UTEP Student Named Finalist for Internationally Renowned Rhodes Scholarship

Undergraduate studying cancer research advances in distinguished competition

EL PASO, Texas (Nov. 13, 2026) – Renata Ortega, a senior majoring in Engineering Innovation and Leadership at The University of Texas at El Paso, has been selected as a finalist for the prestigious Rhodes Scholarship.

Renata Ortega, a senior majoring in Engineering Innovation and Leadership at The University of Texas at El Paso, was selected as a finalist for the prestigious Rhodes Scholarship, one of the world's renowned academic awards.

“Selection as a finalist places Ortega among a small group of students nationwide advancing in one of the world's most respected scholarship competitions,” said Catie McCorry-Andalis, Ed.D., UTEP vice president for student affairs. “Her achievement shines a national spotlight on the caliber of students at UTEP and reinforces our mission of empowering talented students to make a meaningful impact in their communities and around the world."

Born in El Paso and educated in Ciudad Juárez, Ortega credits her binational upbringing for shaping her academic and leadership journey.

"Ciudad Juárez and El Paso are home. I'm proud to represent both," said Ortega.

Ortega is already the recipient of a 2026 Goldwater Scholarship, which is awarded to sophomores and juniors who are actively engaged in undergraduate research and provides up to $7,500 annually for tuition and fees.

Ortega is concentrating on biomedical engineering, and has completed summer research programs at Cornell University, the Harvard-MIT Wellman Center for Photomedicine and Yale University. She has presented her research on cancer in Germany and will present additional research in Canada in the coming months. She also serves as president of UTEP's Biomedical Engineering Society and has worked to expand educational and research opportunities for students on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border.

Established in 1902, the Rhodes Scholarship is the world's oldest international graduate scholarships and provides funding for graduate studies at the University of Oxford. Rhodes Scholars are selected based on academic achievement, leadership, character and commitment to service.

Last Updated on November 04, 2026 at 12:00 AM | Originally published November 04, 2026

By MC Staff UTEP Marketing and Communications