2026 Gold Nugget Recipient

College of Science Honors Yolanda Sanchez as Gold Nugget Award Winner 

This year, the College of Science is honoring alumna Yolanda Sanchez with the 2026 Gold Nugget Award. The annual Gold Nugget awards represent the highest caliber honor for UTEP alumni who demonstrate excellence, service and professionalism in their communities and careers. 

“Yolanda Sanchez serves as a great example of the tremendous impact of a UTEP education,” said College of Science Dean Marc R. Knecht, Ph.D. “Her story reminds us that the opportunities we provide our students today can shape scientific leaders who will improve lives and advance knowledge for decades to come.” 

Yolanda Sanchez’s path to biomedical research began at the UTEP College of Science, where early research and lab experiences sparked a lifelong interest in biomedical science. Sanchez, Ph.D., earned a Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences in 1987, graduating summa cum laude and laying the foundation for a distinguished career in cancer research. 

Looking back on those early moments of discovery, Sanchez said, “I was bitten by the research bug.” 

She went on to complete doctoral and postdoctoral training in cancer genetics at MD Anderson Cancer Center and Baylor College of Medicine, later holding faculty and leadership roles at the University of Cincinnati and Dartmouth’s Geisel School of Medicine.  

Today, Sanchez serves as director and CEO of the University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center and is the first Hispanic woman to lead a National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center. She also serves on the board of the Association of American Cancer Institutes and on advisory boards for leading cancer centers nationwide.