Outstanding Alumni Celebration Recognizes Legacy and Leadership
by Hunt Business Staff
The Big Picture
The Hunt College of Business hosted the Outstanding Alumni Celebration at the El Paso Natural Gas Conference Center, honoring Miriam Baca Kotkowski (Gold Nugget Award) and Paul Dipp (Distinguished Alumnus) for their lasting impact on business, community, and UTEP.
The evening also featured remarks from UTEP President Heather Wilson, alongside college leadership, alumni, and students.
Why It Matters
The Outstanding Alumni Celebration is the signature Homecoming event at Hunt Business. It honors individual achievement and connects the past, present, and future — spotlighting alumni success while inspiring current students and faculty.
What They Said
Heather Wilson, UTEP President:
“This is a university that changes lives. Over 26,000 students are enrolled here — our highest number ever — and 78 percent of undergraduates receive scholarships or grants. At UTEP, we widen the path without lowering the bar. We make it possible for students to achieve their own personal dreams, and in doing so, we create a stronger community for everyone. If more universities were like UTEP, higher education would have a better reputation in America.”
Miriam Baca Kotkowski, 2025 Gold Nugget Award:
“I never did things with an award in mind, so this feels surreal. My MBA at UTEP changed everything for me — I only wish I had done it earlier. To the students here, I can tell you: This is a program that can fit into your real life and transform it. I’m proud of UTEP, proud of our interns, and proud of the people who have grown with us.”
Paul Dipp, 2025 Distinguished Alumnus:
“Any measure of my success is built on two foundations: My UTEP education and my family companies. Both were shaped over a century through vision, courage, and hard work. Our team members are the heart of our companies, and our community has been our support system. This moment doesn’t belong to me alone — it belongs to all of us. Together we will continue to build bridges, create opportunities, and shape the future of our binational region.”
John Hadjimarcou, Ph.D., Rick and Ginger Francis Dean:
“At Hunt College of Business, we often talk about creating golden opportunities — instilling in our students the idea of creating opportunities, not just consuming the ones created by others. Tonight we celebrate alumni who did just that. They took their UTEP education, community, and foundation into the world, leaving echoes across industries, borders, and generations.”
“This is a university that changes lives. Over 26,000 students are enrolled here — our highest number ever — and 78 percent of undergraduates receive scholarships or grants. At UTEP, we widen the path without lowering the bar. We make it possible for students to achieve their own personal dreams, and in doing so, we create a stronger community for everyone. If more universities were like UTEP, higher education would have a better reputation in America.”
Miriam Baca Kotkowski, 2025 Gold Nugget Award:
“I never did things with an award in mind, so this feels surreal. My MBA at UTEP changed everything for me — I only wish I had done it earlier. To the students here, I can tell you: This is a program that can fit into your real life and transform it. I’m proud of UTEP, proud of our interns, and proud of the people who have grown with us.”
Paul Dipp, 2025 Distinguished Alumnus:
“Any measure of my success is built on two foundations: My UTEP education and my family companies. Both were shaped over a century through vision, courage, and hard work. Our team members are the heart of our companies, and our community has been our support system. This moment doesn’t belong to me alone — it belongs to all of us. Together we will continue to build bridges, create opportunities, and shape the future of our binational region.”
John Hadjimarcou, Ph.D., Rick and Ginger Francis Dean:
“At Hunt College of Business, we often talk about creating golden opportunities — instilling in our students the idea of creating opportunities, not just consuming the ones created by others. Tonight we celebrate alumni who did just that. They took their UTEP education, community, and foundation into the world, leaving echoes across industries, borders, and generations.”
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