The University of Texas at El Paso’s longest-running student tradition known as TCM Day returned to campus with a slate of events filled with Miner pride.
The daylong celebration pays tribute to the university’s roots in mining and includes the whitewashing of the “M” on the mountain north of Sun Bowl Stadium and the Team Mining Challenge, a race on campus that immerses participants in the rigors and challenges faced by past miners.
“St. Patrick is the patron saint of the engineer and that’s the basis for TCM Day,” said Leila Armstrong, a senior in the electrical engineering program. “This is the longest running tradition through the College of Engineering, and we come out and have activities and show our UTEP pride.”
The watered-down latex white paint was splashed by students on the logo that has become synonymous with the stadium and the city.
TCM Day is celebrated on campus every March in observance of St. Patrick’s Day. This year’s celebration took place on Friday, March 13, since the university is on spring break the week of March 16-20.
The tradition began in 1920 when UTEP was known as the Texas College of Mines and Metallurgy, or TCM. It is an annual rite of passage to initiate new student engineers and geologists into the Order of St. Patrick, the patron saint of engineers.
“This is an important way to build community. This a key component to these students’ success and these are going to be the networks these students have for the rest of their lives,” said Ken Meissner, dean of the College of Engineering.
After the event, some of the paint even found its way into those same students in what turned into levity on day filled with school spirit.
Kristian Jaime is the Top Story Reporter for the El Paso Times and is reachable at Kjaime@elpasotimes.com.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: UTEP celebrates TCM Day with school spirit, painting of ‘M’ on mountain
Reporting by Kristian Jaime, El Paso Times / El Paso Times
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
