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UTEP Alumni Association Offers Free Membership to Alumni

Last Updated on July 01, 2020 at 12:00 AM

Originally published July 01, 2020

By UC Staff

UTEP Communications

The University of Texas at El Paso Alumni Association is offering free memberships to all UTEP alumni, a shift that opens doors for more than 100,000 Miners throughout the world to stay engaged with their alma mater.

“The new, free membership model provides the association a greater opportunity to serve and build relationships with alumni who have not previously been members,” said Laura Biggs, president of the UTEP Alumni Association. “This means more alumni will have access to the association’s varying levels of services and programs.”

UTEP alumni can activate their free Picks Up membership through MinerLink, the official online portal for UTEP alumni, by completing the following steps:

  • Go to minerlink.utep.edu
  • Find or create their alumni profile on the platform
  • Activate membership

UTEP Alumni Association members will benefit from membership perks such as discounts at the University Bookstore and for participants in UTEP Professional and Public Programs (P3) courses, as well as access to the UTEP Career Center and the Student Recreation Center. Additional perks include discounts with multiple national retailers such as Jostens and Liberty Mutual. 

Maribel Villalva, assistant vice president for alumni relations, said the timing of this change is appropriate because it highlights the importance of staying connected.

“The recent effects of the COVID-19 pandemic – which included social distancing, working from home and finding ways to help our respective communities – have highlighted the importance of personal connections and relationships,” Villalva said. “The UTEP Alumni Association is that place where our alumni can feel that sense of pride and camaraderie with other Miners.” 

Villalva added that while the association is eliminating its paid annual membership model, its lifetime membership category will remain intact. The Alumni Association will continue to offer this paid level of membership to provide a dedicated group of alumni members with the same perks they have come to expect in addition to potential new ones. Alumni who activate their free membership may upgrade to a lifetime membership.

“Ultimately, the main goal is to increase alumni engagement with UTEP in ways that are meaningful to each person,” Villalva said. “That can mean attending more events, signing up to volunteer, being an alumni mentor or even starting a scholarship fund.”

Individuals who graduated from or attended UTEP are eligible to register for the free Alumni Association Picks Up membership.