MinerAlert
MinerAlert
November 2025
By Alexandra Sanchez, ’17
When Dr. Kevin Jolly ’08, ’10 left New Jersey to attend graduate school at UTEP almost 20 years ago, he never expected that a move to El Paso would become one of the most defining chapters of his life. Drawn to the University’s nationally recognized Legal Psychology Program, he spent five years earning his master’s and doctoral degrees. An experience that shaped not only his career but his outlook on people, data, and community.
“UTEP was one of the best in the nation for legal psychology,” Jolly said. “I’ve always been fascinated by people and data, and psychology felt like the perfect mix of both. My time at UTEP taught me how to connect numbers to real people and real outcomes — and that lesson has guided me ever since.”
Jolly’s journey into psychology began after the events of September 11, 2001. Originally from New Jersey, he began college at Iowa State University planning to study journalism, but the attacks profoundly shifted his perspective. “I wanted to understand why people my age could commit such acts,” he recalled. “That curiosity made me change my major and study human behavior on a deeper level.”
Eventually, that same curiosity led him to UTEP in 2005, where he immersed himself in legal psychology research, studying topics like alibis and eyewitness testimony. He was inspired by UTEP’s vibrant, multicultural environment and the resilience of students who crossed the border daily to attend class. “It was humbling,” he said. “Seeing people wait in line for hours every morning just to go to school changed how I saw the world.”
For Dr. Jolly, adapting to life in El Paso life was an adjustment, but it grew on him quickly. “It took a little while to appreciate it, but once it clicked, I loved it,” he said. “The mountains, the culture, the people — it’s such a special place.”
During his time at UTEP, Jolly found mentors who made a lasting impact. His doctoral advisor, Dr. Harmon Hosch, taught him that science isn’t about changing the world overnight but about pushing knowledge forward step by step. He also credits Dr. Osvaldo Moreira for sparking his love for data and analytics. “His classes were known for being tough,” Jolly said, “but if you succeeded, you really knew your stuff.”
A turning point came when Jolly interned at UTEP’s Center for Institutional Evaluation, Research and Planning (CIERP). The experience showed him how data could be used to improve student outcomes and connect numbers to real human stories. “That idea that data can be used for good became the foundation of my career,” he said.
After earning his Ph.D. in 2010, Jolly carried that mindset into his professional journey. He began as a lead researcher at Sinclair Community College, later joined McGraw-Hill Education as a senior marketing analyst, and eventually worked in the energy sector as a data scientist and manager of market analytics.
Today, Jolly serves as Manager of Customer Data Management for Sarnova’s Cardio Partners division, overseeing systems that keep customer and order data accurate and efficient. “At the end of the day, it’s about using information to make people’s lives easier,” he said.
Even years later, UTEP’s influence remains strong. “UTEP taught me how to use data to help people,” he said. “Every job I’ve had since then has been about that — using information to make a difference.”
For current students, Jolly offers one piece of advice: “Textbooks make the world seem neat and tidy, but real life is messy. People are unpredictable, and data doesn’t always behave the way you expect. Learn to adapt — that’s where the real growth happens.”
Reflecting on his time in El Paso, Jolly smiles at the memories such as football tailgates, long nights in the lab, adopting his first dog, and even the flash flood that once turned city streets into rivers back in 2006. He still even has a Club 101 poster up in his office till this day, which always reminds him of his time in El Paso. “UTEP was a wonderful, wonderful place,” he said. “I’d recommend it to anyone.”