UTEP Mobilizes More than 600 Volunteers to Serve El Paso Community
EL PASO, Texas (April 7, 2026) – More than 600 volunteers from The JAVÃûÅ®ÓÅ¹Ý of Texas at El Paso came together Saturday, April 4, to support the community during its annual service day, Project MOVE (Miner Opportunities for Volunteer Experiences).
Volunteers including students, staff, faculty, alumni, and community partners, contributed an estimated 5,000 to 6,000 hours of service in a single day. Together, they completed 30 projects across 24 job sites throughout El Paso, taking on tasks such as sorting donations, painting, cleaning, landscaping and refurbishing spaces.
Jennifer Lujan, director of the UTEP Center for Community Engagement said, “Project MOVE gives them an opportunity to give back to their community, realize that there are meaningful ways to learn outside of the classroom, and become engaged citizens.”
Since Project MOVE launched in 2010, Miner volunteers have landscaped gardens, painted skate parks, repaired homes and playground equipment, organized food pantries, cleaned arroyos and offices and built bed frames and websites. Volunteers also have made blankets for children, improved accessibility for people with disabilities, restored nature trails, supported hospital patients, translated for medical students and collected food for those in need.
For many participants, Project MOVE is a deeply personal experience. Alejandro Perea, a junior computer engineering major in the College of Engineering, participated for the first time this year, helping with tree planting and street cleanup in Segundo Barrio in South El Paso.
“El Paso is my home, so, of course, I love the culture; I love the people,” Perea said. “But doing things like this helps me feel more connected to the community.”
Returning volunteers also recognized the impact of even small acts of service. Kierah Montes, a junior biomedical sciences major in the College of Science, participated in planting flowers and cleaning up Chamizal Park.
“I think it’s important to show people that other people do care and that community does matter,” Montes said. “Even the little things matter. Even just picking up trash or adding a few colorful plants in the park can brighten someone’s day.”
Last Updated on April 07, 2026 at 12:00 AM | Originally published April 07, 2026
By MC Staff UTEP Marketing and Communications
