UTEP’s Oldest Tradition, TCM Day, Is Here Again

The oldest of UTEP traditions happens Friday as new engineering students are welcomed into the Order of St. Patrick and the mountain gets a makeover in El Paso.

The University of Texas at El Paso will celebrate TCM day Friday with a number of fun events for students and faculty that goes back farther than any other UTEP tradition.

It's aimed mostly at students in the engineering program, (who originally started it), but will be a fun time for all students, no matter their degree program, and faculty alike.

TCM day was first celebrated in 1920 when UTEP was known as the Texas College of Mines. (TCM) UTEP has had a number of names throughout the years and when one of the name changes was announced, student resistance was strong.

Although met with protests by the engineering, geology, and chemistry students, in 1949 all students were unified under the banner of Texas Western College. In protest, the Engineers split the campus into east and west sections, using green lines to honor Saint Patrick, the patron saint of engineers. - UTEP

West of the green line, the campus remained, (symbolically), the Texas College of Mines while everything east of it was, (symbolically), considered Texas Western College.

TCM day, celebrated near St. Patrick's Day, includes an homage to St. Patrick, (the patron saint of engineers), and lots of other fun activities including whitewashing the "M" on Miner Mountain.

Miner Mountain, north of the Sun Bowl, isn't the M's first location, in case you didn't know. If you would like to make a donation to help keep the TCM Day celebration alive, click here.