Officer / Better Business Bureau
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- Graduate Student Coordinator
In 2014, Melissa Carrillo celebrated her 15-year tenure with the Smithsonian Latino Center Institution.
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- Gold Nugget, Bachelor of Arts - Communication, 2011
In a career spanning 60 years, Mike Martinez has helped transform major corporations, organizations and institutions the world over. But he first applied those tremendous talents at the then-Texas College of Mines and Metallurgy in 1949.
A journalism student, Martinez led the charge to change the college's name to Texas Western University - a name he asserted would better reflect its growth since its founding as a small engineering and mining school in 1914. The University of Texas System and State Legislature approved the change to Texas Western, but insisted on "College" instead of "University."
That remarkable achievement helped launch an even more remarkable career. Tapped early for an advertising management position with Sears, he left the college (which became UTEP in 1967) nine credit hours shy of his degree.
His bilingual, bicultural communication skills helped propel him into executive positions with top national marketing, advertising and public relations firms. He handled Fortune 500 clients including Coca-Cola, Ford Motor Co. and Exxon, expanding their international presence. Today, he is president and CEO of his own consulting firm, Strategic Management Services, in Dallas.
Job Titles:
- Interim Chair, Theatre and Dance Department
- Member of Committee
As one of the most recognizable faces on El Paso television, Ms. Estela Casas has been keeping local audiences informed of current events for over three decades. Read more...
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- National Institute of Justice and Professor at the School of Social Ecology
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- Vice President of Strategy / the BorderPlex Alliance
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- Playwright and Award Winning Author for What We Talk about When We Talk about Anne Frank
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- Playwrighter of Lydia, Director, Consultant for Disney 's Coco
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- Associate Professor and Department Co - Chair
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- Professor, Author, 4x National Poetry Slam Champion, 2018 NAACP
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- Activist, Anthropologist, and Professor at the University of California, Santa Cruz
Patricia Zavella: Activist, Anthropologist, and Professor at the University of California, Santa Cruz
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- Field Experience Specialist
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- Assistant Director, VP for Institutional Asset Management and Development
- Member of Committee
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- Assistant Professor of Instruction
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- Author and Founder of Zuckerberg Media
Ray Malooly originally attended Texas Western College in hopes of earning a medical degree. After several classes and labs, he realized medicine was not intended for him. He graduated in 1959 with a B.A. in History and English. Read more...
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- Associate Professor, Communication Department
- Member of Committee
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- Dean - College of Science / Chemistry & Computer Science Building, 3.0202
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- Chairman in Communication at UT Austin and Centennial Lecturer
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- Graduate Student Coordinator
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- Business Center Specialist
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- Journalist, Filmmaker, and Author of Best Seller the Perfect Storm
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- Vice President of Operations / El Paso Community Foundation
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- Vice Provost - Graduate Studies / Dean - Graduate School
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- Chairman of Committee
- Chairman, Music Department
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- Assistant Director of Advising
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- Director of Strategic Engagement & Planning
Born and raised in El Paso, Susana Navarro followed her father, uncles, aunts, and great uncle to UTEP, continuing a legacy of higher education that she has in turn worked to help countless families attain. Read more...
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- Associate Professor of Sociology at Texas a & M
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- Graduate Program Coordinator
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- Dean - College of Health Sciences / College of Health Sciences Room 368 - Q
- Professor
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- Anthropologist, Professor at the University of California, Riverside
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- Director of Student Services
- Director of Student Success
- Member of Committee