'Mining Minds' Special Lighting to Celebrate UTEP Student's Athletic Success

Last Updated on November 08, 2019 at 12:00 AM

Originally published November 08, 2019

By UC Staff

UTEP Communications

The "Mining Minds" pickaxe sculpture at The University of Texas at El Paso's Sun Bowl-University Roundabout will be illuminated blue and orange Friday, Nov. 8, 2019 in honor of UTEP student Tobi Amusan, a former UTEP track champion who finished fourth in the 100-meter hurdles during the 2019 International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) World Athletics Championships.

The "Mining Minds" pickaxe sculpture at The University of Texas at El Paso's Sun Bowl-University Roundabout will be illuminated blue and orange Friday, Nov. 8, 2019 in honor of UTEP student Tobi Amusan, a former UTEP track champion who finished fourth in the 100-meter hurdles during the 2019 International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) World Athletics Championships. Courtesy photo

Amusan competed for the Miners for two seasons (2016-17) before leaving the team to compete professionally. She captured the national title in the 100-meter hurdles at the 2017 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships with a school-record time of 12.57 seconds. She was a three-time All-American at UTEP.

She was named the Conference USA Female Track Athlete of the Year in 2016 and 2017. Amusan was the leading scorer for the Miners with 25 points at the 2017 C-USA Indoor Championships. During the 2017 outdoor season, she set a meet record in the 100-meter hurdles at the prestigious Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays and scored 24.5 points at the C-USA Outdoor Championships. Amusan led the Miners to three C-USA team championships – two indoors and one outdoors – and was a six-time individual conference champion herself. She expects to graduate in December 2019 with a B.S. in Health Promotion.

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

The University illuminates the pick in blue and orange on special occasions such as historic dates, major annual milestones and celebrations of special accomplishments. To learn more about “Mining Minds,” visit utep.edu/miningminds.