'Mining Minds' Special Lighting to Honor TCM Day Tradition

Last Updated on March 23, 2017 at 12:00 AM

Originally published March 23, 2017

By UC Staff

UTEP Communications

The “Mining Minds” pickaxe sculpture at UTEP’s University Avenue roundabout will be illuminated in blue and orange Friday evening, March 24, 2017, in honor of TCM Day, The University of Texas at El Paso’s longest-running tradition.

TCM Day
The “Mining Minds” pickaxe sculpture at UTEP’s University Avenue roundabout will be illuminated in blue and orange Friday evening, March 24, 2017, in honor of TCM Day, The University of Texas at El Paso’s longest-running tradition. Photo by Ivan Pierre Aguirre / UTEP Communications

Celebrated each March around St. Patrick’s Day, TCM Day activities date back to 1920 when UTEP was known as the Texas College of Mines and Metallurgy, or TCM. It started as an annual rite of passage to initiate new engineers and geologists into the Order of St. Patrick, the patron saint of engineers. Now, students, faculty and staff from all disciplines are invited to participate in the TCM Day activities, including the Team Mining Challenge.

Those who complete every element of TCM Day will earn their official TCM Day green card and a TCM T-shirt.

The festivities start with participants signing in at 7:30 a.m. in Magoffin Auditorium. Participants are asked to bring $10 and a canned food item for the UTEP Food Pantry.

The day begins with the coming of St. Pat, a theatrical production where a senior engineering student, as voted by the Engineering Leadership Council, dresses up as their representation of St. Patrick.

Next, a simulated dynamite blast will take place to reenact how miners used dynamite to blow holes in mines. This will be followed by singing the traditional Mining song.

After a quick break, Miners will whitewash the "M" on the mountain off Sun Bowl Drive, a tradition that dates back to 1923.

The Alpha Phi Omega (APO) engineering fraternity will conduct an award ceremony in honor of their members. The APO fraternity was founded in 1919 at the Texas College of Mines as a social fraternity for engineering and geology students with a commitment to UTEP and the community. Those APO members started many of the traditions that are still around today.

After the awards ceremony, Miners will participate in the Team Mining Challenge, which will take them throughout the campus and end at the Engineering Building. Upon completing the challenge, participants will run through the long green line and kiss the famous Blarney Stone. The first place team will win $500.

For more information and to register for the event, visit tcm.utep.edu.

“Mining Minds” is an iconic piece of public art installed in 2010 to enhance the UTEP campus. At night, orange lights illuminate the steel structure while light from LEDs emanate from the perforated “ones” and “zeroes” at each end of the pick.

On special occasions, including historic dates, major annual milestones and to celebrate special accomplishments, the pick is illuminated in blue and orange. Learn more about the statue and its artist at miningminds.utep.edu.